Melbourne International Film Festival, HollyShorts Film Fest, MTV VMAs, Telluride Film Festival, are highlights in August's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

Started in 1991 by Jane's Addiction singer Perry Farrell as a farewell tour for his band, Chicago's Lollapalooza is an anticipated annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. Responsible for introducing and popularizing some of the big musical names, this year's lineup will include: Gramatik, Fitz and the Tantrums, The Airborne Toxic Event, Delta Rae, Interpol, Nas, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, Shy Girls, Jagwar Ma, J. Roddy Walston & The Business, Outkast, Lorde, Kate Nash, Arctic Monkeys, Wildcati Wildcati, Vic Mensa, Bombay Bicycle Club, Childish Gambino, Lykke Li, Jhene Aiko, NoNoNo, Skrillex, Jenny Lewis, Kings of Leon, Kausea, Into It. Over It., Manchester Orchestra, The Kooks, Eminem.

In addition, added attractions and accommodations at Lollapalooza will include: Red Bull Sound Select at redbullsoundselect.com to win tickets for Lollapalooza and it’s Aftershows, the SpinMedia Soundwave Stage, the RAV4 Pop Art Photo Booth, the Toyota Hybrid House Party, and again this year the F.Y.E. Autograph Tent for each day’s schedule of artist autograph sessions. The Autograph Tent can also direct visitors to where they can pick up the latest CDs, DVDs and Vinyl discs pertaining to their favorite Lollapalooza acts. The Kidzapalooza stage lineup, programmed for children, will include: School of Rock Allstars, Play Date, Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could and others.

Kidzapalooza -- hosted by Lifeway Kefir -- is a festival within a festival but set up primarily for the kids. Located in its own enclosed area of Grant Park, Kidzapalooza opens at 11:00 and closes at 17:00 each day of the three day Fest closing August 3 and offers parents and kids the opportunity to catch family-friendly music onstage plus various activities including music creation, arts and crafts and more. Other youth activities will include Drum Zone, with Rhythm Revolution using a variety of drums; a Hip Hop workshop led by Q Brothers teaching kids how to scratch, beat box and rhyme; a Rock Star Video Karaoke, where kids can stand in front of a green screen and sing to the camera; a glam squad makeover provided by Just Kidding which can then lead to a photo posting on the cover of a souvenir Lollapalooza cover of Just Kidding Chicago magazine; the Happiness Club Dance Party, which will conduct freeze dance games to “soul train” lines.

The founders of Melbourne International Film Festival have guided it to champion Australian cinema by showcasing local talent and offering targeted industry programs: an investment fund, a financing market and a development program for emerging directors, selections of new international cinema, retrospectives and tributes, discoveries in cinematic language, stimulating discussion and debate through various activities including public panels, guest Q&As, "In Conversation" events and an international short film competition. Established in 1952, the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is one of the world’s oldest film festivals. MIFF has evolved festival activities to include a selection of industry and filmmaker focused programs to complement its core film screening program.

MIFF’s Opening Night Gala Screening, 'Predestination',  is the story of a time traveling temporal agent - played by Ethan Hawke - on the trail of a terrorist, with a Red Carpet, screening and official after party. MIFF hosts a Talking Pictures program, presented by Australia's National Screen Arts and Broadcast school, and designed for discussing, questioning and debating all things cinematic with the festival's filmmakers and personalities. There will be a MIFF Centrepiece Gala event on August 9, 'Cut Snake', a crime drama set in mid-70s suburban Australia from Matchbox Pictures and co-financed film by the MIFF Premiere Fund. This world premiere screening is followed by an official after party.

Taking steps toward future filmmaker development, MIFF's Accelerator program is a four-day educational and inspirational skills development program for up-and-coming directors with short films that are screening at MIFF; MIFF 37ºSouth Market, a four-day film financing market for producers with market-ready projects pitching to potential international and local co-financing partners; MIFF Premiere Fund, MIFF’s own investment and loan fund, providing essential financing support for local feature-length films. In 2013 MIFF presented 23 world premieres six of which were Premiere Fund films. Submissions to the Melbourne International Film Festival are handled via Withoutabox or directly through MIFF. Applications for Melbourne International Film Festival 2015 will open in October 2014.

Since most galas and parties are restrictive to attendees younger than 18 years of age, the Next Gen program on August 10 is open to families with younger viewers to be part of. The red-carpet world premiere screening of 'Paper Planes', a family film from writer/director Robert Connolly will have a post screening cast/crew celebration with complimentary snacks and drinks, as well as fun children’s games and entertainment. MIFF 2014 closes the festival run with the August 17 Australian premiere of Matthew Saville's cop drama, 'Felony', with a cast that includes native Aussie actors Joel Edgerton, Jai Courtney, Melissa George and British actor Tom Wilkinson. Following the screening are official Closing Night festivities followed by an afterparty featuring drinks and dancing accompanied by a live DJ.

The Americana Music Association and Lincoln Center will present Americanafest NYC, a music and film experience happening during Lincoln Center's annual free Summer music program, Out of Doors, now in its 44th season. Americanafest NYC will present concerts by a range of artists drawing from the considerable repertoire of Folk, Bluegrass, Country, Gospel, Blues, Jazz, Rock and R&B. There will also be film screenings, a related photo exhibition by Music Maker Relief Foundation and a symposium exploring the elders and their legacies. All events are free with no tickets required. Most events take place on Lincoln Center’s Plazas between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenues, from West 62 Street to West 65 Street.

On August 8, The Campbell Brothers present, A Sacred Steel Love Supreme, a 50th anniversary celebration of John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme commissioned by Lincoln Center Out of Doors, featuring visuals by Brock Monroe, Joshua Light Show collaborator. On August 10, a symposium, Heroes of American Roots: From the Historic Films Archives, is introduced by Joe Lauro. Following the symposium in Damrosch Park Bandshell, a Music Maker Blues Revue happens featuring Dom Flemons, Beverly “Guitar” Watkins, Ironing Board Sam, on a program with other artists presented in association with the Music Maker Relief Foundation. The Americana Music Association is a professional non-profit trade organization whose mission is to advocate for the authentic voice of American Roots Music around the world. The Association produces events throughout the year including the annual Americana Music Festival and Conference.

HollyShorts Film Festival annually showcases short films produced in 30-minutes or less, webisodes, music videos, documentaries. It is regarded as a place where indie filmmakers can meet up with industry players. It has a monthly screening series and submissions to it are accepted at this link (http://www.withoutabox.com/login/12899). There is a screenplay contest as well. This year's HSFF will include screenings, daily networking events, panels, and seminars every day for the festival's duration. A short list of festival alumni includes James Caan, Paul Haggis, David Lynch, Josh Brolin, Jessica Biel, David Arquette, Jane Lynch, Neil LaBute, Eli Roth, Ben Lyons, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Kirsten Dunst, Matthew Modine and others.

