Happy 2012!
2011 was a year of challenges, both personally and in business.
In terms of Ahimsa Media, it was a year that saw much growth in the company in a positive way, in which Lori and I really were able to make some informed decisions on the direction we wanted to take the company. It was also a very busy year for the company, in which we:
- Built the social media strategy around a number of television series;
- Managed the digital storytelling, digital audience building and social networking for 6 TV Series and Films;
- Wrote successful funding applications for clients;
- Taught at 3 Post-Secondary Institution across Canada, including a grad school lab;
- Spoke around the World at film festivals and travel conferences on the digital space;
- Launched a new transmedia travel property, Roamancing, with Emme Rogers; and
- Sat on the Advisory Board for Merging Media and the Adhoc Advisory Board for a new Digital Program at a Post-Secondary Institution.
It even ended personally with 2 marriage proposals in 2-days, but then I guess that’s Egypt for you.
As we head into 2012, we look forward to exciting new challenges, growing as speakers around the world, building in the travel industry in addition to the fun we have with the film and television world, and of course, a little Roamancing (before long we shall have this word in everyones vocabulary, as really who doesn’t want to roamance).
Happy New Year everyone! Wishing you a year of love, health, happiness and a whole of fun, wherever your adventures end up taking you.
With love and laughter from,
Erica, Lori and the rest of the Ahimsa Media gang
Merging Media 2011
Two principles that Ahimsa Media has been built upon are education and the sharing of ideas and collaborating with others. This is what we did back in the day with Megan Cole and Bridging Media to encourage the conversation between technology, digital media and traditional media. When Megan and I got busy on other projects, I am glad that others picked up where we left off with the conversation. Most notable of these is Vancouver’s Merging Media Conference, which I have had the honour of sitting on the Advisory Board for the past two years.
No Conference is ever perfect, but this one rates highly in my books, because it encourages a conversation with media makers and technologists from a number of different sectors, including traditional media, emerging media, social media and gaming; and it invites in a number of different voices and opinions from around North America. On top of that, Merging Media provides the opportunity for people to connect through networking events, B2B meetings, and a Master’s Class. For me these are the key ingredients to evolving our ideas and creating the future of media. It is thanks to events, like this, that we have built a valuable network of colleagues, partners, contractors and friends over the years.
Can Convergent Roulette at Merging Media 2010, photographed by Liz Kearsley.
Merging Media 2011 takes place in Vancouver this week – Thursday October 27th & Friday October 28th – and it is not too late to take part. You can still sign up.
Some of the highlights:
- An impressive list of speakers (I’d mention them all, but there are a lot of them, including many that I adore and love listening to) on some interesting topics, including gaming, monetizing, technology, traditional media in an interactive landscape …etc.
- International B2B (Business to Business) Sessions
- The VEDC Innovation Gallery where our BC Technology companies will be demoing their latest ‘Tools of Engagement’.
I am also pleased to share that we will be pitching our latest project with Emme Rogers and friends, Roamancing, as a part of the Pitch 360. This is not only a project that we are having a lot of fun with, but that truly reflects the nature of this events, as it combines the efforts and creativity of a number of people world-wide from traditional media, emerging media, social media and gaming.
Hope to see you at Merging Media this week!
Erica
Launch Party 10: A Vancouver Event Not to Miss (and where to win tickets)
Back in the days when I was a children’s and educational writer for television and magazines and first exploring the digital sphere, I was incredibly fortunate to be welcomed into Vancouver’s technology scene and shown the lay of the land by a few of the early leaders in the space. My guides and translators in the digital realm included Boris Mann, Megan Cole and the gang at Strutta. My first encounters with the folks at Strutta were at their inaugural Launch Party, which very much became an event that help me to meet and mingle with some of the brightest minds in technology in this fine city of ours and to spark my imagination on how some of their technologies could be used in telling stories. I’d be remiss here if I were not to mention one of the founders behind Launch Party, Maura Rodgers, who I have found to be one of the key visionaries in building Vancouver as an International Hot Spot in technology. Not only is she a forward thinker and a believer of life long learning, but she has been incredibly giving of her time over the years and has always offered her guidance and advice when I’ve needed it. While still involved with Strutta, Maura’s main focus these days is on Bootup Entrepreneurial Society, a community and mentor driven non-profit organization that was formed to inspire entrepreneurship in Canada and help Internet startups take their idea from conception to commercialization. And it is this organization that now hosts Launch Party Vancouver (LPV).
