2013 CES and Games Summit, Golden Globes, Sundance Festival, MIDEM, are highlights in January’s Global Media and Entertainment Industry

The long running singers showcase run by the showbiz team of Billy Shepard and Judi Jourdan continues on a new night, Tuesday, in its same spot, The Iguana, just around the corner from the studio that tapes the David Letterman show. Talented newcomers and experienced singers are all welcome. Just come in, sign up and sing. Sign-ins begin at 6:30 pm and usually end between 8:30 and 9 pm. A panist is resident or bring your background tracks or CDs. The pianist transposes instantly in any key for you. Open to the public, all ages and all styles are welcome. Selected singers/acts have a chance to be booked for an appearance in a weekly cabaret show run by Shepard & Jourdan. After their presentation, singers and performers will be able to meet with either Judi Jourdan or Billy Shepard to receive feedback, advice and future direction. Produced by the long-running showbiz team of Billy Shepard and Judi Jourdan who also produce a television show, “How to Succeed in Show Business By Really Trying”, shown on Time Warner Cable. There is no admission or cover charge for performer and guests, but there is a food/beverage minimum per person.

The Palm Springs International Film Festival assembles industry reps and executives from Los Angeles, film aficionados from across the country and filmmakers from around the world. The festival features filmmaker tributes, special presentations, nightly celebrations and special events and an annual Awards Gala  honoring performances of the past year. The Festival screens a selection of films submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the Best Foreign Language film category. Nearly 70 percent of the Festival audience travels to Palm Springs from out of town. This aspect of the Palm Springs International Film Festival adds a buzz factor dynamic helpful for generating word-of-mouth about the films that are screened. A Black Tie Awards Gala will include Cocktails, dinner, awards show and after party depending on the ticket level. The Festival will present Richard Gere with the Chairman’s Award and wrap up on January 14.

Running for over four decades the International Consumer Electronics Show is an annual trade show held in Las Vegas from January 8-11 focused on consumer technology. This year there will be several super session within the CES format. “Disruptive Technologies Impacting the Future of Games and Video” will be one such session and it will explore the various disruptive technologies on the horizon that will change gaming and video delivery and reshape the marketplace for products and services around games, images and on demand video. At one special event this year the Photo Imaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association (PMDA) is bringing the 47th annual PMDA Awards Ceremony to CES. PMDA will honor six individuals for outstanding contributions to the imaging industry including their Person of the Year.

A focus on public policy will take root at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show during the Consumer Electronics Association’s Innovation Policy Summit with discussions from government officials including representatives from the U.S. Congress, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Google, Verizon, as well as the Chairman and all four Commissioners from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Just back from a vigorous lobbying effort on behalf of the Internet during the 2012  election campaign, Internet entrepreneurs from Reddit and other prominent companies will debut their new documentary, ‘Silicon Prairie: America’s New Internet Economy’. Following the screening filmmakers and Internet entrepreneurs will discuss why government and citizens alike should care about preserving (and developing) the Internet Economy in every city and every town in America.

The second annual Games Summit runs concurrently with the 2013 International CES, for one day on January 10. AFter opening remarks by Ned Sherman, CEO and Publisher, Digital Media Wire, the conference opens the agenda with ‘2013 Gaming Trends – Analyst and Expert Presentations’ with presentations that give an overview of the latest research that reflects and illustrates the current state of gaming and the directions in which the industry is heading. Throughout the conference, executives from the electronics industry, game publishers, game developers, advertising agencies, investment firms and social networks will discuss industry trends and share insights about the future of games and connected entertainment. Luxembourg-based Europe4StartUps, a non-profit organization, will be staging a contest through the Digital Media Wire community. The offer is part of the Europe4Startups campaign which over the next year will award grants to 12 digital media companies, two of which will be digital games companies selected from the DMW community. Recipients will receive a 12-month package, including premium cloud computing services and a suite of business, legal and marketing services.