HSFF awards prizes in a wide variety of categories, including $40,000 in post production services from Company 3 for Best Short, Best Director, Best Music Video, Best Commercial, and Best Cinematography. There's also a $10,000 Best VFX prize courtesy of Method Studios, a Future Filmmaker Award courtesy of Panavision, $10,000 camera packages courtesy of Martini Crew Booking for Best Student and Best Female Director. Last year's overall fest winner received an all expense paid trip to New Zealand courtesy of Starnow. Offering over $100,000 in production and post-production prizes, as well as a scholarship of up to $40,000 sponsored by Latino Art Beat for the inaugural Youth Category winner, HSFF is poised to help launch talented filmmakers to new heights and to invest in the creation of new projects.

Michael Feinstein, Conductor at the Pasadena POPS’ will lead a selection of celebrity vocalists in an August 16 Hooray for Hollywood concert, presented in partnership with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in L.A. area of Arcadia. Vocalists Maureen McGovern, Debby Boone and Kevin Earley will make special guest appearances singing such iconic songs as “The Way You Look Tonight,” “The Sound of Music,” “The Man That Got Away,” “Stormy Weather,” “Blues in the Night,” “You Light Up My Life” and “On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe,” and tunes from movie musical Mary Poppins, The Magnificent Seven, Funny Girl and a symphonic arrangement of Pharrell Williams’s 2014 Oscar-nominated song “Happy” from Despicable Me 2, created especially for the Pasadena POPS.

Four of ASCAP’s top film composers and lyricists will also be featured: Alan Bergman (“Windmills of Your Mind,” with Marilyn Bergman and co-written with Michel Legrand, 1968 Oscar winner from The Thomas Crown Affair), Michael Giacchino (music from Up, winner of the 2010 Oscar for best original score), Bruce Broughton (music from Silverado, 1986 Oscar nominee for best original score) and Paul Williams (“Evergreen,” co-written with Barbra Streisand, 1976 Oscar winner from A Star Is Born). Hooray for Hollywood is part of ASCAP’s ongoing, year-long 100th birthday celebration. ASCAP crossed the anniversary milestone in February 2014 and is celebrating the centennial with a new book, a commissioned short film, and an innovative website featuring a timeline of ASCAP's rich history. There are also planned celebratory and educational events planned, including a Library of Congress exhibit in Washington DC, reviewing ASCAP's history advocating for music creators’ rights.

Rain or shine, MusicfestNW is Portland's two-day, two-stage festival of live music, entirely outdoors, with access to both stages, food, beverages, art and more. All ages are welcome. Some of the artists/bands slated for performances include: Modern Kin, Shy Girls, Run The Jewels, Thundercat, Man Man, Ema, Phantogram, Spoon and others. Hellion Gallery and 'The Tall Trees of Portland' author, Matt Wagner, have combined talents with MusicfestNW to create an art pavilion for the festival. A Spotlight on art featured in The Tall Trees of Portland pavilion are new pieces from Portland-based fine artists created in conjunction with MusicfestNW. Fine artists will also create alternative album covers for featured bands and a live painting event will take place where painters will use a temporary wall to paint a mural over the two days of the festival.

Fine artists include Morgaine Faye, Blaine Fontana, Zach Johnsen, Maryanna Hoggatt, Jon Macnair, Lauren Gonsalves, Amy Ruppel, Cole Gerst, Jen Lobo, Jennifer Parks, Martin Ontiveros, Brin Levinson, Joe Shea, Keith Carter, Stella Im Hultberg, and Brett Superstar. A 3-D installation by AJ Fosik and Zach Johnsen welcoming festival attendees into the arts pavilion will be in place. Night shows and After Parties will happen at venues such as Dr. Martens Parking Lot - which will host the opening night party on August 15, Bunk Bar, "Red Bull Sound Select Presents" at Star Theater, "Pitchfork Nightcap Series Presented by Jim Beam" at Doug Fir, which will also be the site of the August 17 closing party hosted by Mail Chimp.

The 2014 MTV Video Music Awards will broadcast live over the MTV network from Inglewood on August 24. Beyonce, Eminem and newcomer Iggy Azalea lead the nominations for major categories. Ariana Grande - with a number one hit and an anticipated album on the way - announced during her Total Ariana Live MTV special that she will perform her single 'Break Free' in her first appearance on the VMA main stage. Usher will return to the VMA stage. Beyoncé leads the field with eight nominations, followed by Eminem and Iggy Azalea with seven apiece. Kanye West scored one nomination in the Best Hip Hop category for 'Black Skinhead.' British crooner Sam Smith has been nominated for Artist to Watch for 'Stay With Me.' His competition includes 5 Seconds of Summer ('She Looks So Perfect'), Charli XCX ('Boom Clap'), Schoolboy Q ('Man of the Year') and Fifth Harmony ('Miss Movin On'). The top Moonman award - Video of the Year - will be a battle between Beyoncé's 'Drunk In Love,' Azalea's 'Fancy,' Pharrell Williams' 'Happy,' Sia's 'Chandelier' and Miley Cyrus' 'Wrecking Ball.' Beyoncé is also up for Best Female Video for 'Partition' and Best Collaboration for her work with hubby Jay Z on 'Drunk in Love.' The MTV Video Music Awards will air live on MTV on August 24 at 21:00 PST.

Each Labor Day weekend, the mountain village of Telluride hosts the Telluride Film Festival, this year marking the 40th anniversary. The noncompetitive Telluride Film Festival will feature more than 50 programs screened in ten venues. The most popular films, according to passholder demand, are repeated throughout the weekend. Passholders are automatically admitted to the social gatherings, and in the theatres they are seated before any individual ticket purchasers. Each year, Telluride recruits a different film enthusiast to act as a Guest Director. And in what has become a Telluride tradition, three distinguished artists will be honored with a silver medallion, one presented each night of the Festival which runs through September 1.

As this is Telluride's 40th anniversary year there will be special events and festivities celebrating this milestone. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honors Telluride with a “40th Anniversary Exhibition” from the Academy’s Telluride Film Festival Collection. It holds a companion exhibit, “Alternate Telluride,” clips highlighting Telluride Film Festival’s history from the Academy Film Archive and other events. An August 29 story night event titled, “From the Sidelines to the Playing Field: An Evening of Stories on Risking Failure for Fealty" will encourage members of the audience to tell a story that involves a high stakes struggle for the devotion to art. There is also the 40th anniversary screenings at the Abel Gance Open Air Cinema.

There is the "Conversations" and "Tributes" series at Telluride. There is a scheduled Conversation with actress Lupita Nyong'o on August 31, a conversation with Director Alfonso Cuarón on September 1, a Conversation with 'Blue Is The Warmest Color' actors Léa Seydoux, Adèle Exarchopoulos, and Jérémie Laheurte on September 2, a Conversation with actor/Director Ralph Fiennes on September 1. In one of three tributes, Telluride Film Festival Tributee Robert Reford shares his thoughts on sustaining a career, from August 29-30. Other Tributes are to T Bone Burnett and the Coen Brothers on August 31. A tribute to Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof is on September 1. The Telluride Film Festival is not just a film show. It is tributes to historical luminaries who have been beacons for the film industry.

