Annual Entertainment Conferences and Festivals

Women In Film and Television, Florida, conduct a Board Meeting August 1 in Orlando addressing skills development, networking events and industry resources particularly as it regards Florida's global entertainment industry. The New York premiere and party for Marcos Siega's 'Pretty Persuasion' is on August 2 at the Clearview Chelsea West in New York City. The 2005 University Film and Video Association (UFVA) Conference at Columbia College in Chicago offers a selection of screenings, readings, discussions, installations, demonstrations and the Thursday night boat cruise picnic, among its special events, from August 2 to 6. Billboard Magazine's R & B Hip Hop Conference and Awards, now in its sixth year, positions itself as the primary function for music professionals involved with Hip Hop, and happens this year from August 3 to 5 in Atlanta.

The Sixth Annual Latin Alternative Music Conference will be in New York City from August 3 to 6 and features industry panels and artist showcases at venues throughout the city. "How to Negotiate" is a workshop lead by author of "Negotiating For Dummies," Michael Donaldson, taking place August 4 in Chicago. At the Independent Producers Conference, running August 4 to 7 in Provo, join other independent producers, directors, and writers for an intensive weekend dedicated to exploring issues unique to producing independent films. The Anime Festival Orlando celebrates Japanese animation and pop culture with over 250 hours of screening and over 40 panels, events and contests during its run from August 5 to 7. Comedy Expert Steve Kaplan, who created the HBO Workspace, the HBO New Writers Program, speaks at the free Alameda Writers Group Meeting on August 6 in Glendale. Leslie Berger leads an August 7 session titled "Actors and Comics Targeted Marketing and Networking Workshop" in Los Angeles.

"Hollywood Inside and Out" is a dialogue with Robert J. Dowling, editor-in-chief and publisher of The Hollywood Reporter, and Los Angeles Times columnist Joel Stein, to be held August 9 in Los Angeles. For three non-consecutive evenings, August 9, 16, 23, Women In Film and Television, Toronto, lead the class through an in-depth study of the lifecycle of an animated writing project. During an August 9 session at Ripley-Grier Studios in New York City, the Associate Director of "One Life To Live" reviews audition skills, monologue selection, effective cold reading using many of the attending actors in the audience. For August 9 and 10 Music 2.0 assembles industry leaders to analyze trends and developments affecting the business of digital music, including music's growing portability, digital distribution, piracy and other contemporary issues affected by new technology at its summit in Foster City. The 47th annual NARM opening August 10 will bestow the Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award to singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt during the Opening Session and Annual Meeting in San Diego. Story elements most important to the five groups of people writers pitch to will be presented in August 15 AFI session, "The Movie Pitch: How to Sell to Hollywood," in Hollywood. Multimedia extravaganza Ignite! features new talents in art, film, performance art and fashion for an August 17 event in Hollywood, "A Night of Monte Carlo Carnivale Decadence From IGNITE!" The Sacramento Film and Music Festival has a special screening for music videos called the "Sac Music Seen" in addition to its programmed film and musical showcases, taking place August 17 to 21.

Tahoe/Reno International Film Festival screening at various Lake Tahoe screening locations from August 24 to 28, focuses on independent features and shorts as well as animation. Maui Writers Retreat in Wailea Alanui Beach Resort is a 6-day intensive on how to shape and present a saleable manuscript starting August 26. MIFED, The International Film and Multimedia Market, takes place this year in Milan starting August 28, and will be connected to IBTS-Crossmedia Marketplace. International Recording Media Association 8th Annual DVD Entertainment Conference and Showcase is a Conference, exhibition and awards program serving the needs of entertainment media professionals for 2 days in Hollywood, opening August 30. IndieGate.com Third Independent Music Conference focuses on legal issues, digital rights, digital distribution, hearing and voice protection, performance and rehearsal education, business planning, and many other modern day music industry concerns for a week of meetings beginning August 31 in Philadelphia.

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.