Creativity & New Media Symposium in Boulder, feat. Disney Producer Don Hahn

An exciting new media event comes to Boulder next month, featuring Disney Producer Don Hahn and other great guests. This is part of the Boulder International Film Festival, which the Casserole understands will be hosting another big guest this year: Alec Baldwin. Here's the full press release on the Symposium:

BOULDER, Colo. (Jan. 14, 2010) – The Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF), the Colorado Office of Film, Television & Media (COFTM) and the Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau (BCVB) are hosting the inaugural Digital Media Convergence Symposium (DiMe) on Feb. 12 at St. Julien Hotel in downtown Boulder.

‘DiMe’ is a multi-tiered event that focuses on Colorado’s technology and entertainment industries will be held as part of the Boulder International Film Festival. The event features a panel of local and national leaders in animation, HD filmmaking, media convergence, game development, music and business.

“We are thrilled to co-host this unique event during the Boulder International Film Festival,” said Kathy Beeck, festival co-founder and director. “As long-time supporters of Colorado and its working artists, we believe that DiMe will not only spark productive conversations but also open eyes to the many creative possibilities here.”

“Colorado has a long tradition of creative resources, and in the last decade has also become a fertile landscape for new technology companies,” said Don Marostica, head of Colorado's Office of Economic Development and International Trade. “DiMe will present the depth and breadth of these existing and emerging industries with an eye on keeping these coveted jobs within the Centennial state.”

The DiMe panel will include:

Moderator: Robert Reich, founder of OneRiot and Boulder-Denver Tech Meetup
Panelist: Don Hahn, Producer, Disney, (“Beauty and the Beast”, “The Lion King”)
Panelist: Michael Brown, founder of Serac Adventure Films & Film School, HD Filmmaker
Panelist: David Rolfe, VP Integrated Media, Crispin Porter + Bogusky
Panelist: Brian Robbins, Founder, Riptide Games
Panelist: Jason Mendelson, Managing Director, Foundry Group, and member of Soul Patch

Also included in the ticket price is the debut screening of Don Hahn’s latest film, “Waking Sleeping Beauty,” a documentary that looks candidly at what happened in the creative ranks at Disney from 1984-1994 that lead the company from pessimism and flops to an amazing renaissance. The film will screen at 7 p.m. at the newest BIFF venue, the First United Methodist Church, at 1421 Spruce St., just north of the Boulder Theater.

Tickets for DiMe are $35 and can be purchased online at biff1.com, bouldertheater.com, or by calling the Boulder Theater at 303-786-7030. DiMe begins at 3 p.m., followed by a cash bar reception with complimentary hors d’oeuvres at 5 p.m.

For more information about DiMe, please visit www.biff1.com/dime.

Film incentive program to get another facelift

On January 5th, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter hosted a Creative Industries Press Conference at Newell Design Studio (the professional home of Friend of the Casserole Jeffery Ryan Moody). Gov. Ritter discussed a new three bill package of legislation that would streamline efforts to assist the creative industries in Colorado.

Gov. Bill Ritter unveiling three bills designed to promote arts and film in Colorado at Newell Design, Denver Jan. 5, 2010.  Photo: Richard J Schneider


The first of Ritter's proposals would relax restrictions on incentive legislation passed in 2009. From CFVA's Richard J. Schneider: 

Currently, Colorado offers a 10 per cent cash rebate on eligible production budgets spent in Colorado. Out-of-state companies pass Colorado on by because other states offer richer incentive packages. Plus, Colorado's requirement that 75 per cent of the crew must be state residents and 75 per cent of the below the line budget must be spent in the state are considered too restrictive to lure outside business into the state.

Ritter's new proposal relaxes some of those restrictions, but doesn't add any additional funds to the incentive package, which receives about $300,000 a year from state gambling revenues. Also, the governor said none of the bills in the package will cost taxpayers any additional funds; the bills mostly involve reorganization and changes to make sure existing incentive revenues are paid out.

The other two bills in the package would:

Merge the Colorado Council on the Arts, Art in Public Places and the Office of Film, Television and Media into a new Colorado Creative Industry Division within the Governor's Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

Clarify and strengthen the state's Arts In Public Places program that requires a one per cent set aside on certain state-funded construction projects for public art.

If you are a member of the Colorado Film and Video Association, you can view the whole article on the CFVA site. If you are not a member, the Pebble Casserole encourages you to become a member to gain full access to this and the other excellent information that CFVA offers.

360 iDev: iPhone Developers Conference

Sept 27-30, the iDev iPhone Developers Conference is happening in Denver. This conference features workshops and sessions on all things iPhone app development, including 2D and 3D animation and OpenGL.

"Bringing together the best and brightest of the iPhone development community! This 3-day event will take place September 27 to 30, 2009 @ The Curtis Hotel in Denver, CO."

The Curtis Hotel
1405 Curtis Street
Denver, CO 8020

http://www.360idev.com/

This event will feature some of the best iPhone App developers in the world (including 2 of the top 3 paid app developers!). Plenty of great speakers, presentations and workshops. We are lucky to have this event in Denver, so make sure to check it out.