Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events

Now in its 15th year, and with more than 100 speakers across 30 sessions, Streaming Media East running May 14-16 in New York City, is a place to see, learn, and discuss what is taking place with all forms of online video business models and technology. Content owners, viral video creators, online marketers, enterprise corporations, broadcast professionals, ad agencies, educators, and others all come to Streaming Media East to see and hear the latest online video technology and to discuss the business models that are coming of age. Industry instructors will conduct 20 "how-to" sessions on the various technical aspects of the industry - encoding, videoplayers, webcasting productions, and more. During the opening keynote with Matt Frost, Senior Business Product Manager, Google Chrome, keynote attendees will have a chance to win one of twelve Google Chromebooks.

In Cannes, the Third Annual International Film Finance Forum hosts financiers, investment advisers, filmmakers, studio executives, finance and sales agents, distributors, attorneys, accountants, insurance and completion bond providers, film commissioners, and new entrants to film financing from all over the world. This year's speaking faculty will address how to get movies financed, made, and sold in an ever-changing marketplace. The forum will open up with the state of the industry overview by Randall Emmett, Co-Chair/Producer of Emmett/Furla Films. Emmett. During the closing conversation, actor, producer and humanitarian Danny Glover will address the importance of documentaries, creative financing strategies for this genre, and ways to market and sell these types of films. The Forum is one day only on May 18.

For the second straight year in a row, the Billboard Music Awards goes live from Las Vegas, May 20, following a hiatus that lasted from 2007 to 2011. The awards will reflect Billboard's chart rankings based on key fan interactions with music, including album sales and downloads, track downloads, radio airplay and touring as well as streaming and social interactions on Facebook, Twitter, Vevo, Youtube, Spotify and other popular online destinations for music. This year, U.K. performer Adele takes the lead as a finalist in 18 award categories, including Top Artist, Top Female Artist and Top Billboard 200 Artist. Expected performers already announced for this year's show include: Justin Bieber, Carrie Underwood, LMFAO and The Wanted are the first performers announced with others to come. The "2012 Billboard Music Awards" is co-executive produced by Richard D. Beckman, CEO Prometheus Global Media and Don Mischer Productions. The 2012 Billboard Music Awards will air on ABC live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and hosted by Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell. The MGM Grand Garden Arena is home to concerts, championship boxing and premier sporting and special events. The Arena offers comfortable seating for as many as 16,800 with excellent sightlines and state-of-the-art acoustics, lighting and sound.

RadioTV Forum opens for a two day run on May 22 in Rome. The Aeranti-Corallo RadioTV Forum is organized by RadioTv srl and is a focal point for the radio and television industry in Italy. It consists of a program of meetings, technical seminars and workshops as well as an exhibition. The "Workshop Day" event, is a day of technical workshops and seminars focusing upon the Italian transition to digital terrestrial TV, that began at the "Casa dell'Energia" conference center. RADIOTV FORUM is an event promoted by AERANTI-CORALLO, the association of local, satellite and Internet radio and television companies, and organized by RADIOTV srl. It represents around 1,000 companies, including local radio and television broadcasters, satellite and Internet stations, local broadcaster groups, broadcast news agencies, cable radio businesses, and radio and television advertising sales houses.

Casual Connect Asia 2012 is set to run May 22-24 in Suntec City. Developed for the general public and families, casual games are video games that are fun and easy to learn and play and are found on many devices including personal computers, video game consoles, mobile phones and handheld devises. Casual Connect is the place to learn more about this industry which entertains an approximate 300 million people each month. Learn all about iPhone, Social, Android, Flash, Browser MMO and Download Games. The Innovation Showcase, is set up as an "art-gallery" style exhibition that displays twelve games considered to be innovative. Visitors to the gallery are encouraged to come and interact (play) with the games for Web and iOS platform, and maybe offer feedback leading to great games ideas. The Official Casual Connect Parties are: May 22 at IDA Singapore, and May 23 at CoCoon Bar in The Forbidden City. Founded in 2005, the Casual Games Association is a professional international trade organization providing educational resources and community support for those involved in creating games for the mass market consumer.

