The newsletter of the SASKATCHEWAN INTERACTIVE MEDIA ASSOCIATION

Our mission: To foster the growth of a strong & vibrant interactive media sector/industry in SK with capabilities recognized & respected in the provincial, international, and international marketplace.

Our vision: As a provincially, nationally, and internationally recognized industry voice, Saskatchewan Interactive will: provide advocacy, promotion, and education to increase member opportunity in a global marketplace.
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Telefilm in Saskatoon
May 23rd 2007
Meet Western Region Director Earl Hong Tai, for one-on-one discussions, the afternoon of May 23rd.

To set up an appointment, please call or email Allison Langridge
1-800-663-7771 (Main)
604-666-6136 (Direct)
langria@telefilm.gc.ca
Kindly confirm your participation by May 17th, 2007.
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Telefilm in Regina
May 29th 2007
Meet Western Region Director Earl Hong Tai, and representatives from Film and New Media
for a roundtable session and one-on-one discussions.

To RSVP or receive further information please call or email Allison Langridge
1-800-663-7771 (Main)
604-666-6136 (Direct)
langria@telefilm.gc.ca
Kindly confirm your participation by May 22nd, 2007.
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Sources of Financing
Monday, May 14th 2007, Saskatoon

SATA, SAINT, Ag-West Bio Inc. invite you to attend an information session to learn how to decide what source of financing makes sense for your company. Whether it is a bank loan, angel investing, venture capital, subordinated debt, or public venture capital (i.e. going public). If your company needs money to grow come and learn the methods, processes, benefits & costs / consequences, and exit strategies of pursuing the source of financing that is right for you.
We are proud to present a panel of speakers and experts who will highlight the main points of the processes companies go through when raising funds from their sources. They will speak from experience and present their knowledge on each of their respective financing source. Our speaker panel is composed of:
Kevin Strong, TSX Venture Exchange - He is a manager of the Winnipeg office of the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV). Kevin's main functions include processing, listing, and filing transactions as well as business development. He will outline a unique program that exists to help emerging companies raise money and go public; Capital Pool Companies (CPC).
Grant Kook, Golden Opportunities - He is the founder, Chairman/CEO of Golden Opportunities Fund Inc., Saskatchewan’s First and Largest Provincial Labour-sponsored Fund. He is also the President/CEO of the fund manager, Westcap Mgt. Ltd. which manages a portfolio of Saskatchewan investments on behalf of the Government of Saskatchewan as well as the Fund Manager of Saskatchewan’s first, First Nations and Métis Fund.
Marie Savostianik, SAINT - She is the coordinator and operation manager for SAINT. With 16 years of experience working in the advanced technology industry, Marie has assisted hundreds of investors and entrepreneurs to understand the elements of strating a new business. In early 2005, Marie joined an initiative with the SATA to establish Saskatchewan's first formal angel investor network: the Saskatchewan Angel Investor Network (SAINT).
Warren Jackson, BDC - District Manager Business Development & Entrepreneur Centre for Saskatoon.

We will also have an accounting firm and a law firm presenting. The accounting firm will be presenting on valuations, audits, financials, and how they can help your company access capital through private investors and corporate investors. The law firm will touch on prospectus exemptions and how law firms can help you raise money by having proper counsel representation. Our speakers from these firms will be:
Derrek Fahl, WMCZ - He is a partner with law firm of Wallace Meschishnick Clackson Zawada in Saskatoon. Derreck's law practice primarily involves corporate, commercial and securities law. His work is almost exclusively in the areas of raising capital through private placement financings, debt and merges and acquisitions.
Bill Matiko, Deloitte - He is an Associate Partner of Deloitte with his Chartered Business Valuator and Chartered Accountant designations.

LOCATION & TIME
Saskatoon
May 14th, 2007
Candle Room - Main Floor
The Atrium Building
Innovation Place - Saskatoon
11:45 am - 1:35 pm (Lunch will be provided)

COST - SATA, SAINT, Ag-West Bio Inc., and partner organizations members $20.00 (GST included).
Non-members $35.00 (GST included)
REGISTRATION
To register for this informative and networking session https://www.picatic.com/ticket/event26590/index.php
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Casual Connect July 17-19, 2007 in SEATTLE
Casual Games Association Events are the premiere events for the casual games industry. CGA Seattle brings together the most talented and knowledgeable experts in the casual gaming field to further the casual games industry.
Check out the website at http://seattle.casualconnect.org/index.html
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Canada New Media Awards
7th annual Canadian New Media Awards (CNMA) on Monday, May 28th, 2007.
This year's event takes place at Toronto's, The Carlu, combining the architectural look of '30s glam with spectacular technology and acoustics to create memorable events.

