CASO News Items

Toronto Screenwriting Conference (March 31- April 1) – EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION EXTENDED to Feb. 29 at 5pm!

Toronto Screenwriting Conference (March 31- April 1) – EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION EXTENDED to Feb. 29 at 5pm! Best Rate of the Year. Come and see Academy Award, Genie, Gemini and Emmy Award winning Writers. For a full list of incredible Speakers go to: www.torontoscreenwritingconference.com

Heading a Marquee session, screenwriter, director, animator and producer, Dean DeBlois is best known for co-writing and co-directing Dreamworks’ Oscar nominated animated feature HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON and the Walt Disney feature animation LILO & STITCH. Since graduating from Sheridan College’s Classical Animation program over twenty years ago, DeBlois has worked for several prestigious animation studios in Canada, Ireland, and in the U.S. where he became the Head of Story on Disney’s MULAN. DeBlois is in the midst of writing, directing and executive producing the sequel to HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON.

Kidscreen and CASO

Dear CASO Members & Kidscreen Attendees,

Our marketing focus for Kidscreen 2012 builds on the momentum of last years Kidscreen market. Our mandate is to market Ontario studios internationally and to present Ontario as THE PLACE to be for animation production.

Traffic to our booth was steady last year and this year we expect an even better turn out. Please drop by the booth to view the new animation reel representing the "best of the best" work that was produced in Ontario in 2011. Last year's demo reel was a magnate to the booth and this year we expect the same.

We have also produced "take-away" material that is not only functional but informative and will keep the CASO name and studio information at the fingertips of broadcasters, buyers and producers well beyond their Kidscreen experience.

This year we are also invited Interactive Ontario to participate as a booth partner to fortify the Ontario presence at the market.

We do urge to drop by the booth, pick up some cool swag and to check out what CASO is doing on behalf of it's members.

Have a fantastic market!

CASO Annual General Meeting Postponed

Dear Members, Nominees and Guests of the AGM,

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we will be postponing the currently scheduled January 31st Annual General Meeting until the end of February.

We will be sending out a new date and time in a couple of weeks and we look forward to seeing you then.

Please watch your email for the details.

Visionary Lunch w/ Carlos Sandanah

Join us January 23rd, 2012 for Carlos Sandanah.

TIFF 350 King St W

11:30am - 1:00pm

Members Price (+HST)

$25.00 In Advanced

$40.00 At the Door

Non-Members Price (+HST)

$40.00 In Advanced

$55.00 At The Door

Students Price (+HST)

$15.00

CASO & KIDSCREEN 2012

It's that time of year again!

CASO is currently working to put together a package to assist it's members with travel expenditures and special pre-negotiated rates on KidScreen Registration fees and Master Classes. Please watch this space in the coming week for more information that you can't afford to miss.

Michael Carter on Digital Dialogue

Check out Michael Carter addressing "Canada's National Digital Strategy"

Visionary Lunch w/ Scott Caple

Industry Holiday Party Don't Miss Out!

Several Studio Owners in VFX and Animation are throwing an Industry Holiday Party @ Maison on Dec 14th. We thought it would be cool to get the industry together and share some drinks, hit the dance floor and enjoy a good night out for the Holidays.

Tix are $25 and comes with 3 drink tickets - Just reserve your tix at www.vaip.ca (VFX Animation Industry Party - easiest url we could find) and they'll make arrangements for you to pick up tix.

Come and Celebrate!

CASO Presents

TAAFI Animation Industry Night

It’s almost here! The 2011 TAAFI Animation Industry Night lands on November 10th at the Vogue Supperclub in Toronto’s trendy Liberty Village. Meet up with all of your friends and family from the animation, VFX and gaming industries as we toast our incredible community and launch Toronto’s newest and biggest animation festival - the Toronto Animation Arts Festival International, or TAAFI. All proceeds from this evening’s event will go to support the inaugural launch of TAAFI, June 22-23, 2012 at the TIFF Bell Lightbox.

Advance tickets are available on the TAAFI website, www.taafi.com, or on our eventbrite listing (as well as at the door if you really like to live life on the edge). Be sure to bring your friends, bring your enemies, even bring your frenemies, but don’t delay - these tickets are selling fast!

For more information on how to get involved in TAAFI or the 2011 TAAFI Animation Industry Night, contact info@taafi.com.