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: http://www.actorschecklist.com/news.html. The events blog also shows links to pages that are translated into ten of the most widely used international languages read over the Internet other than English. This month's photo placement highlights MTVs Video Music Awards set for mid-August in Inglewood and Marvel's space adventure, Guardians of the Galaxy. If the photo does not appear in this post please visit the blog page to view it. Looking ahead into the next month that begins the fall season, be aware that: The Burbank International Film Festival opens in Burbank, Austin International SHORT Film Festival comes to Austin, The NAB Radio Show comes to Indianapolis, Americana Music Festival and Conference will be in Nashville. Independent Film Week opens in New York City, Kiev Media Week is scheduled to open in Kiev, Ottawa International Animation Festival opens in Ontario, International Trade Fair for Cine Equipment and Technology comes to Munich.

Kaua`i Music Festival, Ticket Summit, Comic-Con, Melbourne Film Festival, are highlights in July's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

The Los Angeles AX 2013 - AnimeExpo trade show is a multi-faceted extravaganza for industry followers to  explore various aspects of both anime and manga as well as for members of the industry to conduct business. Historically, Anime Expo (AX) has been held on the July 4 weekend as a four-day event beginning in 1992, and is one of the longest running anime conventions along with A-kon in Texas. Anime Expo is a 24-hour convention that offers late-night dances, all night video programming, tabletop gaming rooms, and open-mic Karaoke. A Cosplay Photography Contest runs throughout the expo in which the winners will receive a cash prize, and his/her art printed on a page of the 2013 programming guide and a badge to Anime Expo 2014.

The expo will present AX Anime and Manga Studies Symposium -- a special track of academic talks on the history of anime and manga, the works of individual directors and creators, the ways they represent aspects of Japanese culture, how fans in different countries interact with Japanese culture, and other similar topics. It imports professors and graduate students who teach and write about Japanese visual culture, and gives AX attendees an opportunity to learn more about Japanese animation and comics and to find out about some of the newest trends in anime and manga studies.

The AX Fashion Show will showcase trends in Japanese streetwear and design from Harajuku and Shibuya through panels, a showcase fashion show, and special guests. At Anime Expo's Battle of the Bands all amateur bands (amateur only) in and around Southern California are able to enter to win the chance to go up against a select number of finalists to go head to head to decide the finalist. One of the enduring traditions of Anime Expo, is the Masquerade extravaganza on day three where Costumers from around the world take to the stage with their exotic anime inspired costumes and performances vying for the “Best of Show” trophy.

Japanese music entertainment, featuring concerts from major J-Pop, Ani-Song, Japanese rock, and Idol Performers, takes place in the Main Events hall. An anticipated PornoGraffitti Concert is scheduled for July 6 at Club Nokia. In other music related activities, “J-MUSIC LIVE VIEWING 2013” is a project started by Live Viewing Japan Inc. that features Japanese artists’ music contents at movie theaters worldwide. The project will help to project on a global scale the performances of Japan’s top artists on the big screen with high  definition visual and crisp sound. Live Viewing Japan Inc. hopes to expand the local fan base through this project.

Two unrelated Latin music events will happen concurrently in New York City and only blocks away from each other. The Latin Mixx Conference and Awards is a annual networking event to honor and empowers Latin DJs from all genres. It features educational panels, workshops, artists exhibitions, fashion shows, over 100 exhibitors, as well as pre and post parties. The primary focus of the Latin Mixx Conference, which runs July 9-11, is to educate DJs in the areas of business, promotion, music, and  advancements in technology, among other areas which broaden their DJ ability and effectiveness. The Latin Mixx Awards will present winners of the LMX DJ Choice Awards at Stage48. Following this, the Latin Mixx Awards Bash will be held afterward at ZBar.

Although based primarily in mid-town Manhattan, an opening day Latin Alternative Music Conference event on July 9 will be a Bronx Showcase in Crotona Park with performances by Joell Ortiz and RVSB. The first panel on July 11 is a Q*A with the Latin Recording Academy’s Gabriel Abaroa (Latin GRAMMYs) sits down with Ruben Blades immediately followed by DIY 2.0: Tools for the Nueva Generacion presented by Bandzoogle and including: Carolina Arenas (BMI), David Dufresne (Bandzoogle), Pili Montilla (“Te Para Tres” on WAPA-TV), Kendel Ratley (Kickstarter), Tony Van Veen (CD Baby/Disc Makers), Megan West (SoundCloud). On the fourth day of the conference, MITu Network hosts a panel titled, Digital Dinero: Streaming, Social Media and the New Music Economy. Panel participants include: Kenny Cordova, MITu Network, Juan Jose Duran, YouTube/Google, Rocio Gutierrez, Digital Girl, Sean Glover, SoundExchange, Marcos Juarez, Pandora, Camilo Lara, M.I.S./Casete Mexico, Allison Moore, Sony/RED Distribution. Later in the evening there will be a LAMC Spoken Word and Poetry Night at La Casa Azul Bookstore with performances by Bocafloja and Shella Maldonado. Conference closes on July 13.

The Kaua'i Music Festival (KMF) and Songwriter Conference in Lihue is a celebration of the art and craft of songwriting. Opening on July 10, the KMF Songwriter Conference will teach songwriting skills to its attendees. Through one-on-one meetings, small group sessions, workshops, panel discussions, open mic activities, and more, attendees will be able to consult and get feedback directly from the Grammy, Emmy, and Na Hoku-winning songwriters, producers, TV and Film Music Supervisors, A&R Executives, and other music industry people in attendance. In addition to the regular songwriting workshops and one-on-one meetings, there will be two panel discussions and a number of "Informational Workshops" to help working musicians and songwriters.

Panel 1: "Placing Your Music in TV & Film", will be presented by the State of Hawaii, DBEDT, Creative Industries Division. Panel 2: "Writing and Composing for TV & Film", will cover a broad range of topics. Regular BMI contributor, Jason Blume, leads a workshop: "Everything You Need to Know About Placing Your Music in TV & Films" which will clarify the process of pitching your songs for TV shows and movies. Orchestration mock-ups, Hybrid instrumentation, and structure will be in a session covered by David Trotter. Frank Palazzolo will lead a session, "Composing for TV – Parts 1 & 2", using a short video segment from a popular TV show (with network authorization) and ask attendees to team up to compose music for the clip. Many more sessions are planned.

The Kaua`i Music Festival is a 501(c)(3) organization that hosts or co-hosts numerous events throughout the year, leading up to the signature four-day annual Songwriter Conference. The National Songwriters Association International consists of songwriters from all genres of music, professional and amateur, who are committed to protecting the rights and future of the profession of songwriting, and to educate, elevate, and celebrate the songwriter and to act as a unifying force within the music community and the community at large. Day four ends the festival with an Open Mic and Party time in Shutter's Lounge.

The annual Las Vegas TicketSummit conference and trade show is aimed at the ticketing and live entertainment industry. This three-day event starting on July 17 features industry seminars, a concurrent trade show, and networking opportunities for industry professionals. The Ticket Summit All-Access Pass includes entry to: all Panel and Keynote sessions, Exhibit Hall, all conference catered events, and Ticket Summit After Dark events, including but not limited to the Networking Cocktail Party and Closing Gala. Ticket Summit Executive Director, Molly A. Mérez gives the event’s opening address detailing important industry updates and announcements pertaining to the show. There is a Networking Cocktail Party at the end of the first night. Ticket Summit Game Night closes the second night. The event's Closing Gala will be at The Bank.

