IndieCade in Culver City supports independent game development and organizes a series of international events showcasing the future of independent games. The flagship festival is held each October in Culver City, with this year’s festival running through October 6, and is open to the industry and to the public. Events include festival workshops, master classes, a professional conference track, keynotes, and family-focused activities, meet-and-greets with game creators, hands-on gameplay with a GameWalk, live games, Night Games and numerous social events.
IndieXchange sessions are designed to help intermediate to advanced developers push each other up to the next level. It’s a full-day opportunity to network with peers, attend clinics and master classes, and discuss common challenges and opportunities. IndieCade’s Night Games are a series of Big, Table and Digital games best played under cover of darkness. The party starts at 20:00 Saturday in the IndieCade Village. IndieCade was formed by Creative Media Collaborative, an alliance of industry producers and leaders founded in 2005.
Austin City Limits (ACL) Music Festival now happens over two weekends – October 4-6 and October 11-13 – and now encompasses eight stages and over 130 bands. Acts that have been confirmed for the 2013 lineup include: Roadkill Ghost Choir, Caspar Babypants, Whiskey Shivers, Alanna Royale, My Jerusalem, Houndmouth, Ms Mr, Depeche Mode, Thao & the Get Down Stay Down, Red Baraat, Delta Rae, Autre Ne Veut, Neko Case, Kendrick Lamar, Tame Impala, Toro Y Moi, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Arctic Monkeys, Little Green Cars, Noah and the Whale, Lionel Richie and so many more.
In between ACL conference weeks, the Captivate Conference, October 6-8 at Palmer Center, hosts industry talent from a number of digital entertainment industries spanning film, games, mobile and music. The sessions and workshops focus on learning tools and events set up for the professional musician and products for consumers. In separate but related activities, SXSW Eco will run for its third year, opening on October 7, and connecting professionals spanning the public, private and academic sectors who are all working toward finding solutions to challenges facing civil society, the economy and the natural world.
Wanderlust Yoga, another mid-weekend event, is hosting an October 8 yoga class at the Long Center Pavilion during the week between the two ACL Fest weekends to benefit SafePlace. It will be a flow class led by five talented teachers and accompanied by live music. Attendees will enjoy refreshments from local vendors, a raffle of exciting prizes and a view of the entire Austin cityscape. The ACL Art Market is located in the center of Zilker Park where booths are open throughout the duration of the Festival. And aside from the daytime weekend showcases, there are the Official 2013 Late Night Shows that will bridge the two weekends, and features many of the same musical acts billed for the ACL Music Fest showcase.
The Bel Air Film Festival – BAFF for short – in Beverly Hills and surrounding areas is an annual international film festival offering attending filmmakers access to a series of film panels, music performances, gala events, and screenings of all genres including documentaries, animations, short films, student films, and comedies. The World Premiere of Feature Film Romatic-Comedy “Producer Sam” Followed by Red Carpet Gala at the Hammer Museum happens on October 10. The Festival will honor films in the following categories: Documentary Film, Feature Film, Short Film, Student Short Film, Comedy Short Film. The Bel-Air Film Festival hosted its first inaugural event in 2008 at a private estate located in Bel-Air, California. Even today some screenings are held at private luxury estates in Bel-Air and throughout theaters in Beverly Hills, on the UCLA campus, throughout Westwood, and into greater Los Angeles.
Each annual Bel Air Film Festival launches with a red carpet opening night gala and provides networking with industry professionals. The Los Angeles Premiere of feature documentary “Unclaimed,” will be October 8 at 19:00, followed by Q & A with Director Emmy Award Winner Michael Jorgensen. It is free to attend. There will be free admission to the USC film panel hosted by FilmBreak, Ripple News and moderated by Entertainment Attorney Mitra Ahouraian, on October 9 and the Hammer Museum After Party on October 10. An October 13 film panel hosted by FilmBreak, Ripple News, and moderated by entertainment attorney Mitra Ahouraian will be on the topic “Video On-Demand: Market Potential and Opportunities in Marketing and Merchandising” marks the close of the Festival.
Organized and run by Reed MIDEM, MIPCOM in Cannes is a yearly global market for entertainment TV content across all platforms. In four days beginning October 7, visitors to MIPCOM can come to discover and acquire the newest content in every genre and platform, gain industry knowledge, understand ongoing trends, learn new business models, finance their projects, find co-production partners, network and do deals with the decision-makers in the international television broadcasting and entertainment Industry. The MIPCOM 2013 programme will include the Media Mastermind Keynote Series, World Premiere Screenings, conferences, matchmaking and networking events.
This year in association with Shine International, Kudos, Shine France Films, Sky Atlantic HD and CANAL+, “The Tunnel,” is featured in MIPCOM’s World Premiere TV Screening on October 7. The conference’s anticipated keynotes will be made by executives including: Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Executive Officer and Director, DreamWorks Animation SKG, Roma Khanna, President, Television Group and Digital of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Dan Rose, VP of Partnerships, Facebook, Michael Wright, President and Head of Programming, TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies. Jeffrey Katzenberg has been named MIPCOM 2013 Personality of the Year and will accept the award on October 9 during a gala dinner for industry executives at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes.
