SNMDA Newsletter

INTERACTIVE! – The newsletter of the SNMDA

The Saskatchewan New Media Developers Association’s mission statement is: To foster the growth of the new media industry in Saskatchewan. We encourage you to support our efforts; assist us by becoming a member and presenting a united voice in Saskatchewan.

We could use your help. Please pass this email on to everyone you know in the industry. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter, visit http://www.snmda.sk.ca
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SYMPOSIUM – March 9, 2006
Plan on attending Saskatchewan Interactive! An intensive one-day symposium for digital media producers, Thursday, March 9, 2006 in Saskatoon, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Hilton Gardens Inn.

Join us for this intensive one-day symposium on the future of communications in education, training and entertainment.

During this eye-opening event, industry leaders will demonstrate and discuss the exciting directions in interactive communication enabled by the application of new technologies and techniques. The symposium will be of interest to new media industry producers; leaders in education, health care, and government; and progressive businesses.

These technologies, often referred to as “serious gaming”, use specialized software and techniques to imaginatively integrate with educational resources, training, or medical and engineering visualization. These tools help to create dramatically more effective teaching or training resources, troubleshoot engineering designs or medical procedures, and may contribute to social change.

Symposium participants will hear the stories of perseverance and success from producers and clients, be made aware of the potential for this new means of communication, connect with those who can help to access opportunities, and learn how to realize success in a growing industry. The symposium will also serve to introduce and facilitate connections between Canadian and American interactive digital media companies, and with potential clients.

For more details, check out the Speakers page on http://www.saskinteractive.com
On-line registration is available.
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iSUMMIT 2006: Content That Pays
- a high-level conference dedicated the business of content on interactive platforms.

ISUMMIT plenary sessions will offer major topics such as ‘Switching
Channels: Building Multi-Platform Strategies for Audience and Revenue’ while break-out sessions offer specialized information on a range of related topics such as ‘Up in the Air: Where is the Money in Mobile?’ and ‘The New British Invasion’. Providing delegates with the big picture and
opportunities to explore topics of interest.

Over a period of two-days in downtown Toronto iSUMMIT will examine the
business of content and how the transformation of the entertainment
industries are quickly changing traditional relationships between the media
and end users - turning “audiences” into “players” and possibly even the
“content” itself.

http://www.isummit.ca/html/about.php

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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
2006 CANADIAN NEW MEDIA AWARDS

Now in our 6th year, the Canadian New Media Awards continues to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of individuals and companies in the Canadian new media industry.

Visit the CNMA web site to nominate your colleagues, friends and even yourself for any of the 14 categories; - 6 product categories and 8 individual and company categories.

A nomination form and full explanation of each of the award categories is now available at the Canadian New Media Awards Web site located at: www.cnma.ca/index_e/nom_form/index.html .

Nominations close March 8th, 2006 at 5:00 PM EST, so submit a nomination today!

Even if you don't submit a nomination, be sure to spread the word. The more people who hear about the Awards, the more we can raise the profile of all our finalists and winners, including possibly you!

Thanks and good luck!

Tannis Wengel
Producer, Canadian New Media Awards
Tel: (416) 760-6800
E-mail: info@cnma.ca
Web: http://www.cnma.ca

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Advance Notice of a New Call for Proposals – New Media R&D Initiative

An advance notice of a new call for proposals has been posted on the
Department’s Web site at:
http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/pcce-ccop/progs/NewMediaR&DInitiative_e.cfm.

The New Media R&D Initiative is a component of the Department of Canadian
Heritage’s Canadian Culture Online (CCO) strategy, a framework to stimulate
the development and production of Canadian cultural content on the
Internet. The New Media R&D Initiative is aimed at supporting innovative
applied research at the intersection of technology and culture.

The Initiative has three objectives: 1) to help build research and
development (R&D) capacity in Canada and to advance innovation,
specifically in the area of digital cultural content; 2) to strengthen R&D
capacity in small- to medium-size enterprises (SMEs) in the cultural new
media industry; and 3) to encourage partnerships between organizations
involved in developing innovations to allow them to share expertise and
build on each others’ strengths.

We expect to have the call itself posted in the very near future. We will
keep you informed of its launch on our Web site.

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$40.5 M for Canada's first Digital Media graduate program

Provincial funding will help meet urgent need for education in growing sector

Vancouver - The Province of B.C. has allocated $40.5 million in one-time funding for Canada's first professional digital media master's program, at the Great Northern Way Campus (GNWC) in Vancouver, to help ensure that B.C. students can access employment opportunities in this rapidly growing sector, says a leading force behind the initiative.

"There is no other graduate program like this in the country and only a few in the world," says Bruce Clayman, President and CEO of the GNWC. "Funding this program will ensure that students have access to world-class education right here in B.C. and our close partnership with industry, through New Media BC, will result in valuable job opportunities for our graduates. We are grateful to the Province for providing this critical support."

The Great Northern Way Campus is a unique partnership of SFU, UBC, BCIT and the Emily Carr Institute. The collaboration allows creation of programs that leverage the strengths of all four institutions. The one-time government funds will help attract the best faculty members in the world, meet the capital costs of constructing labs and classrooms, and create an endowment to help meet ongoing operating costs. The first intake of students is slated for September 2007. Approximately 200 students are expected to graduate by 2010.

The program will be in the World Centre for Digital Media, which is being championed by New Media BC with strong support from the GNWC and the partner institutions. The program and the World Centre itself will both be supported with additional funds from direct industry contributions.

"Growth in our sector is dependent on cultivating outstanding people," says Lynda Brown, President of New Media BC. "We are quickly becoming recognized as global drivers in digital media but we just can't hang on to that lead title if we don't develop world class, homegrown talent. Housing this program in the World Centre for Digital Media is a progressive move by academia, industry and government. We see B.C. becoming the Hollywood of the digital media industry."

New Media BC member companies also applauded today's funding announcement.

"This new program will grow the talent that we all need to remain global entertainment leaders. The province is showing tremendous leadership in making this caliber of education available to B.C. students" says Paul Lee, Electronic Arts President - EA Studios.

The global interactive entertainment market is projected to double over the next few years to $65.9 billion in 2011, according to a recent ABI Research report. Digital media/new media is the use of new and emerging interactive digital content for the purposes of entertaining, educating and informing. It bridges the arts, culture and technology, including web design, mobile content, e-learning, interactive entertainment and games, and digital film and animation.

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For more information, or to arrange interviews:
Bruce Clayman,
604 873-3295 President@gnwc.ca

Lynda Brown, 604 739-9878
Lynda@newmediabc.com
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We hope to see everyone at the key interactive event of the year! – Saskatchewan Interactive! Sign up on-line and join the future of communications in Saskatchewan.

Website: http://www.snmda.sk.ca