Miami International Film Festival, Cable Congress '09, Leadership Music Digital Summit, South Beach International Animation Film Festival, Film, Stage & Showbiz Expo

The Durango Independent Film Festival, happening in Durango, will have
an array of festival events including late night parties for filmmakers
and VIPs running through March 8. The annual Chicago International
Movies and Music Festival brings together movies and music, showcasing
films about music, movie scores and soundtracks, and other syntheses of
moving images and musical performance such as the world premiere of
musician Martin Atkins' directorial debut about his foray into the
Chinese musical underground, '16 Days In China', during the festival's
run March 5-8. Interactive discussion panels planned for the Puerto
Rico Music Business Conference enable its participants to receive
strategies, recommendations and true-life tales, applicable to any
music genre, from experts currently shaping industry events. The Miami
International Film Festival whose program is international in scope,
but with a special emphasis on Ibero-American cinema, hosts over 350
filmmakers, producers, talent and industry representatives from around
the world, during it's run, March 6-15. Entertainment industry career
guidance group urnetworkalliance is hosting a series of power breakfast
sessions on Saturdays during the month of March. At the opening session
Lelia Shearer, Casting Associate of Elissa Myers Casting, currently
casting a mini series for PBS, will be in attendance. Joining the
sessions is possible through the group's Meetup page
(www.meetup.com/urnetworkalliance/calendar/9613814/) or email to: info@urnetworkalliance.info

The Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and
Sciences holds its annual Career Day Seminar on March 14, for college
students interested in television as a career and for young
professionals looking to advance in their profession. Certainly on the
cutting edge, U.K. based group Crossover Play explores new forms of
entertainment for digital media: the relationship between play and
narrative, formats dependent on user contributions, mobile or location
based entertainment with a broadcast component. It engages all this at
the Sheffield Doc/Fest, March 15-20, and the group has presence on
Facebook and Myspace as well. At Cable Congress '09 in Berlin, view
tomorrow's technology and discover the latest content available at the
exhibition, in addition to panels featuring top executives from Europe
and the world's leading cable, technology and media companies. Then
meet your peers at the exclusive Gala Dinner, Lounge Bar, buffet
lunches or coffee breaks, all taking place March 18-20. The United
States Institute for Theatre Technology Annual Conference & Stage
Expo offers over 175 sessions featuring design, technology, costume,
sound, architecture, management, engineering, and production. With over
150 exhibitors the Stage Expo provides conference attendees with the
opportunity to see the newest products and services on the market
today, when it runs March 18-21 in Cincinnati. Chicago Filmmakers Open
Screening is back in operation, and it gets going again with a March 21
start date showing practically anything of a 20 minute duration that
comes through the door, except of course, for X-rated material.

The
upcoming Film/TV Production & Finance Summit taking place in Los
Angeles, March 23-24, tackles current challenges attached to financing
a film, television or online content in the current economy, as well as
to address international co-ventures between the U.S. and Canada, how
to make money through branding products with your content, online
distribution, as well as, how to get the Film/TV production distributed
and financed by studios. The Leadership Music Digital Summit, produced
by Leadership Music, an educational 501(c)(3) focused on cultivating an
educated, issue-oriented music community,  conducts the Summit, March
23-25 in Nashville to identify and explore new technology
opportunities, innovations, and challenges, and to foster a
knowledgeable, issue-oriented, vibrant community of music
professionals. At this year's 2009 Game Developers Conference,
happening March 23-27 in San Francisco, some of the party and
networking functions will include: Playstation Interactive Lounge;
Intel Visual Adrenaline Lounge; Game Connection Reception; IGDA
Members-Only Party; ISM Charity Poker Tournament; GDC World Mixer;
Booth Crawl. NXT STAGE Online & Mobile Entertainment Conference
& Market, is a market conference and networking forum to discover
future trends and digital content, March 24-25 in Hollywood. This years
IPTV World Forum 2009 in London will continue to address the key
strategic issues for telcos deploying IPTV, and will also focus on the
challenges facing satellite and internet broadcasters, when it runs
March 25-27. This year's South Beach International Animation Film
Festival, running March 26 - April 5, offers screenings, parties and
special events taking place at a variety of venues around Miami and the
Beaches, along with art exhibits, hands-on demonstrations, seminars,
and workshops about the newest technology and creative software. Film,
Stage & Showbiz Expo will take place March 31 in New York, and will
highlight some of the following areas: film festival, designer's
showcase, focus groups, round table meetings for networking, movie reel
showcase, original music showcase, headshot lane, live audition
recording, and much more.

The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the "Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events"
page at actorschecklist.com/news.html. Video and podcast versions of
this news summary are also available at popular video sites around the
Web like MySpace, YouTube, Daily Motion, as well as on The Actor's
Checklist podcast blog at actorschecklist.com/loudblog, a great place to get your iPhone, ipod or Apple TV download from. The Free Home Video Showcase at www.actorschecklist.com/video
now serves as an archive for all past video presentations. This month
on video you will again see an interesting array of performing artists
from the indie sector on video, in a lineup that will be announced. The
Actor's Checklist continues to build it's archive of high quality
digital video. All past video uploads of the monthly news summary are
now archived without the audio news narration to the Free Home Video Showcase.

