Art Basel, CineAsia Hong Kong, The Midwest Clinic, Kuchipudi Dance Convention, are highlights in December's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

At Art Basel in Miami, international art galleries show work from masters of Modern and contemporary art as well as pieces by newly emerging artists. Paintings, sculptures, drawings, installations, photographs, films, and editioned works are displayed in the main exhibition hall, while designated artworks and performances become part of the landscape at nearby beaches, Collins Park and SoundScape Park. A number of events listed on the agenda are free to the public. Although most Art Basel events are conducted December 3-7, from December 2, de la Cruz Collection, a selection of works by artists re-defining Post War movements - New Abstraction, Figurative Realism, appropriation and process-based art - goes on exhibit through December 6. Also set for an early December 2 start, The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse, Fifteen Year Anniversary Exhibition, runs through December 7.

Every June, Art Basel marks the summer reunion of the international art world, hosted by the city of Basel. Outside the exhibition halls, the city of Basel's cultural institutions – Fondation Beyeler, Kunstmuseum Basel, Kunsthalle Basel, Tinguely Museum, and Kunsthaus Baselland – offer museum exhibitions. Art Basel in Miami Beach has been adapted as the winter meeting place for the Art Basel international art world circuit. Miami’s leading private collections open their homes and warehouses to guests of Art Basel. Additionally, the museums of South Florida organize exhibitions

The public opening of Art Basel will feature a special evening program with live performances. This event is produced in collaboration with the Bass Museum of Art. A Crowdfunding Meet and Greet grants access to conversation panels with members of the Art Basel and Kickstarter teams and gives details about projects that have already come to life as a result of the crowdfunding drive. Salons, or informal presentations such as artist talks, panels, lectures and performances, with a wide range of speakers and topics from the international art world, are held every day of Art Basel.

Art Basel works with curators who present a selection of international artists and emerging talents. Art Basel maintains an international network with over twenty Global VIP Relations Managers covering five continents, who build and strengthen relationships year-round with art world luminaries, art collectors, business leaders and decision-makers. Connecting the international art community has been Art Basel's goal since its beginning. In Hong Kong (March 15–17, 2015), Basel (June 18–21, 2015) and Miami Beach (December 4–7, 2014), each show is defined by its host city, with participating galleries showing artworks unique to the region, and parallel programming produced in collaboration with the region's local institutions.

International Music Festival Conference 2014 (IMFCON) produces a programs offering innovation, education, and an understanding of how music festivals play a crucial role in the music industry and foster growth in the arts. The Sixth Annual International Music Festival Conference in Austin opens December 7 with a SAG-AFTRA Opening Reception. Following an Orientation session as the first opening remarks, the agenda then presents: "It’s been a Hard Day’s Night! 2014 Recap-State of the Industry," an insiders look at the festival industry and the forecast for 2015 and how to plan for it. This will be followed by session titled: "The Anatomy of A Festival." Conference day one concludes with a Cocktail Reception Hosted by PublicVine and a FireChat After Party following that. The December 9 final day closing symposium will address: "Visual Arts:  How art installations give festivals personality, identity, and longevity." The Conference will close with a cocktail reception at the Texas Foyer.

CineAsia Hong Kong is a Pan-Asian Convention dedicated to the Cinema Exhibition and Distribution communities. It will feature screenings of upcoming Hollywood films, regional films, sponsored special events, informative seminars on cinema technology and developments and the CineAsia Trade Show for three days opening December 9. CineAsia brings together Asian cinema industry professionals, from cinema owners and suppliers to film buyers and distributors. As the sister event to ShowEast and CineEurope, CineAsia maintains similar standards of programming, seminars, special events and suppliers. CineAsia screens major Asian and Hollywood films and offers educational programs specifically geared toward the needs of the Asian cinema exhibition community.

Indonesian film producer and anti-piracy campaigner, Maya Barack-Evans will be honored with the CineAsia 2014 Asia-Pacific Copyright Educator (ACE) Award at a CineAsia Awards Ceremony on December 11. She is a key member of the Association of Indonesian Film Producers (APROFI) which comprises about 30 local filmmakers, aiming to improve the quality of the Indonesian film industry and to gain international recognition. On December 10 of the convention, cinema innovator, Timeplay, will give an interactive cinema demonstration and show how movie goers can use their smart phones and tablets to interact with and influence outcomes on the big screen. The platform enables cinemas, studios, advertisers and other partners to entertain, inform, and sell direct with movie goers before, after or instead of a movie. Following that, Sony Pictures Releasing International will make a 3D oriented product presentation and then host an evening reception after that.

Convention organizer, the Film Expo Group includes ShowEast, held in Florida; CineEurope, held in Barcelona; and CineAsia, held in Hong Kong. Parent company, the Prometheus Global Media Film Expo Group owns media publications and organizes entertainment industry events affecting the motion picture industry including Film Journal International, Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek, Dick Clark Productions, the CLIO Awards, CineEurope, and ShowEast. Through these various media properties, Prometheus Global Media engages people and marketers by serving their needs in: music, media, entertainment.

Asia TV Forum and Market conducted in association with miptv and mipcom, Asia TV Forum and Market is an international entertainment content market and convention to buy, sell, finance, distribute and co-produce, across all platforms. It is where the industry meets Asia's buying community, discovers the latest trends in Asia, showcases best in class innovation and champion and monetise the next generation of Asian content. It is organized by Reed Exhibitions Pte Limited and is held this year in Singapore City, December 9-12. The Asia Media Opening Keynote Speaker is James Wang Zhonglei, President, Huayi Brothers Media Corporation China. He will be followed by Ma Dong, Chief Content Officer Iqiyi, China. He will address, Digital China: The New Storyteller - Iqiyi.

This year ATF Animation Lab will introduce "Up-Close with Commissioners", a two-day knowledge sharing session that will give attending delegates opportunities to glimpse into the programming plans of international animation studio commissioners, and what they will be looking for from 2016-2017. Overall, Animation Lab is a three-day closed door pitching event focused toward animation producers to pitch their animation projects and ideas to attending international broadcasters, commissioners and financers.

ATF will be held in conjunction with MIPACADEMY, Asia Television Awards, recognizing excellence in programming, production and performance; ScreenSingapore, an international content sellers and Asian buyers business arena to buy, sell, finance, distribute and co-produce, across the platforms; and Singapore International Film Festival, focused on showcasing international films and providing a global platform for the best of Singapore cinema. The MIPACADEMY event gathers format and factual producers from across the entertainment industry who want to learn directly from international format experts.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce will conduct the second meeting on December 10 of its new The Entertainment, Arts and Media Committee -- TEAM HOLLYWOOD. For current Hollywood Chamber members this is a complimentary member benefit. TEAM HOLLYWOOD's mission is to promote the Hollywood brand with the intention of preserving Hollywood's homegrown entertainment industries with a focus on film, broadcasting, commercials, television and performing arts. The Hollywood Chamber Committee additionally aims to cultivate new and emerging media so as to uphold Hollywood's status as the entertainment capital of the world. TEAM HOLLYWOOD is co-chaired by Chamber members Susan Cabral-Ebert of IATSE Local 706 and Maricela Gomez of Paramount Pictures and meets quarterly. Chamber committees comprised of volunteer members are continuously working to improve Hollywod and shape its future. Through committee involvement, members have the opportunity to bring change in areas specific to their business and to make important business contacts. The Hollywood Chamber encourages all to take advantage of this membership benefit by participating in ongoing committees. This is a free event with limited seating. RSVP is essential.

The Midwest Clinic International Band, Orchestra and Music Conference provides attendees interested in music education with an array of clinics and exhibits, as well as access to well regarded music and teaching professionals. The Chicago located conference, continuing for four days through December 20, will also focus on industry trends and future topics in business and music education. A Conference highlight includes ensembles in performance, while showcasing anywhere from students to seasoned performers exhibiting their talents to a targeted audience with an interest in furthering music education. Each band and orchestra panel is specifically focused and offers attendees the most up-to-date music styles and education techniques. Particular features to this conference reinforce its focus on mentoring and development. Rehearsal labs provide observers an opportunity to watch and listen to conductors working with various types of ensembles in an open rehearsal setting.

The Midwest Clinic is structured for educational purposes exclusively, and among other goals, to disseminate to school music teachers, directors and supervisors and others interested in music education, information to assist in their professional work for the betterment of music education. An important goal of The Midwest Clinic sessions is for audience members to gain insight and develop practical educational framework skills they can use at home with their own ensembles. New music reading sessions provide a glimpse of new music publications available for each type of ensemble. Attendees have the advantage of listening to professional musicians as they introduce new works and perform a portion of each piece for a live audience. Each session presents a variety of styles, composers, and publishers. There will be a December 18 College Night for students and teachers looking for a music degree program among eighty colleges, universities and branches of the United States Military planning to send representatives.

Starting from December 26 in Gachibowli district of Hyderabad, more than 6,000 dancers from different parts of Andhra Pradesh, other states within India, the US, Canada, UK, Russia, Dubai, Mauritius, Malaysia and Singapore and a few other countries are expected to take part in the International Kuchipudi Dance Convention. The International Kuchipudi Dance Convention showcases interactive sessions where technical aspects of the dance form will be discussed and dance performances by the dancers of various participating countries will showcase their talent. The highlight of the conference will be a group recital in which thousands of dancers from all over the world will dance to a few selected pieces. A video has been prepared which contains all the dance pieces which will be performed on the final day is viewable online. The dancers, with the help of their respective teachers will have to learn the dance pieces, practice and perform as per the instructions given in the video. Parent organizer, SiliconAndhra organization, based in San Jose, California, has been doing several vital cultural programs over the last 12 years to protect and perpetuate the Telugu language, literature, tradition and culture. Apart from Projects, SiliconAndhra conducts five major events in each calendar year, timed to correspond to important dates in the Indian calendar. Other areas of involvement other than Kuchipudi Dance Convention include, Manabadi initiative to teach Teiugu to children born and brought up outside Andhra Pradesh, publishing the “Sujanaranjani” magazine to spread 'Telugudanam' (telugu culture) around the world, 'Global Internet Forum For Telugu (GIFT)' initiative with the goal to bring together the technology and language.