The Las Vegas Film Festival offers a variety of film screenings including Oscar-winning films to world premieres, exclusive celebrity tributes and interviews, interactive panel discussions, a screenplay competition, red carpet parties, a filmmaker reception, as well as a closing night ceremony and awards. The festival program showcases Feature Films, Shorts, Foreign Films, Documentaries, Animation, Music Videos, Television Pilots, a Nevada Filmmakers Showcase, Experimental Films, a Screenplay Competition and more. Panels slated for presentation include: The Art of Storytelling, The Business of Filmmaking, Filmmakers on Filmmaking. This year's festival running July 18-21 will make available over $15,000 in cash and prizes to winning filmmakers and screenwriters. Juried and audience awards are presented in several categories to celebrate achievements in filmmaking, screenwriting and acting. The Emerging Filmmakers Scholarship Dinner on opening day celebrates new voices in cinema and is the Las Vegas Film Festival’s opportunity to enable future projects through scholarships. A three course, pre-fixe gourmet dinner will be served with a selection of liquor, beer, wine and champagne open bar at the Five Diamond rated Piero’s Italian Cuisine.

Comic-Con International San Diego is generally acknowledged to be the largest comics convention of its kind in the world. While passing through various stages of its development Comic-Con has been involved in showcasing, creating awareness of, and appreciation for, comics and related popular arts including, film, television, gaming, anime, animation, sci-fi, fantasy, etc... for over 40 years. Originally showcasing comic books, science fiction/fantasy and film/television, and related popular arts, the convention now includes a larger range of pop culture elements, such as horror, animation, anime, manga, toys, collectible card games, video games, webcomics, and fantasy novels

Comic-Con International also produces two other conventions, WonderCon and the Alternative Press Expo (APE), both held in San Francisco, in northern California. Here's a quick tag list summarizing most of the events or activities that will happen at this year's Comic-Com: Comic Creator Connection, Fan Tables, awards, retailers, Eisner Awards, Masquerade, Artists' Alley, Comics Arts Conference, Blood Drive, preview night, special guests, Hall of Fame, Autograph Area, film festival, Cosplay, Games, Portfolio Review, anime, exhibit hall, children's film festival, art show. This year's Comic-Con event lasts from July 18-21.

With attendance topping out at 130,000 in recent years in the primary facility Comic-Con has grown and needed to include satellite locations, spilling over into local hotels and outdoor parks in the area. Programming events, games, anime, the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival, and the Eisner Awards all take place outside of the Convention Center, creating a campus-like feel for the convention in downtown San Diego. Comic-Con International is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to creating awareness of, and appreciation for, comics and related popular art forms with events that celebrate the historic and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture.

Since its inception in 1996, Fantasia Film Festival based in Montreal has specialized in varied programming and an emphasis on the imaginative cinema of Asia, Europe and the Americas. Fantasia’s offerings span personal visions to international commercial crowd-pleasers rarely seen in North America. In addition to juried competitions, Fantasia has been presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to guests and additional awards offered by industry organizations that include The AQCC Award (Association Québécoises des Critiques de Cinéma), the Séquences Award and L’Écran fantastique Award.

The Fantasia Industry Rendez-Vous will make its return at 2013 Fantasia from July 25-28. There will be the Frontières pitch session, conferences on the topics of production and distribution for independent genre films, meeting sessions and cocktail receptions coupled with the regular Fantasia schedule of public screenings and parties. In 2012, Fantasia launched a major new industry-driven venture -- the Fantasia Industry Rendez-Vous, with the Frontières International Co-Production Market and the Fantasia Film Market. And a year-round online magazine, Spectacular Optical, focuses on essays and interviews to highlight and expose films in the showcase added each day of the festival.

In addition to the co-production market, Fantasia Festival will be hosting a film market within the same dates, to support the sales efforts for the features that will be part of the programming of the 2013 edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival which will open July 18 and run through August 6. Sales agents and producers will be provided with a space to meet with prospective buyers. Once again, a video screening room will be in operation.

The Melbourne International Film Festival in the St. Kilda district will present new international cinema along with special retrospectives and tributes, including public panels and an international short film competition. It will highlight Australian cinema by showcasing local talent and offering targeted industry programs: an investment fund, a financing market and a development program for emerging directors.

The July 25 opening night red carpet celebration features director Pedro Almodóvar 'I'm So Excited'. After the film, patrons can enjoy a champagne toast and mingle with the performers at Hamer Hall, where the festivities continue on into the late night hours, propped up by an open bar, canapés and music. The Festival closes out August 11 with a screening of Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll at Greater Union followed by an after party hosted at Forum Theatre

Complementing Melbourne film screenings is MIFF's industry program that includes an investment fund (the Premiere Fund) and the director's development program (Accelerator). MIFF's finance market (37° South) brings the national and international screen industry to Melbourne during the festival and celebrates Melbourne as a center for screen business. Established in 1952, the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is one of the world’s oldest film festivals and the Southern Hemisphere’s largest.

SESAC will launch its Sixth Annual Songwriters Bootcamp on July 26 from Los Angeles. Attendees can choose from a variety of sessions covering several aspects of the music industry. This year’s keynote address will be delivered by Grammy-winning songwriter Rico Love. SESAC will run an open forum and workshop where all questions pertaining to song registrations, song splits, live performances, SoundExchange, and more will be answered. Another panel made up of successful composers in a variety of fields will look into how they got started, how spotting sessions work, the difference between scoring linear and non-linear projects, dealing with temp love, and tips for better client relations. There will be a critique session for attendees to bring their best songs to the designated round-table discussion and have them evaluated for film and TV by some of the attending music supervisors who will discuss what works, what doesn’t work, and how you can craft your songs to have the highest chance of getting a synch placement.

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: http://www.actorschecklist.com/news.html. The events blog also shows links to pages that are translated into ten of the most widely used international languages read over the Internet other than English. This month's picture placement highlights comic book genre of the type that can be found at San Diego Comic-Con. If the photo does not appear in this post please click this link to view it. Looking ahead into the next month, be aware that: The 17th Annual Hollywood Pitch Festival will be in West Hollywood, Lollapalooza 2013 opens in Chicago, Pensacola Para Con: A Convention for Fans of Science Fiction, Horror, Fantasy, Gaming, Anime, Costuming and more will launch in Pensacola, International Film Awards Berlin will be a five day affair in Berlin, the 40th Telluride Film Festival is set to open in Telluride.

Ghent Film Festival, Americana Music Festival, Toronto After Dark Film Fest, Hollywood Reporter/ Billboard Conference, are highlights in October's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

It's an event which is held twice annually -- once in Colorado and again in Santa Barbara, California wine country. The Durango Songwriter's Expo gives artists and songwriters the opportunity to network with music supervisors, record labels, music publishers, and have music critiqued in listening sessions, sit in on industry panels and perform musical creations during the evening showcases. At this year's expo in Broomfield, October 6-8, each attendee gets three listening sessions, showcase or open mic opportunities, and full access to workshops and panels. The "Write With The Hitmaker" song contest will run again this year. Sticking with custom, registration is always limited to 200 attedees.