The 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards will go live January 13 from Los Angeles with a live telecast airing over the NBC television network at 8 pm (EST). Originated in the 1940’s during World War II, the HFPA was originally comprised of a handful of LA based overseas journalists. Since those beginnings, the organization holds what is regarded as the third most watched awards show on television, the Golden Globe® Awards, which have enabled the organization to donate more than $12 million to entertainment related charities and scholarship programs. Actor, director and producer Jodie Foster will receive the Cecil B. de Mille for lifetime achievement at this year’s Awards. Chosen by the HFPA Board of Directors, the Cecil B. DeMille Award is given annually to the talented individuals who have made an impact on the world of entertainment. Morgan Freeman was handed the honor last year and previous honorees include Lucille Ball, Bette Davis, Walt Disney, Harrison Ford, Judy Garland, Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Martin Scorsese, Frank Sinatra, Steven Spielberg, Barbra Streisand, among others. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler host the 70th Golden Globe Awards.

The annual Sundance Film Festival is set to open in Park City, organized and run by Sundance Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the discovery and development of independent artists and audiences. Originally founded by actor Robert Redford in the mountains of Sundance, Utah, the Institute seeks to discover, support, and inspire independent film and theatre artists from the United States and around the world. In addition to Park City, films will be screened in Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance. This year’s festival which runs January 17-27 will screen 115 feature-length films representing 32 countries — the majority includes projects from 51 first-time filmmakers, including 27 films that are in competition.

In addition to discovering filmmaking’s newest talents through Sundance Festival’s film screenings, Festivalgoers can experience live music performances, panel discussions such as “Tupac, Elvis, and Benjamin Button Walk into a Bar…” a discussion on the impact of digital characters on filmmaking, live performance, and intellectual property, a topic inspired by the “Digillusion” event when a digital version of Tupac Shakur did a surprise performance at Coachella and the crowd reaction to it. Festival goers can visit the Salt Lake City Café during the day to hear a range of songwriters and artists from across the musical spectrum take part in a program produced by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). The highly anticipated Steve Jobs biopic, jOBS, starring Ashton Kutcher, will close the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.

Similar to the Sundance Festival in certain regards, Slamdance also serves as a showcase for the discovery of new and emerging independent artists and is dedicated to the nurturing and development of their vision. And it is also based in Park City, although festival runs dates will be January 18-24, ending some days before Sundance concludes. Now in its eighteenth year as a festival that runs simultaneous to the Sundance Film Festival, the Festival showcases films in every genre, on any topic from every country around the world. The festival program is selected completely from blind submissions and does not disqualify any films based on premiere status or date of completion. As always, the Slamdance Screenwriting and Teleplay Competition is aimed at discovering and supporting emerging writing talent. Every year the Festival shows a Special Screening program comprised of several independent feature films by established filmmakers. This Special Screening program is non-competitive and sometimes includes films made by Slamdance alumni.

The National Association of Music Merchants Show (NAMM) is a trade-only event in Anaheim that is not open to the general public because of its B2B orientation. It is held bi-annually and will be held January 24-27 during this winter session and again in July in Nashville. There is also a NAMM Russia in May. As The show brings together all facets of the music products industry, buyers attend looking to find new state-of-the-art products, and exhibitors can connect with customers that are their target audience. The open lobby will play host to an exclusive Member Center, digital media hub, new product showcases and more. NAMM U, the learning and education arm of the convention, starts with NAMM U Online, a full and varied library of videos, articles and interviews that supplement the popular live Breakfast Sessions and Idea Center Sessions at the NAMM Shows; Breakfast Sessions, with industry insiders sharing their thoughts, ideas, and strategies for doing business in today’s aggressive marketplace, happening every morning before the show floor opens; Idea Center Sessions, which are short, focused “How to” sessions that take place right on the show floor and start every 30 minutes.

Since 1967, the annual MIDEM – acronym for Marché International du Disque et de l’Edition Musicale – has been an international B2B event in, Cannes Cedex, encompassing tradeshow, conferences, competitions, networking events, performances, as well as a platform for showcasing new artists, musical trends and music-related products and conferences educating about the music industry and new revenue streams. Since 2000, the night before MIDEM opens, the Palais des Festivals hosts the NRJ Music Awards. The awards ceremony is organised by NRJ, a French multimedia conglomerate that owns France’s most popular music station. This year, MIDEM’s Innovation Factory Zone is dedicated to discovering the latest cutting edge technologies through live demo sessions, training and mentoring with international experts. Music Pitch Sessions at MIDEM’s Brand Central division will have thousands of music professionals present to track and find new music relevant for their upcoming projects. Reed MIDEM is the owner and organizer of the annual MIDEM conference.