The World Wide Music Contest is a global competition conducted over the web, and open to bands and solo artists without a current recording or performance contract. A public voting system engaging the sites daily visitors urges them to select their favorite artists. The competition is primarily conducted through the organization's web portal at: www.worldwidemusic.com. New bands, solo artists and singers compete for a grand cash prize in Euros, mastering services, instrument accessories and promotion services. The contest is still open to submissions and is free to enter until December 31, 2014. The overall first prize will be assigned to a band or artist indicated by the public vote and then confirmed by the contest's judging panel. Toshikazu Maruno of Kagoshima Prefecture is contesting for top placement in the World Wide Music Contest 2014 but competition is fierce. With his guitar, he performs songs of love, hope and life's daily struggles in the Rock, Pop and Acoustic range. In January 1998, he released an album, "In The Name Of Love." In the summer of 2011, he released another album "KIZUNA." Toshikazu's most recent album to date is "Gratitude," released in 2014. The voting in World Wide Music Contest remains tightly contested, but Toshikazu Maruno is determined to win new fans and maintain his edge With his two songs entered: "Your Happiness Is My Happiness" and "This Is My Life". Enthusiastic fans are permitted to vote up to two times in a 24 hour period. Be sure to keep checking the MySpace or Facebook page for Toshikazu Maruno for upcoming concert tour dates he will have in the new year of 2015.

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 includes the CD cover with acoustic pop musician and singer Toshikazu Maruno, his new album "Gratitude," and a contestant in the World Wide Music Contest, and movie stills from latest Hobbit release, "Battle of the Five Armies." If the photo does not appear in this post please visit the blog page to view it. Beginning the new year in January 2015, there are a full calendar of events now that the holidays are past. The global content marketplace known as NATPE opens in Miami, Annie Awards will make presentations in Los Angeles, the annual AFCI Locations Show comes to Century City, the Mountain High Music Festival opens in Crested Butte, the much anticipated Sundance Film Festival returns to Park City, Best Of Events International happens for a period of two days in Dortmund, Advanced Film Industry Expo is in Tokyo. Seasons greetings to all and all the best for the holiday period from The Actor's Checklist.

AFM/AFI, CCW+SATCON, Salon de la Photo, Supanova Pop Culture Expo, are highlights in November's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

AFM is the anticipated, annual film industry event that's not quite festival, not quite conference, but mostly business opportunity -- the business of independent motion picture production and distribution -- set oceanside against Santa Monica/Venice beachfront. Generally, 8,000 plus industry professionals arrive in Santa Monica for deal-making, screenings, seminars, networking and parties. Each consecutive day of the conference series is set to focus on any one topic of Finance, Pitching, Production, Marketing and Distribution. Headlining names set to speak at the 2014 Film Market include: Millennium Films’ President Mark Gill, WME Partner Mark Ankner and UTA’s Independent Film Group Co-Head Rena Ronson, all confirmed to participate in the Production Conferences. The Distribution Conference attendees include Tugg, Inc. CEO and independent producer Nicolas Gonda and Cinetic Media Founder John Sloss and producer Cassian Elwes will participate in the Pitch Conference.

Growing from 2013, a total of 430 films are set to screen with 349 market premieres and 84 world premieres. More than 100 speakers from around the globe will participate in the AFM Conference Series, Producers Forum, Roundtables and Industry Conversations. Director/producer Brett Ratner takes part in the Finance Conference and comedian/podcast king Adam Carolla will indulge in an Industry Conversation. Millennium Films’ President Mark Gill, WME Partner Mark Ankner, and UTA’s Independent Film Group Co-Head Rena Ronson will add insight in the Production Conferences. For well informed film industry professionals it's no secret that Nigeria is one of the top global filmmaking capitals. For 2014 AFM is hosting a November 9 roundtable that will focus on the development and promotion of the African film industry through co-production. The roundtable will bring together business parties/partners that have an interest in films produced in Africa with cross-cultural appeal, and develop opportunities to reap returns of untapped potential of the African film industry.

The American Film Market (AFM) is the market partner of AFI FEST. The association between the two events connects art and commerce (more on AFI in the next story below). AFM badges will allow access to many AFI events, including all public screenings. AFI FEST badges will allow access to the AFM screenings. AFI FEST filmmakers, whose films are part of the festival, will have full access to AFM (and to be able to promote their film to the AFM participant distributors. Shuttle buses will move participants between Santa Monica and Hollywood. AFM is produced by the Independent Film and Television Alliance®, the global trade association of the independent motion picture and television industry and the voice and advocate for the Independents worldwide. The organization represents more than 150 member companies from 23 countries, consisting of independent production and distribution companies, sales agents, television companies and financial institutions engaged in film finance.

Participant Media’s "A Most Violent Year," distributed by A24, will have its World Premiere as the Opening Night Gala of AFI FEST 2014 in Hollywood. The film is written and directed by Academy Award nominee J.C. Chandor and stars Oscar Isaac, Academy Award nominees Jessica Chastain and Albert Brooks as well as David Oyelowo, Alessandro Nivola, Elyes Gabel and Catalina Sandino Moreno. To attend the World Premiere and Opening Night Gala of "A Most Violent Year" with reserved seats, guests must purchase a festival package at the Star Patron or Marquee Patron level. The American Film Market (AFM) that happens across town in Santa Monica, from November 5-12, is the market partner of AFI FEST. The association between the two events connects art and commerce, broadening the opportunities for all participants, and collectively represents the largest gathering in North America.

At this years AFI, Sophia Loren will be honored with a Tribute on November 12 and her memoir “Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow:  My Life” will be published by Artia Books on December 2, 2014. The November 12 evening celebrates Loren’s career and coincides with the 50th anniversary of her Academy Award-nominated role in "Marriage Italian Style" [Matrimonio All’Italiana] (Dir. Vittorio De Sica, 1964). The Tribute will also include a conversation with Loren about her career, and The Human Voice [La Voce Umana] (Dir. Edoardo Ponti, 2014), a short film directed by her son in which she stars, will be shown as part of the evening. Festival-goers will be able to obtain available tickets online at AFI.com/AFIFEST until the last day of the festival. Additional tickets will be available all day, every day through Closing Night online and at the festival's box office. No pre-assigned time slot needed. Same-day tickets are only available in person at the AFI FEST AT&T Box Office or the Rush Line.

The American Film Market (AFM) is the market partner of AFI FEST. The association between the two events connects art and commerce, broadening the opportunities for all participants, and collectively represents the largest gathering in North America. AFI FEST filmmakers, whose films are part of the festival, will have full access to AFM (and to be able to promote their film to the AFM participant distributors. Shuttle buses will move participants between Santa Monica and Hollywood. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes AFI FEST as a qualifying festival for the Short Films category of the annual Academy Awards. AFI FEST holds the FIAPF accreditation (FIAPF.org), assuring a high standard of quality and reliability for the international film community.As a non-profit educational and cultural organization, AFI's purpose is to preserve the history of the motion picture, to honor the artists and their work and to educate the next generation of storytellers.

The well regarded Casual Connect convention series comes to Belgrade. Casual Connect is the place to learn more about the gaming industry which entertains 300 million people each month, and its various platforms: iPhone, Social, Android, Flash, Browser MMO and Download Games. Lectures at Casual Connect are programmed to focus on cutting edge topics in the casual games space. Over 40 games will be exhibited as a part of the Indie Prize showcase in Belgrade, Serbia and entered into competition for the Indie Prize Award. Developers and schools submit their indie games to take part in future upcoming showcase which is handled through the website.

One highlight of Casual Connect Eastern Europe 2014 is The International Design, Entertain and Amaze (IDEA) Showcase, setup for established developers looking for international partners for publishing, user acquisition, game performance monitoring and logistical support. Hosted four times a year in conjunction with Casual Connect and Indie Prize, the IDEA Showcase™ highlights developers from all over the world in showcases in Western Europe, Asia, USA and Eastern Europe. Promising developers just getting started are encouraged to apply for the Indie Prize scholarship.

Parties at Casual Connect are an integral part of the networking experience. At this ninth annual Casual Connect Eastern Europe there is the Big Fish Rock Star Party on November 10, the Indie Prize Awards Ceremony on November 11, the Nordeus Party also on November 11, the Mad Head Games party which happens for all three convention dates. Casual Games Association produces the premiere events for the casual games industry with over 6,500 professionals attending Casual Connect each year. Casual Connect brings together talented and knowledgeable experts in the casual gaming field to further the casual games industry with the networking and learning.

CCW+SATCON in New York City, now produced by NAB, is about the business of content -- media, entertainment, video and communications technology. It's conference and exposition format covers evolving digital, production and satellite technologies that are driving the industry and impacting the way content is delivered to the world. Opening November 12, the CCW Conference includes includes two full days of breakout sessions featuring the current topics of concern to media and entertainment professionals. Conference topics are selected by the CCW Advisory Board and are relevant for senior executives and technical management in television, broadband video/streaming media, film and motion pictures, and production and post, including pro audio. Not to be overlooked is the CCW Conference Keynote along with opening and closing General Sessions each day.