MusiCares Tribute, NAACP Image Awards, Grammy Awards, GSMA Mobile World Congress, 81st Academy Awards, Noise Pop Film Fest

Blues musicians from around the world will compete for cash, prizes, and industry recognition, performing in 18 venues along Beale Street, as The Blues Foundation presents the 25th Annual International Blues Challenge in Memphis, running through February 7. In Directors Close-Up: Conversations on the Art of Filmmaking, a series running through March 11 in Los Angeles, indie directors and their collaborators explore specific aspects of their craft, and allow you to ask questions, examine their work, and get a rare insight into the creative process. For nine days during the Berlinale, also known as the Berlin International Film Festival, film professionals have the opportunity to get informed about the latest productions and developments in the global film scene, for an event that has come to be known as The European Film Market, running February 5-15. The 17th Annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival opens this year’s festival, running February 5-16 in Los Angeles, with the acclaimed South African drama “Jerusalema” directed by Ralph Zinman, hosted by 2009 PAFF Celebrity Host Blair Underwood. Musical artist support group, MusiCares, will present the Person of the Year Tribute To Neil Diamond, February 6 in Los Angeles. The Urban Individualists (helene_ruizartist@yahoo.com), a multicultural network of collaborating individualists, presents an exhibit, "Space and Time" that contemplates the subtle and apparent aspects and perspectives of connections and disconnections of time and space, opening with a gallery reception on February 7 and continuing through February 21, in New York's East Village.

The “Guru of Rom-Com” and author of the screenwriting textbook, 'Writing the Romantic Comedy', Billy Mernit shares secrets about writing for this genre learned during his tenure in the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program, and his background as a writer, lyricist and script consultant, when he sits in at a February 7 Alameda Writers Group meeting in Glendale. The Writers Guild of America, hosts its annual Writers Guild Awards, February 7 in Los Angeles. Jimmy Kimmel will host the 51st Grammy Awards, February 8 in Los Angeles, which will be broadcast in HDTV and 5.1 Surround Sound on the CBS Television Network from 8-11:30 pm (ET/PT), as well as on grammy.com and cbs.com. The NAACP Image Awards, held in Los Angeles, February 12, is the nation's premier event celebrating the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts (motion picture, television, recording, and literature), as well as those individuals or groups who promote social justice through their creative endeavors. The GSMA Mobile World Congress, February 16-19 in Barcelona, combines the world's largest exhibition for the mobile industry with a viable congress that brings together prominent leaders and personalities from mobile operators and equipment vendors, as well as Internet and entertainment professionals. Director John Reiss ('Bomb It') shares his experience and insights regarding self distribution, passing along his acquired wisdom about the tools and tips of how to self distribute a film and get it seen by the widest possible audience, when he speaks at a Film Independent workshop on February 17 in Los Angeles.

The Folk Alliance Music Conference conducts special events, such as the Folk Music & Business Awards, Lifetime Achievement Awards, networking receptions, official Performance Alley and private showcase performances, feature shows and more when it meets February 18-22 in Memphis. The 2009 United States Super 8 Film and Digital Video Festival encourages any genre (animation, documentary, experimental, fiction, personal, etc.), but the work must have predominantly originated on Super 8mm/8mm film or Digital video or 8mm video formats. All works will be screened by a panel of judges who will award over $4000 in prizes when the festival meets for three days, opening February 20 in New Brunswick. The 81st Academy Awards take place February 22 at Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre, hosted by actor Hugh Jackman, with Laurence Mark and Bill Condon producing. Participate in the Academy Awards festivities by attending one of 52 official Oscar viewing parties across the country. The Noise Pop Film Festival, February 24 through March 1 in San Francisco, focuses on films that embrace and reflect independent music and culture. Most screenings include Q&A's with the filmmakers. 2009's program includes "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison" and "Agile Mobile Hostile: A Year with Andre Williams." Noise Pop is pleased to unveil plans for Noise Pop 2009’s opening night party featuring a special live performance by Deerhunter.

The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the "Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events" page at actorschecklist.com/news.html. Video and podcast versions of this news summary are also available at popular video sites around the Web like MySpace, YouTube, Daily Motion, as well as on The Actor's Checklist podcast blog at actorschecklist.com/loudblog, a great place to get your iPhone, ipod or Apple TV download from. The Free Home Video Showcase at www.actorschecklist.com/video now serves as an archive for all past video presentations. This month on video you will again see an interesting array of performing artists from the indie sector on video, including Used Bookstore (www.myspace.com/usedbookstoredocumentary), an American mockumentary film series produced by Dogma Digital in association with Rise in Might Studios. "Hip-Hopumentary" film about the Los Angeles underground rap music movement, PrimalRap (www.primalrap.com). Australian dance music artist duo, Groove State (www.groovestate.com), performing the Get Sexy, bikini fiesta vocal mix, music video from the new Pop Glam album, distributed by Play Lab Records. The Actor's Checklist now lets you check the latest musical artists song releases on Apple's iTunes, updated on an hourly basis.