The Chicago International Film Festival, which will be staged October 6-20, is now in its 47th year. The Festival was started in 1964 by filmmaker and graphic artist Michael Kutza to provide an alternative to the commercial Hollywood movies that dominated the city's theaters. The Festival opened in 1965 at the Carnegie Theater, where King Vidor, Bette Davis, and Stanley Kramer were honored for their contributions to American cinema. Since then, the Festival has grown to become an  annual event. The Festival is dedicated to fostering better understanding between cultures and to making a positive contribution to the art form of the moving image.

The FREAK SHOW Horror Film Festival in Orlando is an international horror genre film festival and screenplay competition featuring entries in independent horror from around the world. Filmmakers compete for the "FREAKY Award" in nine different categories. The FREAK SHOW Horror Film Festival is part of SPOOKY EMPIRE'S Ultimate Horror Weekend. A Spooky Empire tradition, the Zombie Walk is the official Friday event that kicks off the weekend long convention, from October 7-9, with make-up artists on hand starting at 10 am to apply paint, make-up, prosthetics, and plenty of fake blood. The Screamin' Ink Tattoo room will again operate this year during the festival. The Annual Costume Contest will be held October 9, with cash prizes awarded. Live bands will perform between 7 pm and 12 midnight every night of the Festival run.

New York City based Black and Latino Filmmaker's Coalition, a career resource for filmmakers and actors, hosts a series of one-day workshops structured to challenge, empower and motivate. There will be two more sessions left in this month: the "Mastering On Camera Performances Workshop" on October 9, and "Making A Living As Actor Workshop" on October 16, which will close out the current workshop cycle. The workshop cycle which will start again is structured to guide individuals to perform complex scenes by demanding exercises in efforts to master five crucial disciplines: Rehearsal, Audition, Live Performance, Recorded Performance and Making a Living. BLFC also operates a: Film Assist Grant Program, an Indepedent Film Theater in Brooklyn, the BLFC Institute which hosts the classrooms and workshops. The website also lists upcoming castings and auditions.

Poetry in Film Festival, or PIFF 2011, is based primarily in Melbourne, but will conduct screenings in other districts of Australia as well. The festival is Australia wide, running October 9 through November 9, accepting entrants from every state and territory in the country, and around the world. Entrants in the festival are given a piece of modern poetry. From there they are free to interpret the poem in the form of a 4-7 min short film as they envision it. The best films will be screened at the PIFF Awards Night, where the awards ceremony will take place, with an after party to follow. The best films will also be shown as a part of the festival circuit in other locations, after the awards ceremony throughout Victoria and Australia.

Sports Video Group (SVG) will hold TranSPORT 2011 in New York on October 11, a sport industry event focused upon the needs of the sports professional whose job duties include transport and distribution of video and audio content via TV, the Internet, and other electronic distribution means. The half-day event that starts past noon will provide an overview of the most recent developments as industry experts and service providers discuss the current and future state of this market segment. The Sports Video Group was formed in 2006 to support the professional community that relies on video, audio, and broadband technologies to produce and distribute sports content. The day ends with a networking cocktail reception.

With its origins as a student festival, and its present focus on film music, the Ghent Film Festival occupies a certain niche among international festivals. Every year the festival organizes film music concerts giving composers of film scores a platform to present their works. Since 2001, the Ghent Film Festival has also organized the World Soundtrack Awards. Each year, the best soundtrack composers are honored and receiving recognition for their work. In addition to the screenings, the Ghent Film Festival also organizes film-related exhibitions. To celebrate the twentieth anniversary of U2's classic album "Achtung Baby", the Ghent Film Festival treats its guests to the European premiere of "From the Sky Down", an in-depth documentary about the Irish super band. The 11th edition of the World Soundtrack Awards & Concert will be held October 22, at which Oscar winners Elliot Goldenthal, Howard Shore and Hans Zimmer will be the distinguished guests for the closing ceremony of the 38th Ghent Film Festival at the Kuipke in Ghent, October 11-22.

Americana is music that honors and is derived from the traditions of American roots music. In 2007, the Grammys added Americana to their Contemporary Folk Award. The Americana Music Festival & Conference goes up October 12-15 in Nashville. In a planned conference session, "Working the Festival Circuit: Making a Living Touring Festivals," a panel will explore the positives and negatives of sharing a weekend with multiple acts and detail the business side of how to set up such a tour. Many other panels are slated. Evening showcases are held at five notable downtown music venues including historic Ryman Auditorium, home of the Americana Honors & Awards, Lower Broad honkytonks, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Dedicated to film education and exploration, the Bel-Air Film Festival offers its filmmakers access to a series of film panels, music performances, and networking opportunities with industry professionals when it launches October 12 to run through October 17. As a community centered event, screenings are held throughout the Bel-Air community as well as the greater Los Angeles area. Film screenings include Documentaries, Animation, Short Films, Student Film and Comedy. There will be opening and closing night galas, an education series of film panels, a special red carpet event night recognizing British film hosted by Brits in LA, special red carpet film and comedy night, screenings in private estates, music performances, and a good deal of networking taking place.

The Hamptons International Film Festival was founded to celebrate Independent film -- long, short, fiction and documentary -- and to introduce a varied spectrum of international films and filmmakers to its audiences. The Festival, which this year runs October 13-17 from East Hampton, is committed to exhibiting films that express fresh voices and differing global perspectives, with the hope that these programs enlighten audiences and provide invaluable exposure to the filmmakers. In addition to short films (for which they are an Academy-qualifying festival), documentaries and narratives, the Festival offers special events such as: a Breakthrough Performers program, which showcases up-and-coming acting talent (past participants include Rooney Mara, Emmy Rossum, Emily Blunt, and Blake Lively).

The 31st Annual Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) in Honolulu, October 13-20, marks the festival's 30th anniversary with presentations of contemporary Asian cinema, beach screenings, a sixth Student Showcase for filmmakers under 18. HIFF is focused on discovering features, documentaries and shorts from Asia made by Asians, films about the Pacific made by Pacific Islanders, and films made by Hawaiian filmmakers that present Hawaii in a culturally accurate way. Film selection places an emphasis on feature films, documentaries, short films, Hawaiian-themed films and music videos. One of the scheduled roundtables titled, "Search Party", brings together composers, music supervisors and studio execs to discuss what goes into taking an idea into a full-fledged score. HIFF is an official partner with Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) for Oscar Night America, and is the sister festival of Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) and Shanghai Media and Entertainment Group (SMEG).

The Ninth Annual Giants of Broadcasting Awards Ceremony and Luncheon in New York City on October 14, honors those individuals who have played a pivotal role in creating and advancing the electronic arts. This year's honorees include Brian Williams, Christiane Amanpour, C-SPAN's Brian Lamb, Fred Pierce, BMI's Frances Preston, John Dille -- the architect behind CBS Sunday Morning (Charles Osgood, Rand Morrison, Charles Kuralt and Robert "Shad" Northshield), posthumously Gunsmoke's James Arness, Dawson B. "Tack" Nail. Bill Baker will serve as Master of Ceremonies. The luncheon is the Library of American Broadcasting's largest fundraising event, providing the resources to maintain an extensive broadcasting archive and collection of oral histories. A preceding cocktail reception begins at 11:30 am and the awards ceremony begins at noon.

