Streaming Media East, Music Biz, Festival de Cannes, Casual Connect Asia, are highlights in May's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

China Theater and Cinema is a three day convention in Guangzhou. The convention is being organized by Guangzhou Grandeur (Hongwei) Exhibition Services Co., Ltd. China Theater and Cinema will showcase products and services related to media and entertainment industries from exhibitors through May 11. Cinema venues have reportedly been increasing in recent years in China. With regard to the number of theater buildings, the number of new cinemas is increasing year by year. Up to the end of 2010, there have been 313 new theaters in total, while the new screens increased to 1533 at an average rate of 4.2 daily. The Chinese film box office reached 17.073 billion in 2012, becoming the world's second-largest movie market. In particular, the convention will focus on: cinema projection equipment, theater and cinema furniture and decoration materials, cinema services, theater and cinema lighting and sound, film production and shooting equipment. The Digital Cinema Society, a nonprofit educational cooperative dedicated to the industry's informed integration of new technology, and Film India Directory which produces publications of the Indian Film Industry, are active partners and supporters taking part in China Theater and Cinema. Guangzhou's China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex is regarded as a large modernized exhibition center in Asia with exhibition halls covering around 16.000 m2 of exhibition space.

Streaming Media is a bi-annual (and bi-coastal) conference and expo series dedicated entirely to the business, technology and content of online video. At this New York City expo (Los Angeles will be October 2015), attendees can learn from online video experts, try out new products on the expo floor, learn new skills and network with peers. Items on the agenda will include: over 100 speakers in more than 40 sessions including in-depth workshops, how-to technical sessions, case studies, panel discussions; access to companies demonstrating emerging technologies; networking with online video professionals, new media experts and colleagues. A keynote address delivered by Scott Olechowski, Co-Founder, Chief Product Officer, Plex, will look at the opportunities and challenges associated with the unbundling of content and how Plex fits in as a component for connecting the media center of the future.

The goal for Streaming Media East is to get its attendees to learn how to better use streaming media for innovative business solutions. The exhibit hall features established companies as well as streaming media startups, all offering practical advice that will help attendees to put streaming to work in their own businesses in the areas of marketing, advertising-promotion, corporate communications, education and elearning, and customer relationship management. In conference sessions running May 12-13 there are expected to be over 100 speakers in more than 35 sessions including in-depth workshops, how-to technical sessions, case studies, panel discussions, and more.

The Content Delivery Summit is a co-located conference to Streaming Media this year. The Content Delivery Summit is a one-day conference, developed and chaired by Dan Rayburn, that brings together carriers, telcos, ISPs, and premium content owners for a detailed look at the technology and platforms being used to deliver and accelerate web content. The Summit includes case studies on real-world deployments, demos of new technology platforms, and discussions on business models for both on-net and off-net delivery. It is tilted toward those who are designing, building and deploying CDN platforms used for delivering nearly all of the content consumed on the Internet today.

Of particular interest at Streaming Media East, a May 12 Keynote: "Twitter: The Home of What's Happening #NOW in Streaming Media,” identifies a tweets source — from brands, consumers, media or a celebrity — and the implications to search and discover it by everyone, everywhere on Twitter. The session will further look at trends for tweeting along with favorite TV program as an integral activity to the television consumption experience which has now been enhanced by multiple video formats that are available. Marc Heedt, Twitter's Head of Social TV Strategy, will share some of these latest trends on Twitter. From short-form video, instant replays and trending must-see TV clips, to live broadcasting with Periscope, Twitter’s role #NOW in social streaming media will be fully explored.

Music Business Association (Music Biz) marks its first annual event in Music City USA — Nashville — though it says it can tap into the decades of experience it’s acquired for shaping this Music Biz convention into a forum that bridges the music community through all facets of the business. Music Biz acknowledges the considerable challenges of the music industry and has formed a conference agenda to clarify the new opportunities songwriters and publishers can access in the digital era. Music Biz 2015 is planning for a Songwriters and Publishers Town Hall to be a forum for meaningful conversations that will illuminate helpful insights about monetization strategies for online video, give updates on copyright legislation, showcased companies that can help make sense of an online catalog or license a catalog faster and easier.

Special presentations planned for the three day program opening May 12 will be: Making the Most of Publishing Deals Through YouTube and How to Grow Revenue with Music in Online Video, conducted with participation from BMI, ole Digital, Harry Fox Agency, Rumblefish, SESAC, and YouTube. The Music Business Association’s event wants to give programming and meeting opportunities to an audience of songwriters, publishers, artists and managers together with the commerce and content communities. In the summit’s keynote address, Shawn Yeager, partner with music tech venture-builder, Back Porch Group, and co-founder of Endorsee, addresses how to turn a shiny object into a salable product, applying principles from Lean Startup and Evidence-Based Entrepreneurship. It all begins with a networking breakfast and ends with a closing reception. The Music Business Association (Music Biz) is a non-profit membership organization that advances and promotes music commerce.

In existence since 1946, The Cannes International Film Festival — Le Festival International du Film de Cannes — is an annual invitation-only film festival which previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from around the world. Opening film of the 2015 Festival de Cannes is Emmanuelle Bercot’s LA TÊTE HAUTE (Standing Tall) on May 13. Special featured sections held during the festival include the Marché du Film, the Festival’s film market, structured to help meet the needs of film attending industry professionals. Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, directors, screenwriters and producers, will be the two Presidents of the Jury of the 68th Festival de Cannes. Isabella Rossellini will serve as President of the Un Certain Regard Jury.

Members of the Jury of the 68th Festival de Cannes include: Rossy de Palma (Actress – Spain), Sophie Marceau (Actress, Director – France), Sienna Miller (Actress – United Kingdom), Rokia Traoré (Composer, Singer-songwriter – Mali), Guillermo del Toro (Director, Writer, Producer – Mexico), Xavier Dolan (Director, Writer, Producer, Actor – Canada), Jake Gyllenhaal (Actor – United States). Their task will be to decide among the films in Competition and select the prize winners, culminating in the Palme d’or, which will be announced on stage during the Festival Closing Ceremony on May 24. Sabine Azéma will preside over the Caméra d’or Jury, in charge of awarding the best first film presented in Cannes this year.

The Festival de Cannes created "Cannes Short Film" in 2011. At Cannes, short films are showcased at the Competition. After all screenings are complete the short films Jury awards a Palme d’or at the Short Film Corner, a professional area for meeting people, exchanging ideas and promoting films. "Cannes Court Métrage” unifies the Competition and Short Film Corner by highlighting the achievements and bringing the aspiring professionals together at workshops and conferences in an area set aside for this purpose at the Palais des Festivals. A spot in Cannes is important as the festival brings the press, the biggest distributors and it is where Oscar buzz begins leading up to the Academy Awards.

