Comic-Con 2015, Summer NAMM, Melbourne International Film Festival, Lollapalooza, are highlights in July's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

Revelation Perth had its beginnings in 1997 in the basement back room of the Greenwich Club, a well regarded Perth jazz venue. The festival was started up to showcase ideas "at point" in contemporary independent film and to find a place for them in the cinema environment of the time. Today, the 2015 festival which runs through July 12 includes over 120 international films presented at cinemas, galleries, cafes and bars across Perth. Revelation also includes an academic component (introduced in 2012), industry discussion sessions, live performances, masterclasses, visual art exhibitions and other hybrid activity generated by the event or independent curators.

Revelation seeks out independently curated or initiated programs and ideas and actively offers professional assistance for development and mentoring opportunities. It sees over 500 films submitted for selection from local and international filmmakers and features world and Australian premiere films of all genres. Revelation Perth Festival places great emphasis on experimental and documentary films. In 2014 Revelation introduced the monthly Australian Revelations program set-up to explore the best in new and archival Australian Cinema.

Over its 18 years, Revelation continues to actively advocate for Australian screen culture practice in what is thought to be a conservative viewing environment. It maintains an ethical partnership agenda, even in a resource and mining based economy, has clear sights, and has a strong social justice program at its core. A founding sponsor, REVelation Magazine, is regarded as a purveyor of counter and youth culture in the region, earning a place in the country with its readership as one of the country's more progressive publications.

The Galway Film Fleadh is a six day international film event held every July that welcomes submitting filmmaking from around the world. Now in its 26th year, the enduring mission of the Galway Film Fleadh remains to bring together audiences and filmmakers to share the cinematic experience. The Fleadh’s audience is usually drawn from the general cinema going public, film buffs, student filmmakers, industry professionals and invited guests. This year’s festival concludes July 12. In addition to its central program of the best in Irish and world cinema the Fleadh also presents: Masterclasses, Public Interviews, Debates, Workshops, Seminars alongside other industry events which take place as part of the Galway Film Fair. Honored guests from the past have included: Isabelle Huppert, Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski, Ventura Pons, Martin Sheen, Amanda Plummer, David Mackenzie, Gill Dennis, Stephen Daldry, Sir Ronald Harwood, Lee Unkrich, Darla K Anderson, Brendan Gleeson, Anjelica Huston, Michael Fassbender, Christopher Hampton, Ted Hope, Redmond Morris, Jon Jost, Peter O’Toole, Jessica Lange, Bill Pullman, Alex Gibney, Jeremy Irons, Volker Schloendorff, and so many others.

Originally getting its start in 1979 as the Golden State Comic Book Convention, Comic-Con has since evolved into a multigenre entertainment and comic convention taking place annually. Once only exclusively showcasing comic books and science fiction/fantasy related film and television arts, the convention now includes a larger range of pop culture and entertainment elements across most all genres. This year, Comic-Con International's Preview Night will be held July 8. The remaining Comic-Con schedule will commence from July 9-12.

On Preview Night, Antero Garcia, Peter Carlson, Susan Kirtley, and Jenn Anya Prosser lead a hands-on workshop for K-12 educators titled, "Creating Superheroes in the Classroom: An Interactive Workshop for Teachers." During this workshop panelists will explore how comics support student achievement. Afterwards, Comic-Con and Warner Bros. Television continue their annual Preview Night tradition, with exclusive world premiere screenings of the pilot episodes of four anticipated series of the 2015-16 television season: Supergirl, Blindspot, Containment and Lucifer. Other major event areas in the Comic-Con agenda are: anime, art show, autograph booth, film festival, children's film festival, gaming area and library, Masquerade costume competition and exhibition hall, Portfolio Review sessions with major companies, including comic publishers, movie and TV studios, video game companies, and more.

Comic-Con International also produces two other conventions, WonderCon and the Alternative Press Expo (APE), both held in San Francisco. Comic-Con has also awarded its annual Inkpot Award on guests and persons of interest in the Popular Arts industries, as well as on members of Comic-Con’s Board of Directors and the Convention Committee. It is also the home of the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award (on the evening of July 10, 2015). Comic-Con is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to creating awareness of, and appreciation for, comics and related popular artforms, primarily through the presentation of conventions and events.

Music Industry Day offers musicians, audio pros and those who simply love music access to Summer NAMM, the mid-year gathering happening in Nashville, July 9-11, and focused on NAMM's Top 100 Dealers. Network with industry leaders, meet other musicians, attend workshops and demo the music gear from more than 1,000 music product brands. Live music happens throughout the day with performances by Dustin Lynch, Tony Lucca and Louisa Wendorff, to name a few. Also included in the program of Summer NAMM’s final day is admission to the 32nd Annual American Eagle Awards. The National Association of Music Merchants Show is a trade-only event - not open to the general public - and held bi-annually in Anaheim in January and July in Nashville.

There are several special Music Industry Day sessions that form some of the program of dedicated activities for Music Industry Day: The Future of Audio: Harnessing the Power of MI and New Technology, Leadership in Music Symposium Songwriter Fair Trade Panel, 10 Tips for Killer Guitar Tone, 2020 Vision: The Future of Media Technology, Recreational Music Making Forum, One-on-One: An Interview With Hit Songwriter Tom Shapiro, A3E Deep Dive: Windows 10 for Musicians and Audio Developers, 2020 Vision: The Future of Live Performance, The Pedal Summit, Mobile and Music Technology for Production + Performance, 12 PR Tips for Musicians, Music Businesses and Everyone Else, 2020 Vision: The Future of Guitar Technology, Insider’s World of Hit Songwriting, A3E Deep Dive: MI and the Tech Giants, Social Media Insider Tips, 2020 Vision: The Future of Songwriting Tools and Applications.

This year Summer NAMM features the 32nd Annual American Eagle Awards, presented by the National Music Council on Music Industry Day, July 11, in the Davidson Ballroom. The awards event honors Charley Pride, Kris Kristofferson, Jim Lauderdale, Jim Halsey and Sherman Halsey, and features a special recognition of Music Makes Us, which strives to see that all kids in Nashville have access to music. And to commemorate Les Paul’s past 100th birthday on June 9, 2015, the Les Paul Foundation has created a mobile exhibit which will be stationed at the back of Hall B during Summer NAMM 2015. Throughout the exhibition space, visitors will view content specific interactive experiences that focus upon music and technology aspects of the Les Paul's legacy. The Les Paul 100th Birthday Celebration will also be featured in NAMM's opening session at TEC Tracks, Summer NAMM’s new pro audio education program.

The Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal has varied programming that places an emphasis on the “imaginative cinema" of Asia, Europe and the Americas. Fantasia’s programming, continuing into early August from a mid-July start, is broken down into several activity areas. Four days will contain the Frontières pitch session, a series of conferences on the topics of packaging, financing, production and post-production of independent genre films, various meeting sessions and networking cocktails, worked into the regular Fantasia schedule of public screenings and parties. Two new activities have been added to the event: the Meet the Post-Production Companies networking event and a Works-in-Progress presentations session. More details on this event available online.