The two day Sexy International Paris Film Festival, opening October 14, looks to discover, promote and screen the best films from around the world that explore the themes of "Sexy" -- sexuality, sex and the erotic -- from a filmmaker's cultural, personal, life and/or cinematographic perspective. The Paris based festival aims to enlighten, educate, create discussion and debate, as well as allow audience interaction in relation to various projects within SIPFF. Festival goals are to discover, promote and screen the best films from around the world. Though international in scope emphasis will be placed on Francophone content with a competition programme to determine the best Francophone short and international short film of the festival. The Festival has announced it will premiere for the first time in France the Berlinale International Film Festival's German Perspective 2010 Closing night Film, "Bedways" by RP Kahl who will be in attendance.

CMJ Film Festival presents a cross section of major studio premieres alongside independent productions from emerging filmmakers. Held annually in New York City, this year from October 18-22, the festival's goal is to present an audience of 18-34 year old, media and culturally savvy, globally-minded tastemakers with sophisticated film programming and opportunities for direct engagement with filmmakers and film industry. A partial list of some panels planned for the festival include: A&R Philosophy, Alternative Film Marketing and Distribution, Connecting Bands with Fans: Mobile Social Discovery, Producing Killer Videos on a YouTube Budget. CMJ Events produces the CMJ Music Marathon in addition to live events and tours across the USA. Parent company, CMJ Network connects music fans and music industry professionals with new music through interactive media, live events and print, and CMJ.com offers a digital music discovery service, information resources and community to new music fans, professionals and artists.

Toronto After Dark Film Festival is a showcases of new horror, sci-fi, fantasy, action, animation and cult cinema. Last year's festival was attended by 9,000 film fans and over 100 members of press and industry. The initial lineup includes a number of unique genre movies including the Opening Gala Film, Monster Brawl, a horror action comedy about an outrageous sporting event that sees fan favorites dueling it out to see who is the greatest monster of all. Audiences and fans will also be delighted to hear that horror industry stalwart Troma Entertainment's Father's Day, a cult exploitation film about a group of misfits trying to hunt down a twisted serial killer, will hold its World Premiere at the festival which will be running October 20-27 in Toronto.

Every year the Celluloid Screams: Sheffield Horror Film Festival showcases contemporary and classic horror cinema, from new horror features and genre discoveries to short films from the "fearmakers" of the future. Founded in 2009, the festival has premiered such notable films as: Paranormal Activity, Neighbor, I Sell The Dead, Subconscious, Grace and The Revenant (just to name but a few), and has an ongoing commitment to showcase emerging genre talent. Celluloid Screams has negotiated a special festival rate that includes breakfast at their recommended hotel, Jurys Inn Sheffield, during the festival run from October 21-23.

Hollywood Reporter and Billboard join forces to deliver a two-day seminar on the role of music in film and television, taking place in Hollywood, October 24 and 25. Now in its tenth year, this Conference offers attendees an opportunity to learn from, network with, and get the ear of attending music supervisors, composers, directors, music editors, songwriters and producers active in the business. Topic areas slated for exploration include: Songwriters and Musicians Working in Film & TV, Music Supervisors Provide Real Time Critiques, Composers Dissect How a Score Evolves, Writing for Teens, 'Tweens and Tots, Roundtables, Speed Networking, more.There will be a Closing Network Happy Hour on the Pool Terrace, then following will be the Official Closing Night Party at The Highlands Hollywood.

The Annual Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame October 26 New York City ceremony is regarded as an industry event honoring the pioneers, innovators and stars of the electronic arts. The evening's formal dinner ceremonies will be hosted by Piers Morgan of CNN, and Nancy O'Dell of Entertainment Tonight. Event organizer and producer NewBay Media's market brands are directed toward five vertical markets -- Pro Audio, Broadcast and Video, Musical Instruments, AV / Consumer Electronics and K-12 Education. NewBay publishes and produces over 40 publications and show dailies, 50 websites, 30 daily and weekly E-Newsletters, 3 expos and over 50 custom publishing efforts annually.

At an October 27 Media and Entertainment Investing Conference in Miami's Coral Gables district, panels for the day include: Early-Stage Media Investing and how to meet investors, pitch them, and what it really takes to get them to write you a check, and Growing Your Media Entertainment Business: Protecting and Selling Your Intellectual Property. The conference, sponsored by The Launch Pad at the University of Miami, will appeal to Media and Entertainment entrepreneurs raising capital, as well as Media Investors (VCs, Angels & Corporate). Additionally, all companies can attend the Pitching Workshop Breakfast from 8-10 am, as well as the Networking Lunch, and Cocktail Party.

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 http://www.actorschecklist.com/news.html which now has a language translation button to convert page contents into most widely used languages. In a look ahead into November event dates, there is the anticipated American Film Market set oceanside in Santa Monica, the 12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards in  Las Vegas, Billboard Touring Conference in New York, the Government Video Expo in Washington, DC, and AFI Fest in Hollywood, to give a small sample of the upcoming events in the month ahead. Also to alert viewers, a site revamp and redesign of The Actor's Checklist is close at hand, with new interactive features, tools and resources to aid members, so please stay tuned.

Variety Venture Capital New Media Summit, Casual Connect, Melbourne International Film Fest, FADE IN... are some Highlights in July's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

Jazz pianist Kyoko Oyobe, whose album of original compositions
'Cookin' at Smalls' was recorded live at  Smalls in Greenwich
Village, leads the late night jam session every Tuesday night
in July at The Moldy Fig jazz club in New York City.

Jazz pianist, Kyoko Oyobe, leads the late night jam session in New York City, Lower Eastside's newest bar, cafe and jazz venue, The Moldy Fig, Tuesday nights in July. The establishment presents it's jazz offering with an assortment of casual diversions like chess, shuffleboard, Scrabble, and backgammon, and a small plate menu from the kitchen. Poets will feel welcome in this Lower East Side element. Kyoko Oyobe who writes original compositions, is from Okayama, Japan, and has released her first album, 'Cookin' at Smalls', recorded live at Smalls Jazz Club in Greenwich Village, now available on the web at cdbaby.com/cd/kyokooyobetrio.

Taking place in New York City through July 9 to celebrate its 12th Anniversary, Latin Alternative Music Conference is geared towards the marketing of Spanish-language alternative music. A connected SummerStage event in Central Park on July 6 features performances by Spanish music standouts Jarabe De Palo, Mexican songstress Ely Guerra, Afro-Peruvian electronica folk artist Novalima and Miami’s DJ Mr. Pauer. A July 8 panel (one of several) addresses, "Patrons of the Arts: Who Are Today's Music Investors?"

An upcoming WebTVWorkshop.com series is geared towards producing web series and new media content, in a crash course format, and is coming to New York City. Taught by Emmy-winning professionals and union reps, participants will learn how to create, market, distribute, and monetize a successful web series. The classes cover everything from strategy and pitch to advertising and promotional strategies. WTVW is including the Showbiz Labor Guide, a comprehensive software program for budgets, labor laws, and union contracts, using easy to understand terms. The Showbiz Store is the retail division of Media Services that caters to the specific technology needs of the media and entertainment industry.