The SATCON Conference includes two full days of breakout Sessions programmed by the SATCON Advisory Board -- a mix of commercial, military and government professionals involved in the global communications market. Topics are selected by the Advisory Board and are relevant for satellite TV providers, radar and satellite operators, telco providers, and broadcasters seeking to gain efficiencies in satellite distribution. A Broadcast IT Summit will address the Changing Role of Information Technology in Today’s Digital Broadcast World. For over four years HITS has been working on the West Coast with the CIOs of the Hollywood studios to facilitate information exchange and collaboration in television, film and home entertainment. To address the IT challenges of the broadcast, network and advertiser communities, the Society is launching its New York chapter on November 13, 2014, by presenting a program of panels, keynotes and exhibitions at CCW.

Visitors to the CCW Post-Production Theater can explore the latest technologies, techniques and workflows transforming production and post-production for film, video and television. Experts will relate experiences and techniques that bring their creative visions to life. The Streaming OTT Theater will showcase the ever changing landscape of online video. It will be a learning opportunity to gain insight on all things second screen, from multi-platform content creation, to mobile and OTT delivery, to regulation and consumer demands. A content creators party happens November 12, from 21:00-23:00 at Marquee NY for fun and networking. Enjoy complimentary entry with the show badge and an open bar compliments of RED and Atomos.

Florida Media Market in Miami was created to be an outlet for South Florida independent Filmmakers to meet with executives, producers, production companies, distributors, TV Networks and Stations that are actively seeking content, either by producing, co-producing or purchasing. FMM is also structured to serve as a meeting place where new filmmakers can gain valuable insight from industry veterans and established companies through its conference sessions. It has created both an annual market, and an online platform, for buyers and sellers of film, documentary, television, and new media content to gather in order to teach, learn, inspire and do business together. This year’s conference theme is “Connecting the Multiplatform,” with the aim of easing the path of talented storytellers toward the audiences they aim to entertain. Entries to FFM are generally submitted through FilmFreeway.

Added into FFM programming, the Seventh Annual Florida Media Market Global Media Conference allows participants at FMM to pitch story concepts, mingle with buyers, distributors, and production companies, and work to bring their projects to desired levels of viability within the dynamic communities of film and television professionals. The Shift Awards gala on November 15 at the Colony Theatre is held to recognize programming that has started a positive, global shift in humanity. Feature films (85 minutes or longer) that have been both released and screened at least once between January 2012 and June 2014 are eligible and television programs 23-30 minutes for a half hour slot and 34-60 minutes for a full hour slot aired within the same time periods mentioned above are eligible. In a related local event, Goddess Mujer Woman (GMW) will be hosting it’s annual Brunch on November 15 in Coral Gables. GMW highlights and presents women's programming that is relevant to contemporary women's issues. The goal is to empower, educate, and relate to women through media. The GMW Brunch program will recognize "13 Women of Purpose" who have made an impact in the global media industry.

The Florida Media Market accepts Films, TV Series, Documentaries and Web Series in every stage of production, including finished and unfinished projects. “Sizzling Pitch” is a competition in which filmmakers can pitch their stories still in development with a visual aid or sizzle reel. There is also the traditional “Ready for Distribution,” a Pitching Competition in which selected filmmakers get a chance to pitch their ideas and/or Ready for Distribution projects before a panel of executives, distributors, and industry experts. This year's media market will run for four days through November 16.

Paris based Salon de la Photo is a gathering for photography brands, equipment manufacturers, importers, schools, and professional groups. It showcases the art of photography and the photography profession with the "Grandes Rencontres", the ZOOMS Awards for emerging photographers, special photography exhibitions, portfolio sessions, and technical presentations organized and presented by top professionals from the trade press. Comexposium is the organizer of Salon de la Photo. The convention, running November 13-17 will offer opportunities to learn about photography techniques: shooting, composition, lighting, post-editing, printing, landscape photography, wedding photography, wildlife photography, portraits. Meet representatives from schools, training organizations, and professional associations. Attendees can take part in technical workshops and learn to use photo editing software. 

A special retrospective exhibition of photographer Sabine Weiss who began taking pictures in 1942 at the age of 18 is a convention centerpiece. It is also to mark the occasion for her 90 birthday. Known for her "humanist" body of work exemplified by the photography on exhibit, the Salon's exhibit will reveal Sabine Weiss at work, by displaying the archives that reveal different aspects of her activity over many decades: fashion, advertising, commissions, reportage work, and so on. Additionally, nine professional photographers, half a century younger and with the same passion for recording life, will pay tribute to Sabine Weiss with a photograph inspired by one of her own works. They will exhibit photographs shown alongside the photographs of her's they have selected. And in another planned exhibition titled "Stars Au Firmament D'Hollywood," Maison Européenne de la Photographie has put together an exhibition of 26 portraits of legendary Hollywood stars from the 1930s to the 1960s. The works of photographers, including: Richard Avedon, Walter Carone, George Hurrell, Jean-Loup Sieff, Raymond Voinquel, will be featured.

This year, again, The Salon de la Photo presents ''Les Grandes Rencontres", an opportunity for everyone to meet major photography professionals and take a behind-the-scenes look at their work. Photographers available for meetings will include: Léo Delafontaine, Nicola Lo Calzo, Mathilde de L'Ecotais, Laurent Millet, Alain Keler, Claudine Doury, Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Catherine Henriette, Mohamed Bourouissa, Gérard Rancinan, Hans Silvester, Luc Choquer, Marie-Paul Nègre, Yves Marchand et Romain Meffre, Renaud Corlouer, AFP / MYOP, Stéphane Couturier. Sabine Weiss, the focus of a special convention retrospective, will be available for a meeting November 17. For the fifth year running, Salon de la Photo will award the "Public ZOOM" and the "Photo Press ZOOM" to two outstanding photographers. The Zooms awards paying tribute to emerging photographers, and nine chief editors of photography magazines have each selected an emerging professional photographer that is either a French national or living in France).

Entering its 27th year, Live Design International (LDI) is a Vegas tradeshow and conference serving live design professionals in North and South America. It attracts attendees working in theatre, concerts, houses of worship, corporate presentations, clubs, theme parks, and any other live venue. More than 300 exhibiting companies provide attendees with live demos and the opportunity for face-to-face discussions about equipment, including lighting, sound, projection, and special effects. Backstage Las Vegas is the November 17 opening special event for LDI2014 produced in conjunction with Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas. The exclusive event is an insider's look at what goes into the making of the Las Vegas show scene, going behind the scenes to meet creative and technical teams that put it together. On the tour stop is Le Rêve - The Dream, as well as taking in rock band, KISS, live at The Joint (Hard Rock Hotel). Then there are club tours, a rigging demo in Le Rêve's aqua theatre, and a ride and tour of the new High Roller soaring over the Vegas landscape.

LDI will conduct its 2014 Las Vegas Club Crawl to explore the state-of-the-art design and technology of some of the top night spots in Vegas. Tour guides will point out the gear from the lighting rigs to the sound systems and DJ/VJ stations as well as the designed interiors of the clubs. Tour venues included in the crawl are: Drais Beach Club (The Cromwell), Hakkasan (MGM Grand), Light (Mandalay Bay), Life (SLS), Rose.Rabbit.Lie (Cosmopolitan), TAO (The Venetian). LDI and the University of Florida School of Theatre and Dance have entered the second year of a program that allows undergraduate and graduate students from around the world to select from four professional training courses at LDI2014 and future events. The courses carry university credits that would be accepted by the students’ home institution towards degree programs. Topics that will be covered include: Entertainment Rigging Fundamentals, Electrics Hands-On Workshop for Production Electricians and Technicians, Projection 101 - The Basics, Entertainment Rigging Fundamentals.

Electronic Dance Music is a prominent feature at LDI2014 stemming from an arranged partnership between LDI and BPM—the UK’s leading producer of EDM trade shows. There are planned live demos and performances in the EDM@LDI pavilion on the show floor, plus special sessions led by Ean Golden of DJ TechTools and technical training by Dubspot. To make this happen, LDI partnered with three separate entities in Electronic Dance Music: Marked Events, which produces BPM Europe's largest trade show dedicated to the DJ market; DJ TechTools, a high traffic global DJ website that will promote EDM@LDI to its dedicated fan base of 600,000 aspiring and professional DJs from around the world; and Dubspot, the electronic music and DJ school, will help with programming content. Live Design International 2014 comes to a close November 23.

Generally acknowledged as Australia's version of the USA's Comic-Con, Supanova Pop Culture Expo stages in one expo the worlds of comic books, animation/cartoons, science-fiction, pulp TV/movies, toys, console gaming, trading cards, fantasy, entertainment technology, books, internet sites, fan-clubs, and cosplay (cos-tume role-play). But unlike Comic-Con, Supanova is a sprawling event taking place on many dates and across many regions of Australia from November of 2014 through June 2015. The upcoming Supanova dates and events are as follows: Brisbane 2014, November 28-30; Melbourne 2015, April 10-12; Gold Coast 2015, April 17-19; Sydney 2015, June 19-21; Perth 2015, June 26-28. In one of the very marquee events planned this year for the expo, Syfy network and Supanova will present Battlestar Galactica: 10 Years On - with appearances by Jamie Bamber – Lee “Apollo” Adama and Tahmoh Penikett – Karl “Helo” Agathon. These stars will share stories of their time on Galactica and discuss the show’s legacy. Syfy will also be bringing the Syfy FanCam 360 to Adelaide and Brisbane for the first time, giving fans and cosplays the opportunity to create clips.