The Fantasia Industry Rendez-Vous begins during the second weekend of the Fantasia International Film Festival. The Rendez-Vous is an essential area for film sales and industry networking opportunities for the international genre film industry. The Industry Rendez-Vous features the Frontières International Co-Production Market, an international co-production market connecting North America with Europe and Australasia in an environment specifically focused on genre film production and financing. Frontières is a collaborative initiative between Fantasia, Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, and Vision-in-Motion. The Rendez-Vous also hosts international buyers and sales agents looking to acquire films from Fantasia’s official line-up.

In addition to the co-production market, the Industry Rendez-Vous have been hosting a Film Market, to support the sales efforts for the features that are part of Fantasia International Film Festival's programming. Sales agents and producers are provided with a special opportunity to meet with prospective buyers. An on-site and online (via Cinando) video screening room is offered for their convenience, as well as an available rights list.

Skip City International D-Cinema Festival is an international competitive film festival with a focus on films shot and edited just for digital. Since its beginning in 2004, the Kawaguchi based festival has been held annually seeking innovative submissions from all over the world exploring new realms of digital expression. The festival aim is to discover the next generation of filmmakers and support the development of new kinds of audio-visual creativity. The Opening Gala will be the world premiere of “Children of Iron,” Director, Koki Fukuyama.

Running from July 18-26, Skip City features three competition categories: Feature Length Competition, which accepts submissions from all over the world, Short Length Competition and Animation Competition, which accepts domestic submissions only. Starting in 2009, the Skip City Award has been awarded to Japanese films to support the up-and-coming Japanese filmmakers and their activities at Skip City. The Short Length Competition and Animation competition have been limited to works by Japanese filmmakers in order to provide support for the region's emerging talent.

A Cinema Kabuki double feature set for July 23 is part of a double bill with Ninin Fuji Musume featuring a performance by Tamasaburo and Shichinosuke, also Nihon Furisode Hajime featuring an action sequence performed by Tamasaburo and Kankuro. In addition to the performances behind the scene footages will be displayed. Short films from the competition program will be screened at the Satellite screenings area which will be held in two additional locations in Saitama over two days at Kounosu Cinema and Sai-no-kuni Saitama Art Theater.

The Animation Competition is a new category launched in 2014 to display a wide range of animation works that include a stop-motion animation to an art animation piece combining music and visuals, a horror story and other content. The Competition is in addition to a July 24 Animation Screening that features Crayon Shin Chan: Bravo! Samurai Battle, Director, Keiichi Hara, and Stand By Me Doraemon, Director Ryuichi Yagi and Takashi Yamazaki.

For Skip City screened Feature Length, Short Length and Animation Competitions, the jury consists of film industry professionals in and out of Japan. After the pre-selection process, the finalists are screened to be judged by the jury during the festival and the awards are given at the closing ceremony. All the finalists are screened with 4K digital cinema projectors at the state of the art theaters during the festival. The audience members have opportunities to interact with filmmakers from all over the world as well as the jurors and other film industry professionals.

Established in 1952, the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is one of the oldest film festivals in the world and the most significant screen event in Australia. An iconic Melbourne event, the festival takes place annually in the heart of the city, presenting an acclaimed screening program alongside industry and celebratory events. From July 30 through August 16 MIFF showcases current cinema from around the world as well as retrospectives, tributes and discussion programs. From its beginnings MIFF has also been committed to local film and it serves as a primary showcase platform of new Australian cinema as well as being a vocal champion of emerging and established local filmmaking talent. The festival also hosts many celebratory world premieres of local films. A professional series, MIFF Accelerator, provides four days of workshops, screenings, seminars and networking events on the business and creative aspects of the film industry by local and international film professionals for 15-20 short film directors seeking to make the transition to feature filmmaking. MIFF is an Academy® accredited festival. The winners of the following awards are eligible to enter the Oscars® competition: Grand Prix, Best Fiction, Best Animation and Best Experimental.

The Opening Night Gala and Red Carpet features Australian premiere of Force of Destiny, directed by Paul Cox, filmed in Melbourne and Mumbai. After the screening, guests are invited to cocktail sip and mingle with the cast and crew at Hamer Hall, where the festivities will continue, aided by drinks, canapés and great music. MIFF2015 is programmed to screen 26 features direct from Cannes, including award winners The Lobster (Jury Prize) and The Assassin (Best Director, for Hou Hsiao-hsien) in addition to well regarded entries, Love and Arabian Nights. MIFF Members and media enjoy an exclusive engagement on July 7 and thereafter tickets opening for sale to the general public on Friday 10 July. The features selection for MIFF2015 showcases international festival award winners, new films from old favourites and debut features from first-time directors, as well as star vehicles. The program covers comedy, future LGBTIQ classics, romance, drama, literary adaptations as well as our previously announced Next Gen films, which are accessible to audiences of all ages.

Special events are in no short supply for this Melbourne 2015 festival. Yolngu dancer, musician and performer David Gulpilil, one of Australia's acclaimed actors, will be on hand for a celebratory retrospective program with the 2015 Melbourne International Film Festival presenting a special program of Gulpilil's films. Many of Gulpilil's most iconic movies, as well as some of his less well-known, little-seen ones will be shown and the festival will the actor himself for a special Talking Pictures event —  David Gulpilil in conversation with Margaret Pomeranz — on August 1 in the Festival Lounge.

For the duration of MIFF2015, a program of 10 specially created 35mm short films, made by noted experimental filmmakers and audiovisual artists and tagged Vertical Cinema, attempt to demonstrate a revision of traditional cinema format: of horizontal screen.display.  Films are a mix of abstract cinema, structural experiments, found-footage remixes, chemical film explorations and live laser action, all created especially for this program to be projected onto a 10-metre high, vertically hung, CinemaScope screen. Also, in the festival’s special events lineup, Filmmaker Maya Newell and a panel of special guests reflect upon personal experiences and research to guide a discussion of what family means to young people.

Lollapalooza takes place every summer in historic Grant Park, Chicago, situated between the

Chicago skyline and the shores of Lake Michigan, featuring alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups and various visual artists. Lollapalooza's Green Street offers a variety of vendors featuring art, craft items, and apparel that is all environmentally responsible.

Held on a single weekend from July 31, a listing of headliners for the 2015 Lollapalooza includes: Zebra Katz, Jangle Kroll,  Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas, Toro Y Moi, G-Eazy, Metallica, Atarah Valentine, ASAP Rocky, DJ Mustard, MisterWives, Bassnectar, Kid Cudi, Lord Huron, The Lonely Biscuits, alt-J, Paul McCartney. In addition to the daytime performance schedule there is also the evening after-show performances where venues like Metro, House of Blues and Aragon will host the Lollapalooza after-parties through the weekend along with chances to win free tickets to the performances.

The Kidzapalooza segment of the festival offers parents and kids the opportunity to see family-friendly music on its own stage and various activities including music creation sessions, arts and crafts and more all located in a specially designated area of Grant Park. Kidzapalooza starts at 11 am and closes at 5 pm during each day of the Fest.

Lollapalooza was conceived and created in 1991 by Jane's Addiction singer Perry Farrell as a farewell tour for his band, ran annually until 1997 and was revived in 2003. From its inception through 1997 and its revival in 2003, the festival toured North America. In 2004, the festival organizers decided to expand the dates to two days per city, but sagging ticket sales forced the 2004 tour to be canceled. In 2005, Farrell and the William Morris Agency partnered with Austin, Texas–based company Capital Sports Entertainment (now C3 Presents) and revamped the  format into the weekend destination festival in Grant Park.