It is fairly well known that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge -- aka Prince William and Kate Middleton — have recently been traveling throughout North America, with stops throughout Canada and California. The couple is also slated to be on hand for the Variety Venture Capital New Media Summit on July 8 in Beverly Hills. Variety’s Summit will explore how the investment community is driving technology innovation that is critical for the growth of the evolving entertainment industry. At the Summit, top financiers, studio leaders and start-up founders will debate how best to keep this momentum going, creating new media services and products that cross growing numbers of platforms and devices.

The Artivist Film Festival and Artivist Awards are produced by The Artivist Collective, Inc., a charitable organization creating this platform for artists to share  inspirational and informative films with the world. As an avenue for filmmakers to screen their unique, socially-conscious films to the general public, Artivist works interchangeably with the artists and their causes. Filmmakers come together through the organization to share resources, collaborate, and network with other artists and entertainment industry professionals. According to the organization this process has also led to funding agreements for future film projects. Screenings from July 8-10 will take place in cities: Austin, Atlanta, Chicago, Sedona, Seattle, Washington D.C. August will have screenings in Hollywood, and September will will move to New York City.

Anyone can join the Florida Chapter and fellow music community members in Miami for a casual networker hosted by Florida Chapter Board Governor, Serona Elton. Slated for every second Tuesday of the month, attendees can enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres and 2 for 1 drink specials on beverages until 8:30 pm, courtesy of Eden South Beach. There's always free admission for Recording Academy members and anyone who would like to learn about or join The Recording Academy.

BMI is a sponsor of the Kauai Music Festival, a four-day undertaking in the art of songwriting held on the island of Kauai, beginning July 13. Through the one-on-one meetings, small group sessions, workshops, panel discussions, open mic activities, and other planned events, festival participants will be able to consult and get feedback directly from the songwriting pros staffing the festival. In addition to the annual Songwriter Conference, the KMF organizes and hosts other educational, networking, and showcase events throughout the year such as the KMF Songwriter Search, an annual songwriting contest with the winner getting free attendance to the annual KMF Songwriter Conference.

A July 18 Grammy Awards 101 Musical Achievement Workshop is a presentation of the Recording Academy Pacific Northwest and Los Angeles Chapters set to be held in Honolulu. GRAMMY Awards 101 + MusiCares Outreach will be an information session on: Recently Announced Awards Restructuring, important information about the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards, important upcoming dates and deadlines, explanation of eligibility for submitted product, how to submit product for GRAMMY consideration, step-by-step narrative of what each submission goes through once it has been submitted into the awards process.

Casual Connect is the place to learn more about an industry that entertains 300 million people each month. So from July 19-21, learn all about iPhone, Social, Android, Flash, Browser MMO and Download Games, at Casual Connect Seattle 2011. Casual Games Association produces the Casual Connect event annually. And it's not just learning workshops. Some slated networking events include: Pre-funk party hosted by Mochi Media, a relaxed, loungy party beer/wine/cocktails/light snacks; Minna Mingle hosted by EA Partners, a drink in the Grand Lobby after the final session in the Taper Auditorium; Official Casual Connect Party hosted by OpenFeint, with bowling, billiards, drinks and appetizers; another Minna Mingle hosted by TransGaming, presented Happy Hour style with beer, wine, cocktails; Official Casual Connect Party hosted by WildTangent, a lounge party with beer, wine, cocktails and appetizers taking place at the Seattle Aquarium.

Summer NAMM 2011 is the music products industry’s mid-year event showcasing the latest gear, sound and lighting technology, influential companies and the newest brands. Join music educators, students, parents, music advocates, recording professionals and houses of worship music leaders at the international music products industries’ mid-year gathering. Happening in Nashville, July 21-23, attend and get connected with other industry members at the NAMM Young Professionals event during Summer NAMM. Join the group at the Wildhorse Saloon on July 21 starting from 6:30 pm. NAMM, the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), is the not-for-profit association that unifies, leads and strengthens the $17 billion global music products industry.

Since its commencement in 1951, Melbourne International Film Festival has developed into Australia's largest film event. MIFF hosts an assemblage of cinematic productions from over 50 countries for seventeen days (July 21 to August 7) each Winter (Australian winter), embellished with a slate of parties and special events that has been known to create a celebratory mood throughout the city. Separately and to its own merit, the Regent Theatre has been and continues to be home to many world renowned theatre productions including Disney’s The Lion King, We Will Rock You, and Singin’ in the Rain.

A compressed summary of the activity laden Action On Film International Film Festival in Pasadena, July 22-30, helps to highlight the many interesting events that will happen in its given span of time. There will be four days of workshops and seminars, two special non-profit benefit events and a few additional "surprises". Opening Night Mixer and AOF VII Celebration. Nick Mancuso Acting Seminar Part 1 and 2 happens July 24 and 25. A free Sunday Brunch and Filmmaker Symposium is on July 24, and a Private Celebrity 'Dinner With' Special AOF Filmmakers and Writers happens in the evening. Closing night includes a Black Tie Dinner Pre-event Party, Black Tie Dinner and Award Show, There are screenings at Regency Academy Theater Pasadena with-filmmaker interviews on the Red Carpet and special gifts for everyone in attendance. Private 'after' and 'pre-parties' to be announced.

The 2011 New York International Latino Film Festival mission is to showcase the works of emerging Latino filmmaking talent in the U.S. and Latin America, and provide expansive images of the Latino experience, and celebrate the diversity and spirit of the Latino community. Programming from July 25-31 includes the flagship film festival in New York City, new music and art showcases, family and community events, scholarships for aspiring filmmakers, and a nationally recognized short film competition in partnership with HBO. The festival notably has had the endorsement of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's NYC Latin Media and Entertainment Commission since its formation in 2003.

FADE IN… the 15th Annual Hollywood Pitch Festival offers a chance to present your film or TV script, book, short or idea directly to 200 Hollywood agents, managers, producers, studio and productions executives, over three days starting June 29. HPF only has one class — a pitch class taught by a professional working filmmaker, and it is optional to take. But this year they are also providing one-on-one virtual pitch coaching via Skype starting two weeks prior to the festival. After session activities features a cocktail party Friday evening and VIP Contact Book that will be handed out.

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 http://www.actorschecklist.com/news.html which now has a language translation button to convert page contents into most widely used languages. A look ahead into August event dates will help you prepare for:  Flying Popcorn! Online Children's Film FestivalNewport, in New Port, UNF Writers Conference, in Jacksonville, Siggraph 2011, in Vancouver, KRATKOFIL International Short Film FestivalBanja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Banja Luka, to provide just a small sample of upcoming events in advance. Also to alert viewers, a site revamp and redesign of The Actor's Checklist is close at hand, with new interactive features, tools and resources to aid members, so please stay tuned.

Miami Int'l Film Fest, SXSW Festival, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction, Hong Kong Film Fest, Edgemar Film Fest, are some Highlights in March's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

In Melbourne, the MuVifest International Music Video Festival, open now through March 30, is a competitive festival originally inspired by independent artists and filmmakers. There are two competition categories, the Global Poverty Project MuVments, and the main festival itself. The festival is an outdoor event that is free to attend and will feature live music, DJ's and entertainment on the Kiss FM Stage, and will have an after party.