Casual Connect Asia is the place to learn more about an industry which entertains 300 million people each month. Learn all about iPhone, Social, Android, Flash, Browser MMO and Download Games.Casual Connect is produced by the Casual Games Association and is the premiere event for the casual games industry with over 5,500 professionals attending Casual Connect each year. This edition of the global convention is in Singapore. Casual Connect brings together experts in the casual gaming field to further the casual games industry with the best of networking and learning. Lectures at Casual Connect are programmed to focus on cutting edge topics in the video games space. Conference content is programmed by a set of industry advisors. On May 19 the lecture series opens with an Industry Insights: Overview followed by “Welcome to Casual Connect Asia 2015.” Then later in the afternoon, just before a scheduled coffee break, Junde Yu, Vice President, APAC, App Annie, addresses “Worldwide and Asia Mobile Gaming Trends.”

The IDEA Showcase at Casual Connect Asia consists of a cutting edge showcase display from: Signus Labs, Boomzap, Altitude Games, KiraGames, Blam! Games, all with works in development. Parties and networking events abound at Casual Connect Asia. The day before official expo opening, May 18, there will be the “Badge Pickup and Pre-Funk Party,” serving handcrafted beers. On opening day, expect the “Official Casual Connect Party” with beer, snacks and live band following the days activities. On official day two, there is another "Official Casual Connect Party” featuring complete course meal and beer/wine. On the day before convention close, expect the Indie Prize Awards that will present the year’s winners. On May 20, conference day two, Oliver Jones, Co-Founder, Moonfrog Labs, presents “Emerging Markets: How to Win Your First Billion Players.” The same day in a later lecture, Stephen Lee, Executive Director, Business Development6waves discusses “Unlocking Asia: Secrets to Launching in the East.”

On Casual Connect Asia's final day of the conference, Rohit Sharma, Founder, POKKT, presents The India Mobile Games Market and How Game Developers in India and SEA Can Monitize their Non-paying Users through Incentivized Video Ads. The Casual Games Association is a professional international trade organization providing educational resources and community support for those involved in creating games for the mass market consumer. Mass market games are found on a wide arrangement of platforms including personal computers, video game consoles, mobile phones and handheld devices. Because of their ease of distribution, varied monetization methods and mass appeal, mass market games are distributed in a wide variety of locations including retail stores, major online portals, and speciality online retailers.

After early morning and afternoon creative panel sessions, New York Festivals will welcome award winners, jury members and guests from around the globe for this day of events, May 21, recognizing global advertising work. The 2015 Competitions include the categories of: Avant-Garde, Branded Entertainment, Creative Marketing Effectiveness, Design, Package Design, Digital, Direct and Collateral, Film, Integrated, Outdoor, Print, Public and Media Relations, Public Service Announcements, Radio, Student. With entries and jury members from over 70 countries, this advertising awards competition  demonstrates a proclivity with regard to its diversity of selection.

New York Festivals maintains an international network of representatives who promote the competitions in over 65 countries. These representatives are entrusted to searching out and rewarding The World’s Best Work™ — not only by recruiting entries but also filling the judging rosters with creatives who represent every advertising center of the world, ensuring that all work is judged without cultural bias and that each competition represents the highest degrees of craftsmanship. In collaboration with the United Nations Department of Public Information, NYF established the United Nations Awards in 1990 to honor programming and advertising that best exemplifies the aims and ideals of the United Nations.

Later in the evening, guests of the event will take part in a Gala event at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall,  for a cocktail reception followed by the awards ceremony. A celebratory after-party will be held to toast all the winners of the World’s Best Advertising. NYF honors winners with parties, Un-traditional awards ceremonies and gallery-style showcases. Black-tie awards ceremonies for Film and Video and TV Broadcasting Awards are held the last week in January. The winners of NYF Innovative Advertising competition are showcased in April and the winners of the NYF Advertising in All Media competition are celebrated at the beginning of June. An awards ceremony for Radio Broadcasting is held at the end of June.

Produced By Conference LA will present an arrangement of speakers, sessions and workshops, networking and social events, technology demonstrations and related exhibits, to cover two complete days of programming on current and evolving trends in production, distribution, finance, marketing, branding and media strategy. Produced By... is an event for producers, by producers. Attendees have the opportunity to network with Oscar-nominated filmmakers, Emmy-winning showrunners, and the next generation of creative entrepreneurs in a planned weekend of panel discussions, group mentoring sessions, and a Friday (May 29) evening Kick-Off party hosted by Paramount Pictures. In one program feature, Produced By Conference sets up a Mentoring Roundtable, giving small groups of up to ten attendees 60 minutes to ask questions of, and seek advice from, a seasoned producer acting as a mentor of their choice. Produced By Conference is held through the Producers Guild of America’s charitable entity, the PGA Foundation. The Foundation’s core mission is to educate those who work in the producing profession.

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/index.php/news.... If you like this report and other content found on The Actor's Checklist, please like us on our Facebook page at this link. This month's photo placement shows movie stills for Marvel Studios latest Avengers entry, Age of Ultron, which opened with a North American weekend box office of $187.7 million, coming in somewhat behind the original Avengers film. If the photos do not appear in this post please visit the blog page to view them. Looking ahead into the next month be aware that: Cine Gear Expo LA will be in Los Angeles, Tune In: Variety’s TV Summit will be run out of Beverly Hills, Banff World Media Festival returns to Banff-Alberta, The British Horror Film Festival will be in London, MIDEM 2015 returns to Cannes, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is in Manchester.

Banff World Media Festival, Bonnaroo, NXNE 2014, The BET Experience, are highlights in June's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

Cine Gear Expo, is the film, video, and digital media expo for specialists in the entertainment production and post production world opens in Los Angeles. It is structured to give attending artists and technicians a path to discover the latest technology and techniques through hands-on training from industry veterans. Attendees can handle the latest equipment, hear breaking industry news and network with peers and industry leaders. This annual four day conference through June 8 includes: exhibits, premiere and Master Class seminars, film series competition and finalist screenings, new product announcements, demonstrations, VIP Awards Ceremony, special events.

A screening of Feature Film Finalists, Student Short Finalists, Independent Short Finalists, starts on June 5. A Master Class on the PMW-F5 and PMW-F55 cameras, and how to shoot raw with FS700 with the Odyssey 7Q will be conducted from the Sony Digital Motion Picture Center in Culver City on June 8. In addition, the class will look at the cameras different shooting modes including high frame rate shooting. The F5 and F55’s super 16mm crop mode shooting plus advanced features such as the interchangeable optical low pass filter that is capable of varied special effects.

