International Film Festival Summit, 2nd Street Jazz, Jingle Mingle Holiday Party, Monaco International Film Festival, are highlights in December's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

The annual Bahamas International Film Festival, held on Nassau & Paradise Island, runs through December 4 this year. BIFF is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing the local island community and international visitors with a diverse presentation of films from around the world that might not otherwise be seen there. At the festival, BIFF features educational programs and forums for exploring the future of cinema. Panels and master classes will include: acting; directing; discussion on producing, fundraising and distribution, covering emerging trends and financing options. During the Festival, there will be a Rising Star Tribute to Zoe Kravitz (daughter of Lenny Kravitz). The opening night reception features live music by emerging Bahamian artists, including 4ever1 Band, and the closing night reception will promote a Bollywood theme requesting attendees to wear Indian style attire, and will feature live music and entertainment by Bollywood dancers.

Matsumoto's 2nd Street Jazz in the Little Tokyo district of  L.A.

Galileo Studio and the Azusa Pacific University Department of Theater, Film, and Television are hosting a conference on the art, craft and business of the short film, taking place in Azusa, from December 2-3. Titled "Much More than a Little Feature: The Splendor of the Short Film", day one will be presented as a short film movie night, while day two will be presented as a short film conference. Collaborating organizations for the event include the Angelus Student Film Festival, the Los Angeles Film Studies Center, and Act One: Training for Hollywood. A partial list of speakers include: Luke Matheny, Writer/Director, 2011 Academy Award® Winner for Best Short Film, Live Action “God of Love”; Randy Haberkamp, Director of Special Projects at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences; Bobette Buster, Story Consultant for Pixar, 20th Century Fox, Disney Animation, and Sony Animation and others.

Set in the noted entertainment capital of Las Vegas, with only a three and a half hour drive from Hollywood, the Nevada Film Festival hosts several world premieres, galas and parties during its run through December 3. This year's festival line-up includes both award-winning and world premiere feature films, documentaries, short films, foreign films, animations, music videos, experimental films, a screenplay competition, and an actor's showcase. Films of many genres will be screened including drama, comedy, action, horror, family and more. The festival also features panel discussions with the filmmakers where audiences have the opportunity to interact. Panel discussions include a range of topics and disciplines such as writing, directing, and producing. Priority access is available for all films, panels, Opening Night Party, Filmmaker Reception, Festival Awards Ceremony, and VIP reserved seating.

Sandra Lord who conducts the long-running Hollywood Networking Breakfast (usually held on the last Thursday of every month) conducts another seminar for this month in West Los Angeles on December 3 — "Taking Charge of Your Career or Business Direction in 2012". Areas for investigation focus on strategies for guidance and a fresh perspective for the next step of your career planning, resolving common issues of having representation but with career advancement and aspirations still lagging, strategies for those who lack connections or don’t know how to effectively use the ones they have, and more. Although admission is free, reservations are required through an RSVP to the organization's email address and by providing the requested details in the email note.

As an annual event, the International Film Festival Summit Conference in downtown Austin generally attracts over 300 music and film festival executive directors that are the decision-makers in the music and film festival industry. Examples of attendees include SXSW, Toronto International Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, Summerfest, Telluride Film Festival, Moviemaker Magazine, IFC, Bonnaroo, AFI Fest, Atlanta Film Festival, Starz Denver Film Festival, Savannah Music Festival, Palm Springs International Film Festival, River Run International Film Festival, San Francisco International Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and other institutions that are in attendance for the festival, this year running from December 4-6. For 2011, award-winning actor, Matthew Modine, will provide an actor's point of view on film festivals and what attracts above-the-line players to film festivals.

Within the Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, eclectic Matsumoto's 2nd Street Jazz weekly event showcase presents Jazz, Blues, Hip Hop, Rock n' Roll, Soul and R & B artists, as well as open mic opportunities and DJ turntable battles. The doors usually open at 7:30 pm nightly and live entertainment starts at 9 or 10 pm. In addition to its original purpose as a jazz club for which it was begun six or seven years ago by one time trumpet player and entrepreneur Kohei Matsumoto, 2nd Street Jazz explores music which ranges from rock to electronic to hip-hop and of course, jazz. Monday nights is a NYC styled jazz jam with any musicians with instruments invited up to the stage to play and singers to sing. Hip Hop and MC beat battles happen on Thursdays. The club features a full bar and late night food from their kitchen.

Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival, running December 6-11 in Hollywood is committed to assisting the promotion and distribution of films made outside the major studio system. The Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival celebrates independent and international filmmaking and is a sister project to the long running Independent Filmmakers Showcase series of monthly events designed to bring awareness to new and independent filmmakers of merit. The Hollywood Reel Independent Film festival will screen its 35mm film winners with special screenings at the New Beverly Cinema, owned by landlord Quentin Tarantino and home to his Grindhouse Film Festival. Films screenings include Q & A with directors and are hosted by comedian Don Takano.

Join Central Florida's media and entertainment associations for Holiday "Mingling", networking and fun at the Annual Jingle Mingle Holiday Party in Winter Park this December 8. There will be entertainment, food, cash bar, silent auction and much more. The event is hosted by Women in Film & Television-Florida, and co-hosted by Digital Media Alliance Florida (DMAF), the Florida Motion Picture and Television Association (FMPTA) and Film Florida. Following on just several days later, Film Florida Legislative, Marketing and Board Meetings holds the quarterly business meeting of state's trade associations for film, TV, digital media and commercial production, December 12 and 13 in Cocoa Beach. Its purpose is to offer to businesses and individuals the benefits of a statewide trade association to promote the creation of jobs in the film and entertainment production industries and to promote economic development and tourism in the state.

The Angel Film Awards, also known as the Monaco International Film Festival, is a celebration of peace, love, harmony, positive energy and non-violence in film and this year will add to the festival program non-violent shorts and features, when it runs December 8-11 from the seaside resort area at Monte Carlo — part of the tiny, prosperous principality of Monaco, famous in part for its posh, high-dollar casino and the annual Formula One Grand Prix. Special screenings of 2D and CGI Animation from across the globe are added to the program this year. Since its creation in 2003, the Festival has received wide coverage from global media and is known for its glamour, prestige, and networking industry party events. Venues include Hotel Hermitage, Salle Belle Époque, Monte-Carlo Bay Resort, Salle Empire at Hotel de Paris and the Pacific Lounge. Red carpet screenings will take place at the new Art Novo Theatre and Press Lounge in the Novotel, Monte Carlo. Built on the site of the old Radio Monte Carlo building, the Novotel provides state of the art projection facilities to view the festival program.

Four journalism professionals based in Colorado — Steve Outing, Vanessa Martinez, Sandra Fish, Mike Lewis — will form a panel that will discuss hyperlocal journalism and its various forms: free vs. paid content, innovative tools and online applications, and the roles of social media in journalism, on December 13 in Boulder. Whether your interest lies in journalism, blogging, social media, or other digital content creation, this discussion will attempt to makes its case through examples, case studies, ideas, and anecdotes on the state of journalism and its ever-evolving role in people's daily lives. Admission to the event is free but registration is required to attend.

The Second Annual San Diego Christian Film Festival, happening December 27-30, showcases creative, high-caliber films, supports emerging filmmakers, and inspires audiences through the power of visual storytelling. The city-wide event in San Diego will also include  performing artists, workshops and networking opportunities that will make up its program.

The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the "Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events" page which now has a language translation button to convert page contents into most widely used languages. In a look ahead into January event dates, there is the Palm Springs International Film Festival, Palm Springs, the Victoria Independent Film Festival, in Sebastopol, Games Summit at CES, in Las Vegas, the very seminal Graphation film festival, combining the worlds of comic books, graphic novels and film with a unique perspective on adaptation, in Los Angeles, the Sundance Film Festival, in Park City, the SlamDance Film Festival in Los Angeles, the NATPE 2012 Market and Conference, in Miami. These and more are slated for the month ahead. Seasons greetings to all and all the best for the holiday period from The Actor's Checklist!

NY TV Fest, Boston Film Fest, Temecula Valley Film & Music Fest, Business of Film Conf 2008, Gene Autry Film & Music Fest, New York Film Fest

NY TV Festival, Boston Film Festival, Temecula Valley Film & Music Fest, Business of Film Conference 2008, Gene Autry Film & Music Festival, New York Film Festival, Business, Arts & Entertainment Conference, highlight September's Media and Entertainment Industry Career Networking Events

IMFF Cinedays M, taking place in Skopje through September 7, celebrates the past, present and future of the music and film. The Festival's focus is on music-related content, including feature films, documentaries and short films submissions that have an emphasis on music - rock, jazz, blues, soul, reggae, punk, pop, reggae .... old and new. River View Players (et34888@aol.com; Wabisabimail@aol.com) based in Harlem open a new performance series on September that will present readings of plays (featuring DuEwa Frazier, Lit Noire Publishing), short stories, poetry, music and films every Sunday from 4 to 6 in the back room of Cafe Largo. Free food tastings will be offered from the Cafe on this occasion, and the event is free and open to the public. indieWIRE presents filmmaker Alan Ball and actress Summer Bishil in a discussion of their new film, 'Towelhead,' at the Apple Store, SoHo, September 8. "The Down-Low on Distribution" is a seminar on September 10 in Los Angeles attempting to decode the different distribution deals so that you can get the best rights in your agreement. New York Television Festival which has featured acclaimed independent pilots that were purchased by networks such as NBC Universal, A&E, and the like, will feature an "Industry Day" session in which industry leaders participate in a number of panel discussions, when it runs September 12-17.