Broadcast Engineering Society-BES Expo is a Conference and Exhibition (BES Expo) on Terrestrial and Satellite Broadcasting which will be held in New Delhi on January 29-31. The theme for the 2013 Expo will be convergence and new broadcasting technologies. It is focused on manufacturers, dealers, distributors and suppliers of products, equipment, systems and services related to terrestrial and satellite broadcasting for radio, TV, studio and post-production. Equipment and technology which can be displayed in the expo includes, but is not limited to: cable, video, audio, multimedia, broadband, networking, automation, Video Streaming, Graphics and Animation, production and post production, archiving. A three-day conference on the theme “Convergence and New Broadcasting Technologies” happens at the same time as the exhibition in Hall 12. The Broadcast Engineering Society, headquartered in New Delhi and with 10 local chapters across India, was established in 1987 and is a founding member of the Engineering Council of India, New Delhi. The Society is affiliated with the Society of Broadcast Engineers and it has a friendship agreement with the Society of Cable Television Engineers and National Association of Broadcasters in North America.

The Florida Media Market (FMM) was created to be an outlet for South Florida independent Filmmakers to meet with executives producers, production companies, distributors, TV Networks and Stations, that are actively seeking content either by producing, co-producing or purchasing. FMM is also designed to serve as a meeting place where new filmmakers can gain valuable insight from industry veterans and established companies. To that end FMM has created both an annual market, and an online platform for buyers and sellers of film, documentary, television, and new media content to gather in order to teach, learn, inspire and do business together.

The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the “Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events” page at: http://www.actorschecklist.com/news.html which now has pages translated into 10 of the most widely used international languages that can be accessed from the blog page. This month’s photo placement highlights the MIDEM music convention in Cannes, France. If the photo does not appear in this post please click this link to view it. Looking ahead into the next month be aware that: the European Spiritual Film Festival will be in Glasgow, The Event Production Show 2013 will be held in London, The Berlinale Festival will take place in Berlin, a combined Digital Music Forum East and West – forming DMW Music – comes to New York City, The Editors Retreat for TV, video and film editors will be given in Riviera Cancun.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the “Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events” page at: http://www.actorschecklist.com/news.html which now has a language translation button to convert page contents into most widely used languages. In this month’s story page photo is Germany’s mega-artist, Lando Van Herzog (www.lando-van-herzog.com), who conveys his support for the Occupy Wall Street movement through a new music video, ‘Egomania’. And in a look ahead into February event dates, there is the Editor’s Retreat, in Austin, the Victoria Film Festival, in British Columbia, a Marketing Your Books Workshop, in Jacksonville, Big Easy International Film and Music Festival, in Arcadia, Amelia Island Film Festival, on Fernandina Beach, just to run through some dates to give you something to look forward to. And don’t forget that the News and Events and the site blog have translation tools to deliver page content in an array of translatable languages other than English.

NAB 2011, Coachella, Tribeca Film Festival, San Francisco International Film Festival, London Sci-Fi & Fatastic Film, are some Highlights in April’s Global Media and Entertainment Industry

Celebrating its 10th Anniversary April 6-9, the 2011 Florida Music Festival & Conference showcases live music, film and visual arts within the cultural community of downtown Orlando, The keynote interview for this year’s conference features Melvin Benn of Festival Republic on creating a successful live music event or festival. In an April 9 panel, Aaron Ford, Grooveshark, Alex Ewen, Media/Label, David McKenna, Bonded Records/Film, Jeffrey Hanson, Silent Majority Group, and David Beame, Beame & Mencher, LLP, discuss “The Business of Music.” All conference speakers will be available to all performing artists and registered music companies or aspiring music industry students to network with, post conference and throughout the weekend.