A Cine Gear Award Reception and Party happens June 6 where Indy, Student Shorts and Feature Film Competition winners will be announced. The Cine Gear Expo 2014 Cinematography Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Adam Greenberg, ASC, in recognition of the contributions he has made to advancing the art and craft of Cinematography. The 2014 Technical Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Andres Valles and Alfredo Valles, in recognition of the varied contributions they have made to advancing the art and craft of film making.

The CMA Music Festival is a Country Music festival hosted each June by the Country Music Association in Nashville. Started in 1972 as Fan Fair, the event presently features artists holding autograph sessions, "meet-and-greet" sessions and other fan interaction events for festival goers happening at various staging areas. Artist of the Day appearances will include: LeAnn Rimes on June 5, Sara Evans on June 6, Craig Morgan on June 7, Lady Antebellum on June 8. Each day of the Festival, Fan Fair X will feature an artist on their designated day. And there will be Q-and-A sessions between the artists and fans as well as acoustic performances. A pre-festival kick-off concert on June 4 features The Grascals, with additional performances by Brazilbilly, Lindsay Ell, Marshall Tucker Band, Morgan Evans, Shooter Jennings and Waymore's Outlaws, Small Town Pistols, Tim Hicks, at Chevrolet Riverfront Stage from 11:00.

There are many special festival activities that are slated to happen. CMA Close Up Stage will feature an artist, band or panel in performance or discussion with an audience Q&A following. The Durango Music Spot will host various artists at the Fan Fair X. Kix Brooks will present his American Country Countdown radio program live from Fan Fair X on June 7 (11:15 CT). Great American Country, the network that delivers original lifestyle programming celebrating American living and Country Music is hosting a Great American Country Breakfast Series at Fan Fair X. In a first look at films and TV shows by and featuring Country artists, The Screening Room will feature “Like a Country Song,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, “Alive at Brushy Mountain,” a documentary by Mark Collie, A&E’s new series “Big Smo,” and VH-1’s “LeAnn & Eddie,” a satirical look at the lives of one of the most gossiped about celebrity couples.

And in yet more CMA activities taking place, kid-friendly activities include inflatable bounce houses, face painting and balloon artists, musical instrument lessons by Nashville Symphony members, a music recording studio experience, arts and crafts, the Nashville Public Library and Wishing Chair Productions Puppet Truck will present “The Frog Prince” each day, and Now Playing Nashville will provide various family friendly activities. The very popular autograph sessions in Music City Center returns again in 2014 with new improvements for how to enter the drawing. In addition to autographs, visitors can now enter to win access to exclusive performances at the HGTV Lodge located in Fan Alley. Festival activity and concerts will happen across several different stages with the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage situated on the bank of the Cumberland River as the festival epicenter. The Country Music Association aspires to heighten the awareness of Country Music and support its on-going growth. Half of the proceeds from the festival each year are donated to charity, while the other half are earmarked by the CMA for "the advancement of country music.

The 68th Annual Tony Awards will be on the evening of June 8 in New York City. The Tonys will be broadcast in a live three-hour ceremony from Radio City Music Hall, on the CBS television network. The live red carpet coverage can also be viewed at TonyAwards.com starting at 18:00. The line-up of performances for the award ceremony includes: 2014 Tony Nominee Neil Patrick Harris and the cast of Hedwig and the Angry Inch; 2014 Tony nominee Sutton Foster with the cast of Violet; Alan Cumming reprising his Tony Award-winning role in a performance from the revival of Cabaret; and 2014 Tony Nominee Idina Menzel performing from the new musical If/Then. The evening will also feature performances by the casts of this year’s Best Musical and Best Musical Revival Nominees. The American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards are presented by Tony Award Productions, a joint venture of The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. During the telecast, behind-the-scenes companion coverage of the show can be followed at: TonyAwards.com/secondscreen.

Marking its 35th year of operation, BANFF World Media Festival is the annual media content creation event structured to create opportunities for co-production deals, enabling new business relationships and revealing future industry trends. The Festival combines an international program competition -- the Banff World Media Awards, with a conference agenda that will engage areas: BANFF TV, Kids and Animation, Non-Fiction, nextMEDIA. The Banff Keynote, moderated by veteran TV journalist Dan Rather, will be delivered by Eileen O'Neill, Group President, Discovery, Science and Velocity Networks, who will discuss the Discovery Channel climb to record-breaking ratings and social engagement.

Qualified BANFF registrants get their chance to interact by pitching their new concepts and business models. These meetings can be booked exclusively by BANFF delegates using the ".Connect" networking platform. The ‘Face to Face with a Development Executives’ series is an opportunity for BANFF delegates to meet with international development executives from global networks, broadcasters, production companies, digital distribution platforms, advertising and media buying agencies. A planned June 9 Facebook Feature Interview titled: "Demystifying Digital vs. Traditional: The Golden Age of TV & The Second Screen Syndrome," examines evolving viewing habits in which Canadians multitask with an Internet-connected device while watching TV.

This year, Banff World Media Festival will honor Canadian actor, songwriter and TV game and talk show host, Alan Thicke, with this year’s Canadian Award of Distinction. The award is presented to a Canadian whose body of work illustrates outstanding achievement, the Canadian Award of Distinction will celebrate the new industry standards set by Thicke’s professional achievements. Presented in partnership with Entertainment One (eOne), Thicke will accept the honor at the annual Rockie Awards Gala, a ceremony that has awarded names in the entertainment industry, including: Will Arnett, Howie Mandel, Eric McCormack and Martin Short.

Networking receptions and parties at this 35th Banff include on June 8: the "Rockies Program Competition Nominee Reception" and "CBC Radio-Canada Opening Reception"; June 9: "Breakfast with a Development Executive," "Rockie Awards Luncheon," "Netflix Late Night After Party"; June 10: "Breakfast with a Development Executive," "Lunch With a Development Executive," "A&E Reception"; June 11: "Breakfast with a Development Executive," "Lunch With a Development Executive," BANFF's 35th Birthday Party. The Banff Springs Hotel, where the conference is held, is a luxury hotel that was built during the nineteenth century as one of Canada's grand railway hotels, constructed in Scottish Baronial style and located in Banff National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times, screens new American and international features, music videos, and shorts from over 40 countries and with access to critically acclaimed filmmakers, film industry professionals and emerging cinematic talent. Taking place in the heart of downtown Los Angeles from June 11-19, the Festival has also programmed live musical performances, parties and informal gatherings, as well as the exclusive, pre-festival Filmmaker Retreat.

Select narrative features, documentary features and short films participate in the Festival’s three competitive sections, the winners of which are chosen by a special jury. Most features and shorts are also eligible for Audience Awards, which are chosen based on ballots submitted by Festival audiences. The Festival is a qualifying festival in all categories for the Film Independent Spirit Awards, the Cinema Eye Honors for Nonfiction Filmmaking, as well as for the Narrative, Animated and Documentary Short Film categories of the Academy Awards.