This year, planned matchmaking and networking opportunities seek to accelerate business in different media sectors and provide practical solutions for business development. Animation buyers can take advantage of this planned opportunity to discover new prorgrams from some of Japan’s’ independent animation studios. MIPCOM and the Argentine National Film Board (INCAA) bring special focus to Argentina’s television production industry as this year’s “Country of Honor.” Argentina plays host to this year’s Opening Night Party, sponsored by the Argentine National Film Board (INCAA) and a dealmakers lunch the day after. A line-up of new leading executives and discover programming and production trends out of Africa, reportedly, a region undergoing innovation and fast growth in this field.
Screamfest from October 8-17 in North Hollywood premieres and showcases new work from American and international independent horror filmmakers. The opening night feature, ‘Beneath’, is followed by the Opening Night Party. Film entries are accepted in the categories of Best Feature, Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Special Effects and Musical Score. In addition, there are special categories for Best Animation, Best Short, Best Documentary and Best Student Film.
On October 15, a Screamfest Q&A panel moderated by Peter DeBruge, senior film critic for Variety is paneled by: Don Handfield, producer, Ray Siegle, stunt person, Michael Colleary, writer/producer, Lucy Mukerjee, SVP Development at After Dark Films. The discussion tackles issues of: “The Art, Business and Future of Genre Filmmaking” – also to be viewable via live-streaming video hosted by CraveOnline and ScreenCraft. The festival has hosted its share of notable filmmakers as guests, including Sam Raimi, Williiam Friedkin, Wes Craven, Eli Roth, John Landis, and ushered in well regarded horror flicks: David Arquette’s The Tripper, Paranormal Activity, 30 Days Of Night, Wolf Creek, Cube: Zero and others.
The New Orleans Film Society (NOFS) was founded in 1989. This past year marked the 21st Anniversary of the New Orleans Film Festival, which has grown into a showcase of local, regional, national, and international films. In addition to the annual Film Festival each fall – this year from October 10-20 – the NOFS hosts special events throughout the year: the French Film Festival, the New Orleans International Children’s Film Festival, and other events designed to benefit local film audiences, artists, and professionals. The NOFS also presents two monthly film series, one at the Contemporary Arts Center and one with the Porch 7th Ward Cultural Organization. Since NOFF is dedicated to nurturing new voices and making and making them feel welcome in New Orleans, it has, in recent years provided two complimentary nights of lodging for every attending filmmaker along with a Festival All-Access pass to enjoy all films, parties and more.
HIFF will conduct a New Media Camp right up to closing date, October 17-20. It is to be an intensive video workshop with hands-on guidance and expertise from working professionals ranging from successful YouTube partners and content producers, working filmmakers in traditional media, social media experts, and Hollywood actors who will assist in tweaking craft skills in the production of a three minute video that will be presented on the final day of the workshop at the Regal Dole Cannery Stadium 18. There is also the Creative Lab Writers Accelerator program that gives participants an opportunity to delve further into the craft, provide them with direction on the business of writing and help create a plan to assist them in taking their next steps to career fulfillment.
On October 19, SAG-AFTRA presents a workshop on the inner processes of casting diverse projects fielding a panel of industry casting directors, producers, directors and actors, some of whom have films in the 2013 Festival. After the panel, selected members of the audience will get the opportunity to test their audition skills and receive immediate feedback from the panel. HIFF started as a project of the East-West Center, an educational and research institution created by U.S. Congress and located on the University of Hawai’i Manoa campus in Honolulu.
Every two years, for 11 days, film festival goers can immerse themselves in feature films, documentaries, shorts, animations and new media works, as the Adelaide Film Festival curates a screening program along with a forum program designed to explore program themes and approaches to film methodology. The festival based in Glenside will be relevant to both the general public and industry professionals introducing it’s audience to innovative areas of screen practice that reflect current and future trends in the film and new media screen-based industries.
The Adelaide Film Festival October 10 Opening Night Gala will showcase ‘Tracks’, starring Mia Wasikowska (Jane Eyre, Stoker) and Adam Driver (HBO’s Girls, Frances Ha, Inside Llewyn Davis) and directed by John Curran (The Painted Veil, We Don’t Live Here Anymore). Following the screening, the festivities switch over to the Freemasons Hall for a gala after-party, to celebrate 10 years of the Adelaide Film Festival and the array of Australian and international films being presented in 2013.
On October 11, Bill Morrison will probe topics of screen works with Laurence Weshler, former director of the Humanities Research Institute, New York University. Morrison’s work is known to make use of rare archival footage in which forgotten film imagery is reframed as part of collective mythology. He has been commissioned to create films for contemporary composers, including John Adams, Dave Douglas, Michael Gordon, Henryk, Gorecki and Steve Reich. And on October 14, Morrison will open up the different ways that archival film and found footage can be used in a 90 minute Masterclass.