Food and Film Festival, Slamdance Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, Göteborg International Film Festival, Hollywood Songcrafting Seminar, Annie Awards

The same Australian acting techniques that launched the careers of Russel Crowe, Cate Blanchett and Hugh Jackman can be sampled when the Australian Institute of Dramatic Arts offers several sessions in selected cities, including Hollywood, through January 10. Tucson Slow Food and Film Festival is an extended weekend of classic food films, culinary events and cultural discussions that combine screenings of feature films, documentaries, shorts and animation with panel discussions about the cuisines, cultures and traditions shown on the screen, along with culinary events at restaurants, all happening in Tucson, through January 11. For the Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab, writers selected through a year-round staff search/outreach receive feedback and help with their projects at the Park City facility from January 9-14.

The Slamdance Film Festival, running this year from January 15-23 in Park City, is best known for its annual film festival. But Slamdance will now also serve as a year-round showcase for the discovery of new and emerging musical talent, in addition to the recently formed online venture with INDIEROAD.NET, a website created by a team of veteran entertainment and business executives to address the lack of robust distribution options available to promising new talent in the independent film field. From January 15-25, Sundance Film Festival, organized by actor Robert Redford in 1981, continues its festival, held primarily in Park City, and dedicated to the support and development of emerging screenwriters and directors of vision, and to the national and international exhibition of new, independent dramatic and documentary films. The International Film Festival Rotterdam offers a quality selection of worldwide independent, innovative and experimental cinema and visual arts, and will be running this year, January 21 through February 1.

Interaction is encouraged for audience members during the run of the Children's Film Festival Seattle, to sharpen their critical eyes through workshops with professional actors, directors, writers, technicians, and producers, during the run of the festival from January 23 to February 1. Göteborg International Film Festival, opening January 23 through February 2, functions as a meeting place for the Nordic film industry and has become an integral link for new Nordic film, hosting about 200 specially invited buyers, distributors and festival representatives from all over the world. Steve Seskin and Pat Pattison will present a Hollywood Songcrafting Seminar in Los Angeles, January 24 & 25, sharing their knowledge and passion for writing songs. Honoring excellence in the field of animation, Annie Awards will be presented in the categories of animated theatrical feature, television production, television commercial, short subject and video games, and the people who have worked in these areas, January 30 in Westwood.

The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the "Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events" page at actorschecklist.com/news.html. Video and podcast versions of this news summary are also available at popular video sites around the Web like MySpace, YouTube, Daily Motion, as well as on The Actor's Checklist podcast blog at actorschecklist.com/loudblog, a great place to get your iPhone, ipod or Apple TV download from. The Free Home Video Showcase at www.actorschecklist.com/video now serves as an archive for all past video presentations. This month on video you will again see an interesting array of performing artists from the indie sector on video. Newly introduced this month to The Actor's Checklist website is Google Friend Connect technology where visitors may now sign in with their Google, Yahoo, AIM or OpenID account. You are encouraged to explore the entirety of the site for instances of Google Friend Connect deployment, including its use on the news page at actorschecklist.com/news.html. Happy New Year to all from The Actor's Checklist!

Toronto Fantasy Worldwide International Film Festival, Alameda Writers Group, BMI Annual Holiday Party, WIFV-MD Holiday Happy Hour Party, iStandard Producer Showcase, Google Friend Connect

The 18th International Animated Film Festival in Bègles admits animated short and feature films, and conducts screenings in 35mm (optical sound), video BetaSP Pal or DVD formats, and foreign films if they are without dialogues, with french dialogues or subtitled in french. The festival, which is free to filmmakers to enter, runs through December 14. The inaugural Philadelphia Independent Film & Video Festival is a chance for independent and upstart filmmakers to showcase their works and talent in a small scale film festival that runs December 4-7 in Philadelphia. The Toronto Fantasy Worldwide International Film Festival brings together various fantasy, science-fiction and anime genre, running December 4-8. The festival seeks to exhibit globally produced feature, short, animation and documentary films from the genre that has provided 19 of the 20 top best selling box office hits of all time. In a special engagement set for the Bahamas International Film Festival, Laurence Fishburne will be on hand for a special tribute and presentation on Sunday, December 7. Academy Award® winner Sir Sean Connery will again be attending as Festival Patron and presenting Laurence Fishburne with the Career Achievement Award. Chris Lockhart, former executive story editor of ICM, now with the William Morris Agency will hear pitches from Alameda Writers Group members, at the December 6 session in Glendale, and will reveal what works and what doesn't. Guests may become members at the meeting for a membership fee.