The Festival also hosts Fast Track, a program of Film Independent that is set-up to help filmmakers move their current narrative or documentary projects into the next phase. Fast Track is a film financing market that connects them financiers, production companies and other industry professionals. This selective program is open to established as well as up-and-coming filmmakers with exceptional projects still seeking funding. The Los Angeles Film Festival is a program of Film Independent, a non-profit, membership film organization that champions independent film and that organizes and hosts the Spirit Awards.

The annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival typically takes place on the second Thursday in June. The main attractions of the four-day festival are the multiple stages of live music, featuring a diverse array of musical styles including indie rock, world music, hip hop, jazz, americana, bluegrass, country music, folk, gospel, reggae, pop, electronica, and other alternative music. But beyond musical showcases, there are other varied activities as: cinema, art displays, eat and drink adventures, Kalliope, exercise and camping.

A short list of some of the highlighted musical acts set to take the stage at Bonnaroo include: Susan Tedeschi, Damian Marley, Janelle Monae, Arctic Monkeys, DJ Logic, Lauryn Hill, Taj Mahal, Ice Cube, The Flaming Lips, Elton John, Fritz and The Tantrums, Lionel Richie, Yonder Mountain String Band, Sarah Jarosz, The Avett Brothers, Skrillex, Vampire Weekend, Cake, Kanye West. For artists looking for performance opportunities at Bonnaroo, as of 2014 festival management has partnered with Sonicbids to accept submissions for performance slots at the festival.

The Bonnaroo Cinema Tent will screen new independent features before they are released, documentaries, comedies, cult classics and host fun (as in comedy) live interactive happenings. The cinema is open 24 hours and will integrate into the format live Q&A sessions with special guest filmmakers, actors and unique cinematic performances with musicians and comedians. Kalliope Stage is a new offering at Bonnaroo in 2014. In the evening Kalliope Stage becomes a staging area for a light show filled with cryogenics, lasers and serial beams and an enhanced audio system.

The Game Stage at Bonnaroo powered by Xbox One will function as an alternative to the musical stages offering game addicted fans a chance to battle giant mechanical Titans, race the fastest cars in the world, hunt zombies or just send questions to your favorite Bonnaroo artists via Skype video. Yoga classes take place at locations across The Farm. Yoga Roo takes place Friday through Sunday, sunrise to sunset, at various locations across The Farm. All classes are free and open to yogis of all levels. For the second year in a row the "Roo Run" will be held June 14 - the day before the festival close - to race the 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) across the festival grounds. Prizes will be awarded.

North by North East is the an annual music and arts festival with conference held each June in Toronto, Ontario, patterned on the South by Southwest festival held earlier in the year in Austin, Texas. The festival is broken down along the lines of: NXNE Music Festival (June 18-22), NXNE Film (June 13-15), NXNE Interactive (June 17-21), NXNE Comedy (June 18-22), NXNE Art (June 16-22). The festival takes over Toronto’s downtown core, with many venues (thought to be over 50 Toronto music venues) grouped along Queen Street West, College Street, and the Bloor Street Annex. Most venues host six bands a night. Some of the scheduled musical acts for 2014 will include: ASAP FERG, Big Name Actors, D!GGY the DJ, Drugs in Japan, Emma Frank, Falling Androids, Gangis Khan aka Camoflauge, Ghost Town Jenny, Greys, Tequila Mockingbird and others

NXNE Film screens the year’s selected music-themed features, documentaries, shorts, and experimental films from around the world. This year in partnership with Hot Docs, NXNE presents screenings that include, ‘Vann “Piano Man” Walls: The Spirit of R&B’, directed by Steven Morris, a film for anyone curious about the origins of rock n’ roll. NXNE Comedy, hosted by Fleshlight and in partnership with Empire Comedy Live, will feature special festival presentations like: The Epic Nerd Show, Sunday Night Live with The Sketchersons, Fan Fiction The Show, presenting Sailor Moon. In the art segment, NXNE Art Team will make selections from OCAD University's graduating class of 2014 to exhibit among works of other artists. There will be an Art Party in the Art Lounge June 20 with music and drinks.

NXNE Interactive (NXNEi) is a digital interactive media conference bringing together content-creating artists, tech entrepreneurs, digital marketing gurus, web business experts, and social media aficionados for workshops, presentations, and panels. Oliver El-Khatib, a co-manager for Toronto based Rap artist Drake, and founder and creative director of OVO, will deliver the NXNEi keynote address and share insight on the music industry, the development of the OVO brand, and the importance of championing Toronto.

With its global perspective in regard to programming, the festival organization strives for certain achievements in the course of the festival run, including: provide a forum for new music in which fans can see rising talent at Toronto club venues, screen the year’s curated music-themed films, explore and develop common ground between the creative industries and the interactive world, present Toronto with a marquee tourist festival destination by showcasing international headline performers at free outdoor concerts. Getting to play NXNe is a matter of submitting an Electronic Press Kit through Sonicbids where it will be then taken up for consideration by the NXNE listening team.

InfoComm opens in Las Vegas, an annual AV trade show featuring the latest technologies for audio, video, display, projection, lighting, staging, digital signage, conferencing, digital content creation, networking, signal distribution and more. InfoComm International® is the trade association behind the convention representing the professional audiovisual and information communications industries worldwide. The conference segment of the convention runs June 14-20 and the exhibits segment runs June 18-20. Mike Walsh, CEO of Tomorrow and Author of FUTURETAINMENT, delivers the Opening Keynote on June 17, focusing on the next five years of industry innovation.

InfoComm will have a Tech-Know Job Fair, June 18-20 during show hours in the InfoComm International booth. For 2014, InfoComm introduces two new Solutions Summits -- conferences focused on digital signage and unified communications and collaboration. The program opens on June 17 and continues through June 20 with keynotes, case studies and panel discussions on the concerns of using these technologies and integrating them into the organization.

InfoComm Technology Pavilions and Special Exhibits areas will showcase over 950 exhibitors and thousands of products representing areas of audio, digital signage, conferencing, lighting and staging and security. Over time, certain popular pavilion areas have come to establish themselves, such as: Digital Signage Presentation Stage, Production Camera Showcase and Production Zone, Rigging Safety Demo, Audio Demo rooms, the Technologies for Worship magazine Live Events Experience stage.

Established in 1939, InfoComm International has more than 5,000 members, including manufacturers, systems integrators, dealers and distributors, independent consultants, programmers, rental and staging companies, end users and multimedia professionals from more than 80 countries. InfoComm International serves its members and the industry through education, including technical and business courses, in the classroom and online; resources, such as AV standards, thought pieces and market research; and events, including local roundtables and international trade shows.