In more scheduled appearances, Jack Gleeson, who played Joffrey Baratheon in the television series, Game of Thrones, joins the November line up that includes veteran voice actor, Peter Cullen, best known as the voice of Optimus Prime of the Transformers movie franchise. Both actors will appear at the expos in Adelaide and Brisbane. Other noteworthy actors slated for the November 2014 expo events include: Jeremy Shada – the voice of Finn the Human in Adventure Time, Grant Imahara – Mythbusters, Star Wars Epsiodes 1-3, John Jarratt – Wolf Creek 1 and 2, StalkHer, Gus Sorola – Co-founder of Rooster Teeth and Private Dick Simmons in Red Vs Blue, Jordan Cwierz – Creator and animator of Rooster Teeth Animated Adventures, Alan Tudyk – Firefly, Serenity, Frozen, Suburgatory, Transformers Dark of the Moon, Robert Knepper – Prison Break, Heroes, Stargate Universe, and the upcoming Hunger Games.

In addition to these dates, Supanova Pop Culture Industries and Brisbane Powerhouse are staging a party - "New Year's Geek" - to open the new year of 2015, featuring  popular pop-culture characters. Local band, Boss Fight, performs versions of classic video game tunes. DJs, trivia, retro arcade games, film screenings, a cosplay prom and free refreshments are also included. At another separate, but related Supanova event, on February 7 in Brisbane, J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek™ will be projected in high definition on a big screen while Academy Award-winning composer Michael Giacchino’s score is performed live by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.

Rounding out Supanova featured events, there will be informative masterclasses, panels and workshops to attend. The new Imagineer’s Playground is an interactive part of the event dedicated to creative arts, focusing on fans and enthusiasts of special FX, model makers, prop builders and costume designers. Despite the array of events and activities, one of the more anticipated activities of Supanova Pop Culture Expo are the Cosplay competitions that give individuals and groups a chance to dress up (and model or act on stage) as their favorite costumed characters. Supanova Pop Culture Expo is organized by Supanova Pop Culture Industries.

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 includes Avengers comic strip cover by Arthur Adams, on view at Supanova Pop Culture Expo and Photography expo, Salon de la Photo in Paris. If the photo does not appear in this post please visit the blog page to view it. Looking ahead into the next month be aware that event dates are curtailed due to the holidays, however: Siggraph Asia takes place in Shenzen, The International Music Festival Conference 2014 arrives in a very qualified city for music -- Austin, the annual Jingle Mingle holiday networking gathering is once again in Winter Park, Asia TV Forum and Market opens in Singapore City, the London Film Awards will be in London, global content marketplace NATPE Miami opens in Miami, continental art show, Art Basel, lands in Miami this month.

World of Women's Cinema, MIFF 2014, SXSW 2014, Hong Kong International Film and TV Market, are highlights in March's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

In Hollywood, Winston Baker will launch the Sixth Annual Film Finance Forum West in association with Variety from March 4-5. The flagship event of the ongoing Film Finance Forum series will be hosted just a few days after the 86th Academy Awards at the  hotel Ballroom which hosted the presentation of the first ever Academy Awards in 1929. The forum will offer an optional day of workshops on Financing Basics for Filmmakers, Intro to Film Business for Investors, and Innovative Immersion which will tackle next generation financing, sourcing, marketing and distribution strategies. The main conference day will host industry leaders who will address such topics as financing alternatives beyond the traditional capital stack, strategies for content creation, monetizing on IP and the new realities of distribution.

Opening day is devoted to Workshop Day and includes offerings such as: "Filmmakers: Structuring and Financing Micro to Medium-Sized Projects", "Financiers: Film Investment Models, Valuation and Risk Mitigation", "Innovative Immersion: Evolving and Succeeding in the Digital Age", "One-on-One Speed Networking". Opening Day closes with a private reception featuring live entertainment at Beacher's Madhouse. The second day is Main Conference Day and offers opening remarks by Winston Baker, "State of the Industry: Content is King - Monetizing IP in a Fragmented World", a keynote address by Dr. Jeffrey Cole: "Navigating through the New Capital Stack for Single Picture Deals", Case Study Presentations: "How Creative Financing Can Be Applied", "Alternative Methods of Distribution and Content Acquisition by Independents", "Soft Money Re-defined: Identifying and Maximizing on Film Commissions" and more topics.

The Film Finance Forum® Series was created by the Winston Baker team to educate equity and debt financiers on the latest trends and strategies for film investing while mitigating risks, provide producers with effective approaches to fundraising, and offer both audiences ways to create great content and generate revenue through various distribution platforms. Other installments of the Film Finance Forum Series include: TV and Film Finance Forum East in New York City, in April; International Film Finance Forum in Cannes, in May; Film Finance Forum China, in Shanghai, in June; Film Finance Forum Latin America, Rio de Janeiro, in August; Film Finance Forum @ Zurich Festival, Zurich, in September.

World of Women's Cinema - WOW 2014 - is a short film competition and screen culture event celebrating International Women's Day, with awards on March 6 and an Australian wide tour running from March 2014 to March 2015. There will also be international screenings. The opening night program of Australian Shorts 1 will be followed by an After Party and live music by Entangled Note, made up of Annette Golden and Cath Golden. Filmmaker ‘In Conversation’ events will be held in Sydney at Surry Hills Library and at the Art Gallery of NSW with ABC TV film critic Margaret Pomeranz, to celebrate International Women’s Day. On March 5, a photographic exhibition of images from classic Australian cinema, 'Still Women', opens at The Blackeye Gallery.

Dance lovers at WOW festival can view a program of Australian and international contemporary dance films at Metro Screen and the Powerhouse Museum. WOW (which stands for World of Women) and the Australian Writers Guild (AWG) present a Writers Forum with screenwriters - both of which are alumni at Lucasfilm on the Star Wars live action television series - Jacquelin Perske and Louise Fox at the Powerhouse Museum. The WOW Film Festival Tour begins the day after the festival closes on March 14 with Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute’s screening of From the Spirit of Our Mother Program in their Spirit Festival. The WOW Tour will travel to various locations throughout Australia and overseas throughout 2014 into March 2015.

The 20th San Luis Obispo International Film Festival features a diverse spectrum of contemporary narrative features, documentary and short films from participating independent filmmakers all over the world. Although screenings take place in numerous venues, March 5-9, many will happen in downtown San Luis Obispo. Past Festival highlights have included epic surf and extreme sports films, cutting-edge new films, local and youth films, behind-the-scenes panels, a focus on women filmmakers and issues, and classic film "Hollywood & Vines" events pairing great classics with local wine and food, including historic screenings at Hearst Castle.

On March 5 at the Fremont Theatre, the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival’s Opening Night event will feature 'Starring Adam West', a new documentary by Director, James Tooley. Adam West will be at the screening for a Q&A and will receive the Festival’s third annual Spotlight Award, presented by self-confessed Batman idol and popular Los Angeles radio host on KROQ, Ralph Garman.

Every year, the King Vidor Award for Excellence in Filmmaking is presented at San Luis Obispo to a well-respected industry professional who has made a notable artistic contribution in any facet of the industry. Past recipients include Morgan Freeman, Alan Arkin, Elmer Bernstein, Eva Marie Saint, Norman Jewison, Robert Wise, Sir Richard Taylor and John Hawkes. Each year independent film awards are presented to talented independent filmmakers, and five days of screenings, parties, wine tasting and workshops allow filmmakers networking opportunities. Local filmmaker hosts are also assigned to make navigating the festival and the screening venues spread across the county more manageable.

The Miami International Film Festival had its beginnings as the main activity of the Film Society of Miami, Inc., which was founded in 1983. Domestic theatrical distributors and broadcasters participating in the Festival have included Paramount Vantage, Sony Pictures Classics, Focus Features, Fox Searchlight, Music Box Films, IFC, Sundance Selects, HBO, HBO Documentary Films, HBO Latino, and Miramax, to name but a few.

This MIFF 2014 features a Close-up on China showcasing a number of the year's relevant artistic exports focused on this growth cinema market. MIFF will be collaborating with MDC's Confucius Institute to program this featured section of the work. The films in the 2014 program are: American Dreams in China (中國合伙人), by Peter Ho-Sun Chan (China); Bends, by Flora Lau (China); Trap Street (Shuiyin Jie), by Vivian Qu (China); Web Junkie, by Shosh Shlam & Hilla Medalia (Israel / USA).

The Festival’s inaugural ACE (Ateliers du Cinéma Européen) Co-Production Lab will happen from March 13-15. The Co-Production Lab aims to build an environment for professional development for film companies in Latin America and Europe searching for the opportunity of working together to turn a project into a film. The three-day workshop will bring together over 30 European and Latin American film industry professionals to develop opportunities for artistic and financial cooperation between these territories. The project-based workshop will consist of case studies, pitching sessions, panels, one-on-one meetings and networking events.

Miami International Film Festival’s Knight Competition consists of dramatic works from Latin America, Spain and Portugal, as well as Latino-themed works produced in the United States. The films are competing for cash prizes courtesy of James L. and John S. Knight Foundation. Competing films are eligible for a cash Knight Grand Jury Prize that will be split between the filmmaker and the U.S. distributor of the film. If no U.S. distributor is secured before April 17, 2014, then the full award will be made to the filmmaker.

The festival's VeoMiami program is the industry market of the Festival and is open to all film professionals, including (but not limited to) sales agents, buyers, producers, production executives, craftspeople, financiers, festival programmers, film commissioners, film publicists, and exhibitors. VeoMiami gives access to Industry/Filmmaker invite only events, Happy Hours and networking opportunities, access to Masterclass Seminars, access to online library of films and other privileges. The Freedom Tower plays host to MIFF's Pyrat Gold: Awards Night Rum Party on February 15 the night before the festival close.