The International Film Festival Summit (IFFS) is the annual conference and trade show for professionals from the film festival industry. The Summit, which will be in Las Vegas, December 7-9, provides a platform for the community to explore ways to collaborate and promote the advancement of the film festival industry. BMI will be hosting its Annual Holiday Party with cocktails, edibles, and live DJ. Raffle tickets will also be sold for a chance to win great items from Puma, Gibson Guitar, Silver Jeans, Solstice Sunglass Boutique, the Ellis Hotel, and more, All happening December 9 in Atlanta. The WIFV-MD Holiday Happy Hour Party, made up of professionals, students, organizations and dedicated women and men who support, envision, write, direct, participate in and produce independent films, movies, TV series, documentaries, industrials, multi-media, etc., will include a feature film screening with Q&A at their December 11 party in Timonium, with the customary hors d'oeuvres and cash bar. The December 17 iStandard Producer Showcase is a live Music Producer-Specific event that puts the aspring hitmaker in front of a panel of prominent music industry tastemakers. Record Labels send their A&R's, Artists come out looking to collaborate, and other Producers, Engineers, Publishers, Entertainment Attorneys, and more seeking the next hot producer at this New York event.

The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the "Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events" page at actorschecklist.com/news.html. Video and podcast versions of this news summary are also available at popular video sites around the Web like MySpace, YouTube, Daily Motion, as well as on The Actor's Checklist podcast blog at actorschecklist.com/loudblog, a great place to get your iPhone, ipod or Apple TV download from. The Free Home Video Showcase at http://www.actorschecklist.com/video now serves as an archive for all past video presentations. This month on video you will again see an interesting array of performing artists from the indie sector on video. Newly introduced this month to The Actor's Checklist website is Google Friend Connect technology where visitors may now sign in with their Google, Yahoo, AIM or OpenID account. You are encouraged to explore the entirety of the site for instances of Google Friend Connect deployment, including its use on the news page at http://www.actorschecklist.com/news.html. Happy Holidays to all from The Actor's Checklist!

American Film Market, Ypulse, People-Powered Media [un]Workshop, Global Gaming Expo, Billboard Touring Conference

The International Student Film Festival Hollywood offers student filmmakers from all over the world a unique opportunity to gain the recognition of film industry leaders. It is a forum for student filmmakers to showcase their independent films in Hollywood, mostly by putting these students face to face with working Directors, Producers, and other industry professionals, throughout the event that runs through November 9, giving them the invaluable opportunity to promote themselves and their films. American Film Market is a well regarded industry function to which over 8,000 industry leaders converge in Santa Monica for eight days of deal-making, screenings, seminars, red carpet premieres, networking and parties. All 23 screens on the Santa Monica Promenade and the surrounding community become AFM screening rooms for the entire eight-day event which lasts till November 12 and eight digital and video screening rooms are added just for the AFM. Ypulse Youth Marketing Mashup East, taking place in Boston, November 6-7, will focus on how you can reach and connect with youth ages 16-24 using technology, and embraces themes of content, connectivity and community.

Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival, and associated festivals, is the result of the merger between Copenhagen's major film festival organisations; Copenhagen International Film Festival and NatFilm. The new organisation today house three international film festivals in the Danish capital, with certain segments taking place from November 7-18. The People-Powered Media [un]Workshop is an 'unconference' style event created to explore how community media can be used as a tool for information, organization, and action, one day only, November 8, in Austin. PAUSE is the title for a conference happening November 10-11 in New York, that examines the creative and technical approaches of industry leading studios and agencies involved in broadcast and film. Attendees of this event will receive full access to the 2 day event, which includes 14 one hour presentations, and a wrap party at Madame X in Greenwich Village. The Association of Moving Image Archivists Annual Conference, takes place this year in Savannah, November 12-15, and provides an opportunity for colleagues and those interested in the field to meet, share information and work together, in part through events like The Newcomer's Breakfast which will give Mentors and Newcomers a chance to meet and network.

The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard join forces to deliver a two-day seminar, November 13-14 in Los Angeles, on the role of music in film and television. The seventh annual event provides a forum for the exchange of ideas among film, TV and music professionals. Also featured will be live artist performances, roundtable discussions, and networking cocktail parties. The Global Gaming Expo is a yearly event put on by the gaming industry, providing the latest secrets and ideas for everyone who comes. Anyone who runs or works professionally in the gaming industry (including Bingo hall managers) is welcome to come to this Las Vegas extravaganza happening November 18-20. The fifth annual Billboard Touring Conference and Awards is a gathering for the concert industry that will host informative panels, controversial discussions, invaluable networking opportunities, and an awards reception, the Billboard Touring Awards, which honors the concert industry's top artists and professionals based on actual data compiled through the Billboard Boxscore chart of 2007. The November 21 'Betting on Shorts' (BoSs) conference is being hosted by a London-based cultural organisation run by Ricarda Vidal, Irini Marinaki and Konstantinos Stefanis, with a focus on the dissemination of shortfilms by new international filmmakers in prominent cultural institutions, and further collaboration between cinemas and galleries in Europe and beyond.

