Press release:

X-Summit (October 24-26) will explore rich and emerging opportunities where media platforms converge, offering attendees the insights, tools and partnerships to better tell and sell their stories seamlessly across multiple channels.

KEYNOTE PANEL: Winter is Coming - Adapting A Game of Thrones
Vince Gerardis, Co-Executive Producer, HBO's Game of Thrones
Yves Bordeleau, Studio Director, Cyanide Studio Montreal
(Mod.) Lenny Brown, Vice President, Creative & Business Development, THQ
This session delves into the partnerships formed to produce the HBO television series, Game of Thrones. It will also examine the parallel development of the IP into different games, the licensing details and the challenges of staying true to the integrity of the books when brokering and creating the adaptations.

KEYNOTE INTERVIEW: Immortal Content: Machinima’s Mortal Kombat
Featuring: Allen DeBevoise, Chairman & CEO of Machinima Inc. & Machinima.com
Allen DeBevoise explains why Machinima is the number one all-time entertainment channel for gamers on YouTube, citing their live action Mortal Kombat: Legacy web series as the most recent success. The series delivered more than 40 million views and over 25 million unique impressions in its first 16 weeks, making it competitive with many successful cable series.

FEATURED SPEAKERS
John Kavanagh, SVP of Video Games, Paramount Pictures
-Oversees game development and licensing of titles based on Paramount films
-Managing complex product, software, distribution, licensing and technology initiatives within the Video Games and Toy Industries (Apple, Sega, Nintendo, Atari)
Jonas Eneroth, Managing Partner, ProCloud Media
- Currently one of the senior partners at ProCloud Media (War of the Worlds and Star Trek), an international finance and production firm focused on digitally distributed games
- Executive Producer of Eidos' multi-award winning Deus Ex and Timesplitters franchises
Carrie Stein, Head of Global Management & Packaging, 3 Arts Entertainment
-Producers of Parks and Recreation, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia & I Am Legend
-Former CEO of Alchemy Television, distributors of CBS/CTV hit series Flashpoint

FEATURED SESSIONS: The Internet as Television, Cross-Media Synergy, Elevating the Dialogue with Broadcasters, Originals on the Web.

X-Summit is co-produced with the Computer Animation Studios of Ontario (CASO) and the Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) as Lead Industry Partner. Registration is now open and more details are available at www.x-summit.com. X-Summit also is offering a limited number of specially priced Start-Up Passes in order to make the conference more accessible.

www.candevs.ca
 

The Great Canadian Appathon 2 is a 48 hour game competition open to college and university students from across Canada.

Registered teams compete to create a mobile game with the chance to win a grand prize of $25,000 and possibly getting the app published. The event runs from September 30th to October 2nd 2011, and is sponsored by game developer XMG Studio, The National Post, and KPMG.

Full details can be found at GreatCanadianAppathon.

www.candevs.ca

Interactive Ontario press release:

Interactive Ontario (IO) today announced the launch of X-Summit, a new cross-media conference and partnering forum, taking place October 24-26th at The Carlu in Toronto. X-Summit is the evolution of IN: The Interactive Exchange, IO’s highly successful, multiplatform conference which celebrated its fifth anniversary last fall. X-Summit is co-produced by the Computer Animation Studios of Ontario (CASO) with the Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) as Lead Industry Partner.
 
X-Summit marks the first time three screen-based member associations from the interactive, animation, and film and television production industries have collaborated on a cross-media business conference. IO is also pleased to announce the Canada Media Fund has signed on as X-Summit’s Presenting Partner. This partnership will also include the next iteration of the Canadian Interactive Showcase, presented by CMF, where submissions from interactive projects across Canada will be considered for a showcase to be held during X-Summit.
 
X-Summit will explore rich and emerging opportunities where media platforms converge, offering attendees the insights, tools and partnerships to better tell and sell their stories seamlessly across multiple channels.
 