CASO MEMBERS get a discount for X-Summit Tickets

CASO Members receive a special discount on X-Summit tickets. For the full schedule and to register, visit: www.x-summit.com

Use Discount Code: XS20CASO

Recieve 20 percent off member and regular rates. (A huge value on member rates!) This will be in effect until Friday Oct 14.

X-Summit, co-produced by CASO and Interactive Ontario (IO), will kick off the evening of October 24 and take place October 25-26 at The Carlu in Toronto. X-Summit explores emerging opportunities where broadcast and interactive platforms converge. CASO and IO Members receive a special discount, and can receive the Early Bird rate until Friday Sept 30th. For the full schedule and to register, visit: www.x-summit.com

Featured Speakers:

Jonas Eneroth, Managing Partner, ProCloud Media which has launched Paramount Pictures' War of the Worlds and Star Trek. Executive Producer of Eidos' multi-award winning Deus Ex, Hitman and Timesplitters franchises.

John Kavanagh, SVP of Video Games, Paramount Pictures, designed, developed and licensed interactive games and technology to leading gaming companies including Sega, Nintendo, Atari, Apple, Commodore

Vince Gerardis, Co-Executive Producer, HBO's hit series Game of Thrones

Nathan Mayfield, CCO of Hoodlum, producers of award-winning transmedia campaigns for ABC's FlashForward and Lost, Pascal Langlois, Ethan Mars in the award-winning Heavy Rain & founder of Motives in Movement

Featured Sessions:

Cross-Media Synergy

When developing IP that has TV as a key foundation, is it best to develop the TV series first or the cross-platform plans/world building first? This session delves into whether a synergy exists in producing a TV show and an online plan at the same time.

Featuring: Ken Faier, El Presidente, Nerd Corps. Entertainment

Character Crossing: Developing Multi-Platform Characters

Drawing on examples from TV, animation, video games, and toys, this workshop will dive into key elements that will help a property and its characters move successfully between platforms.

Featuring: Leah Hoyer, Creative Producer, Levity Entertainment Group

The Green Light Series: Investor Round Table

This session will cover the fundamentals of cross-media monetization strategies. Martin Soltys works with entrepreneurs, producers, writers, directors and designers (of video game, mobile & web applications) to create and develop transmedia storytelling methodology and techniques, with the goal of delivering enhanced entertainment experiences for audiences, viewers, users and players of all ages and cultures.

Featuring: Martin Soltys, Founder and CEO, TransMedia Entertainment Corp.

Free Professional Training with Sheridan - Spaces still available!

SheridanCorporate, in participation with CASO and the Ontario Media Development Corporation, is offering a select few with an opportunity to participate in free professional training for a series of pilot programs designed to support animation professionals.

Spaces are still available for:

Effective Employee Onboarding (Saturday, Oct. 1 & Oct. 15): Are you or any of your staff responsible for bringing new talent on board in your studio? This 2 day training session explores effective methods for bringing new staff on board and up to speed in your studio as effectively as possible. Ideal participants bring 4+ years experience.

Understanding the Production Lifecycle (Saturday, Oct. 29): An excellent introduction to understanding the 'bigger picture' in the animation industry. Learn from industry veterans how animation projects are made from the very beginning through to the final distribution. This 1 day course is excellent for junior animation professionals with 1 - 2 years experience who are looking to gain a better understanding of the industry and how it works from a business perspective for a competitive advantage. Spaces are limited.

Diagnosing the Pipeline (Saturday, Nov. 12): Drawing from years of extensive research and experience in 'Process Improvement Methodologies', this course will explore how to apply PIM to production pipelines in any animation studio. This 1 day course will introduce various concepts in PIM and how they can be effectively applied in a studio pipeline to increase efficiency and output. Participants should have experience managing production pipelines - spaces are limited.

These pilot courses are designed as pilot programs to support the animation industry and have been largely funded by a generous grant from the Ontario Media Development Corporation. Don't miss this one time opportunity to participate in these programs for free!

For more information or to sign up, contact Ben McEvoy at ben@benmcevoy.com or SheridanCorporate at sheridancorporate@sheridanc.on.ca

WEEKLY UPDATE

August 19th, 2011

Happy Friday everyone,

During the last few months I have seen more signs of film activity on the streets of Los Angeles than I have ever noticed since my move here at the end of 2009: although this is a purely anecdotal observation, a story from the L.A. Times this week backs it up, noting that local feature film production is lifting this summer after a very flat first two quarters...

