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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INDUSTRY ADVISORY - CANADA NEW MEDIA FUND
Montreal, June 11, 2007 — Further to the June 10th announcement by The Honourable Bev Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage, that the Canada New Media Fund (CNMF) has been renewed for two years at $14.5 million annually, Telefilm Canada would like to inform clients that updated guidelines will be posted on its Website on June 15, 2007, along with a document highlighting key changes.

On March 23, 2007, Telefilm held consultations with the new media industry and members of the Canadian Interactive Alliance to discuss and review the proposed key revisions to the CNMF. The new guidelines reflect the renewed terms and conditions and the discussions held with industry representatives.
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Sessional Lecturer position in Computer Science, University of Regina
The class will be cross-listed with FILM385AB.
The ad mentions a B.Sc., but an MFA would also be considered as qualification.
The ad is located at:
http://www.uregina.ca/hr/Sessional_Lecturers/Science/Fall2007/CS325-001.html

CS 325-001: Introduction to Multimedia Systems (MWF 1:30 - 2:20 p.m.)
Course Description:
Multimedia is the use of computers to integrate texts, graphics, video, animation, and sound in an interactive experience. The course introduces these elements of multimedia and their associated
technologies. Students will gain an appreciation of each element and be able to combine them into a finished work.
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Tokyo Game Show 2007
This year, the Computer Entertainment Suppliers Association (CESA), is working hard to make the Tokyo Game Show more attractive to foreign companies and to do so, following the recommendations of most past foreign exhibitors, has accepted to extend the length of TGS by one day, making it a four day event, including two business days. Until now, TGS had only one business day which would make foreign companies wonder if it was worth the trip. It is no longer the case! CESA has also moved the Computer Entertainment Developers' Conference to immediately after TGS, hoping to increase the presence of foreigners at the conference. The combination of TGS and CEDEC make for an interesting package to any game related company interested in this market.

The Embassy is coordinating the Canada at TGS initiative, but this time, with the support of the Canadian Interactive Alliance (CIAIC). The CIAIC has received funding from our Department to put up a pavilion at TGS and support companies that will be participating in the show. ($600 in travel to the first 10 companies to confirm their participation)

This is great as it means a much better pavilion with much more visibility and business opportunities.

In addition to the pavilion which should be much nicer than last year, the TGS package includes:
• Seminar at the Embassy - Each company will get 10-15 minutes to present their services to a very focussed audience of people from the industry.
• Mini trade show - each Canadian company will have its stand in the theatre lobby to give our visitors the opportunity to meet with them easily, before, during, and after the presentations.
• Networking reception - small but very focussed guests list, including only relevant contacts.
• One on One meetings - The one on one meetings are the most important element of our initiative and I am currently on a tour of all the important Japanese game companies to ask them to meet with all our Canadian participants. Every Japanese company that I have met so far has accepted, which means that on the day before the pavilion set-up at the venue, each Canadian participant will get to meet with 10 - 15 relevant business contacts or more depending on how things go from now. (Game Connection style - but better!)
• You can also request meetings with specific companies if you already know who you want to meet. We'll do our best to try to secure a meeting for you.
• Meetings with Taiwanese and Korean companies - The Seoul and Taipei Trade Commissioners will accompany delegations from Korea and Taiwan to the Tokyo Game Show and facilitate meetings with the Canadian participants.
• Canada pavilion at TGS - In addition to the full space rental (3mX3m) we offer this year the more economic possibility of renting half booths and quarter booths. Slightly more expensive than the delegate's package, but gives the companies space to display their promotional material and even put up posters.
• Exhibitor's status - This status gives participants access to all the services provided by the TGS organisers, including the profile of their company, in Japanese, in the show directory (hard copy and online), access to the semi-private meeting rooms, as well as access to the conferences. There are also other services offered by the organisers that are still TBC.
• Additional activities: The TGS will offer two business days this year (it used to be only one) .There will also be an international evening on the Friday (West meets East?) which should provide interesting networking opportunities.
Stephane-Enric Beaulieu
Trade Commissioner / Délégué Commercial
Embassy of Canada / Ambassade du Canada
7-3-38 Akasaka, Minato-Ku, Tokyo
107-8503, Japan
Tel: (81-3) 5412-6232
Fax:(81-3)5412-6250
stephane.beaulieu@international.gc.ca
www.infoexport.gc.ca
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Casual Connect Seattle
All conference info and the agenda can be found at http://www.casualconnect.org/seattle The site is the official conference site and hosts all the information relating to official conference programs, timing, etc. This is THE gaming event in Seattle for 2007 and will attract upwards of 1,000 attendees. Currently, Microsoft alone is sending 100 people and RealNetworks 80 attendees. If you know of companies interested in gaming, they should attend this conference. Period. The conference starts Monday, July 16, 2007 with a full-day “tutorial” session on Casual Gaming. The organizers say this day is a primer of sorts for “newbies” to the sector, but that companies already successful in the space can benefit from attending as well. The main conference sessions start at 9AM Tuesday, July 17, 2007. There is also an opening reception and badge pick up scheduled from 4-7PM on the 16th. Options abound!