Now in its 28th year, the 2011 French Quarter Festival highlights New Orleans’ signature music, food, and culture within the historic neighborhood. French Quarter Festival was first produced in 1984 as a way to bring residents back to the Quarter. Today, 18 stages throughout the festival celebrate local music and represent every genre from traditional and contemporary jazz to R & B, New Orleans funk, brass bands, folk, gospel, latin, zydeco, classical and international. In other festival attractions, New Orleans’ restaurants, create the “World’s Largest Jazz Brunch” in Jackson Square, the Old U.S. Mint and Woldenberg Riverfront Park during festival weekend; Satchmo SummerFest hosts ‘Red Bean Alley’ with Satchmo inspired dishes and local cuisine. Only local restaurants are invited to participate in these festivals. French Quarter Festival runs April 7-10.

Palm Beach Women’s International Film Festival, April 7-10, premieres as a new women’s film event in Florida, attracting women filmmakers and visitors from around the world. A festival highlight includes the US Premiere of “Finding Kind”, a documentary about the “mean girl” phenomenon, which has been covered extensively in national media lately. The film will screen on Sunday, April 10 at Muvico in Cityplace, followed by a panel on school bullying from leading area experts including the School District of Palm Beach County and the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida.

Hollywood based FirstGlance Film Fest accepts all genres and screens feature length, feature documentaries, short narratives, shorts too (under 10 minutes), mini-docs, student shorts, graduate student shorts, music videos, animation and webisode pilots. Filmmakers of both short and feature films taking part in the festival are offered theatrical distribution through the festival’s new relationship with a Las Vegas theatre chain and distributor offering PPV and VOD after the theatrical run. During the festival’s run of April 8-10, After Parties will allow filmmakers to mix and mingle and hold informal Q & A with fellow filmmakers and audience members.

Over 85 years ago, Thomas Meighan was a famous hollywood silent movie star of the twenties. In 1919, he hit stardom in one of his best known films at the time, “The Miracle Man”, but unfortunately due to film deterioration it has disintegrated into small fragments over time. Thomas Meighan dreamed of making New Port Richey the Hollywood of the South. The Thomas Meighan Project will premiere the first film festival in the New Port Richey area, April 9-17, by showcasing film, video and animation shorts as a tribute to Meighan’s vision. Today, Meighan’s most recognizable role is in the film, “Male and Female”, directed by one of Hollywood’s legendary directors, Cecile B. Demille. The Thomas Meighan Project in association with the Richey Suncoast Theater will present the return of the “2011 Black Maria Film Festival.”

The Delray Beach Film Festival has become the Downtown Boca Film Festival (DBFF) based in Boca Raton, yet remains a non-profit 501 (c-3) organization dedicated to providing the local community and international visitors with a diverse presentation of films from around the world. This year festival screenings are from April 9-17 and include a program of student shorts and Xtreme sports video. In addition to offering films that might not otherwise be released theatrically in the USA, DBFF provides a unique cultural experience with events like Casino Night in Old Hollywood, benefitting Planet Hope, set for opening night, the Reel to Runway fashion show on April 11, as well as educational programs and forums for exploring the future of cinema.

NAB 2011, the annual digital media industry event held in Las Vegas, this year from April 9-14, is typically attended by media, entertainment and communications professionals focused on the next generation of video and audio content across multiple platforms — television, radios and computers to phones, the big screen. In sessions planned for April 12, Gordon H. Smith, President and CEO, National Association of Broadcasters, presents the “State of the Broadcast Industry Address”, and Leslie Moonves, President and CEO of CBS, sits down with Gordon Smith to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing broadcasters and the broadcast medium today. The NAB Education Foundation in partnership with the Broadcast Education Association and Pinkslipmixers.com hosts its annual spring Career Day during the NAB Show. Academy Award-Winning film director James Cameron will keynote the NAB Show.

The London Independent Film Festival will be held this year from April 14-25. It is committed to the independent filmmaker by giving special attention to films by first and second time directors, film produced with budgets under £100,000, and quality films that, for whatever reason, are unlikely to receive distribution through other channels.

Coachella, the anticipated annual music festival, April 15-17, set in the California Desert features many genres of music including alternative rock, indie, and electronic music. The event has several stages/tents set-up throughout the (camping) grounds, each playing live music continuously. From April 16–18 of the 2010 festival, Coachella drew a reported over 75,000 spectators each day. The festival also features interesting installation art and sculptures. Most of the pieces are interactive, and provide entertainment and eye candy for attendees walking throughout the Polo grounds. 2011 will introduce a new high security wristband that must always be worn and will be scanned at various checkpoints and upon entry to camping and festival grounds.