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-updates/monthly-event-calendar. If you like this report and other content found on The Actor's Checklist,please consider liking the Facebook page at this link. This month's photo placement displays upcoming events from Comic-Con 2015, Fantasia Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival and Lollapalooza 2015. If the photos do not appear in this post please visit the blog page to view it. Looking ahead into the next month, heading into the slower summer period, be aware that: Texas Association of Broadcasters 62nd Annual Convention & Trade Show, The Game Con 2015 is in Galveston, #ITK Hollywood Summit: TV and Digital Media will be in Beverly Hills, Locarno International Film Festival is in Locarno, Hollyshorts Film Festival opens in Hollywood, the Sarajevo Film Festival is back in Sarajevo, California Audio Show sets up a three day event in Millbrae outside San Francisco.

Banff, Variety’s TV Summit, Bonnaroo 2015, NATPE Europe, are highlights in June's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

The BANFF agenda gives a breakdown of critical issues facing the television and digital medaia industries through keynotes from industry leaders, panel debates, expert forecasts, celebrity Master Classes, critical case studies, key strategy sessions and more. In the first major address of the conference sessions on June 7, Jean-Pierre Blais, Chairman, Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission will speak about where the Commission is headed, why the recently launched review of basic telecommunications services is important, and how the CRTC is encouraging the creation of compelling and diverse content made by Canadians.

Many opportunities are arranged at BANFF to meet with programming executives for those seeking feedback with projects in development or stages of implementation, giving them access to international decision makers attending BANFF. These meetings and sessions include Breakfast with a Development Executive, Face-to-Face with a Development Executive, Lunch With a Development Executive, and happen on a recurring basis on the festival program.

The nextMEDIA breakout sessions at BANFF offer insight into the fluid and evolving digital media ecosystem, exploring three themes this year related to how digital content is created, distributed, consumed and monetized, while looking forward to future trends. Media-Related Technologies — mostly hardware components — encompassing app development, biometrics, physical computing, gaming technologies and second-screen technologies will be covered. Storytelling 3.0 reveals all tools, apps and platforms through which to share a story. Expect a breakdown of the synergies around Branded Content in which content producers and advertisers look for meaningful partnerships and mediums through which to tell their stories.

CBC Radio Canada will host the first major opening reception over hors d’oeuvres, hand-selected wines and locally-brewed beers at the annual Festival June 7 kick-off. It follows the returning “View From The Top” discussion between the leaders of international broadcasters, studios, and digital powerhouses engaging in conversations about the current state of storytelling in the global content industry and how digital platforms are affecting traditional strategies moving forward.

BANFF networking opportunities that take place include breakfasts, lunches, special ceremonies, galas, and the anticipated after-parties. Various delegate lounges, designed to connect its guests with attending producers, content creators, Development Executives, Commissioning Editors, are set up at various locations of the BANFF event area. The annual Rockies Awards Gala celebrates the "Best of the Best" in Content, featuring the Grand Jury Prize winner of the Program Competition and the special recognition Awards.

Netflix will host a late night After Party at the Spoke Club on June 8, but preceding that is a Cocktail Reception in honor of the French Delegation. A+E Network will present The Awards Reception and Gala on June 9 in the Alhambra Room, but before this celebration begins a cocktail reception in honor of the Mexican Delegation will be held in addition to a Kids and Animation Reception. BANFF’s closing party on June 10 happens in conjunction with Festival Music House.

Media and entertainment industry news source Variety is launching TUNE IN: Variety’s TV Summit 2015 in Beverly Hills, marking the return of its popular annual event dedicated to the television industry. With audiences splintered across new and varied traditional and digital programming platforms, the TV Summit will explore in a one-day June 9 session how to recognize opportunity to advance overall business. Networks, advertisers, showrunners, production companies, over-the-top channels and services will explore what it means to develop, market, monetize and distribute successful programming for today’s audiences and beyond. Keynote speakers for this summit include Chris Albrecht, CEO, Starz and Tom Forman, CEO, Relativity Television among other industry stalwarts. A wide selection of premium options across broadcast, cable/satellite, and newer over-the-top sources is increasingly spreading audiences thin across all the various platforms. In part, the summit addresses how the TV industry is working to connect its programming to audiences while monetizing it at the same time, the mix of over-the-air and online options needed to grow viewership, TV network chiefs debating how they are continuing to make their industry flourish.

This year marks the 21st edition of the Los Angeles Film Festival. The Festival screens nearly 200 narrative and documentary feature films, short films and music videos. The Los Angeles Film Festival highlights cinema from across the globe. In addition, the Festival presents a variety of panels, educational seminars, live music performances and free outdoor screenings. The Los Angeles Film Festival’s Future Filmmaker Showcase will present films made by aspiring filmmakers from across the country and the globe. In a diverse slate of films, selected high school filmmakers will present comedies, dramas, animation, experimental films and everything else in between. Besides film screenings, LA Film Fest will explore aspects of music, film score composition and comedy.

On June 11, Brian Transeau, one of the pioneers of modern American electronic music who made his debut as a film composer with the score for “Go" and since then has composed the music for such projects as Monster, The Fast and the Furious, Under Suspicion, discusses his craft and performs some selections from his film score career. Also, “Talk Score to Me: Filmmakers on Collaborating with Composers,” will be screenings and talks with Project Involve fellows and ASCAP composers (Mary-Lyn Chambers and Nicolas Repetto; Mark Columbus and Jordan Gagné;  Maritte Go and Amanda Jones; Peter Jin and Leo Kaliski; Marvin Lemus and Chrysanthe Tan; Ryan Velasquez and Agatha Kaspar). “Talk Score to Me” will be moderated by Jennifer Harmon, Director of Creative Services, Visual Media, ASCAP.

Web video portal Funny Or Die is reteaming with the LA Film Fest this year to host a mash-up comedy extravaganza celebrating diverse, unique voices in the comedy world. They will present this through a showcase of stand-up performances and comedy videos. Select videos from this "Make ‘em LAFF" competition will screen as part of the showcase. The chosen winner will meet with a Funny Or Die producer where they will pitch ideas for their next comedy video and once Funny Or Die approves a concept, they will co-produce the video and have it distributed on Funny Or Die. On June 13, Film Independent Curator Elvis Mitchell joins a tba filmmaker onstage for an intimate, off-the-record conversation titled, “Diversity Speaks: In Conversation," about the state of the film industry. At the festival conclusion June 18, a Zeitgeist Award Winner will be presented.