Registration Information:

We have secured thirty (30) free registrations for the conference using the below link and code. If the code does not work, it means we have filled our allotment…. I can obtain more slots if that happens so please let me know if you are blocked when trying to register. This code is intended for Canadian companies, government agencies, industry associations and the like. Use “CANADA” as the sponsor code:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=gvMOOBFdMr7biuYyruG%2bEA%3d%3d
We are “standard” registrants when asked by the system.

Hotel Info:

The official conference hotel is the Fairmont Seattle and Casual does have some rooms available. Please see their website for more information. We have secured twenty-five (25) rooms at two other hotels in the area at discounted rates. I encourage you to book a hotel room (these or any of your choice) as soon as possible as mid-July is a very busy time in beautiful Seattle. The rooms at our two hotels are a mix of double beds, kings and queens so please request your choice upon booking.

Warwick Hotel - 206-770-1980
http://warwickwa.com/
The Warwick Hotel ($179/night, July 15 - 20th)
Please call Tahnya to book rooms directly (206) 777-1980

Pike Place Suites - 206-682-8282
www.pikestreetsuites.com Pike Place Suites ($189/night, July 15 - 19th)

Travel Info:

We have secured discounted airfare rates through Alaska Airlines for those traveling by air. These rates, although discounted, must be purchased through our travel agent at Executive Travel on phone number (425) 453-8200. Tell them you are paying with your own credit card, but you are allowed the Canadian Consulate Seattle discount. This agency charges a $40USD fee per ticket for this service. Depending on when you book, the discount may not be worth the service fee and you might find better rates through your own agent or a direct booking.

Microsoft Partner Day:

Very important – for Canadian companies ONLY, no government officials or industry associations allowed. This is a special, invitation only event hosted by Microsoft at their Redmond headquarters near Seattle. It will be a full day event Monday, July 16, 2007 (approx. 8AM – 5PM) for invited guests of Microsoft to discuss partnerships, development opportunities, etc. Unfortunately, I do not have any more information as we are not privy to the details of the day, but we do know that this is an opportunity NOT to be missed by Canadian companies. Therefore, any company wishing to attend this event must email me their contact info no later than noon on Friday June 15, 2007. This DOES NOT guarantee they will be invited to attend, this merely expresses their interest. I then send these names to Microsoft and the companies are invited or not, fully at the discretion of Microsoft.
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SATA President & CEO Position
The Saskatchewan Advanced Technology Association is currently seeking candidates with a passion for entrepreneurship for the position of SATA President and CEO. Please go to http://www.sata.ca/ for more information on this exciting opportunity.
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Saskatchewan Advanced Technology Association's Annual General Meeting 2007
Wednesday, July 18th
Boffins Club, Saskatoon
SATA would like to invite you to its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday July 18th at Boffins Club, Innovation Place, in Saskatoon. Registration will begin at 4:00pm with the business meeting for the AGM beginning at 4:30pm followed by a networking reception and BBQ.
You are welcome to bring your staff or any of your business partners.
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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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MIC & ME – Mic Time Audition Voice Workout (meant for every level)
Regina, Saskatchewan Sept. 7/8/9 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

THIS WORKSHOP WILL TEACH YOU:
- THE INS AND OUTS OF THE VOICEOVER BUSINESS
- AUDITION TECHNIQUE
- HOW TO MAKE THE BUSINESS WORK FOR YOU NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE

You will have the opportunity to get behind professional recording equipment to work with top instructor/talent Deb Munro.
For more information about Debbie Munro please visit www.debsvoice.com
Contact Debbie Munro to register at info@debsvoice.com or +1 (604) 939-4029
Please pass this on to anyone you know that may be interested! _____________________________________________
Innovations in Learning Conference – September 24-26, 2007
Santa Clara, California
http://www.brandonhallconference.com
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15th Annual Canadian Information Productivity Awards Call for Entries
Date Extended to June 21!
May 22, 2007, Toronto, ON... Canadian Information Productivity Awards (CIPA), Canada's leading national IT innovation and competitiveness awards program, announces an extension of the 2007 Entry Date for submissions to June 21, 2007.

At the request of CIPA regional and national alliance partners, CIPA is extending this year's entry date to allow entry of partner nominated submissions to the competition.

The mission of CIPA is to recognize excellence that fosters innovation and enhanced competitiveness in Canada. Each year our competition attracts information-technology-enabled productivity projects from across the country from organizations of all sectors including industry, government, education and healthcare.

Any organization or company that has implemented a project that exhibits exceptional innovation or demonstrates dramatic results in the areas of efficiency and operations, collaboration, organizational transformation or customer centricity (2007 entry categories) may apply. CIPA is in its 15th year of recognizing Canadian excellence!

Download the entry form at http://www.cipa.ca/award_program/index.html and submit your entry to entries@cipa.ca by June 21. Note that with the extended entry date, the complete entry submission must be received at CIPA by 5:00pm EST, June 21, 2007.
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BC's Mobile Content Developers and Publishers Guide
A capabilities guide that features the leading BC companies creating content for cell phone companies and their clients was recently produced. This was created due to the global demand for cell phone content and applications. This guide features companies that have general gaming content (single player and/or multiple player), information services, sports team gaming, social communities and game publishers.

The Guide (5.4 MB pdf) is located at: http://press.mobilemuse.ca/projects/assets/MobileIndustryGuide2007.pdf
It is a large file and printer spooling can take a few minutes.
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Business Retention and Expansion International (BREI) Conference
Delta Regina Hotel and Convention Centre from June 6-8.
Individual workshops or keynote presentations are only $49.00 each. You will learn from leading world-class experts on various tools, international perspectives, and innovative ideas on:

-The Future of Industry in a Global Market
-Collaborative Innovation Networks
-Going Global – Export Development
-The Fundamentals of the Experience Economy
-Growth Planning in Manufacturing
-Succession Planning
-Attracting and Retaining the Next Generation of Talent
-Becoming a Cool Company
-Steps to Growth Capital
-A Fascinating Look at the Future of Public Policy
-The Importance of Industry Cluster Development

http://www.brei.org/conferences/2007/SpeakersProgram.aspx - conference program
http://www.brei.org/conferences/2007/KeyNoteBREI.pdf - keynote speakers
http://www.brei.org/conferences/2007/SpeakerBios.pdf -breakout presenters

To register for a Keynote presentation or Workshop:
CALL (306-787-2201)
Entire Event is a $575.00 USD Value
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nextMEDIA – Monetizing Digital Content Scheduled for
November 21-22, 2007 at Toronto’s Diesel Playhouse
nextMEDIA organizers Achilles Media Ltd. are pleased to announce the launch of nextMEDIA – Monetizing Digital Content, the first in a series of new events that will address the highest areas of growth in the digital media industry. This inaugural, two-day event will take place November 21 -22, 2007, at the Diesel Playhouse in Toronto, ON, Canada.

nextMEDIA – Monetizing Digital Content, aims to help Publishers and brands to monetize their assets by leveraging digital technologies, and to enable Digital Content Creators/Aggregators to find alternative ways to finance and monetize their initiatives by aligning their properties with brands.

“The timing is perfect for this event,” says Achilles Media Ltd. Director of Digital Content, Mark Greenspan. “With the surge of online video, the opportunity has never been greater for publishers, advertisers and content creators to leverage digital technology for increased profitability.”

nextMEDIA – Monetizing Digital Content, is a digital entertainment, interactive advertising and technology conference dedicated to connecting all sides of today’s rapidly evolving digital media marketplace. Delegates will come away with the tools and the contacts which will enable them to create and execute profitable digital strategies for their organizations.

For more information: http://www.nextmediaevents.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