Highlights in January for Media Industry Networking Events

The January 4 HDTV Business Conference in Las Vegas is a one-day executive-level event that covers topics in the HDTV industry, including: HD content, ipTV, mobile video, MSO competitiveness, digital rights management, HD DVD vs. Blu-ray, MD-TV, LCD-TV, PDP-TV, retailing and merchandizing, new channels of distribution and who is making money. Keynotes by Bill Gates, Sir Howard Stringer, Paul Otellini and Terry Semel to name a few, are given at the Digital Hollywood at CES in Las Vegas, running through January 8. Classic Orson Welles Films will be screened January 4-8 in a retrospect presented by American Cinematheque in Santa Monica. IFFLA has announced that the Third Annual Storyboard Contest for California Youth between the ages of 8 to 17 will be held in Santa Monica on January 6. The National Society of Film Critics makes its awards announcement January 7 in New York, The very next day New York Film Critics makes its Circle Awards announcement in the very same town. A six-day January 8 Writers Boot Camp in Santa Monica seeks to help writers turn an idea into a fully devloped first draft in one month’s time. A BMI Acoustic Lounge showcase on January 9 in Los Angeles, makes for good networking as well as a chance to be heard, and admission is free. The 22nd Annual KidFilm Festival running January 9-22 in Dallas, has a diverse lineup of films and videos for children and adults, and gives audiences of all ages an opportunity to see (and discuss) family films together. At a January 9 program in Beverly Hills, the Museum of Television & Radio presents reception, performance, screening and CD signing for an evening program titled “Remembering Ricky Nelson: A Special Evening of Music and Memories”.

The 32nd Annual People’s Choice Awards will be held in Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on January 10 as well as be broadcast on CBS. The NAACP Image Awards nominations announcements will be made in Beverly Hills on January 10. The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures throws its Film Awards Gala at a New York location on January 10. The 33rd Annual International Association for Jazz Education Conference addresses education, teacher training and networking as well as slated performances, during its January 11-14 run in New York. Novelist/PR consultant Anthony Mora discusses the tools and Techniques that create your face in the marketplace of art, entertainment and ideas in a program he leads titled “P.R. For Artists” on January 11 in Los Angeles. Women In Film host a networking breakfast in Palm Springs on January 14 where you can talk about yourself ‘one-on-one’ with other members and let them know what you are looking for on the next step of your career path. Gender Blender is a Golden Globe viewing party and reception put on by DIVA and Instinct Magazine in West Hollywood, January 16. The Los Angeles Film Critics Association hosts their 31st Annual LAFCalifornia Awards honoring their selections on January 17 in Los Angeles. The NAMM International Music Market 2006 has Pre-show performances, stages with live music throughout the day, NAMM University, parties, concerts and clubs, and much more, when it gets underway January 19-22 in Anaheim. For the BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Luncheon at Stellar Awards on January 20 in Nashville, BMI has announced that The Hawkins Family and Bishop Paul Morton will be honored at the Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards Luncheon. At the West Hollywood located Emerge Music Workshop on January 21, music industry panelists Rob Cavallo, Fred Croshal, Don Gilmore and others discuss record production and offer advice to developing artists. Independent and major record companies, music publishers, and nearly anyone else involved in some way with the music industry attend the annual MIDEM International Music Market, running January 22-26 in Cannes. NATPE 2006 is slated to run January 24-26 this year in Las Vegas.

At the 35th Annual Rotterdam International Film Festival people assembled in teams can explore the possibilities of live cinema; film projection as performance and film projection as installation, at the festival running January 25 to February 5. The Animex Awards in London honors the many and varied uses of the animated medium when it take place on January 26. Blues Foundation hosts the International Blues Challenge, a showcase for blues musicians ready to take their act to the national stage taking place January 26-28 in Memphis. Writers Guild Foundation presents Robin Swicord, whose screenwriting credits include Memoirs of a Geisha as well as other works, to talk about her career, followed by audience Q&A, January 26 in Los Angeles. At Directors Boot Camp, designed for everyone who wants to improve their skills at: directing actors and crew, assistant directing, producing, production design, script supervising, camera, lights, sound and acting on camera, sessions run January 28-29 in Buckhead. The 12th Annual SAG Awards is slated for January 29 at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and tickets are limited to SAG members, but information on Branch Viewing Parties will be made available. The 23rd CineMart at Rotterdam International Film Festival will be held January 29 to February 2 in conjunction with Rotterdam International Film Festival offering ways to finance low- and medium-budget film projects. The 78th Annual Academy Awards Nominations will be announced at a Beverly Hills reception leading up to the actual Academy Awards ceremonies slated for March 5 at Kodak Theatre.

The above events are only a sampling of what is listed. Many of the events above have a submission process for indie and/or performing artists to take part in. Complete details are on the “Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events” page at http://www.actorschecklist.com/news.html. Experience the newly relaunched picture and ecard gallery on The Actor’s Checklist which you can find at http://actorschecklist.com/coppermine/.