Presently set on more than 700 acres of farmland, Bonnaroo festival originally started with a primary focus on jam bands and folk rock. It has since diversified greatly over the years and now holds multiple stages (and tents) featuring a diverse array of musical styles including indie rock, classic rock, world music, Hip Hop, Jazz, Americana, Bluegrass, Country Music, Folk, Gospel, Reggae, Pop, Electronica, and other alternative music. Festival goers at Bonnaroo are usually referred to as Bonnaroovians. Expect to hear from the likes of musicians that include: Phoebe Ryan, Mumford & Sons, Gabriel Garzon-Montano, Earth Wind & Fire, Jai Wolf, Throwback Superjam Dance Party, Courtney Barnett, Deadmaus, Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas, Caribou, Kendrick Lamar, Natasha Leggero, Billy Joel, to name just a few. Bonnaroo has also listed some of its more notable “Experiences” and they include: Outrageous Nightly Parades, Frolic In The Fountain, Comedy Theatre, Splash-A-Roo & The Big Ass Waterslide, Snake & Jake’s Christmas Club Barn, Ferris Wheel and more.

Activity Tents on the campgrounds — aka “Tent City —  are a much anticipated draw at Bonnaroo. The Silent Disco tent is a novel mainstay where each person upon entering the tent is given a set of headphones that syncs with a DJ on the turntables. Everyone is listening to the same song through the headphones while appearing from the outside to be dancing to no music at all. An air-conditioned Cinema tent is set up screening new indies before they are released, documentaries, comedies, cult classics, fun live interactive happenings and even the last few episodes of Game of Thrones. Cinema Tent will also feature live Q&A sessions with guest filmmakers and actors as well as special cinematic performances with musicians and comedians. The Broo’ers Festival tent is an understandably popular attraction featuring a variety of breweries from all across the United States. "The Graffiti Wall" is a place for street artists to paint whatever they feel like painting.

Bonnaroo will host many costume parties that will be held in Snake & Jake's Christmas Club Barn. A Tiki Disco Tropical Party is scheduled for June 12. A southern NOLA Bounce Party where Booty shorts encouraged is scheduled for June 13. Bonnaroo’s closing day, June 14 is full of costume parties to attend. A stylized, modern house dance, known as Vogue, that evolved out of the Harlem ballroom scene in the 1980s is scheduled and will crown a Dance King and Queen of the ball. The second annual Robe Rage encourages people to come dressed in their best house robe, and will feature a special surprise musical guest. A 90s Rave party brings back the days of neon, necklaces and netting and the music is provided by Full Service Party. A Classic Hip Hop Party going back to the 90s and 80s encourages gold fronts, big chains and track suits. A Dancehall Reggae Party to spread vibes and positivity amid the red, gold and green of the Trenchtown Yard faithful closes out Bonnaroo’s Costume Party lineup.

Bangalore Shorts Film Festival began in 2012 to mark the 100 years celebration of Indian cinema and salute the contribution of the Kannada film industry towards the development of cinema in India. The festival provides a platform to aspiring and professional filmmakers for showcasing their talent with networking and marketing opportunities in the film industry. Festival objectives are to invigorate short films culture in India, promotion of upcoming filmmakers, develop sources of revenue generation for short films and to make short filmmaking a commercial enterprise. BSFF 2015 will add more workshops and master classes to the program. The Miniboxoffice Film Market will be a highlight for filmmakers who want to explore possibilities with feature film production. Screenplay Incubation is a suited category for writers to submit their screenplay for selection and submission to producers and directors for pitching consideration and funding evaluation. There is also the short film contest. Entry categories for Bangalore Shorts Film Festival-2015 include: shorts films, animation, documentaries and music videos.

NATPE Europe this year is held in the city of Prague and will put focus on Central and Eastern Europe. It will highlight the content revolution with a show encompassing TV Channels, Broadcast Networks, Cable/Satellite Networks, Internet/Broadband/Digital/Mobile Platforms and Home Entertainment, providing the Central and Eastern European media industry with a viable market. Event scheduling for NATPE Europe has been structured so that: Monday and Tuesday feature studio screenings that are “invitation only.” Registration will open June 22 and the market floor will open the next day. Full market days will be held June 24-25. Special events will be held on most days as will networking cocktails receptions that close each business day.

A conference session on opening day (June 22) tackles “Global TV Formats - What's Hot and What's Not?” produced in association with The Format Recognition and Protection Association (FRAPA). On June 23, there is a Breakfast Keynote with Adrian Hodges, creator of the BBC television series THE MUSKETEERS. A cocktail reception at Cloud 9 Sky Bar and Lounge follows later in the evening. The evening  of June 24 AXN hosts the NATPE Europe Party at the Municipal House, Republic Square. Market floor and suites are open for the final day of the convention. NATPE Prague follows on from NATPE Budapest a well established event which was previously known as “Discop.” The move from Budapest to Prague was done to shift focus to the EEC countries and the expansion of TV stations, regional, local and thematic channels and multiple pay-TV platforms.

Showcasing innovation in local and emerging tech hubs across America, Techweek Chicago is focused upon established industry producers and leaders of the future in emerging U.S. tech hubs. Although Techweek, opening June 22, is a seven-day event, the nexus of Techweek is a two-day technology conference and expo of music, fashion, startup competitions and more. Overall there are 12 standard events in various disciplines. Attendees to Techweek can gain industry insights for success in tech from speakers in panel discussions, experiential workshops, keynote addresses and fireside chats. From Q&A with experts at the Knowledge Bar or a CEO speaking on the Summit Stage, Techweek’s conference covers the pressing issues in technology.

Future Sound at Techweek is a music festival focused on the intersection of music and technology. The Future Sound Music Festival is usually the final technology event to be scheduled heading into the weekend. Fashion and technology meet in style at Techweek’s FashionTECH Runway show. The Runway Show includes the latest in wearable technology, innovative manufacturing, and e-commerce brands.  Also featured on the FashionTECH Runway are local tech entrepreneurs as they model the hottest tech and fashion trends. From networking breakfasts to late-night parties, Techweek Gatherings are planned breaks to unwind, grab a drink or a bite to eat, and talk tech with fellow attendees in an environment planned for some low-pressure networking and fun. Techweek and Harley Davidson will show a June 24 screening of Avengers: Age of Ultron presented by Harley-Davidson.

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-updates/monthly-event-calendar. If you like this report and other content found on The Actor's Checklist, please consider liking the Facebook page at this link. This month's photo placement displays activity of the touring Makeup Show which will be in Dallas from June 13-14. If the photos do not appear in this post please visit the blog page to view it. Looking ahead into the next month, heading into the slower summer period, be aware that: The Galway Film Fleadh is in Galway. Long Island Film/TV Foundation and the Nassau County Film Commission will launch the annual Long Island International Film Expo in Bellmore. The San Francisco Frozen Film Festival (SFFFF) will be run from the heart of the Mission District. Fantasia International Film Festival will open in Montreal. The Latin Alternative Music Conference 2015 comes to New York City. Locarno International Film Festival 2015 will again be set in the Swiss-Italian border town. Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF), one of the oldest film festivals in the world is in Melbourne.

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.

NAB 2015, Tribeca Film Festival, Apps World Germany, Dada Saheb Phalke Film Fest, are highlights in April's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

New Orleans’ French Quarter Festival supports the local music community and only schedules local musicians regardless of the style of music they play. The Festival has over 20 stages featuring every genre from gospel to jazz, from funk to classical, from Cajun and Zydeco to brass bands. All music programming is free to the public. The community festival also features the ‘World’s Largest Jazz Brunch’ and festival food booths operated by some of New Orleans finer restaurants.