Austin's South by Southwest (SxSW) Conferences and Festivals is a trifold event consisting of original music (March 11-16), independent films (March 7-15), and interactive emerging technologies (March 7-11). New media presentations, music showcases and film screenings form the live performance aspect and entertainment for audiences. Conference panel discussions present a forum for learning and business activity. The Digital Creative Job Market at SXSW is presented by Publicis Groupe amd is a meeting spot for the career minded and  companies looking to hire. The Digital Creative Job Market enables talented professionals to match their skills with the 21st century, cutting-edge employers. A directory of the companies in attendance is available to view.

SXSW Film has plenty of programming relating to things musical, and the edition of Filmmakers in Focus talks to the filmmakers behind three music films at SXSW 2014. Alex Steyermark's The 78 Project Movie demonstrates a novel way to record live music. Adam Kahan's The Case of the Three Sided Dream is a portrait of the influential jazz pioneer Roland Rahsaan Kirk, while Jeff Broadway looks at the Stones Throw Records archive with Peanut Butter Wolf and co. in 'Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton' (This is Stones Throw Records)

Taking in the scope of all there is to do at SXSW could be overwhelming. There is obviously much to do and take part in at the SXSW festival. The remainder of this rundown focuses on parties and receptions for registrants to take part in. For instance, the 2014 SXSW Interactive portion of the Festival will host more than 75 official parties and evening events by itself.

March 7, SXSW hosts it's third annual Taco Meet Up at Palm Park. This event – open to Film, Interactive, Gold and Platinum badges – allows guests to network with fellow SXSW attendees and try tacos and sides. Vegetarian options will be offered as well. Guests can meet on the evening of March 11 in the East Tent of Brush Square Park for the Music Mixer and Fajita Meet Up. Music Conference and Festival staff and veterans will be on hand to guide you through your SXSW experience. Savor fajita buffet (including vegetarian options) and complimentary beverages in the East Tent of Brush Square Park. On March 7 celebrate SXsports with this special kick-off reception hosted by Octagon. Connect with other SXsports enthusiasts over food, drinks and music.

March 8 marks the first full day of daytime programming at the 2014 SXSW Interactive Festival. The evening of March 8 also customarily serves as one of the most active nights of social events, ranging from low key happy hours to large concerts to informal geek-centric sporting events. This also includes The Mix at Six Party which usually turns out to be one of the top networking events of all of SXSW Interactive.

The SXSW Fusion Party will be on the evening of March 9. Presented by Associated Press, this get-together is one of the best places to connect with people outside your industry. At the SXSW Fusion Party, the creative worlds of Interactive and Film come together for an evening of cross-fest love. Filmmakers, designers, social media mavens, producers, activists and more converge -- and the results can launch a thousand ships. The SXSW Fusion Party is open to all Interactive, Film, Gold and Platinum badge holders. The 27th annual South By Southwest Closing Barbecue and Softball Tournament, is the traditional closing social event of the SXSW week on March 18.

The Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART) is an annual film market organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). Now known as a cross-media, cross-industry entertainment trade platform in Asia, FILMART's objective is to promote Hong Kong as the regional hub for distribution and production of film, TV programs and entertainment-related products in Asia pacific and to facilitate cross-media, cross-businesses partnerships. More precisely, it will champion co-operation in areas of film financing, distribution, production, post-production, TV, digital entertainment, film and broadcasting equipment and location shooting.

This year’s Entertainment Expo, from March 24-27, will feature nine multimedia events: the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART); the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF); the Hong Kong Film Awards Presentation Ceremony (HKFA); the Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF); the Hong Kong Asian Pop Music Festival (HKAMF); the IFPI Hong Kong Top Sales Music Award; ifva; the Asian VFX and Digital Cinema Summit; and the Digital Entertainment Forum.

FILMART’s TV World, which turns eight, is expected to welcome more than 260 exhibitors. The theme of TV World’s International Forum this year is “TV’s New Century: Asia’s Live Programmes.” A series of workshops will also be held, focusing on issues ranging from the Internet and business opportunities to forecasting film and TV content. FILMART will once again present the Intellectual Property Business zone, as well as zones spotlighting location shooting and micro-film, the latter offering award-winning movies.

Among the region’s major film-financing events, this year’s HAF is held March 24-26. Nearly 30 film projects from 11 countries and regions have been selected, attracting film investors, producers and distributors internationally. Independent film and visual media in Hong Kong and throughout Asia will be on show at the 19th edition of ifva, March 13-23. The fourth HKAMF, March 28 at the HKCEC, features seven up-and-coming Asian performers. The singers, from Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore, compete in the Super Nova Awards. Asian music industry business forums will also be held.

At the seventh Asian VFX and Digital Cinema Summit, March 25, industry experts discuss digital post-production trends. Recent 3D movies will be shown to introduce production techniques. The fourth Digital Entertainment Forum, March 26, examines visual media from full-pixel, real-time motion capture to interactive design and other new production technologies. A city-wide promotion: "Enjoy Great Movies, Enjoy Special Offers", will be repeated from last time in support of Entertainment Expo. The campaign offers the public a 10 per cent discount at any of more than 40 cinemas in Hong Kong.

A statutory body established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and service providers. With more than 40 global offices, including 12 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organizes trade fairs and business missions to connect companies with opportunities in Hong Kong and on the mainland, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and online.

The JUNO Awards celebrates the best in Canadian music. This year will mark the 43rd Anniversary of The JUNO Awards and the 13th Anniversary of its broadcast on CTV. 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. In almost all of the main general categories, such as Album of the Year or Artist of the Year, nominees are determined by record sales during the qualifying period. New members of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame are also inducted as part of the awards ceremonies.

Juno Week 2014 is from March 24-30, and events in that week include: Juno Cup, Juno Fan Fare, Juno Fest 14 Winnipeg, SOCAN presents Juno Songwriters' Circle, PRIX Juno 2014 Awards Broadcast. Official Juno lead up events will include: Dancin’ Tones and Buzzin’ Bones: Celebrating the 2014 JUNOS, Junior JUNOS – Featuring the 2014 Children’s Album of the Year Nominees, JUNO Photography Exhibition, The JUNO Tour of Canadian Art, Sirius XM JUNO Awards Kick-Off, Friday Night Live @ ROM: The JUNOS After Dark. The official JUNO Kick-Off Party is March 27 at Manitoba House. The Juno Awards events were not conducted outside Toronto until 1991 and the various locations often host a number of supporting events and festivals surrounding the awards. This year's event is in Winnipeg, showcasing a new host city and their music scene for the year.

This year, country singer Brett Kissel, seven-time CCMA Award winner Dean Brody, 16-time CCMA winner Gord Bamford are set to join earlier announced performers Matt Mays, Robin Thicke, Serena Ryder, The Sheepdogs, Tegan and Sara, and Walk Off The Earth. In addition, Canadian songstress and eight-time JUNO Award winner Sarah McLachlan will take the stage as a special presenter for MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity associated with CARAS. The Awards Committee is partnering with SiriusXM Canada to host a JUNO Kick-Off party at Manitoba House featuring performances by The Trews, The New Meanies and Attica Riots. There will be a celebration of Winnipeg’s diversity with a Francophone music showcase and an Aboriginal Nominee Honouring Ceremony.

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. The 86th Academy Award winners at the March 2, 2014 Oscar ceremony included: Lupita Nyong'o taking Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Jared Leto taking Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Cate Blanchett taking Best Actress in a Leading Role, Matthew McConaughey taking Best Actor in a Leading Role, '12 Years a Slave' taking Best Picture. This month's photo placement highlights the 2014 Academy Awards. If the photo does not appear in this post please visit the blog page to view it. Looking ahead into the next month be aware that: the 2014 NAB Show opens in Vegas, MIPDOC and MIPTV 2014 opens in Cannes, Florida Film Festival will be in Maitland, On te heels of Mardi Gras French Quarter Festival opens in New Orleans, Winston-Baker will conduct the 6th Annual Film Finance Forum East from New York City,

Ticket Summit, Cable Convention 2012, Fantasia Film Festival, Casual Connect Seattle, are highlights in July's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

 The Joy Wai Gallery (www.joywaigallery.com) in New York City has opened the exhibition -- Pepe Vives - new paintings. Pepe Vives has worked primarily as a painter and presently  has devoted himself to pictorial transformation of printed imagery: photographs, newspapers, and magazines. In his early years Vives registered at the Escuela Superior de Bellas Artes de San Carlos, Valencia, in 1973. In this school that had changed little since it initially functioned as an artist’s workshop during the Renaissance, he received training in traditional techniques of painting and sculpture which had been maintained there for centuries. In his first year at the Escuela Superior, Vives was accepted as a novice in the Order of the Jesuits. In the 1984, Vives left the Jesuits and moved to New York City, where his work was strongly influenced by the aesthetic and social milieu of the East Village art scene. Currently Pepe Vives still lives and works in the Lower East Side of New York City. In its ongoing role to serve the arts community and be a platform for cultural exchange Joy Wai Gallery will launch an educational program with leading guest lecturers, artists, critics, curators, professors on the subject of contemporary art and photography. The exhibition runs through August 10.