The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the "Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events" page at actorschecklist.com/news.html. Video and podcast versions of this news summary are also available at popular video sites around the Web like MySpace, YouTube, Bit Torrent, as well as on The Actor's Checklist podcast blog at actorschecklist.com/loudblog, a great place to get your iPhone, ipod or Apple TV download from. The Free Home Video Showcase at http://www.actorschecklist.com/video now serves as an archive for all past video presentations. This month on video you will see trailers and sample clips of urban a capela group from New York, but based in Germany, Naturally 7 (www.n7house.com). A platform for new urban talent, Tickles.tv (www.tickles.tv). A Junebug Presents film starring Alfred E. Rutherford, 'Pro-Black Sheep' (www.myspace.com/problacksheep). Rock Talk Records (rocktalkrecords.com), Chas Ferry Producer, with 'Hypnotic Video'. Post Media, LLC (www.luispascual.com), Luis G. Pascual, principal, presenting sports television formats from - "FUTBOL DE PRIMERA" - Argentina. The Actor's Checklist now lets you check the latest musical artists song releases on Apple's iTunes, updated on an hourly basis, at: http://www.actorschecklist.com/resources/itunes.php

PopKomm, IEFTA , MIPCOM, MOFFOM, CMJ, SMPTE

Billboard hosts its Regional Mexican Music Summit, through October 8 in Los Angeles, where regional artists, concert promoters, retailers, sponsors, managers as well as record label, digital/mobile entertainment, marketing, advertising and radio executives come together to network, do business and discuss current industry topics. At the EkoFilm International Film Festival on the Environment and Natural and Cultural Heritage, the aim of the festival is to present new films and video programmes that reshape our perception of the environment through natural and cultural heritage in a local or global fashion. The Festival runs in Prague, October 6-12. Kimberly Graham, an associate at Judy Henderson Casting, conducts a limited group casting workshop in New York, on October 7, and another with Natalie De Lange will be held October 14. For more details send email to: Michellel740@gmail.com. At Berlin's PopKomm, expo goers can take part in an international music and entertainment business conference, focused on creation, communication and commerce, and with more than 400 solo artists, bands and DJs playing in over 25 official locations, all happening October 8-10. Monte Carlo will host the International Emerging Talent Film Festival, October 9-12, an event run by the International Emerging Film Talent Association (IEFTA), a not-for-profit organization based in Monaco.

A Model/Actor Boot Camp with Aaron Marcus (aaron@howtomodel.com), will cover: preparing for auditions and casting calls; understand the differences between agents, managers, art/creative directors and casting directors; using special techniques for TV, film and commercial auditions/go-sees; accurately managing and understanding the business side of the industry; helping your agent by marketing yourself, and more. MIPCOM is the global content event for creating, co-producing, buying, selling, financing and distributing entertainment content across all platforms. This year when it is held in Cannes from October 13-17, it features a series of specialised networking breakfasts designed with the intent of creating a unique forum around some of the challenges facing the industry today. At this year's ShowEast, happening October 13-16 in Orlando, just some of the activities you can preview are major studio and independent feature films slated for Holiday 2008 release, product reels of upcoming releases, visit a comprehensive trade show of motion picture industry products, services and concession items, networking, and actually much more. The music industry operates under quite different conditions than the film industry, just as music festivals and film festivals do, and so MOFFOM was founded to build synergy between these two worlds. And so from October 16-20 in Prague, Music on Film, Film on Music will be conducted from Prague with a rich assortment of live music and film events.

The 43rd Chicago International Film Festival last year, was dedicated to distinguished film critic Roger Ebert. At this year's opening night presentation, join director Rian Johnson and actress Rachel Weisz, for 'The Brothers Bloom', and a Perspectives Tribute October 18 honoring Sidney Poitier. The Connective Series in New York educates emerging artists, musicians and music business professionals, serves as a networking opportunity and helps raise awareness and funds for charity, and on October 21 they review "How International Bands Can Break in the US Market". From October 21-25, CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival gets underway, with most of its activities clustered within the New York University area of Greenwich Village, day and night. The Florida Media Market (www.floridamediamarket.com), October 23-26 in Miami Beach, is a non-profit* membership-based organization whose goal is to build a platform where independent film and media makers meet with international buyers, distributors and production companies to buy, sell and network. SMPTE 2008, the annual event for technology, production and operations in the motion imaging industry attended by professionals in the motion picture studios, broadcast and cable networks, production and post-production community and related industries, gets underway October 28 for three days in Hollywood.

