international

We are planning a market access program focused on featuring and connecting Alberta's digital media industry to international markets in Shanghai and Hong Kong. In-market program activities would include several workshops featuring Alberta digital media producers and other international experts in the field, with sessions exploring multiplatform digital content in entertainment, education, and industry. In addition, Alberta companies will have the opportunity to meet with local companies. We are looking for 2-3 Alberta companies to participate in the program, which will include presentations to the industry in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Funding for travel assistance is available to selected companies. If you are interested in participating, please contact rene@dmaa.ca by Friday, September 7.

The Vancouver International Digital Festival is an event for the top creative minds working in digital media. Attracting visionaries from games and digital entertainment, Web 2.0, interactive design, animation and mobile applications, it is an annual ‘must-attend’ in Vancouver, Canada. The event includes international business matchmaking, ‘big picture’ conference sessions on the latest trends and markets in digital media, a recruiting fair, high-level seminars for creators, designers, and producers, and loads of networking parties.

The DMAA is organizing a Market Access Program focused on Seattle, Washington from July 16 to 19, 2007. The program is aimed at Alberta-based digital media companies in the areas of web technologies, interactive design, and online game development, that are looking to do business with companies in the Washington State region. Washington State is a global leader in digital media development, with one of the largest concentrations of companies in the world.

The DMAA (Digital Media Association of Alberta) is presenting another market workshop, "Digital Media Opportunities in the Mid-Atlantic US" on June 21 in Edmonton. "Join market leaders for a discussion of emerging opportunities in the Digital Media sector. The US east coast offers a unique environment where new media and government technology collide. This is where games are for learning, with the largest “serious games” cluster in the country.

In 2006, two students from City University in Hong Kong (CityU) had a positive student internship at the Banff New Media Institute at The Banff Centre. In addition to the students’ successful results, both institutions benefited from the relationship by gaining an understanding of international technology methodology and were rewarded by working through the challenges of cross-cultural collaboration.

Edmonton-based Rocketfuel Productions recently took the top prize at the "Pitch It!" competition at the eighth annual Kidscreen Summit in New York City for their cross media entertainment property for kids, "C.I.E." (Central Institute for Exploration). The summit was held from February 7-9.

The Digital Media Association of Alberta and the Banff New Media Institute Accelerator Program are offering a market access program focused on the Austin region, including access to an Austin Interactive Partnering Forum and the South by Southwest Interactive Festival. The program runs from March 9 to 16, 2007.

Texas has always been a center for entertainment media, and games are no exception. Since the 1980s the game industry has been thriving in Texas, setting the pace in this ever-changing environment. There are currently more than 60 game development companies throughout the state, creating games for computers, home consoles, the Internet and mobile phones. The region also offers a wide range of facilities for digital media companies working in film and interactive entertainment, including motion capture studios, software and hardware manufacturers, audio facilities, and animation studios.

The Digital Media Association of Alberta and the Banff New Media Institute Accelerator Program are offering a market access program focused around the annual Kidscreen Summit in New York City, from February 5 to 11, 2007.

This particular program is targeted at Alberta digital media producers working in the area of kids/youth brands and content across emerging media platforms (web, mobile, VOD, iTV). Kidscreen is one of the few events that combines business opportunities with professional development in a venue that benefits the new media industry to find co-production partners in new media, television, and film.

Today's kids and youth are an increasingly powerful and savvy consumer demographic. For example, tweens (kids aged 8 to 13) have matured faster as consumers, are more connected, more direct and more well informed than previous generations. In 2004 they were responsible, through influence and direct spending, for an astounding $1.18 trillion USD worldwide, representing close of 60% of all brand decisions taken by their parents. In Canada alone, there are 3.88 million tweens.

From October 30 to November 3, nine Albertans representing a range of Alberta-based companies and institutions attended a trade mission in Washington D.C. This mission was designed to be a mentored program that provides financial and strategic support to selected companies through a range of pre-market, in-market, and post-market activities, including information sessions, briefings, and connector events.

Sun, Oct 29 to Fri, Nov 3 (Washington D.C.)

The emerging "serious games" sector represents a significant new opportunity for companies to use cutting-edge entertainment technologies to solve problems and provide simulated training experiences that educate and inform. Many commercial games are already in use for purposes other than entertainment. Titles such as SimCity, Civilization, America's Army and others have been used as learning tools in schools and industries across the globe.