French Quarter Festival takes place throughout the historic French Quarter (Vieux Carre) neighborhood in New Orleans. Music stages are located at Jackson Square, Woldenberg Riverfront Park, Bourbon Street, Royal Street, Bienville Triangle, Preservation Hall, the French Market and other significant points throughout the French Quarter district. Music performances are made possible by the French Quarter Festival Musician Sponsors, American Federation of Musicians, New Orleans Local No. 174-496, the Music Performance Trust Fund, and over 100 entertainment sponsors.

From its April 9 start, French Quarter Festival features a number of special events highlighting the unique culture of the region. The French Market Traditional Jazz Stage and the Chevron Cajun-Zydeco Showcase will feature dancing and classes on April 10. Also on the same day, the story of New Orleans’ black carnival traditions: the Zulus, Indians, Baby Dolls, Skeletons and the men and women who carried on these traditions for over a century is part of a film festival. Operatic performances with musical accompaniment sponsored by the French Market happen at dusk.

The Festival has programmed the Pirates Alley Juried Art Show presented by the New Orleans Art Association on April 11. On the same day, French Quarter Festival and the NOLA Jitterbugs present free sessions in: 1920s Charleston, Swing, Cajun Jitterbug and Zydeco dance lessons. The final festival day, April 12, opens with the Pirates Alley Juried Art Show, followed later with panels on Louisiana Music. A Film Festival about French Quarter Festival is presented by Timecode:NOLA. French Quarter Festival closes with Dancing At Dusk.

Now in its 24th year, the Florida Film Festival in Maitland is an Oscar®-qualifying festival premiering independent, and international cinema. For ten days after the April 10 opening, 170 film screenings and special events give film lovers the opportunity to mingle with filmmakers and actors over hand-crafted cocktails and a food menu from Eden Bar inside the theater and other settings. The Opening Night Film screening and reception features "Welcome to Me" and “Submarine Sandwich.” The genre categories for the festival include: shorts, documentaries, features, international entries, spotlight selections, midnight screenings, family oriented programming, Florida themed films, music and retro channels, Tastemaker Picks.

There are scheduled discussions, and on April 15 a “Film In Florida” talk, sponsored by Orlando Film Commission will be an Everything You Need to Know Guide for filming in Florida, from locations, to incentives, and everything in between. This discussion event, which is free to the public, is followed by a mix-and-mingle with industry professionals and fellow filmmakers. An April 17 Filmmaker Forum is the festival’s annual exchange of ideas and know-how, and first hand accounts of trials and triumphs from the filmmaker’s themselves, moderated by Rollins College Professor Denise Cummings, Chair of the Department of Critical Media and Cultural Studies.

And Florida Film Festival is never short on parties and other networking events for their guests and even the public to be part of. Aside from the Opening Night Party there is a Whole Foods Market tasting on April 11 for guests to sample the spread of natural and organic tastes of Whole Foods Market. A Sunday Brunch Buffet prepared by Enzian’s chef is scheduled for April 12. A Block Party with live music for Festival ticket and pass holders provides free drinks and appetizers from select Winter Park Village restaurants. On April 13, the Monday Night Pitcher Show is a free screening for the public on the lawn. Other Pitcher Shows follow on April 15 and 16. The Florida Film Mixer is a post screening discussion as well as mix and mingle with industry professionals on April 15. An invitation only Industry Party at Taps Restaurant Bar and Lounge on April 17 serves craft and imported beers and wine and food.

The annual NAB Show serves the digital media and entertainment industries and is a showcase for next-generation tools to develop, manage and deliver content across all electronic/digital platforms. There will be a sizable array of program offerings from conference and exhibitor presenters. The activity areas served include, but are not limited to: broadcast, digital media, film, entertainment, telecom, post-production, education, houses of worship. New attractions set for 2015 will include Connected Media|IP, focusing on the consumer experience; the Drone Pavilion, featuring a fully enclosed “flying cage” for demonstrations; New Media Expo (NMX) hosting celebrity bloggers, podcasters and digital content creators; SPROCKIT, where market-ready startups present their new ideas; StudioXperience, a live studio using all the latest tools and so much more.

Within NAB’s Conference segment, the Media Finance and Investor Conference is produced in partnership with Noble Financial Capital Markets featuring discussions at the corporate CEO, CFO, and investor relations level around technology investments, economic outlook panel discussions around ad growth. NAB's exhibition/pavilion area - Futures Park - holds a showcase of advanced projects presented by NAB Labs. Expect demonstrations of high-tech media developments in progress, prototypes, and products not yet available for sale from academic, government, and commercial research laboratories in the United States and around the world. New Media Expo (NMX) features bloggers, podcasters, Web TV content creators and social media visionaries. The conference includes more than 100 educational sessions within new media exhibits and the popular Speed Networking sessions. The three-day Creative Masters Series program offers perspective from directors, show runners, creative crew, studio and network production executives as they share insights on: cinematography in post production, advancing story through sound, editor’s role in production, advances in animation, augmented reality and other areas.

SPROCKIT Pavilion at NAB showcases a collection of market-ready startups influencing transformation in the media and entertainment industry. Principals that run these innovative operations have been vetted by some of the industry’s leading media, entertainment and investment organizations to present at the NAB Show. A partial roll call of the companies taking part include, aioTV, a video platform that enables service providers and content owners to aggregate multiple sources of live, on-demand and freely available video content into a single, unified TV experience; Videogram, a tool that allows consumers to get a quick overview of an entire video's contents without watching the entire video from beginning to end; Bcast, a next generation social broadcasting network, platform and application that enables users to instantly broadcast live streaming videos at any time; Yottio, a real-time video screening and trafficking platform for media makers. NAB’s website is the best source to check for a full program guide to the NAB Convention.

The Seventh Annual TV and Film Finance Forum is a one-day conference set for April 14 focused on financial strategies and opportunities within the television and film business. This New York City forum is designed for chief investment officers, private equity and hedge fund managers, angel investors, high net worth individuals, private family office managers, and financial advisers who are interested in learning more about the TV and film business and networking with seasoned deal-makers in the industry. Additionally film and TV executives working on operational, financing, production and distribution strategies are also expected to attend.

Confirmed speakers for Seventh Annual TV and Film Finance Forum include financiers and producers of “Boyhood" and “Imitation Game" along with investors in companies such as Legendary Pictures, Lakeshore and ALCON. Topics to be addressed include: How Television Can Mine Bigger Data and Better Revenue, Generating Revenues on a Global Scale, Keynote on the Value of Original Content, Identifying and Monetizing the New Face of Television, Bridging the Gap Between Financiers and Producers, The Capital Stack Re-Defined, Keynote Conversation on Financing Award-Winning Films, Alternative Investment Views on Emerging Opportunities.

New York Festival's World's Best TV and Films competition honors programming in all lengths and forms from over 50 countries. This event happens in Las Vegas during the same time frame for NAB 2015. The program opens April 14 with Cocktail Reception and Red Carpet Interviews, then Awards presentation, closes with Champagne Reception. Hosted by Rose Anderson, Executive Director, New York Festivals International Television and Film Awards. Dress is business attire. April 15 is dedicated to the New York Festivals Creative Masters Session, South Hall LVCC. New York Festival's World's Best TV and Films competition honors programming in all lengths and forms from over 50 countries.