The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the "Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events" page at actorschecklist.com/news.html. Video and podcast versions of this news summary are also available at popular video sites around the Web like MySpace, YouTube, Bit Torrent, as well as on The Actor's Checklist podcast blog at actorschecklist.com/loudblog, a great place to get your iPhone, ipod or Apple TV download from. The Free Home Video Showcase at http://www.actorschecklist.com/video now serves as an archive for all past video presentations. This month on video you will see trailers and sample clips of Black-Smith Enterprises' (www.black-smithenterprises.com) recent release of new feature, 'Till Death...' Surreal indie short by Marco Sanchez, 'Emily in Nightmare Land' (www.myspace.com/mjsfilms). Community generated zombie documentary, 'Lost Zombies' (www.lostzombies.com). Horror genre short, 'Creepers' (www.cjjohnsonbiz.com), making the festival circuit, and slated for screenings in The Terror Film Festival, October 23, and The Severed Head Horror Film Festival, October 31. The Actor's Checklist now lets you check the latest musical artists song releases on Apple's iTunes, updated on an hourly basis, at: http://www.actorschecklist.com/resources/itunes.php

NY TV Festival, Boston Film Festival, Temecula Valley Film & Music Fest, Business of Film Conference 2008, Gene Autry Film & Music Festival, New York Film Festival, Business, Arts & Entertainment Conference

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

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

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

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

African-American Film Festival, Indie Fest USA Expo, Tejano Music Convention, Flashforward2008, London Frightfest, NVISION

BMI will sponsor the Amplify Music Conference and Festival taking place in Downtown Las Vegas, through August 8. The agenda includes daily conferences, workshops, nightly showcases and more. HBO will be present at the Martha's Vineyard African-American Film Festival, August 6-9 in Vineyard Haven, hosting the HBO Short Film Competition on August 9 at Katherine Cornell Theatre. Process is an international Hip Hop Theatre workshop festival, August 7-9 in Manchester, delivered by Breaking Cycles as a tool to preserve the language of Hip Hop Theatre within the British culture and as a provision to nurture and develop the talents of emerging young artists.The film festival will exhibit films inspired by and representative of global Hip Hop culture.

Indie Fest USA Expo and International Film Festival, August 8-15 in Anaheim, combines eight days of independent films, live music artists, celebrities, the opening night welcome party and closing night awards show. Village 8 Theatres in Louisville hosts the August 15 premiere of 'Last Breath', a horror and gore genre flick about a canabalistic killer on the loose, preying on young women, and the close-knit band of police detectives on his trail. Tejano Music Convention, August 15-17 in Dallas, seeks to increase and enhance the Tejano or Tex-Mex music genre, and to showcase new artists and assist in the development of the next generation of Tejano artists and fans. An example of one featured event used to reach these goals is the Tejano Mega Dance which will happen at the Dallas Convention Center. Flashforward2008 San Francisco, August 20-22, includes the international Flashforward Film Festival and Awards ceremony and a Flash-related industry Expo Hall and community center with opportunities for the entire Flash community to network and share knowledge. The Flashforward Conference party happens at Ruby Skye.

London Frightfest is held each August Bank holiday weekend. Over 75% of the films shown have been UK, European or world premieres of the latest must see fantasy, sci-fi and horror films. NVISION will gather visual computing professionals, world-class gamers, innovative artists and designers, and cutting-edge researchers to share their ideas, experiences, and passions, August 25-27 in San Jose. It will also be held in conjunction with the Fifth Annual iGames Expo. Telluride Film Festival sticking to its annual custom opens during the Labor Day weekend, August 29 to September 2, in the mountain village of Telluride. Los Angeles Film Acting Coach, Molli Benson, will be holding a free two day Film Actors Workshop, August 30-31 in Albuquerque. For more details contact mollibenson@aol.com.

The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the "Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events" page at actorschecklist.com/news.html. Video and podcast versions of this news summary are also available at popular video sites around the Web like MySpace, YouTube, Bit Torrent, as well as on The Actor's Checklist podcast blog at actorschecklist.com/loudblog, a great place to get your iPhone, ipod or Apple TV download from. The Free Home Video Showcase at http://www.actorschecklist.com/video now serves as an archive for all past video presentations. This month on video you will see trailers and sample clips of 'Last Breath' from C&T Productions (www.myspace.com/tracyandchase), a murder mystery about a cannibalistic serial killer called the "Southside Slasher" has an August 15 premiere at Village 8 Theatres, 4014 Dutchmans Lane, Louisville, Kentucky. A Spoilt Video Production release of a Mirko Virgili film, 'Ganja Fiction' an Italian short film, in the pulp style genre, starring Claudio Caminito Attore, in which the lives of the characters intertwine behind a single common denominator - marijuana. Modern electronica experimentalism band Phoenix Block, available through iTunes music store. Comedy portrayals of Kim Waldauer, and Robert Christophe, from their Cube News 1 (www.cubenews1.com) series, and Adventures of Cubegirl, that follows Kim, a cubicle worker by day and superhero when needed, rescuing employees from corporate abuse. The Actor's Checklist now lets you check the latest musical artists song releases on Apple's iTunes, updated on an hourly basis, at: http://www.actorschecklist.com/resources/itunes.php

Latin Alternative Music Conference, Anima Mundi 2008, Expo Comm Wireless Japan, BritDoc Festival 08, International Children's Film Festival , NATPE Diversity Fellowship Program