The London Film and Comic Con is focused on fans and collectors. Through the show's online forum the public has an opportunity to ask questions of the festival's guest stars and exchange views about the guests with like-minded fans. On the actual exhibit floor in London will be an array of costumes which visitors can examine. These are genuine props from film and television classics. There are several planned photo sessions with some of the guest artists attending London Film and Comic Con. Most guest talks running throughout the weekend are free to attend, but since they are free, seating is limited so seating tickets must be obtained in advance. Special viewing and interactive exhibits will include: Anime Zone, Artists Alley, Cosplay Zone, Video Game Zone, Collectormania, Massive Events, Montage Moments, Autographica. London Film and Comic Con closes on July 8.

A rather unusual conference venue will take place at sea aboard a Carnival Cruise Line. The Sun Camera Action Conference and Workshop will be a conference, workshop and video training session onboard a Miami to Bahamas cruise ship, the Carnival Imagination. Conference guests can learn all about creating authentic travel, film and general interest videos. During the four-day Miami to Bahamas return trip, Phil Goora, a digital film teacher and creator/writer of THE MOMENT TV Show, will be the lead instructor teaching attendees how to create travel videos and/or amateur films. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss and apply a number of film basics such as shot selection, shot techniques, editing and exporting the video. During the cruise which sails July 7-11 there will be scheduled times for one-on-one time with the instructor and/or his assistant and there will be a number of classes where the theory will be taught. Guests can venture out on their own while in the Bahamas or join the instructor and his assistants on their exploration of the island.

Ticket Summit® is a conference and trade show for the ticketing and live entertainment industry opening July 11 through 13, in a city known for entertainment -- Las Vegas. This three-day event features industry seminars, a concurrent trade show, and networking opportunities for industry professionals. The conference and trade show will have sessions on Web 2.0, mobile, online technologies, and strategic partnerships and ticket bundling among other relevant industry topics. Mike Lorenc, head of ticketing and live events for Google, will present a workshop titled 'Hang out with Google!' in which he will demonstrate Google’s advertising and social media technology.  "After Dark" networking and cocktail party events include a Networking Cocktail Party on July 11, private events arranged by invite only on July 12, the Closing Gala at The Bank casino on July 13.

As the Kauai Music Festival gets underway July 11-14 in Lihue, the focus will be on the art and craft of songwriting and to learn songwriting and/or refine skills through interaction with the professional songwriters that will be in attendance. Attendees can gain feedback from one-on-one meetings, small group sessions, workshops, panel discussions, open mic activities, as well as submit their music to be heard and critiqued. All attendees are welcome to join any or all of the workshops that will include: Composing for TV and Film - Demystifying the Process, led by Adam Zelkind, Melody, Melody, Melody - A Hands-On MasterClass, led by Jason Blume, What Works and What Doesn't When Negotiating Your Licensing Deal, led by Dondi Bastone and Bill Meyer, Lessons from the Ukulele Underground, led by Aldrine Guerrero as well as other topics. An Open Mic and Wrap Party close out the festival taking place in Shutter's Lounge.

The San Francisco Frozen Film Festival brings independent filmmakers and musicians to the San Francisco Bay Area from around the globe from July 12-15 to form a collection of independent films and bands. Included in the festival are nights of live music concerts, short films, animation, global features, long and short documentaries, skate films, music documentaries, and music videos. The Frozen Music Festival will run the same weekend as the film festival, showcasing music acts that complement the Film Festival's movies drawn from contributors to the "Music Video" section of the Film Festival. The music festival will showcase acts from a wide selection of music genres - from pop to punk, hip hop to funk, cowboys to singer-songwriters.

The Long Island Film/TV Foundation and the Nassau County Film Commission opens the annual Long Island International Film Expo July 12 starting with an opening night party that is by invitation only. Several panels are held during the first weekend of the Film Expo -- usually consisting of a distribution panel, a scriptwriting panel, legal music panel and a filmmaker panel and breakfast. There will be a Wine and Cheese Reception for Technical Awards at the Filmmakers Lounge, directly West of the Bellmore Movies on July 13. A Breakfast with the Filmmakers - Panel on "The Good, the Bad, and the Horror Stories" follows the next morning. Winners of the Long Island International Film Expo are chosen by a combination of audience ballot and judging committee which are then honored at the Long Island International Film Expo Closing Night Party and Awards Ceremony. Special awards (acting and supporting roles) will be given out during the closing party on July 19 at the Filmmakers Lounge directly west of the Bellmore Movies.

The Japan Cable TV Committee launches this first event related to "Cable Convention 2012" from July 18-19. "Cable Tech Show 2012" will be originated as an  exhibition-seminar of cable technologies. Special attention is on competition in this era of consolidation between broadcast/communication, and wired/wireless communication. In Japan's first year of complete digital broadcasting using the ISDB standard, the latest solutions and hardware will be introduced at "Cable Tech Show 2012" with the expectation that the CATV infrastructure will be popularized and developed. In unison with "Cable Convention 2012" the exhibition aims to contribute to the development of cable technologies which support the growth of the cable industry. The location of the event, Tokyo Dome City is an total entertainment complex located in the heart of Tokyo. It consists of Tokyo Dome, a sports complex, a newly built Meets Port - LaQua, a spa complex, and an amusement park with a variety of attractions and facilities including the Tokyo Panic Cruise - a ride-type four-dimensional attraction - and Tokyo Dome City's signature event, the Hero Action Show.

Although it is mostly a fantasy/action/horror festival, Fantasia has  embraced films that can have a unique identity, including: dramas, eccentric comedies, provocative documentaries, experimental works, musicals, even atypical children’s films. Within the feature film lineup, Montréal's Fantasia Film Festival will present the international premiere of Kern Saxton’s anticipated crime thriller Sushi Girl, featuring Mark Hamill (Star Wars) in the sinister lead. Hosting the Fantasia launch will be Mark Hamill, Tony Todd, Michael Biehn and Kern Saxton – with additional guests to be announced. The gala Sushi Girl screening will take place two days after the Festival opening on the night of July 21. Fantasia will present the world premiere launch of travelling art show: "If They Came From Within: An Alternative History of Canadian Horror Movies, curated by Rue Morgue magazine Editor-In-Chief Dave Alexander who has assembled some of Canada and Quebec’s most celebrated genre filmmakers with some of the country’s best designers and illustrators to create a gallery of poster art. The Festival closes August 7.

Opening July 21 for two days in London's Wimbledon district, Wimbledon Shorts Film Festival is dedicated to showcasing new work in film and video from around the world -- whether the film is narrative driven, animated or experimental. Films must be less than 15 minutes in duration including title sequences and credits. Wimbledon Shorts is a presentation of the Wimbledon Film Club. The WFC is an independent, non-political, not-for-profit organisation, which is a registered charity run by volunteers. The WFC is also an award-winning member of the British Federation of Film Societies. Both the Wimbledon Shorts Film Festival and Competition organisers and judges are involved on a voluntary basis. The festival venue - Polka Theatre - is dedicated to producing and presenting theatre works for young audiences.

Cinema India Expo is a Mumbai based trade show and conference for digital cinema. From July 23-24, exhibitors will demonstrate 3-D cinema and production, digital cinema equipment and technology, booth and projection equipment, lighting and signage, displays, distribution, technology, sound, speakers and amplifiers, Walls, panels and screens, digital cameras and workflow. Visitors typically include Film Buyers, Distributors, major manufacturers, technical experts, Directors, Directors of Photography, Cinematographers, cinema content creators, studio and production executives, theatre operations executives. A principal element of the show over the years has featured a Master Class by a Film Guru sponsored by Kodak and the American Society of Cinematographers. The event will be supported by the  Indian cinema fraternity including the Multiplex Association of India, Cinema Owners and the Exhibitors Association. Cinema India along with the Scrabble Entertainment Ltd. with their Digital Initiative-transforming the cinemascape of India into DCI compliant technology.

The annual Casual Connect Seattle is the place to learn more about the Casual Games industry that entertains 300 million people each month and are typically played on a personal computer online in web browsers, though they now are starting to become popular on game consoles and mobile phones as well. In 2009 the world wide connected casual games industry had revenues in excess of $3.0 billion on mobile. The 2012 International Game Developers Association (IGDA) Summit will be conducted close by at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel from July 23-24, covering topics including: writing, leadership, entrepreneurship, advocacy, quality assurance and monetization. The Innovation Showcase is an “art-gallery” style exhibition displaying ten games selected for their unique appeal. In the hope to inspire its visitors to come up with great games ideas, Casual Games invites visitors to come and play these select games for Web and iOS platform at the Innovation Showcase. At Casual Connect events there usually are no shortage of networking functions to mix and mingle at. This year GameChangeHers Reception on July 23 celebrates the contribution of women to the industry. The Pre-Funk and Badge Pickup, provides a loungy party with beer, wine and light snacks as attendees pick up their conference badge on July 23. Mingle with Tapjoy! on July 24 is another drinkers party featuring the bar menu, beer/wine. GREE brings you The Garage! on July 24 features music, billards, bowling, beer/wine/cocktails/light food. Mingle with Ruby Seven Studios on July 25 is another cocktail sip with bar menu, beer/wine. The Infamous WildTangent Party! on July 25, featuring gambling, drinks and the "unexpected".

The VII International Conference on Communication, Film and Media Sciences in Paris, July 27-29, aims to bring together academic scientists, leading engineers, industry researchers and scholar students to exchange and share their experiences and research results about all aspects of Communication, Film and Media Sciences, and discuss the practical challenges encountered and the solutions adopted. The International Conference on Communication, Film and Media Sciences aims to bring together academic scientists, leading engineers, industry researchers and scholar students to exchange and share their experiences and research results about all aspects of Communication, Film and Media Sciences, and discuss the practical challenges encountered and the solutions adopted. The Conference offers the opportunity to build relationships with universities, schools, companies and experts from all around the world.