“Canada is a powerhouse in the interactive entertainment industry,” said Ian Kelso, President and CEO of Interactive Ontario.  “Our ability to collaborate and develop across all platforms gives us an amazing competitive advantage to create leading-edge products and services.  X-Summit will be an international destination for developers and producers to gather critical intelligence and forge new relationships.”

“Canadian content creators who traditionally use television and film as a primary output source for their talent and art are developing valuable partnerships with interactive industries to give a greater experience to audiences around the world,” said Wes Lui, President, CASO. “ X-Summit is a place where creators and technologists from all industries can meet, offering more to distributors, buyers and aggregators. CASO feels privileged to be a part of an alliance that brings higher value of all our member associations on a global stage.”
 
“Now more than ever there is tremendous value in having a forum to discuss partnerships among film, TV and interactive content producers. The Canada Media Fund is helping to drive innovation and opportunities are opening up in the international marketplace for Canadian producers,” says Norm Bolen, President and CEO of the CMPA. “We’re pleased to be the lead industry partner for X-Summit and are confident this conference will provide valuable insights into the rapidly evolving world of cross-media.”
 
X-Summit explores the future of cross-media content through active learning, hands-on workshops, round-table discussions, one-on-one meetings, dynamic panel discussions, cutting-edge demonstrations and networking opportunities. Registration is now open and more details will be available soon at www.x-summit.com

www.candevs.ca

From FanExpo Canada web site:

Toronto, ON - INplay announced the five successful kids interactive projects that will be showcased at the upcoming INplay Conference; the unique, international event that connects kids creative industries with insights and opportunities in the interactive space. INplay is taking place at the Liberty Grand in Toronto on May 17 & 18.

INplay has partnered with the Canada Media Fund (CMF) to create an exclusive opportunity to showcase Canadian interactive projects. The Canadian Interactive Showcase presented by CMF will provide Canadian companies with a chance to share their interactive project, product or service with an audience of investors, potential partners and peers. The following five projects will be presented to the INplay audience at the conference on May 18, hosted by Mike Wise, Anchor: CBC News Toronto, and Host, iDesk.

PO-MO Inc. - Meghan Athavale, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Project: Customizable projection software www.po-mo.com
PO-MOtion is a free, customizable motion-reactive projection software that can be installed on any computer. The software can be used with any projector or large display (including TVs) and any kind of web camera. The software allows childhood educators and special needs educators to install their own motion reactive floors and walls.

Soma Creates - Josh Heidebrecht, Calgary, Alberta
Project: OLIVIA Paints iPhone app www.somacreates.com
Soma Creates will showcase two iPhone Kids games. Paint like never before by mixing colours together in OLIVIA Paints, make your very own fruit smoothie with none other than Strawberry Shortcake, and catch a glimpse into their next upcoming project.

Tactica Interactive - Kevin Glasier, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Project:  Tiga Talk Speech Therapy Games for the iPhone www.tigatalk.com/app
Tiga Talk Speech Therapy Games is an innovative iPhone/iPod app that helps children improve speaking clarity and confidence. Voice-controlled games give children a fun and engaging way to master 23 core phonetic sounds. The product was developed and tested in direct consultation with speech and language pathologists.

Kidobi - Eric Sorenson, Toronto, Ontario
Project: Kidobi www.kidobi.com
Kidobi is a revolutionary technology that creates personalized programming blocks for preschool children, helping them get the most out of their media. Extensive parental controls and reporting tools give parents peace of mind, while our subscription-based business model helps content partners generate new revenue streams.

Pixton Comics Inc. - Clive Goodinson, Parksville, BC
Project: Pixton Click-n-Drag Comics www.pixton.com
Pixton introduces the world to Click-n-Drag Comics, a revolutionary new patent-pending technology that gives anyone the power to create comics on the web.From fully posable characters to dynamic panels, props, and speech bubbles, every aspect of a comic can be controlled in an intuitive click-n-drag motion. Pixton Comics was named a "leading Web 2.0 pioneer" and "one of the 20 companies driving innovation and changing the way we use the Internet" by Backbone Magazine / KPMG.

For full details visit INplay 2011.

www.candevs.ca