The action-packed Awards hour is filled with excitement, great entertainment, and flawless show production employing state-of-the-art integrated technology. Enjoy the innovative talent that Canada has to offer.
http://links.cnma.ca/a/v.x?Token=pjbhnmdddmekghdcjbokmconmamnaflfjdcghiinehkoldjpaomcmkonhpje
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Ottawa 07 International Animation Festival
Stop holding your breath! You can now enter your film for the 2007 edition of the OIAF!

The deadline for entry forms is June 1st, 2007 and the deadline for preview DVD submissions is June 15th, 2007. But don't think that because June is so far away that you can leave things until the last minute... like we do. Beat the rush and fill out the form now!
http://ottawa.awn.com/
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SaskTel/SaskFilm Interactive Travel Assistance Program.
The program is designed to provide financial assistance to interactive producers to approved program markets in order to increase the marketing and export of Saskatchewan interactive products. This program is funded by what was formerly called the SaskTel New Media Fund and will be available until program funds are fully expended.
SaskInteractive appreciates the support that these funds offer to our members to attend important events and to bring back valuable information for our members.

Should you have any questions about the program, please contact Charlene Hilkewich, Program Coordinator at Charlene@saskfilm.com or by calling 306.798.3317.
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nextMEDIA: The Future of Digital Content*
*Scheduled for June 8 --10, 2007 in Banff, Canada*

The future of digital content will be studied, discussed, debated and shaped as the best and brightest
minds in the digital media industry come together at *nextMEDIA 2007*, scheduled to take place June 8 -- 10, 2007 at the scenic Fairmount Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta. The sister conference to the Banff World Television Festival (June 10 -- 13, 2007), nextMEDIA will deliver the latest information on emerging platform distribution while actively building a marketplace for digital content producers from Canada and around the world.

Now in its third year, nextMEDIA has become an *important event for content producers*, TV and media executives, technology companies, and Web entrepreneurs alike. The three-day conference features a comprehensive program of keynotes, panel discussions, briefing sessions, interviews, and formal and informal networking sessions.

New to the nextMEDIA program is a *social-networking site *developed in partnership with PikSpot Groups (http://www.pikspot.com), a Canadian Web 2.0 company. The site (http://nextmedia.pikspot.com) is scheduled to launch mid-February and will offer digital content producers the opportunity to upload their own text, photos and videos using PikSpot's built-in tools. Group members will be able to network with each other, view and "vote" on content.

To register or to find out more information about nextMEDIA 2007, go to http://www.futureofdigitalcontent.com. Delegates registering for the Banff World Television Festival will be able to take advantage of a *special discount* for both events when they choose to register for
nextMEDIA.

For additional information, contact:
Julie Giles, Digital Entertainment and Media Marketing
Tel: 416-537-9774 | Cell: 416-878-5328
E-mail: jgiles@achillesmedia.com
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Saskatchewan Voicers Club
In the voice business, talent can be in any town or city, using a home sound studio to record sound files and email them worldwide.

Anyone interested in voice-over work who would like to become a member of a Saskatchewan Voicers Club should direct Saskatchewan inquiries to Wayne Gemmell wayne@NetRevenue.ca
Please forward this to anyone that you think may be interested. For a wealth of technical information go to James Alburger's web site ... VoiceActing.com

Workshop training is extremely important; meetings would be infrequent and mostly online via computer web conferencing. At least one of Regina's major recording studios has expressed interest in attending and monitoring our meetings in search of new talent for local commercial work. Radio is all voice work but TV commercials have voice in the background.

Unlike movie and television actors who are very visual, the voice actors behind Porky Pig or Sponge Bob could sit beside you and you would never know who they were.
There are only a few mandatory things that a voicer needs ... interest, dedication, a voice and a heartbeat.

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Please support our efforts to grow our industry by becoming a member and presenting a united voice in Saskatchewan. Pass this email on to everyone you know in the industry.
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Funding for the Saskatchewan Interactive newsletter is provided solely through the good graces of our overworked and dedicated volunteers. Don’t just sit back – help us to grow the industry by supporting our efforts - join our organization and make your voice heard through your industry representatives. We are making a difference!

Website: http://www.saskinteractive.com