The Midsummer Musical Retreat Society is a 501(c)3 designated non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote the performance of ensemble music by amateur and professional musicians and organizes its annual adult music camp which will happen this year in Walla Walla from July 30 to August 5. MMR provides a non-competitive curriculum for adult singers and instrumentalists. The week-long festival workshop includes orchestra, band, string orchestra, chorus, jazz big band, Recorders and Early Music, chamber ensembles and electives in a “Retreat” atmosphere the curriculum is conducted in. Workshops in Rhythm, Sight Singing, History of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and The Composers’ Showcase features works composed by campers and performed by the faculty. And MMR campers enjoy the Opening Faculty Presentation, Line Dancing, informal performance opportunities, ad hoc chamber music, Skit Night and Jazz Big Band Extravaganza, the Fermata Bar (a pre-dinner social hour), group singalongs, Wine Tasting, nightly hospitality suite, the Faculty Recital, and the Festival Banquet. Many events are organized by campers.

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 international languages. This month's photo composite is the remake of The Amazing Spider-Man which opened in North American theaters over the July 4 holiday starring Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Gazing ahead into the next month, be aware that... the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) will be in Melbourne, Malibu International Film Festival will be in Santa Monica, The White Sands International Film Festival will be in Las Cruces, Meisner Program Part 1 will be in Orlando, Photo Image Brazil opens in Sao Paulo.

Golden Globe Awards, NAMM Show, Sundance Festival, NATPE, MIDEM, are highlights in December's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

Mega artist, Lando Van Herzog of Cologne,
Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, conveys his
support for the OCCUPY movement by producing a
new music video, 'Egomania'.

The Palm Springs International Film Festival, held in the Coachella Valley at the base of Mt. San Jacinto in Southern California, screens a majority of the official international submissions to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Best Foreign Language Film. While screening over 200 films from more than 60 countries to an audience of over 120,000, the programming also includes a large selection of short films. The festival which runs until January 16, also features cultural events, filmmaker tributes, industry seminars and an annual black-tie gala award presentation. One of the planned Black Tie Awards Galas happens January 7 with cocktails, dinner and awards show.

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the trade association promoting growth in the $190 billion USA consumer electronics industry. CEA owns and produces the International CES, the annual consumer technology trade show taking place in Las Vegas. This year, from January 10-13, more than 2,500 exhibitors are expected to travel to Vegas to show off their latest innovations in 30 product categories and the content that supports them. CES is not open to the general public, so to attend, you must be affiliated professionally with the CE industry. Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer delivers a keynote address the day before the official opening, at The Venetian, Palazzo Ballroom. This year, mobile apps producers will have two minutes to demo their app, and an applause-o-meter will measure audience enthusiasm to determine the winners at the planned Mobile Apps Showdown. And try not to miss the parties (http://mashbash.eventbrite.com/) at 1OAK Nightclub during CES to celebrate the best of digital, and experience a potent night of networking, dancing and more in "Mashable style". The Official CES Closing Party happens at The Venetian, TAO Nightclub.

Music rights organization BMI will salute gospel leaders Kirk Franklin and Pastor Hezekiah Walker at its 13th Annual Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards Luncheon taking place January 13 in Nashville. The invitation-only event will honor Kirk Franklin, the best-selling contemporary gospel artist in SoundScan history, and Pastor Hezekiah Walker, a Grammy-winner and leader of the Love Fellowship Choir. Then in a follow-up to the luncheon, gospel music's Stellar Awards show, honoring gospel music artists, writers, and industry professionals for their contributions to the Gospel Music Industry goes live January 14. The Chicago-based Central City Productions, Inc. (CCP) produces the Stellar Gospel Music Awards, and a national air date is set for March 5, 7 pm EST, over the Gospel Music Channel.

The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards will take place in Beverly Hills with a live telecast airing on NBC starting at 5 pm (WST). Founded in the 1940’s during World War II, parent organization HFPA was originally comprised of a handful of Los Angeles based overseas journalists. Each year, the organization holds what has become the third most watched awards show on television, the Golden Globe® Awards, which has enabled the organization to donate more than $12 million to entertainment related charities and scholarship programs. Actor Morgan Freeman is set to receive this year's Cecil B. DeMille Award. This year's awards ceremony is hosted again by British comedian Ricky Gervais.

Graphation Film Into Comics Festival is a Los Angeles festival built around short films that can then be made into graphic novels and comic books. Winning films and scripts will be taken and passed off to the Graphation stable of artists, a group made up of both established professionals and talented amateurs, and comic books will be created of those films. Graphation Film Productions already has several short projects in the works, both animated and live action, and is also hosting a free monthly movie night at Hive Gallery where the festival will be held from January 15-17

The New York City located Ticket Summit® is a conference and trade show focused on the ticketing and live entertainment industry. The three-day event which begins January 18 features a trade show, industry seminars, and networking opportunities for industry professionals. There will be a special Networking Cocktail Party on the evening of opening conference day, and "After Dark" events are slated as well.

The twice yearly held NAMM show (at least in the USA) serves buyers looking to find new state-of-the-art music products, and the exhibitors that are given an opportunity to connect with customers that comprise their target audience. Taking place in Anaheim, January 19-22, attendees benefit from sessions like, ”Doing Business in a New Key: Recreational and Community Music Making” at the RMM Coalition Meeting on January 20. Learning sessions also reveal techniques on how to drive more participation during in store activities, connect with community music activities and become the music-making hub in your community. NAMM 2012 will also host the 2nd Annual NAMM YP Gutterball (bowling) Invitational. Activities include drinks, food and bowling while networking with attending peers and industry mentors. Concerts and live performances happen every day of the festival schedule.

Annual Sundance Film Festival opens its season January 19-29 in Park City. Organizer and festival owner, Sundance Institute, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the discovery and development of independent artists and audiences for film. Originally founded by actor Robert Redford in the mountains of Sundance, Utah, the Institute seeks to discover, support, and inspire independent film and theatre artists from the United States and around the world, and to introduce audiences to their new work through the annual festival and other cultural programs it runs. Again this year the Festival presents the Sundance ASCAP Music Café, a showcase for live performances by emerging and established artists, including solo acts and major bands.

Competing head on with Sundance as a showcase for the discovery of new and emerging independent artists, Slamdance Film Festival happens at just about the same time (dates are January 20-26) and in the same vicinity as Sundance Festival. The festival accepts films in every genre and any topic from every country around the world. But unlike Sundance, Slamdance will show far fewer feature films while showing about the same number of shorts. The organization now consists of the Film Festival, Screenplay and Teleplay Competition and Slamdance Studios.

Opening its first year at a new Miami Beach venue after operating from the west coast for many years, the annual National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) Conference and Market is the much anticipated program market serving the worldwide television community. For anyone that will buy, sell, develop, finance, advertise, market or license content, implement technology, exploit rights, or leverage media assets, this annual conference and exhibition taking place January 23-25 is a forum offering solutions and guidance. The "Content First" segment of the conference happens for all three days of the conference, and helps define the focus of NATPE as the destination for buyers and sellers to meet and do business. The NATPE 2012 Kick-off Party is a day before the official conference start, on January 22, but cocktail parties usually end every day of the busy conference schedule including the 9th Annual Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award gathering on the conference's second day.

At the Driven Music Conference in Hollywood, January 27-29, AP Magazine and AP Tour CEO and Founder, Mike Shea, along with major label A&R and producers, are Featured to take part in a planned panel. Anyone planning to attend can sign-up with the Recording Academy, Florida Chapter, on January 28 at the informational booth. Chapter staff will mingle with the conference attendees to provide membership and other information about The Recording Academy. The VIP Meet and Greet Friday Kick Off Party will include featured panelists and conference sponsors. Showcase performances by selected artists happen January 27-28, and are open and free to conference attendees as well as the general public.

As this year's MIDEM opens in Cannes on January 28, Music Pitch Sessions are an opportunity for anyone to present their tracks before music supervisors from worldwide advertising agencies searching for tunes to place in their projects. midemlab showcases the latest digital innovations that help music executives, artists, and brands to engage and monetise audiences. The showcase is the result of finalists of the startups and app developers competition. The second MIDEM hack day assembles 30 developers from around the globe who are given 48 hours to conceptualize, collaborate, and build a new generation of applications. This year MIDEM attendees can attend three nights of live performances featuring established performers and up-and-coming artists at the first-ever MIDEM festival. A classical music night will be held January 30, organized by MIDEM in partnership with the project management agency Harrison Parrott. The conference closes January 31.

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 this month's story page photo is Germany's mega-artist, Lando Van Herzog (www.lando-van-herzog.com), who conveys his support for the Occupy Wall Street movement through a new music video, 'Egomania'. And in a look ahead into February event dates, there is the Editor's Retreat, in Austin, the Victoria Film Festival, in British Columbia, a Marketing Your Books Workshop, in Jacksonville, Big Easy International Film and Music Festival, in Arcadia, Amelia Island Film Festival, on Fernandina Beach, just to run through some dates to give you something to look forward to. And don't forget that the News and Events and the site blog have translation tools to deliver page content in an array of translatable languages other than English.

Malibu Film Festival, Independent Film Week (IFP), NYTVF, POP Montreal, are highlights in September's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

New York's Harlem community hosts a film festival through September 11 that showcases features, documentaries, shorts, youth films and animated works from around the world. Other events include night life, panel discussions, the Brownstone Awards and the Renaissance Awards gala. In addition to showcasing films from around the world, the Festival also features the Harlem Spotlight, which highlights films produced or directed by Harlem residents, films shot in Harlem, or films about Harlem and its history.