On October 13, guests from across Australia, and outside the region via Skype, explore the world of online content in a forum at Mercury Cinema. Topics that will be covered include: comedy, documentary, drama, soap opera and educational storytelling. It will take on issues about who is making money and how they are doing it, who is watching and whether webisodes are the new step stone into the moving image industries. The forum will culminate with a launch of the 2014 Guidelines for the MRC’s annual Web TV! Webisode Production Initiative. Following the screening of Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s on October 16 at Palace Nova Cinemas, a special event follows at the Festival Club over lunch and drinks when attendees can enjoy a fashion parade of genuine period outfits from the private collection of Catwalk Connections (the people behind Frock Around the Clock). The show will also feature rare fashion items and objects of curiosity from across the decades.
The PDN PhotoPlus International Conference + Expo is an annual New York City photography event for professionals, students, educators and enthusiasts concerned with the latest developments and techniques in photography, video and digital imaging. From October 23-26 visitors to the PDN PhotoPlus International Conference + Expo can explore over 300 exhibits, see new products, attend conference seminars, keynote presentations, special events. Donald Pettit, Mark Seliger, and Rick Smolan will each deliver keynote presentations at PhotoPlus. On opening conference day, panel presentation “20/20 Vision: What Will Photography Look Like in the Next Decade?” features a panel of photo industry experts and thought leaders discussing technology, issues and desires, and envisioning the future of photography. Admission is free for all registered attendees. Portfolio Review sessions will happen October 24-26. The review program features over 175 veteran professionals with the visitor able to select and prioritize the reviewers they want to meet with. Every registrant for the Official Portfolio Review program receives free admission to PhotoPlus Expo. The Expo celebrates its 30 year history this year with a party that will include three hours of food, beverages, photo ops, and fun.
Known as “The Writer’s Festival,” for the past 19 years, Austin Film Festival has sought to distinguish its festival program by selecting films that display strong storytelling, both written and visual. This year is Austin Film Festival’s 20th Anniversary. In addition to the Narrative Feature and Documentary Feature categories, this year there has been added a new “Dark Matters” category to showcase horror films. The festival will present a program of narrative, animation and documentary features and shorts, including premieres, advanced screenings, and independent films. Film screenings are complemented by informative Q&A sessions with cast members and filmmakers.
The AFF conference, dedicated to the screenwriting practice, will cover areas like: researching and editing your story, creating and funding a film, working with a writing partner, facing a blank page on a bad day, risking a new direction after established success. Parties and social network events include Opening Night Reception, hosted by Austin Film Commission, followed later on by the WGA West Late Night Welcome Party hosted by Craig Mazin. The night before the official festival open, there will be the 11th annual “Film and Food Party,” an evening dedicated to honoring Austin as both a nationally recognized thriving film industry and renowned culinary hotspot. Proceeds from the event benefit AFF’s Young Filmmakers Program. Then there will be a Starz Media Conference Wrap Party on October 26.
Billboard/Hollywood Reporter Film and TV Music Conference in Hollywood includes panels, Q&As and case studies with composers, music supervisors, artists and executives from across the film, television, advertising and music industries, leading discussions on the pressing issues in the Film and TV community, for two days, October 29-30. Brought back by popular demand, attendees have the opportunity to engage in 10-minute sit-downs with active song reps in the business, and submit their pitches and music. Industry notables scheduled to take part include: Michele Wernick, EVP, Music Placement; Michael Fey, Creative Licensing, Shoot the Noise Music Peter Shurkin, Select Tracks; Cindy Badell-Slaughter, President, Heavy Hitters Music Group, Peter Shurkin, Senior Director-Creative, Select Tracks; Sven Spieker, Mighty Generation Music; Anny Colvin, Position Music and others.
Grammy-winning producer, musician and songwriter T Bone Burnett will receive the Maestro Award at the Billboard/Hollywood Reporter Conference. Burnett will be honored for his work in film and television music, most recently as executive music producer of “Inside Llewyn Davis,” the CBS Films release that opens in theaters December 20. Burnett will host a Q&A after the award presentation. A late panel on closing day, the eve of Halloween, “Halloween, Horror and Hollywood,” focuses on the artistry of horror films with the topic dissected by a panel of experts from the world of chilling movies. The Film and TV Music Conference Closing Night Party will be hosted by John Anderson and PJ Bloom at Avalon. Costumes are optional.
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. The events blog also shows links to pages that are translated into ten of the most widely used international languages read over the Internet other than English. This month’s picture placement highlights festivals of horor and gore reflecting the upcoming Halloween period and the Hawaii International Film Fest. In a preview of next month’s events, be aware that: The annual American Film Market (AFM) arrives in Santa Monica. Running across town in Los Angeles and having a market partnership with AFM is American Film Institute (AFI) Film Fest in Los Angeles. Monaco International Clubbing Show will be in Monaco. Supanova Pop Culture Expo Brisbane will happen in Brisbane. Annual Content and Communications World is in New York City. Dubai International Character and Licensing Fair opens in Dubai.