Dedicated to both the Television and Film industries, categories mirror today's global trends and encourage the next generation of story-tellers and talent: Animation, Comedy, Corporate, Drama, Documentary, Feature Films, Movie Trailers, Music Videos, News, Promos, Reality TV Drama, Sports, Telenovelas, Webisodes, Best Performance by an Actor/Actress, Special Event, Innovation, Technical Production Team, CSR, Best Screenplay, Video Art, and Best Host. There are also presentations for the Lifetime Achievement Award, Grand Awards, Broadcaster of the Year, Production Company of the Year, and United Nations winners.

The Tribeca Film Festival was founded to celebrate New York City as a major filmmaking center and to contribute to the long-term recovery of lower Manhattan. The Festival's program line-up includes a variety of independent films including documentaries, narrative features and shorts, as well as a program of family-friendly films. The Festival also features panel discussions with personalities in the entertainment world and a music lounge produced with ASCAP to showcase artists. This year’s festival running April 15-26 reveals an added emphasis for retrospective (and memorable) tributes. In just one such retrospective, TFF 2015 presents, The 80’s Strike Back at the Tribeca Film Festival: Broderick, Schwarzenegger and Rourke. The evenings program will revisit their iconic 80’s film accomplishments and have a look at their current projects -- all celebrating their world premieres at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival. Another very hot ticket item at this year’s festival is expected to be “Sinatra at 100: Film and Music...”

TFF 2015 has called on Tony Bennet, Lea DeLaria, Savion Glover and others to take part in “Sinatra at 100: Film and Music...” a centennial celebration honoring Frank Sinatra’s legendary music and film career. The program is set to screen two Sinatra classics — Some Came Running, and High Society — on April 24. But the centerpiece of the celebration happens on April 21, with an evening of film and music. After a new digital restoration of On The Town, from Warner Bros., the Sinatra family shares the spotlight and there are performances by legendary vocalist Tony Bennett, musician Brandon Flowers (The Killers), Rap artist, NE-Yo, comedian, actress and jazz musician Lea DeLaria (Orange is the New Black), dancer and choreographer Savion Glover, singer/songwriter Alice Smith, and bandleader/songwriter JC Hopkins and the 12-piece JC Hopkins Biggish Band.

In honor of GoodFellas' 25th Anniversary Celebration, the creators and cast members will reunite for a converstion after the Closing Night screening. Based on a true-life bestseller, GoodFellas follows Henry Hill and his friends as they climb up the mob ranks. A standout exploration of criminal life backed by a dynamic pop/rock oldies soundtrack, the film won accolades on its release and has been hailed by film critic circles as the best film of the decade. Now it has been remastered from the original camera negative, supervised by Martin Scorsese. Spend the closing weekend of the Festival (April 24) in amusement celebrating the 40th anniversary of the classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail with the legends themselves, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. To complete the celebration, select Pythons will introduce the premiere of a new documentary and retrospective screenings of their movie masterworks, all weekend long.

The COLCOA is committed to raising awareness of new French cinema in the U.S. and to showcasing them in the filmmaking capital -- Hollywood. Submissions in the mix include: comedies and dramas, box office hits in France and novelties, first features and films from established writer-directors, documentaries, animation features, short films, art house movies as well as mainstream films. Scheduled after the Academy Awards® and before the Cannes Film Festival, the eight day festival runs through April 28. Several features are presented at COLCOA for the first time in North America or in the U.S. COLCOA has reportedly made good selections a year before their commercial release in the U.S., placing the annual Hollywood event on the radar of U.S. film distributors. In 2008, an educational program was also launched to promote foreign films among young American audiences in association with E.L.M.A (European Languages and Movies in America). Thousands of high school students and 95 high schools in Los Angeles County have participated in the program since 2008. In 2010, a master class program was introduced for colleges, film schools and universities.

From Berlin, TV and Multi-screen Screen Apps conference at Apps World Germany will examine the ways in which the TV viewing experience is evolving and growing from the multitude of devices that have surfaced in the connected ecosystem. It will explore the different opportunities and challenges for content producers, operators, aggregators, developers and device manufacturers. The agenda for two days opening April 22 holds ten workshop tracks aside from exhibitions and networking and special events.

Workshop track, "TV and Multi-Screen, Defining the multi screen opportunities for the TV revolution," will have keynote speakers, Prof. Wolfram Winter, Executive Vice President Communications and Public Affairs, Sky Deutschland. The other keynote speaker is Matthias Buechs, Member of the Board of Management, RTL Interactive, Director Online, RTL Interactive GmBH. Following the keynotes, sessions in TV and Multi-Screen breakdown as follows: Industry Overview, Monetisation and T-Commerce, TV Everywhere, Multi-Platform Engagement. The Gaming workshop at Apps World will examine how developers can take advantage of the continued rise in mobile gaming. Sessions will examine the developer and design of gaming apps and the business side of launching these in the market.

Other Apps World highlights include: free to attend technical Developer Zone workshops focusing on a variety of platforms and insight for developers, free to attend Droidworld workshops – dealing with the key issues for Android developers, Free to attend exhibition, Multiple tracks covering the entire app ecosystem from marketers to operators and everything in-between, niche workshops exploring developing areas of the app industry such as TV apps and automotive apps.

Apps World Germany has formed partnerships with local meet-up groups in Berlin for this year’s event. The groups become a big meetup on the show floor and will include: Google Developer Group Berlin Android (GDG), betahaus, Geek Girls Carrotts Berlin, Silicon Valley Mindset, hub:raum, Bitcoin Startups Berlin, BeMyApp, Mobile Monday (MoMo), Web Devs HQ Berlin, UX Designers HQ Berlin, Freelancers HQ Berlin, The Functional Club.

The Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival was established to celebrate Indian cinema and honor the legacy of the late Shri Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, regarded as the father of Indian Cinema and fondly remembered as Dada Saheb Phalke by the film fraternity in international filmmaking circles. It is a not-to-profit, non-commercial, independent film festival, originally begun in 2011 in Noida (Delhi NCR) with a mission to celebrate the cinema and work of aspiring, young, independent and professional filmmakers. A primary objective of the festival is to mark the April 30 birth anniversary of the late Shri Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, regarded as the father of Indian Cinema and fondly remembered as Dada Saheb Phalke by the film fraternity in international filmmaking circles.

Film entries, which are international in scope, fill sections for feature films, short films, documentaries, animations, music videos and commercials. The festival awards the filmmakers in production, creative and performance categories. The festival will offer a Co-Production Meet: Film Market-15; Screenplay Incubation: Script Contest; Master Class on Short Films Marketing, Promotion, Distribution and Revenue Generation; Film Business Meet: Film Market-15; Master Class on Film Funding; 21 Days Animation Project: Short Animation Contest; 5 Shifts Film Project: Short Fimmaking Contest. Founded by the Educationexpo TV, an entertainment research and branding company and managed by Miniboxoffice, Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival-15 is open to filmmakers of all ages. Its intent is to find and cultivate talented future members of the entertainment industry.