Belgian Broadcast Days is a networking event for manufacturers and dealers, rental and facility companies, new media, ICT and mobile television, happening in Brussels, May 23-24. On day one after an opening keynote address by Dominique Vosters, director of the Cabinet of Minister Mrs Fadila Laanan, Philippe Bekaert-IBBT explores surround video based novel television production concepts and viewing experiences in the home and on the road. Other presentations follow and day one ends with a Walking Dinner and networking party. Starting day two, Jo Caudron discusses How digital innovation will impact the television business, Jelle-Jan Bruinsma presents on Opportunities for TV Broadcasters on YouTube - a short overview of YouTube's partnership programme for TV Broadcasters, and other talks continue through the day. Workshops on Legal aid, employment and financial incentives will be held, and a networking session ends the last day.

The inaugural New York International Short Film Festival, NY Shorts Fest kicks off May 29 down in the Lower East Side of New York City. Created by the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival - LA Shorts Fest - which is now in it's 16th year, NY Shorts Fest events provides a showcase for international short-form cinema and includes receptions as well as workshops and master classes with industry experts and top filmmaking professionals sharing their practical advice to attending filmmakers. The festival closes May 31.

Korea International Broadcast Audio and Lighting Equipment Show (KOBA 2012) is an exhibition of broadcasting, audio, video and lighting industries opening in Seoul May 29 running until June 1. Drawing on resources from the Korean Broadcasting Engineer & Technicians Association, it offers the opportunity for engineers, producers, studio and other large scale performance professionals to get the latest information about this field. The show draws professionals related to the field of Radio and TV Equipment, Audio and Video studios equipment, Terrestrial, cable and Satelite TV, Multimedia for Broadcasting, Computer Graphics, Audio and Video Telecommunications, Audio and Video on the Internet, Video projection, profesional sound, Show Lighting, Equipment Rental, Audiovisual Interactiveness, Audiovisual Operators, Media Asset Management.

As an official program of IFP/Chicago, The Chicago Underground Film Festival has forged a certain niche for itself by presenting an accessible, user-friendly showcase for avant-garde and cult cinema. Opening May 31 to run up to June 7, CUFF showcases a wide range of work exploring the many definitions and interpretations of the concept of "underground". This year's festival will offer a complementary mix of independent features, shorts, documentaries and experimental films augmented by nightly parties and concerts. Panels and workshops further add to the programming that encompases alternative music films, political agitprop, high camp and formal experimentation.

A singers search and open mic produced by the long-running showbiz team of Billy Shepard and Judi Jourdan is held every Monday night at "The Iguana" just around the corner from the David Letterman Show TV taping in the Broadway show district of New York City. Talented newcomers and experienced singers are all welcome. Just come in, sign up and sing. A pianist is resident or bring your background tracks or CDs. The pianist transposes instantly in any key for you. Open to the public, all ages and all styles are welcome. Participants will be singing with the opportunity to be booked as a featured singer in a future Shepard & Jourdan television Showcase: "How to Succeed in Show Business By Really Trying", shown on Time Warner Cable television every Wednesday at 11:30 pm on channel 57.

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 which now has a language translation button to convert page contents into most widely read languages. And a new initiative has begun to offer the news summary in various translated versions, viewable as a .pdf document and delivered via file sharing and content deliver network protocols, as well as other means. Gazing ahead into the next month, be aware that... Cine Gear Expo 2012 will be in Hollywood. Los Angeles Indie Music/Film International Summit 2012, will be in Los Angeles. IN THE PALACE International Short Film Festival, will be in Balchik. Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival will be in Cannes. Social Media Film Festival - showcasing films mostly about social media, social change and technology - will be in Las Vegas. The British Animation Film Festival 2012 will be in London.