At this year's AnimeExpo 2008, running through July 6 in Los Angeles, Anime Expo® has teamed with Bang Zoom!® Entertainment to offer free voice acting workshops that will give participants a taste of voice acting with insiders' tips, general discussions and chances to dub with a professional audio engineer. The free summer film fest in St. Louis, Cinemania, shown outdoors on a grassy lot, starts up July 5 running through July 26, and features musicals like festival opener, An American in Paris, that have garnered 19 Oscars among them. CinemadaMare Film Festival travels across the five main regions of the south of Italy with about 150 filmmakers in tow traveling on the festival bus. At each stop which lasts a week the participants, who can be not just filmmakers but actors, set and costume designer, make-up artists, screenwriters and all cinema lovers, have the possibility of both shooting and screening movies and attend seminars. The Latin Alternative Music Conference in New York, July 8-12, is geared towards the marketing of Spanish-language alternative music. On July 9 will be LAMC Music & Film Night at Central Park Summerstage. ASCAP offers a "one-of-a-kind" experience for aspiring film and television composers during the 2008 ASCAP Television & Film Scoring Workshop with Richard Bellis in Los Angeles, July 8 to August 1, whereby 12 selected participants will have an opportunity to record their original composition with an "A list" of Hollywood professionals.

The 16th International Animation Festival, Anima Mundi 2008, will take place in Rio de Janeiro from July 11- 20, and in São Paulo from July 23-27. It will present Competition Screenings, Special Programs, Retrospectives, International Guests and professional workshops. The 2008 Ypulse National Mashup Conference that brings together youth media and marketing professionals from brands, agencies and the non-profit sector to share best practices for reaching today's totally wired youth, is set to run July 14-15 this year in San Francisco. The Connective Panel Series presents "What You Need To Know To Succeed In The Music Business", July 20 in Decatur, a series that serves to educate indie musicians on the music business, serve as a networking opportunity, and to raise awareness and funds for the Artist Against Hunger & Poverty Program of WHY (World Hunger Year), and music related charities. Expo Comm Wireless Japan, specialized in Wireless and Mobile networks, Personal Area Networks, Internet ITS, home networks, and other wireless technologies for Japan's advanced mobile society, will be held in Tokyo, July 22-24. This year's BritDoc Festival 08 in Oxford, July 23-25, features an International Pitching Forum, featuring a panel of Commissioning Editors and film funders, from the US, Europe and the Far East, poised to invest in ambitious British feature length Documentary.

Casual Games Association hosts this year's Casual Connect Seattle, July 23-25, and is focused on the casual games industry for the general public and families, casual games are non-violent video games that are fun and easy to learn and play. At this year's Action On Film International Film Festival - known to be a producer friendly festival - Xristos Productions and Sony Creative Software are offering a new 'Guerilla Filmmaker Award' that includes a complete Sony Vegas Editing System and Cinescore Composer Package, during festival events running July 25-31 in Old Pasadena. Yale School of Management is the setting for Business Perspectives for Creative Leaders, July 27 to August 1 in New Haven, at which creative leaders in tandem with Yale's top business experts discover opportunities within the forces transforming the business social environments. The 2008 San Diego International Children's Film Festival opens on Kids Day at Comic-Con International, july 27 to August 10, at the San Diego Convention Center, presented by Comic-Con International. The festival showcases films from around the world made for children and teens, including live-action, animation and documentaries. The Third Annual Diversity Fellowship Program @ LATV Fest, taking place July 30 to August 1 in Hollywood, is a NATPE Diversity Fellowship Program now in its third year to provide a small group of emerging television and video content creators of color with the next step in their career development.

In a special request for support from the indie filmmaking and film loving community, creators of 'The Plague: Writers & Director's Cut' (http://www.actorschecklist.com/video/video_13.html), a socially relevant horror movie dealing with the subject of kids, violence and fear, are seeking public support to have their version of the film released at Sony Pictures Entertainment which published their version to DVD under the title Clive Barker's The Plague. The effort led by Director/Writer Hal Masonberg has a petition up at: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/plague/signatures.html as well as names and email address of relevant Sony Pictures executives to contact on behalf of this effort at: http://www.spreadingtheplague.com/sony.html.