The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the "Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events" page at: http://www.actorschecklist.com/index.php/news-updates/monthly-event-calendar. 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 displays the Universal film franchise "Furious7" as it set box office records across the globe in its opening week. Also, Tribeca Film Festival will have a 100th anniversary celebration honoring the film and musical legacy of Frank Sinatra. If the photos do not appear in this post please visit the blog page to view it. Looking ahead into the next month be aware that: Streaming Media switches from West Coast to East Coast East and arrives in New York City as Streaming Media East, footageMarketplace London opens in London, New York Festivals International Advertising Awards has ceremonies in New York City, Casual Connect Asia 2015  produced by the Casual Games Association is set for Singapore, New York International Short Film Festival will be in New York City, Cine Gear Expo opens in Los Angeles, Seattle International Film Festival opens for a three week run in Seattle.

Entertainment Finance Forum, Cartoomics Movies Comics Games, SXSW, FILMART, are event highlights in March

 

The Byron Bay International Film Festival is open to films of all lengths and all genres. All films entered will automatically be considered for nomination in any award categories that the film might qualify for during the selection process. BBFF awards include but are not limited to Best Film, Documentary, Short Film, Drama, Cinematography, Surf Film, Animation, Experimental Film, Environmental Film, Music Video, Best Young Australian Filmmaker (open to Australian Director’s under 25) and an award for the Best Local Film. Normally submissions are handled via the website or email inquiries can be sent to: submissions@bbff.com.au. The Red Carpet Festival Opener is Tony Benn: Will & Testament, a feature-length documentary about the late British political firebrand, socialist and tireless fighter against privilege and injustice filmed over the last two years of his life.

BBFF2015 will host innovative figures in the film industry for workshops, panels and networking events focusing on the art and business of film. Typical of this is the March 7 event, Magic Happens in The Dark: A Filmmakers view of Festivals, where a panel will share their emotional and professional journey onto and around the International Film Festival circuit. Submission tactics and reactions to dismissals or acceptances will be discussed, as will the much coveted final screening. Another free panel on March 8, At Your Own Risk: How Far Will A Director Go To Make A Film?, a panel of filmmakers will discuss the considerable hurdles they have faced in production that require a fine balance of judgment and diplomacy, like shooting hazardous events, dealing in sensitive content and finding themselves in illegal situations. For March 15, an exploration of the ABC Open: Makers and Creators Project will show how to storyboard, shoot and edit a short video then publish it on the ABC (www.abc.net.au/openprojects) with the new ABC Open Makers and Creators project. ABC Open Producer Jeff Licence offers insights to develop storytelling skills and get involved in making videos. The theme for the video is Makers and Creators.

In other special events, BBFF2015 has invited actor David Wenham, of "Pirates Of The Caribbean 5" fame, for a special presentation about his latest film, Force Of Destiny, set for March 7 with the Director Paul Cox in attendance as well. Audiences will have a sneak preview at some of the film's scenes before the film premieres at Melbourne International Film Festival. The Festival’s ongoing “Experimental” category will showcase the cutting-edge of film as art at a free session presented in a “gallery” format. Approximately 20 films from across the globe will be screened on March 12. Another Red Carpet Gala Party on March 14 precedes the festival close on March 15 with a screening of Zen and the Art of Dying, the closing night highlight made by BBFF Alumni Filmmaker Broderick Fox.

Entertainment Finance Forum was conceived and produced by conference operator specializing in film finance conferences, Winston Baker, to provide insight to equity and debt financiers on investment opportunities, challenges and strategies for increased upside as they relate to film, TV and innovations in the digital space. The forum also offers workshops and sessions for producers and innovators looking for effective approaches to fundraising, marketing, distribution, and profitability.

The notable speaking faculty features some of the industry’s most seasoned executives and financiers, award-winning producers, and the newest innovators. Keynote speakers will include leading industry executives and active investors such as James Moore, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of Vine Alternative Investments, who recently announced the closing of the company’s third fund focused on investments in film, television, and entertainment assets with over $500 million of capital commitments. EuropaCorp Chief Executive Officer Christophe Lambert and Schuyler Moore, Partner, Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP will also serve as keynotes.

In addition to insightful keynotes, the Los Angeles forum will host workshops on film and TV finance, crowdfunding and production incentives. Featured panel discussions will address: Equity Evolved: Approaches to Smarter Money, Distribution Disrupted: Emerging Independent Platforms, Television Redefined: New Business Models and Revenue Streams, Getting in on the Action of the Big Gaming Industry, Racing for the Gold Rush: Taking Mobile Apps from Development to Market.

Over the three day forum that closes March 11, day one workshops will include: Capitalizing on Crowdfunding, Navigating and Monetizing Production Incentives, Fundamentals of Film Finance, TV Finance 101. Day two workshops are: State of the Industry: The Future of the Big Screen, Equity Evolved: Approaches to Smarter Money, Sky’s the Limit: Sourcing the Capital Stack for Single Picture Deals, Distribution Disrupted: Emerging Independent Platforms, Measurable and Engaging Approaches to Brand Funded Programming, Television Redefined: Shifting Business Models and New Revenue Streams. Day three workshops are: Getting in on the Action of the Big Gaming Industry, Ctrl Alt Delete: Music Rebooted, 360 Degree Marketing: Utilizing the Digital Angle to Increase Returns, Racing for the Gold Rush: Taking Mobile Apps from Development to Market.

Like Comic-Con in San Diego and Supanova Pop Culture in Melbourne, Cartoomics Movies Comics Games shapes up as the Milano version of these popular pop culture destinations. This three day event showcases products like comics, movies, cartoon, video games, collectibles, to that of fantasy based products and services. Operation Fear Film Festival presents, in collaboration with Cartoomics 2015, the latest film by director Ivan Zuccon. A screening will be given March 15, the result of a Italian-American co-production effort, and has in its cast two scream queens well known to fans of Troma's Lloyd Kaufman -- Tiffany Shepis and Debbie Rochon. Like other pop culture conventions, one of the more popular events will be the Cosplay contest. The Cosplay competition starts on opening day with the Light Cosplay Contest, a small parade dedicated to cosplayer that, in addition to free admission, will parade onto a stage to sufficiently display the creations from the Cosplay competitors.

Day two of Cartoomics' Cosplay competition will be the presenting of the Cinecosplay Award, awarded to a cosplayer whose dress is inspired solely to the world of film, TV series and feature film animation. On the final day, hundreds of cosplayers, made up of groups and couples, will perform to show an assembled audience their creations, presided over by an international jury. For Star Wars fans, the large area dedicated to Star Wars in the Sci-Fi Area of Cartoomics 2015 this year will turn into the desert planet of Tatooine, one of the locations most beloved by fans of the saga. In addition to scenes depicting environments on the planet will be exhibited numerous themed props, many of which have never been exhibited before and were made ​​specifically for the Milano event. There will be members of the two Legions: the 501st Italica Garrison and the Rebel Legion Italian Base (the only two groups of Italian Star Wars costuming approved by Lucasfilm). Costumed groups will be available for photographs and interactions with visitors both before and during official parades.