Black Entertainment Television network will present their annual BET Awards on June 29 in Los Angeles. The awards celebrate the achievements of African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. The awards are the culmination of a three-day extravaganza called The BET Experience which will happen throughout the L.A. Live district. BET Awards ‘14, will be hosted by Chris Rock and will be broadcast live on BET from approximately 20:00 PT. Beyoncé and Jay-Z lead the nominations with five each. Drake, Pharrell Williams and August Alsina are tied for four. The 2014 lineup for BET Experience at L.A. Live, the lead-up to the awards that opens on June 27, will feature performances from notable R&B, Hip-Hop acts, including Outkast, Mary J. Blige, Maxwell, Jill Scott, Trey Songz, A$AP Rocky, Rick Ross, Jennifer Hudson, Marsha Ambrosius, K. Michelle, and Ty Dolla $ign.

Leading up to the BET Awards, the BET Experience at L.A. LIVE will feature three days of music and comedy concerts, “106 & PARK” tapings, BET Fan Fest, seminars, GRAMMY® Museum exhibits, a signature food festival, celebrity meet and greets and other special appearances. Most of the interactive events are popular holdovers from previous years. BET Experience Fan Fest is an interactive expo with its own Pavilion where guests engage with their favorite BET shows, talent and brands through exhibits, demonstrations and giveaways. The Fan Fest is free to the public and includes a signature food experience. Genius Talks are seminars focusing on pragmatic advice on money, culture, entertainment, family, celebrity and relationships. The GRAMMY® Museum Exhibit will offer an exhibit of past “BET Awards” Lifetime Achievement Honorees. The popular “106 & PARK” program will present free musical performances, new talent showcases and celebrity appearances on its stage. Late night VIP after parties with featured DJ's will happen at selected and exclusive venues.

The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the "Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events" page at: http://www.actorschecklist.com/news.html. The events blog also shows links to pages that are translated into ten of the most widely used international languages read over the Internet other than English. This month's photo placement highlights action sequences from Warner Bros. sci-fi feature, Edge of Tomorrow, starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. If the photo does not appear in this post please visit the blog page to view it. Looking ahead into the next month, although the industry gets quiet during the summer, be aware that: the Los Angeles Acting School Acting Conservatory School will conduct sessions in Santa Monica, Casual Connect USA 2014 will be held in San Francisco, Media/Broadcast/Cinema Today as three co-located events will come to Chennai. Comic-Con International 2014 will be in San Diego. The Engaging Youth: Where They Want, How They Want! Conference will happen in London.

Banff, New Music Seminar, Cannes Lions Advertising Festival, Aruba Film Festival, are highlights in June's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

Prometheus, Ridley Scott's so-called prequel to Alien, opened in
North American theaters November 8.

Formed in 1958 as the first trade association for a single genre of music, Country Music Association promotes Country Music mainly through its two signature events, CMA Music Festival and the CMA Awards. Through June 10, the CMA Music Festival will be held in Nashville, and it is filled with special events, parties and very interesting things to do. Here's a run down of some of them: ABC TV returns for the 2012 CMA Musical Festival and takes a big hand to get the party started when it hosts The ABC Summer Block Party. This year’s block party, hosted by Bradford Anderson (“General Hospital”) has entertainment for the entire family. Located on the historic Broadway strip in downtown Nashville, the party will include daily activities, fun games and exclusive screenings from some of ABC’s new fall pilots. And Nashville’s own Grilled Cheeserie Truck will be on site with sandwiches provided and inspired by ABC’s “The Chew”. There will be Q&A sessions and autograph signings held with the new fall series stars from “Nashville”. This year The Buckle is a destination for families to come and enjoy activities, games, live entertainment, demonstrations, free samples, autograph signings, and more. Fan Alley will have many new activities and exhibits in 2012 including: The Chevrolet Ride and Drive, entertainment provided by the Ultimate Air Dogs, appearances and autograph signings by Country artists, live music, giveaways and prizes. Soleil Bella Beach in the Walk of Fame Park is a new highlight of this year’s Music Fest where visitors can hear a variety of artists, enjoy outdoor games and activities or relax on a sand beach. A new free feature for 2012, the BMI Tailgate Party, features a strong selection of BMI’s songwriters and artists warming up the audience before they enter LP Field for the Nightly Concerts. And highlighting the international appeal for Country music artists, 22 Country artists representing four different countries and territories including Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom have been announced for the 2012 Global Events showcases. The Festival is slated to be aired over the ABC television network on September 17, at 8/7 CENTRAL.

The 2012 Tony Awards goes live in New York City June 10, presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing to celebrate excellence in the theatre. Australian film actor Hugh Jackman, is receiving a Special Tony Award® and will attend the night's Awards ceremony. This year, The Tony Awards will include a live broadcast from the middle of the Caribbean Sea, where Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas’ cast of Hairspray will perform a show-stopping number. In celebration of the Tony Season, the Tony Awards® is partnering with Bloomingdale’s to present a Tony Award Costume Exhibit at Bloomingdale’s in New York City, now through June 18. The 66th Annual Tony Awards will be held at the Beacon Theatre in New York City, airing live on at 8/7 pm C over CBS television network. For international viewers, CABLEready, an independent distributor of television programming for media outlets worldwide, will distribute the Tony Awards® telecast to theatre fans in four continents and over 45 countries around the globe including: Latin America - Film & Arts; New Zealand - Sky Network; Australia - Foxtel Bio channel; Japan - NHK; The Philippines - Velvet Channel; Armed Forces Television. Regardless of broadcast arrangements, anyone can watch live coverage of Tony Awards events via webcast at TonyAwards.com.

Banff World Media Conference and Festival, opens in Alberta running till June 13, putting the focus on Canada and international territories. There will be pre-arranged face to face meetings with industry decision makers, and opportunities for networking with potential partners from across the globe. Also available, the BANFF Marketplace is structured to help visitors create new development and production opportunities. The program will feature keynotes from industry achievers, panel discussions, expert forecasts, Master Classes, critical case studies, key strategy sessions and more. This year, Larry King, the well-regarded television and radio host, will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Also new in 2012, BANFF launches the Co-Production Business Market, that will form a business hub for entertainment and digital media executives producing or commissioning co-productions and co-ventures. Also, the nextMEDIA Demo Hub demonstrates itself as a forum for technology companies working in coding, app development, social media, game production, content management systems, location-based apps, cloud computing and other leading edge technologies. There will be a NetFlix Late Night After-Party on June 11, and conference wraps up with BANFF's "Hell On Wheels" BBQ.