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/aug/16/business/la-fi-ct-onlocation-20110816

With the bill to renew the California tax incentives currently in front of the state senate (and expected to pass), Southern California Public Radio this week examined both sides of the debate over whether they constitute effective investments. While one Sony executive (who visited Ontario on our familiarization tour last fall) is quoted explaining the need for California to compete with other jurisdictions, one local lawmaker opposed to the incentives advises that the state "should simply allow (the) programs (elsewhere) to implode and rely on the natural advantages of climate and talent and infrastructure that California already has”...

http://www.scpr.org/programs/madeleine-brand/2011/08/17/20315/ca-film-and-tv-tax-breaks-appear-to-work-but-is-it

The same debate over screen-based tax incentives was also highlighted in Louisiana this week where the News Star newspaper relied heavily on positive comments from the Chris Stelly, the director of the Louisiana Entertainment office, who says the state has "the most efficient suite of incentives in the nation"...

http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20110817/BUSINESS/108170309

Reuters this week published a really fascinating blog examining the ins and outs of personal investing in the film industry. The writer notes that "while a shaky stock market makes anything but equities seem like a safe place to park your money, producing films is still a business that is smoke-and-mirrors for most real people, who spend their days filling cavities, running tractor companies or managing hedge funds"...

http://blogs.reuters.com/reuters-money/2011/08/15/film-investing-puts-your-money-where-your-marquee-is/

And finally, as the Toronto International Film Festival draws near, the industry trades are taking note of what attendees can expect this year. Variety this week reported on TIFF's scheduled industry programs...

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118041515

As always, the full text for the linked articles is below my signature. Please feel free to distribute this e-mail widely and to contact me with feedback.

Have a healthy and prosperous week.

Warmest regards,

- Kelly Graham-Scherer, Los Angeles Representative

CASO partners with Interactive Ontario for the launch of X-Summit Exclusive discount now available for CASO members!

CASO partners with Interactive Ontario for the launch of X-Summit

Exclusive discount now available for CASO members!

CASO is pleased to announce our collaboration with Interactive Ontario (IO) on the recently announced X-Summit, a new cross-media conference and partnering forum.

X-Summit will kick off on the evening of October 24 and take place October 25-26 at The Carlu in Toronto. It will explore emerging opportunities where broadcast and interactive platforms converge, offering attendees the insights, tools and opportunities to develop partnerships vital to better tell and sell their stories seamlessly across multiple channels.

Right now, CASO members can save 30% on their registration!

Click here to register at the lowest price available.

Your X-Summit ticket grants you access to:

• inspirational keynotes

• hands-on workshops

• dynamic panel discussions

• cutting-edge demonstrations

• networking opportunities

Register now at www.x-summit.com to take advantage of this Super Early Bird rate before Sept. 6!

» Call for Speakers

X-Summit is now accepting proposals for presentations, workshops and panel discussions. The deadline for submissions is Sept. 9. Click here for information on how to submit.

» Call for Submissions

Showcase your cross-media project, product or service in The Canadian Interactive Showcase presented by CMF. Click here for details on how to apply.

DAIR to Innovate!!! MEIC

DAIR to Innovate!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Seminar: 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Followed by

One-on-one Meetings: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

OCAD University

100 McCaul Street, Room 558

Toronto, M5T 1W1

For Tickets: http://dairtoinnovate.eventbrite.com/

Attention tech entrepreneurs:

DAIR helps tech firms accelerate product development and speed time to market.

CANARIE’s Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research(DAIR) is an on-demand, advanced research and development environment that supports Canada’s tech innovators and entrepreneurs in designing, prototyping, validating and demonstrating their new technology apps, products and services.

During the pilot phase, DAIR is available at no charge, and provides:

on-demand access to the high-speed, high-capacity CANARIE Network;

macro cellular and WiFi access; and

compute and storage resources.

DAIR lets technology entrepreneurs do what they do best--create innovate applications, products and services--without having to build a costly R & D environment themselves.

Tech entrepreneurs and innovators who are working on such things as:

mobile apps

telecom software

transactional software

multi-player online games

web-based apps

To learn more, join us for this information session to be led by the Chief Technology Officer of CANARIE and the project manager of the DAIR program.

The training session will consist of a one hour seminar followed by one hour of one-on-one meetings. When reserving your single ticket, please be sure to select either seminar only or seminar plus one-on-one meeting.

Please note that similar seminars will be held in the afternoon of Tuesday, July 5th with the CDMNat the Communitech Hubin Waterloo Region and in the afternoon of Wednesday, July 6th at nGenin Niagara Region.