The Miami International Film Festival, presented by Miami Dade College, is programmed to introduce a representative selection of Ibero-centric films and filmmakers to South Florida’s residents and visitors. The Festival encompasses international film screenings, gala premieres, REEL seminars and the Miami Film Society, which offers Members an inclusive range of year-round activities that investigate and celebrate the artistry and innovation of the showcased cinematic visionaries. Festival seminars to be presented, include, but are not limited to: Cinematography Master Class, Futurescape of Multi-Platform Distribution in Latin America, Ready-Steady-Pitch! The Craft of Creating and Delivering a Pitch, WMC & MIFF Present Soundtracking for TV & Film, more, all running through March 13.

Berlin's Delphic Art Movie Award comes from a prior contest for documentary short films about artistic achievements, the maximum duration allowed of which is 10 minutes. The contest and showcase for the Delphic Art Movie Award, from March 9-13, shows short documentaries about the fascination of arts and culture. The award framework is set by six categories and their disciplines, which represent contemporary or traditional aspects: Acoustic Arts, Performing Arts, Lingual Arts, Visual Arts, Social Arts and Ecological Arts. Selected films are intended to document, to inform, to inspire and to encourage the enthusiasm and understanding of art.

Filmapalooza 2011, the finale festival for the 48 Hour Film Project, conducts its showcase of screenings at the Miami International Film Festival, March 10-13. Through its festival/competition, the Project encourages filmmakers and would-be filmmakers to go out and make movies. The tight deadline of 48 hours puts the focus squarely on the filmmakers—emphasizing creativity and teamwork skills.

Opening for a run from March 10-16, the Athens International Sci-Fi & Fantasy Film Festival is organized and run by the Science Fiction Club of Athens, Greece (or “ALEF” for short). It started out as a retrospective of Greek genre short films, but then quickly evolved into an international event, always in the SFF-rated domain of moving images. A featured premier screening for the Festival will be H.P. Lovercraft's "The Whisperer in Darkness".

Innovative slap bass guitarist of Cochin-Kerala, Jayen Varrma, joins drummer Jean Davoisne, a native of Toulouse and owner of two drumschools sponsored by Tama drums and Zildjian cymbals, and an Art Center in southern France, to tour Toulouse and other parts of France presenting Master Classes and holding recitals and jam session performances. After their March 4 engagement at Salle des Fêtes, the session then moves to Guitars N' Stuff for the March 11 engagement. Then there is a March 13 appearances at Studio Expériences in Toulouse, and on March 14 at Cri' Art, a cinema and concert event where the musical performance will accompany the screening of film, "The Sound of Noise." More dates in March could be planned so check the accompanying websites or Facebook pages for the artists.

An Acting for TV and Film Intensive taking place March 11-13 in Dallas, is structured to give each actor opportunity to practice and develop tools of character and script exploration. The workshop's acting exercises and scene work makes it a goal to take the craft to a new level of awareness and expression. The workshop also features original scene material written with the participants in mind. Steven Anderson has been coaching actors privately and conducting workshops for the last 20 years. His directorial projects include the short film, "Only In Miami" which screened at the CineFestival in San Antonio, in October 2006, and "Good Things" which screened at the 5 Second Film Festival, in Claremount, in May 2010.

This year the SXSW Film Conference and Festival gets underway March 11-19 in Austin. The event offers networking opportunities and immersion into the art and business of the world of independent film. Speakers, creative minds, and notable mentors tackle the latest filmmaking trends. The nine-day Festival spotlights innovation and emerging talent by with a program that includes documentaries, comedies, DIY narratives, genre standouts and more. Party and lounge spaces at the festival will include: Film Hideout Lounge presented by YouSendIt; Filmmakers Lounge presented by the North Carolina Film Office; The Interactive / Film Fusion Party presented by Meebo; SXSW Film Closing/Music Opening Party Hosted by YouTube, just to name a few. BMI will conduct a panel, "Sound Decisions: A Reality Check on Using Music in Film" on March 13 of the festival. The opening film party will be at Buffalo Billiards.

The 26th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be conducted in New York, March 14, and taped for later broadcast exclusively on Fuse TV (www.fuse.tv/), Madison Square Garden’s national music television network, airing March 20, at 9 pm EST. The 2011 Inductees include: Dr. John, Jac Holzman, Alice Cooper, Neil Diamond, Darlene Love, Tom Waits, Art Rupe and Leon Russell. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (in Cleveland) will screen the over 3-hour ceremony starting at 8:30 pm, including the performances and presentations, which will be broadcast on a giant 12 foot screen on the Museum’s Main Stage and several large screens throughout the Museum.

This year the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) starts up March 20 running through April 5 in Wan Chai North. The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) is a charitable, non-profit and non-governmental organization dedicated to the discovery and promotion of creativity in the art and culture of film, with a mission to strengthen global appreciation of Chinese film. The Society organizes three annual flagship events in March and April: The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) and the Asian Film Awards (AFA). Running concurrently and practically from the same convention center, from March 21-24, the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART), is an annual film market organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) promoting co-operation in areas of film financing, distribution, production, post-production, TV, digital entertainment, film and broadcasting equipment and shooting locations.

CTIA —The Wireless Association®, hosts two shows a year: one in the spring, this year taking place March 21-24 in Orlando and representative of all things wireless, and another show in the fall that focuses more on the usage and implementation of wireless in the enterprise. CTIA — The Wireless Association® is an international nonprofit membership organization that has represented the wireless communications industry since 1984. Membership in the association includes wireless carriers and their suppliers, as well as providers and manufacturers of wireless data services and products.

The 2011 Edgemar Short Film Festival in Santa Monica, from March 23-27, will screen short works of 30 minutes or under, in the narrative, animated and documentary genre categories. Edgemar Center for the Arts (ECA), Michelle Danner, Artistic Director, serves as collaborative rehearsal and performance space open to artists of all disciplines and experience levels, encouraging collaboration between writers, directors, actors, musicians, dancers and visual artists. It is a space in which original and classical theater productions, dance performances, visual arts and films works are performed. Additionally, ECA serves all facets of the Westside community and beyond by offering public arts programs, ticketed performances and educational outreach courses for children and senior citizens.

Canada's own Grammy's — The JUNO Awards — has evolved from an singular industry awards presentation event to a week long festival that travels city to city across the country. The Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. This year's ceremony will be conducted in Toronto on March 27. New members of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame are also inducted as part of the awards ceremonies. Winners are currently chosen by either members of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences or a panel of experts depending on the award.

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 http://www.actorschecklist.com/news.html which now has a language translation button to convert page contents into most widely used languages. A look ahead into April event dates will help you prepare for: the Florida Music Festival and Conference, in Orlando, Tribeca Film Festival, in New York; National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) 2011, in Las Vegas, London Independent Film Festival, in London, the San Francisco International Film Festival, in San Francisco, to list only a few upcoming events in advance. Past videos from the monthly video news summary are archived on the Free Home Video Showcase at http://www.actorschecklist.com/video.