NewFilmmakers Los Angeles invites interested parties to their film screening series and after-party event in Hollywood on June 11 featuring a filmmaker lounge throughout the evening. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the directors of screened films, the actors and crew, and take part in an audience Q&A. There are pre-receptions and after-parties for each program. Admissions to the programs includes the screening ticket and access to the filmmaker lounge. An after-party follows the last scheduled screening. NewFilmmakers LA at Sunset Gower Studios is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization designed to showcase innovative works by emerging filmmakers from around the world providing the Los Angeles community of entertainment professionals and film lovers with a constant surge of monthly screening events. NewFilmmakers LA provides a forum where filmmakers can be recognized for their contributions, have open audience discussions about their projects and connect with industry professionals for insight on distribution, production, acquisition and representation.

Now in its 18th year, North by Northeast Festivals and Conference (NXNE) is a Toronto festival destination for emerging artists and major-label headliners, for music filmmakers, and for digital interactive innovators. The Festival encompasses NXNE Music, NXNE Film, and NXNE Interactive, bridging the gap between technology and the arts. NXNE Music offers international, national and local acts at 50 official festival stages in downtown Toronto’s club district. A partial listing of scheduled acts includes: Oberhofer, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, Matthew Good, Bad Religion, Bass Drum of Death, A Place To Bury Strangers, Archers Of Loaf, The Flaming Lips, so many more. NXNE Film showcases music-themed features, documentaries, shorts, and experimental films from around the world. NXNE Interactive (NXNEi) is a digital interactive media conference that brings together content-creating artists, tech entrepreneurs, digital marketing gurus, web business experts, and social media aficionados for workshops, presentations, and panels that explore the newest ideas that bridge the gap between creativity and the digital world. The NXNE Record Show curated by Kops Records is a one day vinyl show featuring record dealers from across Ontario, a selection of label vendors, educational stations and on-site DJ entertainment. The Festival opening party (RSVP to LIVEatNXNE@gmail.com) is on June 12, and showcases Canadian music photographers. The free NXNE Official Day Party, "I Blame Yoko" will be on June 14. The Festival runs through June 17.

The New Media Film Festival opens for a two day run June 12 in Los Angeles, and at red carpet opening night, wine bar drinks and Hor Dourves will be served and recording artist Irina Maleeva entertains with her one-woman musical comedy show. For the extent of the festival a resident distribution partner is set to review NMFF submissions and online distribution outlets have offered to interview and showcase content that is relevant to their site's genre. These partners include but are not limited to: Mingle Media, Stay Tuned TV and Gal Time. In addition to the media showcase, attendees have access to the New Media Marketing Table to distribute business cards and other promotional materials. There will be a Networking spot to meet fellow New Media filmmakers, artists, producers, above and below the line crews, thought makers, implementers, distributors. In one scheduled June 13 New Media Panel, a group will focus on new avenues to monetize content, new platforms that are being launched to interact and monetize on a global scale. After the closing night film the New Media Film Festival Awards presentations are held to announce the winners.

According to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the Maui Film Festival is one of only six "Signature Cultural Events" in Hawaii-and the only one that takes place on Maui. The Festival, running June 13-17, opens with the Twilight Reception at Capische? restaurant. Aside from film screenings in the outdoors under the stars, the festival is notable because of traditional events including: Opening Night Twilight Reception at Capische? Restaurant; Taste of Chocolate theme night at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, co-hosted by Variety; The 13th annual Taste of Wailea - sampling Wailea Resorts' most celebrated chefs and restaurants - at the David Leadbetter Private Golf Academy on Wailea Gold and Emerald Golf Course; the Sunday Starry Night MoonDance dance party, complemented by libations courtesy of Maui's own Organic Ocean Vodka and a beer selection too. There will be the Cosmic Closing Night Fashion Show and Poolside Party at Hotel Wallea.

Beginning June 16, the Los Angeles Indie Music/Film International Summit opens for two days of music, film, keynote speaker activities geared to: music producers, film producers, artist managers, agents, radio personalities, music and film executives, promoters, publicist, attorneys, songwriters, recording artists, unsigned artists, CD manufactures, distributers and record label representatives. There will be panels, workshops, presentations, live indie stage and major artist performances, one to one mentoring, J-Lounge kiosk (demo listening, EPK and videos) and an industry trade show. The event celebrates new music with two days of showcases featuring over 100 original acts on three stages. Music industry rights association SESAC leads a workshop to educate songwriters and publishers on their right to be compensated for having their music performed in public. Another panel of Hollywood Casting Directors will discuss the secrets to landing the perfect role, and what they are looking for from actors at the audition. Summit organizer Jadar Entertainment’s mission is to showcase, promote, and market Independent artists, actors, producers, songwriters and record labels, etc. and their ideas. Both conference days end with after parties.

Presented as a seminar for the new business of music, the New Music Seminar in New York City will present sessions offering vital industry survival information, with every delegate receiving the NMS New Music Business Guidebook, that has promotion and marketing tips, contact information, forms and guidelines on how to succeed regardless of the kind of music. The NMS Networking Lounges placed throughout the seminar area facilitate business networking. Attendees are encouraged to pre-arrange meetings in the comfort of the various NMS Lounges where they are able to eat, drink and make new contacts. NMS breakout sessions that are held throughout the day are designed to provide specialized knowledge and instructions on a variety of fields. Industry talent will be discussing new marketing opportunities, legal, publishing and songwriting, touring and other important areas in which to advance a career. A SESAC Songwriters Workshop will be held the afternoon of June 19 featuring hit songwriters talking about writing hits... where they get their ideas, how they get their gigs. Cabo Wabo is the official Tequila of the NMS Opening Night Party, open to NMS Delegates and their guests. NMS will run from June 17-20.

The Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival will be held in Cannes Cedex from June 17-23 celebrating creativity in commercial communications. In terms of international advertising awards, more than 24,000 entries from all over the world are showcased and judged at the Festival and winners take home the Lion trophy presented at four award ceremonies throughout the week. The Festival is also a global meeting place for advertisers, advertising and communication professionals. Delegates from 90 countries attend seven days of workshops, exhibitions, screenings, master classes and high-profile seminars by notable industry leaders. To celebrate its 10th anniversary Grupo ABC based in Latin America brings President Clinton to Cannes Lions to talk about how advertising can help build a better world. Academy Award-nominated director Ridley Scott (Prometheus) leads a talk on new standards for how brands tell their stories to capture the imagination of audiences.

From Suntec, BroadcastAsia 2012 International Conference, opening June 19-22, investigates the future trends and critical issues of next generation broadcasting, addressing pivotal issues of an industry confronting new and fast changing consumer dynamics and content shift typical in this era of "anytime, anywhere content demand". It presents topics covering the facets of next generation broadcasting, broadband, hybrid platforms, multiple screens and multi-platforms to OTT delivery, terrestrial technology and file based workflow and asset management. Addressing the industry’s grasp regarding content production and creative development of film for big and small screen, the Conference showcases the latest developments and trends. Both the conference and masterclass workshops seek to prepare attendees with new knowledge and raise their production skills up to the next level to meet today’s demand for creative programming across various screen sizes. A new OTT Feature Zone is set up for exhibitors such as Axon, EVS, XOR Media (formerly Seachange Broadcast), Switch Media and Magna to present a special showcase on how broadcasters and media producers can deliver content to a new generation of consumers, who view content on a variety of devices like PCs, tablets, smartphones or netbooks.