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. Video and podcast versions of this news summary are also available at popular video sites around the Web like MySpace, YouTube, Bit Torrent, as well as on The Actor's Checklist podcast blog, a great place to get your iPhone, ipod or Apple TV download from. The Free Home Video Showcase at www.actorschecklist.com/video now serves as an archive for all past video presentations. This month on video you will see trailers and sample clips of A Natalie Paige Bentley Film, 'City of Motherly Love' (www.comlmovie.com) the story of a mother's spiral into anger and self-destruction after the shooting death of her son. Multi-media, make-up artist, performance artist Damon Zex (www.Zexart.com), deriving much of his creative expressionism from German Expressionism and Surrealism. Dance music record company from Australia, Play Lab Records (www.playlabrecords.com), featuring new single release, 'Disco, Disco'. Kentucky born Country music recording artist on Aria records, Stephen Cochran (www.stephencochran.com). The Actor's Checklist now lets you check the latest musical artists song releases on Apple's iTunes, updated on an hourly basis, at: www.actorschecklist.com/resources/itunes.php

Webby Awards, BANFF World Television Festival, Music 2.0 Summit, Human Rights Watch' Festival, Los Angeles Film Festival, Beyond Broadcast Conference 08, Cinema Expo International 2008

Join fellow activists, media makers, educators, journalists, policymakers and concerned citizens in calling for real and lasting changes to the nation''s media system at the National Conference for Media Reform, June 6-8 in Minneapolis. Bill Moyers will deliver the keynote address. On June 7, the Alameda Writers Group in Glendale interviews humorous author, screenwriter, and producer Eric Garcia, best known for his novels, Anonymous Rex, Casual Rex, Hot & Sweaty Rex, Matchstick Men, and Cassandra French's Finishing School for Boys. Eric Garcia's Matchstick Men which was made into a 2003 film directed by Ridley Scott, starring Nicolas Cage. The annual Webby Award Competition, open to all organizations and individuals involved in designing, building, managing, maintaining, marketing or promoting Web sites for business, consumer of general audiences, takes place this year in New York, June 8-10. BANFF World Television Festival 2008 combining an international program competition, the Banff World Television Awards, with a comprehensive conference agenda, will be conducted June 8-11 from its always scenic location of Banff in the Canadian rockies.

This year, the Music 2.0 Summit has been combined with the Sixth Annual Digital Media Summit, in New York on June 9, to create one conference designed to put you at the center of the oncoming battles over digital content. The annual Maui Film Festival, kicks off June 11-15 in Wallea, Maui, and among the venues for screenings, Celestial Cinema has seating on the grass. This year's North By Northeast Music and Film Festival covers three nights of performances, with about 400 showcasing bands performing at over 25 live music venues in downtown Toronto, from June 12-15. The NXNE Film Festival offers a unique program of music related feature films, documentaries and shorts. In the beachside resort village of Saugatuck, the Waterfront festival showcases many award-winning and critically acclaimed films. This year, June 12-15, they add a NewMedia Television Festival as a sidebar of the 10th annual Waterfront Film Festival, providing a platform for independent producers, directors, writers, and actors to share their pilots that could be aired via network and cable television, webmedia and other future forms of broadcast. Human Rights Watch's International Film Festival, a venue for fiction, documentary and animated films and videos with a human rights theme, showcasing the heroic stories of activists and survivors from all over the world, has a June 13 launch date at New York's Lincoln Center.

At Beyond Broadcast Conference 08, on June 17 in Washington, DC, the panelists examine the role of media in informing and mobilizing publics, and the rise of both citizen and data-driven news. The Los Angeles Film Festival / LA Film Festival Submissions Orientation, conceived as a platform for launching a film, will include the free annual Diversity EXPO that offers filmmakers access to more than 40 film companies and media arts organizations, during its run from June 19-29. Cinema Expo International 2008, in Amsterdam, June 23-26, guides its participants to competing in the European movie theater industry by displaying products and services, previewing upcoming cinema releases for the European market, and revealing what the movie studios and distributors have lined up, as well as many other activities. "Music in Films" held June 23 in Santa Monica, seeks to give its attendants an explanation of music rights, ownership vs. licensing issues, and even nuts and bolts on how a movie soundtrack is put together. Intro to Studio Production will cover basic use of all television studio equipment, including camera operations, lighting theory, color, and audio mixing, as well as control-room equipment and more, in a session conducted by Denver Open Media, on June 28. In addition to free open air screenings parties and concerts, The Brussels European Film Festival is hosting Film Workshop 2008 to give fledgling directors an opportunity to make a film with professionals during that week of the festival, which runs June 28 to July 6.

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. Video and podcast versions of this news summary are also available at most popular video sites around the Web like MySpace, YouTube, Bit Torrent, as well as on The Actor's Checklist at http://actorschecklist.com/loudblog/ a great place to get your iPhone, ipod or Apple TV download from. The Free Home Video Showcase serves as an archive for all past video presentations. This month on video you will see trailers and sample clips of Indie mystery feature, The Collective (www.myspace.com/collectivemovie), entered in the Brooklyn International Film Festival, has a screening date set for June 5 at Brooklyn Lyceum Theater. Experimental rock, electronica , drum band, Sandbox (www.myspace.com/sandbox2008) -- "Everything Starts In The Sandbox." Comedic video entertainment from ACTORSandCREW (www.actorsandcrew.com), a networking and employment service for entertainment professionals in all categories. coldwave, industrial and hard rock band Mankind Is Obsolete (MKIO - www.mkio.com) with tracks from new album "Trapped Inside". The Actor's Checklist now lets you check the latest musical artists song releases on Apple's iTunes, updated on an hourly basis.