The Tribeca Film Festival in New York happens April 20 through May 1. As in past years, the Festival incorporates into its format the ESPN Sports Film Festival. Also in years past, the 2011 Family Festival Street Fair repeats again, this year on April 30 from 10 am to 6 pm. “The Union,” Cameron Crowe’s new documentary, chronicling the musical collaboration between Elton John and Leon Russell, opens the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival. And in the Tribeca Talks series, “After the Movie” post-screening dialogue with filmmakers, will be mixed with free events like “Industry”, that reviews issues that matter to today’s filmmakers such as the future of film distribution, stretching a production budget, how visual style affects genre, the challenges of documentary, and more. Established in 2003 by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, Tribeca Enterprises currently operates a network of branded entertainment businesses including the Tribeca Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival International, Tribeca Cinemas and Tribeca Film, a distribution initiative.

The 54th San Francisco International Film Festival opens at the Castro Theatre April 21 for a screening of “Beginners”, and then shifts to the after party to enjoy culinary delights from local restaurants, sophisticated cocktails as well as dancing. The Festival’s Midnight Awards on April 23 have been created to honor a dynamic young American actor and actress entering the prime of their careers — the ceremony is crafted as a late night awards ceremony and cocktail reception featuring food and drinks, DJ entertainment, film clips and remarks by special guests. The April 28 Film Society Awards Night is an anticipated black-tie gala event benefitting SFFS Youth Education fund. The evening honors this year’s directing, acting and screenwriting award recipients with peer tributes and career highlights, and features a special tribute to George Gund III. The “Centerpiece” of this year’s Festival is an event that features an edgy new film by an emerging director, followed by a chic lounge party at the CLIFT’s Velvet Room, featuring cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and the latest beats. On closing night, May 5, mix and mingle with a movie-loving crowd at The Factory. Dance to music inspired by the Closing Night film and feast on hors d’oeuvres and cocktails.

At London’s ninth International Festival of Science Fiction and Fantastic Film, there is the regular film programming of shorts, features, documentaries and world premieres, then there will be a featured series of talks, such as special-effects masterclasses, and debates on genre literature, film and TV. The festival, running April 23 – May 2, will also expand their ‘Science Fact’ stream with demonstrations, lectures and debate – under the banner SCI-FI-LONDON: LAB. A regular fixture at the Festival, the all-nighters offer three very different programmes of movies that run from around midnight until sunrise: an anime programme taking releases right to the big screen rather than DVD; the Mystery Science Theatre 3000 program; a themed programme of either sci-fi or horror classics. All attendees are given goody bags, ice-cream, a ample supply of caffeine (Red Bull, coffee and tea) throughout the night and breakfast at daybreak.

At ASCAP’s “I Create Music” Expo, there will be panels for all three days and live musical events each evening. To kick things off, there will be a pre-EXPO Networking event on Wednesday night, April 27. Lindsey Buckingham will be presented with the ASCAP Golden Note Award. Immediately following the presentation, Buckingham will be interviewed by Sara Bareilles focusing on his career as a songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, member of Fleetwood Mac and a solo artist. Marco Beltrami and Wes Craven, Scream 4, will discuss their collaboration in influencing the modern horror genre experience. And new this year, panelists in the film and TV industry lead a “Film & TV Scoring Feedback” session in which pre-submitted attendees’ composition and/or scores are played and analyzed constructively.

The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the “Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events” page at http://www.actorschecklist.com/news.html which now has a language translation button to convert page contents into most widely used languages. A look ahead into April event dates will help you prepare for: the Florida Music Festival and Conference, in Orlando, Tribeca Film Festival, in New York; National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) 2011, in Las Vegas, London Independent Film Festival, in London, the San Francisco International Film Festival, in San Francisco, to list only a few upcoming events in advance. Past videos from the monthly video news summary are archived on the Free Home Video Showcase at http://www.actorschecklist.com/video.