Opening June 19, Palm Springs International ShortFest is a seven day competitive festival screening approximately 300 films from 40 countries in a series of 90 minute programs. All films submitted whether screened in the Festival or not are eligible to participate in the Market which consists of a video film library and 20 viewing stations open to sales agents, distributors and other industry representatives. The Festival has twenty competitive categories with prize money, film stock and production services valued at over $70,000 to be awarded for first and second places in addition to a "Best of Festival" award and a "Future Filmmaker" award. All first place winners in the Live Action and Animation categories will automatically become eligible for nomination consideration by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the short film categories. Parent of the festival -- The Palm Springs International Film Society -- is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization whose mission is to cultivate and promote the art and science of film through education and cross-cultural awareness.

A 3D and Virtual Reality Expo (IVR) in Tokyo showcases a platform for research and expertise groups, including users from manufacturing industries, amusement industries, broadcasting stations, image producing companies, content production companies, telecommunication companies, public offices, universities and research centers who are looking to buy solutions for their businesses, to try out and experience the latest 3D technology and high definition image technology used in the latest 3D products and technologies (ultra-high definition displays, AR, and 3D broadcasting). The exhibited technologies will include: High-Definition Displays: 4K x 2K Displays, HDTVs, LED Displays, Plasma Displays, Other Related Products: 4K Digital Image Recorders, 4K Digital Image Projectors, Hi-Definition Projectors, High-Performance Monitors, Image Input Boards, 3D Sound Systems. Industrial Virtual Reality Expo opens June 20 for a two day run.

Founded in 2010 by film producers Jonathan Vieira and Giuseppe Cioccarelli, the third edition of the Aruba International Film Festival is rededicating itself to a two-fold purpose: advancing worldwide understanding of Aruba and its people, and encouraging emerging Caribbean filmmakers by offering them hands-on training from accomplished professionals. Within the Festival's Caribbean Spotlight Series’s, the “Aruba Flavor” competition highlights and rewards the work of talented local filmmakers and forms a platform for networking opportunities with fellow Caribbean peers and industry professionals from around the world. The AIFF Film Lab workshop, entitled 96 HOURS, will provide intensive hands on training in the filmmaking process over a four-day period of time during the festival. And there will be an acting class coordinated by arts education director Maureen Heffernan, who will lead students through a series of exercises to totally embrace a role, as well as to learn the technical requirements of working on a film set. The Festival will be casting for an international photo shoot (paid) and is looking for actors, actress, children and extras. The Casting will be on June 24 the whole day and on June 25 from 10:30 am - 1 pm, taking place at the Paseo Herencia. The photo shooting itself is from the June 28 till July 4. As a special musical feature, Marc Antony performs in concert June 23, at the AIFF Harbor Arena.

Dance Camera West's annual dance film festival opens June 27-30 in Los Angeles, and presents an international selection of dance media and special screening events at venues throughout southern California. Dance Camera West embraces dance media in any dance style or genre. Categories include: screendance, experimental movement based film, short films, features, documentary, installations, and interactive dance media. The festival presents its first "Dirty Dancing Dance-A-Long" on June 22 in partnership with Los Angeles Film Festival and Grand Performances. Free pre-show salsa lessons and professional dancers on stage will perform along with the film. The closing evening program will consist of the Hammer Evening Doc of "Wayne McGregor Going Somewhere," a creative documentary film by Catherine Maximoff, and the evenings program leads into the Awards Reception.

Established in 2003, IN THE PALACE is an International festival dedicated to short films under 45 minutes in length. This year it opens June 29 to run into July 7 in the Black Sea town of Balchik. The Festival aims to present and contribute to the development of contemporary film art in Bulgaria, Europe and the world, creating a favourable environment and platform for young filmmakers and established professionals. Traditionally, the Festival’s core are the International and National competitive programmes, accompanied by various special screenings. Filmer Forge is the business centre of the festival. Each year producers, distributors, buyers and sales agents gather to meet and network with fellow industry colleagues at the festival. Filmer Forge includes four resource areas: the Exhibition Hall with market stands, business meetings, presentations, Media Rendez Vous; Pitching sessions - that will include the awarding of 10 financial grants; Market Video Library of short films and a database of filmmakers, decision makers, festivals, broadcasters (on-line industry guide); Market Screenings. The town of the festival (Francis Ford Coppola spent 11 days at the palace shooting scenes of 'Youth Without Youth'.) has a history spanning over almost 3000 years. During that period it was known as the ancient Greek colony of Krouni, the Greek and subsequently Byzantine fortress of Dionyssopolis, mediaeval Bulgarian town Karvouna and the Ottoman and later again Bulgarian town of Balchik. One of the most interesting places in the vicinity of the town is the architectural park complex "The Palace" (venue of the festival), built by the Italian architects Amerigo and Agustino within the period 1920-1936. The town has also been the former summer residence of the British princess and Romanian Queen Marie of Edinburgh.

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 of Prometheus which opened in North American theaters June 8 as Director Ridley Scott's so-called prequel to the 1979 Alien. The cast for Prometheus includes: Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace, Guy Pearce, Patrick Wilson, Benedict Wong, Sean Harris, Idris Elba. Gazing ahead into the next month, be aware that... International Television Festival will be in Reseda, Downtown Film Festival L.A. will be in Los Angeles. The Sun Camera Action Conference and Workshop Film Cruise sets sail from Miami. Trade show for the ticketing and live entertainment industry, Ticket Summit, will be in Las Vegas. Cinema India Expo will be in Mumbai. Paris Manga & Sci-Fi Show will be in Paris. Broadcast & Film Africa will be in Nairobi.

MusiCARES Tribute, Brit Awards, Grammys, Country Radio Seminar, 84th Academy Awards, highlight a calendar of headlining events in February

The Victoria Film Festival wants to expose youth and adults to a broad range of cultural, artistic and philosophical ideas and lifestyles through the presentation of film, video, new media and inter-activities while keeping it very relevant to the local community in Victoria. This year the Festival, which runs through February 12, shines a spotlight on Linda Blair for two days beginning with a screening of Director William Friedkin's 'The Exorcist', followed by a meet and greet with actress Linda Blair hosted by Bon Rouge the following day. At a Sips 'N' Cinema festival event, a trip to the film house for a screening of, 'House of Pleasure', is followed with a seating at the Veneto Tapa Lounge for a sampling of appetizers, and where well regarded bar master Simon ogden will lead a cocktail tasting. After the tasting, Festival Programmer Donovan Aikman will open up discussion of the film just presented.