At this year's Boston Film Festival a program of shorts, documentaries and feature films premieres during the festival's run from September 12-19, and evening receptions are hosted by regarded chefs and restaurateurs providing the ideal scene for filmmakers and talent to network as well as sponsors to entertain. The IBC 208 Conference and Exhibition, September 12-28 in Amsterdam, addresses personalised content over the web; future broadcast businesses and the changing audience; the “digital dividend” and the battle for bandwidth; production and protection of all types of content, and other areas. At "Fund Your Film Workshop With Stu Pollard," key elements of an independent film business plan, including structure, layout and research and a primer on private equity financing for truly independent projects, will be reviewed when the one-day session meets September 13 in Dallas. Independent Film Week, formerly know as the IFP Market, is still a gathering for industry professionals where pitch meetings search for new talent, and cash, product donations and services are awarded to participants. The Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival's social calendar starts with Opening Night Festivities on September 17, followed by daily and nightly filmmaker/musician receptions, industry workshops, a Lifetime and Career Achievement Awards Black Tie Gala, a Sunday morning Hot Air Balloon Ride, a Closing Night Wrap party (September 21) and Best of Fest special screening presentations and more. The NBC Universal Women Writers Workshop, September 18-25 in Toronto, will target intermediate women screenwriters who have a treatment or first draft, and will work toward the development of their next draft of a feature script. It will focus on script development and building on concepts introduced in the Feature Film Writing Program emerging module.

Screenwriting and the Business of Hollywood, will be conducted September 19 and 20 from Rock Island, by Act One Seminars, intensive, practical workshops for aspiring and professional writers and entrepreneurs who are serious about their Christian faith and who dream of creating culture that respects and enriches a global audience. SWAMP and TALA present the Business of Film Conference 2008, a September 20 event at Rice University Media Center focusing on the business of making movies with professionals from the film, legal and financial worlds that address a wide range of topics, including budgeting for film, funding resources, music rights, distribution and more. The Film, Stage and Showbiz Expo will allow participants to showcase their film/video/movie reel for Producers and Production Companies at a private screening area all day at the Expo, and Telsey + Company will conduct an open talent search for some of the hit Broadway shows they represent at the one-day event, September 21, in New York. In Gene Autry, Oklahoma, the Gene Autry Oklahoma Museum celebrates the legacy of the singing cowboys with its Film & Music Festival. It's a gathering of cowboy and country singers, cowboy poets and storytellers, Western film stars and look-alikes, and it happens from September 24-28. The 17-day New York Film Festival gets underway September 26 in New York, with its program of emerging and international filmmakers. Black Entertainment Magazine in conjunction with Talents Connection (TalentsConnectionCasting@yahoo.com ) hosts the September 27 Business, Arts & Entertainment Conference in Los Angeles, with slated workshop sessions on "Surviving Hollywood," and "Getting your children in commercials," and a premiere screening of soon to be released BEM film 'True Riches'.

The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the "Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events" page at actorschecklist.com/news.html. Video and podcast versions of this news summary are also available at popular video sites around the Web like MySpace, YouTube, Bit Torrent, as well as on The Actor's Checklist podcast blog at actorschecklist.com/loudblog, a great place to get your iPhone, ipod or Apple TV download from. The Free Home Video Showcase now serves as an archive for all past video presentations. This month on video you will see trailers and sample clips of 'True Riches' a collaborative production of Talents Connection (www.talentsconnection.com ) and BEM Films, slated for a premiere screening at the Business, Arts & Entertainment Conference, September 27 at LA Convention Center. Strange comedy from The Pimps Horror House ™ TV show Cleveland (www.ilovehorror.com). The creative duo of H.G. Robert and Wayland Anderson, that form DANCEWORDZ (www.myspace.com/dancewordz), a production company that writes, choreographs and stages shows for professional companies and art programs. The Actor's Checklist now lets you check the latest musical artists song releases on Apple's iTunes, updated on an hourly basis.