A Miami Hitmakers Panel set for September 8, has been structured to help educate the up and coming music community in Miami. Panelists will discuss topics such as their background, the state of the music industry today, advice for aspiring producers, songwriters, artists and executives, and other related areas. They will also participate in a Q&A with the audience near the end. ASCAP's Vice President of Rhythm & Soul Membership, Nicole George, will moderate the panel. Attendance requires an RSVP that will be honored on a first-come, first-served basis. To RSVP, please contact Michael Wells at mwells@ascap.com. This panel is free and open to the public.

The Sydney Underground Film Festival seeks filmmakers that veer from the norm. The festival, held in Marrickville, Sydney and running September 8-10, seeks to support filmmakers who operate outside established film industry infrastructures, by providing a platform for exhibition, exposure and critical discussion. The festival program's selection screens independent, experimental, art-house, provocative and daring films from around the world. There will be a fifth birthday celebration at the Opening NIght film and party with fun films, a special live performance, DJs, complimentary food and beverages including organic wine, organic beer, and freshly baked pizza onsite.

In 1997, Malibu Film Foundation was founded by writer/producer/director, David Katz, to produce the Malibu Film Festival. The Malibu Film Festival is set to make a run this year from September 9-15 in the renowned beachfront community that is its home. With a focus on new filmmakers, Malibu Film Festival screens films in all genres, on any topic, from every country around the world. The mission is to showcase the most talented emerging filmmakers, bringing attention to their work to the film industry. A Tory Burch Fashion Show will be presented during the festival run, and there will be a Closing Night Awards Party.

The Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival is open to US and International films in five categories: full length features, shorts, documentaries, animation and student films. The music competition component of TVIFF is designed to showcase the music vision and artistry of musicians representing all genres of music - from rock to pop, jazz to R&B, Folk to Hip Hop, Country to Latin, Reggae, etc. The festival starts September 14 with an Opening Night red carpet welcome of 300 filmmakers and music artists participants, followed by nightly filmmaker/musician receptions, capped by a Black Tie Awards Gala to close on September 18. Independent record producer Jason Brawner leads the workshop, "Pitch It, Pitch It Good!" where he conducts one-on-one mentoring sessions, and JDS Actors Studio conducts a workshop that focuses on the Audition process for Actors at every level. The two-day MusicFest, Friday and Saturday, is free to the public.

In a combined effort, ASCAP and GRAMMY U present a September 15 networking mixer in San Antonio geared to college students and featuring food, drinks, and a panel presented by ASCAP titled: "The Importance of Music In Film and Television 101". Students can network with fellow college students, Recording Academy Texas Chapter Board members, and start the school year with GRAMMY U. Panelists include: Jeff Jernigan, ASCAP Associate Director of Film and TV Music, Yocel Alonso, Entertainment Attorney, Janet Vasquez, San Antonio Film Commission, Rick Garcia, ASCAP Film Songwriter, Brian Black, Music Supervisor, Veronica R. Hernandez, NALIP, Carl Thiel, Music Producer/Composer/Film Scorer.

Taking place during the 33rd annual Independent Film Week (formerly IFP Market), IFP’s five-day Filmmaker Conference: The Future of Film is now in its new home in New York City at the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s new facility. New this year, are in-depth master classes on topics ranging from financing the narrative feature to audience building and outreach. Created in 1979, IFP is one the nation's oldest organizations of independent filmmakers, and during this time has supported the production of 7,000 films and provided resources to more than 20,000 filmmakers through programs and guidance that include: Independent Film Week, Independent Filmmaker Labs, Industry Connects, Fiscal Sponsorship, the Independent Film Conference and many others. IFP also publishes Filmmaker magazine.

The New York Television Festival (NYTVF), founded in 2005 as the face of the "independent television" movement, has been striving ever since to provide artists with needed access to decision makers, innovative paths of program development, and opportunities to showcase their work. The NYTVF's Independent Pilot Competition has established a pipeline allowing producers, writers, and directors to showcase their original TV pilots directly to decision-makers of the industry. For the first time, an international group of writers, directors, and producers, selected from a grassroots search, will be given the opportunity to showcase pilot programs directly to network and cable executives in a forum. There will be a cocktail party welcoming the 2011 Official Artists and celebrating the opening of the Independent Pilot Competition on September 20, and on September 21 join the New York City Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment for a party celebrating the City's thriving television production community, both events in the Varick Room at Tribeca Cinema.

Unicomm in association with Variety will host the LA Mobile Entertainment Summit in Hollywood, September 20-21, which is all about connecting the ecosystem among digital assets, original content and mobile platforms to reach consumers in today's multi-screen environment. It will bring forth some of the top minds in mobile technology, interactive media and entertainment to examine how content and rapidly evolving technology is dramatically changing the entertainment marketplace. The two-day conference includes keynotes, one-on-one interviews, panels, technology demonstrations, a networking luncheon and evening cocktail reception as well as table top displays and interactive showcases. It will run concurrent with the 3D Entertainment and 3D Gaming Summits operating from the same space.

POP Montreal International Music Festival, running September 21-25, is an annual not-for-profit curated cultural event championing the international music scene vital to indie oriented communities of musicians and artists, fans, curators, critics, and record labels. The festival includes symposium discussions, artisan and visual art exhibitions, fashion shows, film screenings, and nightly parties. The Festival is designated by these sections: Pop Montreal, ArtPop, FilmPop, KidsPop, PucesPop, Symposium. In a slated "Music Supervision Workshop" Jon Bartlett (Megaphono/Kelp Records), Andrea von Foerster (Firestarter Music), Michael Hill and Russell Ziecker (Lionsgate Entertainment) analyze the process to create new soundtracks to a 30-second film clip.

Across the Canadian divide in Ottawa, the The Canadian Film Institute (CFI) rolls out the Ottawa International Animation Festival from September 21-25. The CFI is focused on promoting and presenting regular public programmes of contemporary, historical, and international cinema in the National Capital region. During the week of the Festival, there are 92 screenings and 46 professional development events at six venues across downtown Ottawa. In addition to the main Festival - the OIAF runs a number of outreach events and activities such as: free NFB workshops for families and teens, the Adobe Toon Apprentice Pass, Animation Celebration (a free screening for elementary classes), Toon Apprentice high school lecture series, and more. Aside from nightly parties, the festival also has the annual picnic located in Strathcona Park, Ottawa's picturesque green spot on the Rideau River.

The Fantastic Film and Arcade Game Fest, happening in Austin, September 22-29, was created to offer exposure to genre films in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action, which can be overlooked by the traditional festival circuit. The Festival strives to offer acquisition and media and exhibition opportunities for undistributed films as well as to spotlight upcoming genre theatrical releases and repertory genre classics. The Fantastic Arcade will showcase a curated selection of brand new independent games as well as a larger sampling of important independent games from the last couple of years.The festival will also make available special badges for access to: the arcade  open for game play and tournaments, Fantastic Arcade happy hour and tournament finals, Fantastic Arcade VIP Party. Festival venue The Alamo Drafthouse was named the best cinema in America by Entertainment Weekly and features food and drink served to your seat without any disruption of the movie experience.

The mission of the upcoming Coney Island Film Festival is to raise funds for the non-profit arts organization Coney Island USA while presenting an engaging program of films including "made in Coney Island" productions. The September 23 opening night celebrations pay tribute to Coney Island's renown carnival history with live performances by sideshow freaks, sword swallowers, fire eaters and stars of the New York City burlesque scene. Coney Island's amusement parks and aquarium are scheduled to be open weather permitting. The festival runs through September 25.

Miami's DocMiami International Film Festival will kick off with Opening Night Cocktails and a Screening on Thursday at Romano's Macaroni Grill. The festival officially opens September 23-25. In some of the speaker sessions, Funding and Development of Your Document, will be addressed by former 20th Century Fox Scriptwriter, Alyn Darnay; and Brenda Nieborsky, VP Operations for Openfilm.com is a featured speaker on the topic of On-Line Distribution. Speaker Ece Karayalcin, Filmmaker/ Professor at the Department of Film and Television, School of Entertainment and Design Technologies, takes on issues of Legalities, Footage & Music Rights. Performing artists including Javier Batiz "The Godfather of Mexican Blues" and Tito Puente, Jr. contribute their talents in scheduled concerts for the benefit of the children of Tanzania at DocMiami 2011.

The annual conference for the film, video, and digital media industry known as Cine Gear NY, includes: exhibits, premiere and master class seminars, film series competition and finalist screenings, 3D symposium and technology salon, content conference, new product announcements, demonstrations, VIP awards ceremony, special events and more. The conference which runs in New York City, September 24-25, offers artists and technicians the opportunity to discover the latest technology and techniques, get hands-on training, gain knowledge and skills from industry leaders, obtain the newest equipment, hear breaking industry news and network with peers and industry leaders.

The Annual CULTURE&CULTURES Intercultural International Film Festival (C&CIIFF), staged in Lempaut Tarn and opening September 29 until October 2, is created by the non-profit association "Culture&Cultures" and presents a selection of international films, both documentary and fiction, with a platform committed to intercultural exchange and dialogue. After each screening, the audience will vote for their favorite film and the Director of either the fiction or the documentary film which obtains the highest votes will be the winner of the 1000 Euros prize.

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 October event dates will help you prepare for:  Billboard & The Hollywood Reporter Film & TV and Music Conference, in Los Angeles, Durango Songwriters Expo, in Boulder, the New Orleans Horror Film Festival, in Theodore, New York City ShowBiz Expo, in New York City, 2011 Content & Communications World, in New York City, 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.