During Grammy Week, the 22nd Annual MusiCARES “Person of the Year” award ceremony is set to honor 14-time GRAMMY winner and Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement and Trustees Award recipient, Sir Paul McCartney, who will also perform along with other artists in attendance. The event is set for February 10 in Los Angeles. MusiCares Foundation -- founded in 1989 by the Academy -- provides a safety net of critical assistance for music professionals in times of need. MusiCares' services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, allowing affected musical artists to continue with dignity. The evening begins with: Cocktail Reception and Silent Auction, followed by the Gala Dinner, then the Concert and Award Presentation.

The 54th Annual Grammy Awards is on February 12 in Los Angeles. It will air live on the CBS TV network at 8 pm EST / 5 pm PST. The show will also be supported on radio worldwide via Dial Global, and covered online at GRAMMY.com, CBS.com, and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/thegrammys. Following last year's 2011 ceremony, NARAS -- the parent organization of the awards ceremony -- overhauled many Grammy Award categories for 2012. And for the first time in seven years, the Grammy Awards is doing away with its no-host format and has enlisted  rapper-turned-actor, LL Cool J, who has served as host of the Grammy nominations concert for the last four years. Announced performers for the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards include current GRAMMY nominees Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson, Coldplay, Rihanna, Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Paul McCartney, Nicki Minaj, and Taylor Swift.

At this year's Sedona International Film Festival, February 18-26, Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne returns with his favorite classic films; Academy Award-winning producer, artist and costume designer Kathleen Glynn (Bowling for Columbine, Farenheit 911) will moderate and host this year’s workshops, one of which, “Composing Music for Film,” will be led by Oscar-winning lyricist and five-time nominee Don Black (Born Free); Oscar-winning screenwriter Robert Moresco (Crash) will be in attendance as will actress Lea Thompson. Workshops happen every morning from Tuesday through Saturday during Festival week when the 145 full-length features, shorts, documentaries, animated films, foreign films and student films have screenings. This year a special midweek jazz concert in partnership with the Arizona Music Festival features the Brubeck Brothers and screening of new biographical film, 'In Good Time, The Piano Jazz of Marian McPartland' takes place on February 22 at the Sedona High School Performing Arts Center.

The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. On February 21, the BRIT Awards will be broadcast live in London on ITV1 network starting from 8 pm. Founded in 1973, BPI is the representative trade organisation of the UK recorded music industry, which includes the UK's four major record labels and hundreds of independent music companies. BPI also organizes the annual BRIT Awards show as well as a Classical BRIT Awards show. Featured artists in this year's award show include: James Blake, Lady Antebellum, Chase and Status, Ebow, Kasabian, Muse, Empire of the Sun, others. Previous BRITs winner who was a 2011 nominee, Mark Ronson, will be hosting the War Child post BRITs party at Indigo2 immediately after the main show. War Child is an official charity partner of the BRIT Awards this year. Actor/writer James Corden will host the actual Brit Awards ceremony.

Country Radio Seminar is an annual convention designed to educate and promote the exchange of ideas and business practices in the Country music industry with specific emphasis on issues relevant to Country radio. MTV co-founder/Clear Channel executive Bob Pittman, noted futurist David Houle, CMT’s Stephen Linn, and “Twitter For Dummies” book co-author Laura Fitton are keynote speakers in addition to others that are schedued over the course of the convention. All events take place for three days starting February 22 in Nashville. Singer-songwriter Alan Jackson is confirmed for a Capitol/EMI Records Nashville luncheon performance on February 23 in the Convention Center. On the Wednesday and Thursday night of the seminar, radio personality Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley will be open for after-hours acoustic entertainment. The Acoustic Alley venue will showcase performances from some of Nashville’s top songwriters. The conference's 2012 Career Achievement Award will be given to legendary artist, now on a farewell tour, Glen Campbell. Across the Atlantic (ocean), in an unrelated Country music event, the CMA (Country Music Association) and music rights organization, BMI, will present a Country Music series with four successful songwriters from Nashville, who will take the stage, and with guitar in-hand take turns telling the stories behind their hit songs while performing them. The series is February 22-25, and tours London, Dublin and Belfast.

The Carnival of eCreativity (CeC) is an annual event for free spirited creatives, and the brainchild of Academy of Electronic Arts of New Delhi. It brings together experimental and generally creative practitioners from around the world and India. The sixth annual Carnival of e-Creativity happens February 24-26, from within the compound of the landmark Sattal Mission Estate and Methodist Ashram. The location is situated just above Bhimtal, near Nainital, in the Lower Kumaon of the Himalayan Indian state of Uttarakhand. The agenda is a varied array of experimental creative pursuits executed through performances, presentations and screenings. Performers from around the world will bring a distinctive set of styles, experience and expertise in arts, sciences, performance, technology, and Global Video Art and Short Creative Videoworks screened non-repetitively in a separate section. Master and innovator of Indian Slap Bass, Jayen Varma of Kochi-Kerala, performs with his band Khayal Groove with Indian classical vocalist Aparna Panshikar. He will also engage in a performance with an experimental vocalist from Germany.

The 84th Academy Awards will be held in Hollywood, and televised live by the ABC Television Network (7 ET/4 PT). Brian Grazer and Don Mischer are producers for this years show. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide. The show is presented by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry. AMPAS was originally conceived by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio boss Louis B. Mayer as a professional honorary organization to help improve the film industry’s image and help mediate labor disputes. In this award year the Academy of Motion Picture Sciences has launched "Celebrate the Movies," a digital exhibition spotlighting iconic moments from 84 films. The exhibition appeared on digital billboards in Los Angeles, and on ABC's digital "SuperSign," an electronic landmark in New York's Times Square. It is also showcased on an online gallery reachable at  Oscar.com, and extended to youtube.com/Oscars, where fans can share their most memorable movie-going experiences through video or text. Billy Crystal will host the 2012 Oscars.

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. Also this month is a new undertaking to offer the news summary in various translated versions, viewable as a .pdf document and delivered via file sharing and content deliver network protocols among other means. Gazing ahead into the next month March, be aware that... The Intl Sci-Fi & Fantasy Film Festival of Athens, the ONECLOUDFEST, based in Sweden, where Audience Award winners in each category is determined by the number of Facebook "likes" received, the 4th Annual Film Finance Forum West, is in Los Angeles, The 3rd Guangzhou International Theater & Cinema Fest, is in Guangzhou, SXSW 2012, will be in Austin, and the 2012 LA Film + Music Weekend, is in Los Angeles, just to run through some events getting close and to be aware of. 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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