 

 

SXSW is arguably the highest profile event of the month, encompassing three major topic areas: music, film and interactive tech. SXSW Music is a large festival with more than 2,200 official performers and bands playing in more than 100 venues. The festival offers artist-provided music and video samples of featured artists on their official YouTube channel. SXSW Film focuses on new directing talent. SXSW Interactive is focused on emerging technology, and the festival includes a trade show, speakers, parties, and a startup accelerator. There are also official Welcome Events to get things started at SXSW. Attendees can open their SXSW experience by enjoying food, drink and networking. Film, Interactive, Platinum and Gold registrants can sign on for the BBQ Crash Course or the Film and Interactive Taco Meet Up on March 13. Platinum and Music registrants have the opportunity to attend the Music Taco Meetup on March 20 or the Music Mixer on March 18. South by Southwest is run by the company SXSW, Inc. which plans and executes conferences, trade shows, festivals, and other events.

This year the SXSW Job Market is presented by Publicis Groupe and is open to the public March 13-14 with free Guest Pass wristbands, available in advance or onsite at the event. Visit guestpass.sxsw.com for more information. The 29th annual South By Southwest Closing Barbecue and Softball Tournament, the traditional closing social event of the SXSW week, runs from 12:30-17:30 on March 22. The accompanying SXSW Barbecue serves up an authentic Texas spread with all the trimmings (vegetarian options as well), prepared by local Ruby’s BBQ, plus beer, water, and soft drinks. SXSW hosts acts in every stage of their development, including music legends such as Dave Grohl, Stevie Nicks, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, LL Cool J, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and Depeche Mode. Sonicbids is the exclusive online musical event application platform for the way SXSW handles showcase inquiries. Programming offered by the three festivals (Music, Film, Interactive) is a vast offering. Following, is a paragraph by paragraph roundup of selected highlights captured from each individual festival. Film submission inquiries to SXSW are done through the website at this link: www.sxsw.com/film/screenings/submit. Inquiries about speaking opportunities must go through SXSW PanelPicker page (panelpicker.sxsw.com) for more information.

SXSW opens with Interactive, running March 13-17. Featured Sessions at Interactive showcase reveals the innovative thinkers of the field. Charlene Li, Altimeter Group, leads a session to look at how leaders can use technology to listen, share, and engage with employees and customers, at scale. Google’s Eric Schmidt joins Walter Isaacson, author of Steve Jobs and The Innovators, and Megan Smith, Chief Technology Officer of the United States, discuss the role of collaboration and the iterative nature of progress in all the major innovations of the digital age. At a fireside chat, Mashable’s Pete Cashmore will cover how technology, social media and the explosion of digital have will affect the world’s consumption habits, business models and the way we live. In an interview, Kevin from KROQ's Kevin and Bean show has, A Conversation with Jimmy Kimmel, where Kimmel will share how he got his start, show highlights from some of his favorite moments, and delve into his work as the host and executive producer of his show.

SXSW’s Film Festival segment goes from March 13-21. A conference is part of the program covering a breadth of topics, from digital release strategies, to filmmaking techniques, production, and casting. Some of the vital segments of the film area will be Keynotes consisting of 20 minute one-on-one moderated interviews with three different insiders; mentor sessions that offer attendees one-on-one interaction with industry experts and creative game changers; Future15s that are three high energy, fifteen-minute sessions packed into one hour, structured for informativeness and focus; the Featured Sessions that also include the Conversation series with iconic filmmakers, actors and industry leaders moderated by a noted journalist, academic or fellow creative; workshops covering the latest trends in the industry, providing practical knowledge and inspiration in the form of hands-on experience; mentor sessions that offer attendees one-on-one interaction with industry experts and creative game changers. An offshoot of Film, SXSW Comedy, presents showcases, live recordings, conversations, improvisations, and late night parties. Wristband holders also welcome to all SXSW Comedy events at Esther's Follies, The Hideout, and The North Door.

The South by Southwest (SXSW) Music and Media Conference runs March 17-22. At day there are the panels, talks, the Trade Show, Music Gear Expo and other conference activities at the Austin Convention Center. Panel topics cover everything from touring to releasing your own music to practically every aspect of the music business. SXSW hosts networking opportunities, career-building conference programming and over 100 stages of music for showcasing bands and conference attendees. At night attendees are treated to musical performances from over 2,200 regional, national and international acts taking place at the SXSW Music Festival. SXSW Music Festival showcases occur at over 100 venues throughout downtown Austin. How could anyone know if their favorite band or musical artist is performing this year at SXSW? This linked page () is a breakdown of music rvents sorted by Name on Any Day limited to Showcase. Something to know about the city of Austin is it’s official slogan as “The Live Music Capital of the World,” attributed to the many nightclubs on 6th Street district. The concentration of restaurants, bars, and music venues in the city's downtown core designates its zip code as encompassing the downtown entertainment district hosts the most bar or alcohol-serving establishments in the U.S.A.

The Hong Kong International Film and TV Market - also known as FILMART - is a four day film and entertainment market from March 23, organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). FILMART focuses on the needs of professionals in areas such as distribution, production and acquisition of film, TV programmes, animation, digital entertainment, games, production and post-production services, shooting locations, film commissions, film festivals, film insurance and film financing.

The convention was formed to promote Hong Kong as a regional hub for distribution and production of film, TV programs and entertainment-related products in Asia pacific and to promote cross-media, cross-businesses partnerships. The convention projects itself through a range of exhibit categories, including: finance, film insurance, entertainment-related professional services. film and entertainment festivals/fairs organizers, artist management, cinema operation and management, production and post-production services, pre-production and shooting locations mandated by film commissions, distribution, production and acquisition of film, TV programmes, animation, digital entertainment/games, to list a few areas.

The 13th Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) is a marquee area at the convention, happening March 23-25. The HAF brings Asian filmmakers with upcoming film projects to Hong Kong for co-production ventures with film financiers, producers, investors, distributors and buyers. 25-30 projects are selected annually to participate in the three-day event.

TV World 2015 will be in its ninth edition as co-located trade platform with a variety of TV-related business sectors along with FILMART. TV World has set up pavilions covering related sectors, including film, TV, animation, digital entertainment, short films, equipment, post-production and location shooting. A key event here is the International Forum with a panel sharing insights on the development and opportunities in the TV sector. Two anticipated special events of TV World 2015 will be the TV World Opening Ceremony and the TV World International Forum.

Convention organizer the Hong Kong Trade Development Council is a statutory body established in 1966 as the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based manufacturers, traders and service providers. The organisation has more than 40 offices around the world, including 13 on the Chinese mainland. The HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and Asia, with opportunities in Hong Kong and on the mainland, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and online.

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-updates/monthly-event-calendar. 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 displays the South by Southwest convention logo which will be happening in Austin from March 13-22 and the Cartoomics Movies Comics Games pop culture convention in Milano. If the photo does not appear in this post please visit the blog page to view it. Looking ahead into the next month be aware that: Seventh Annual TV and Film Finance Forum will be in New York City, NAB Show 2015 is in Las Vegas, 2015 Florida Film Festival is in Maitland, WonderCon Anaheim 2015 comic and pop culture convention is in Anaheim, MusExpo 2015 will be in Hollywood, Supanova Pop Culture Expo will be in Melbourne, Mipdoc/Miptv will be in Cannes, AppsWorld: TV and Multi-screen will be in Berlin.