Launch Party Founders - Maura Rodgers, Danny Robinson & Dimitri Sirota - at LPV3, as taken by Phillip Jeffrey.
I’m telling this story as the next Launch Party – LPV10 – is this coming week on Wednesday December 1, 2010 at 6 pm at Canvas Lounge in Gastown, and I happen to know that Emme Roger’s is giving away a pair of tickets to the event. All you need to do is comment on her post, before 9 pm on Saturday November 27th, 2010, as to why you wish to go to LPV10 and she will stick your name in a hat and draw the name of one lucky commenter for the pair of tickets.
Regardless, as to whether you win or not, LPV10 is worth checking out, if you are already in the tech community and want to reconnect with others in the industry and check out the latest tech launches or are new to the world of technology and are there to learn and immerse yourself in the community. Just be sure to purchase your tickets before Wednesday December 1, 2010, as after that tickets jump in price.
Look forward to seeing you on Wednesday!
Erica
The NSI speaks to Ahimsa Media (part 2)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
As promised, please enjoy installment two of Liz Hover’s NSI interview with Erica Hargreave and Susan Brinton. Here, the conversation turns to the unknown elements of applying to a brand new funding stream and our project’s future should the application be successful. Erica also takes the time to briefly discuss the funding changes within the convergent branch of the CMF. Since the podcast went live the CMF have announced an overwhelming number of applications, pushing back decision dates to October 2010.
Emme Rogers sets her sights on the CMF Experimental Stream
That means that Emme will have to wait a little longer to begin development on her travel adventures. We will keep you updated on the project’s progress as we learn more and if we forget, I’m sure Emme will shout about it all on her site.
The NSI speaks to Ahimsa Media (part 1)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
The Ahimsa Media office began this summer abuzz with application preparations for The Canada Media Fund’s (CMF) first ever Experimental Funding Stream. As the printer fell silent, the regular working day returned and the waiting game began, our phone rang. Liz Hover, Digital Media Manager for the National Screen Institute (NSI), was calling to set up an interview with Erica Hargreave and Susan Brinton to discuss the application process as it related to our pitch. Already familiar with our character Emme Rogers, Liz was interested to hear how the development pitch for Emme’s Travel Adventures had gone.
Unsurprisingly, when the questions began to flow, the topics of industry changes and application insights became so engrossing that the conversation generated too much content for one interview. Therefore, two podcasts were created with the first focusing on Emme, the growing collaboration between the broadcast and digital world. As well as logistical tips alongside an insight into the lessons that we learned throughout the application process. Please enjoy the first instalment…the second half will not be far behind.
Our Family is Growing
We our very pleased to announce that our family has grown!!! We have a few new additions to add to the Hargreave / Yearwood team, on top of our wonderful crew of educational and tech based contractors.
The first new addition to the family is Liz Kearsley, a photographer and journalist hailing from the UK. Liz has already been a nominee in an international photography contest since she joined our ranks and has had a few rather amusing introductions to Canadian culture, having joined us in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, to help tell the Yorkton Film Festival’s story interactively.
3 of our new team members: Bronwyn, Liz and Alyzee
Shortly after Liz’s arrival, we had twins! No, really we welcomed two new interns from UBC’s English Department, Alyzee Lakhani and Bronwyn Malloy. Both have been a welcome addition to the team. They have been getting their feet wet writing on the Yorkton Film Festival Blog and helping Emme Rogers out with her prose. Currently they are busy developing a tween and teen friendly character for Erica Hargreave to talk about in the classroom, and they will be assisting Erica this summer with her programs for Capilano University and the Delta School District.
Liz, Alyzee and Bronwyn Playing with Imagery for the Shaw Rocket Fund
Finally, we are very pleased to have Susan Brinton acting as a business advisor to us on some interactive projects that we are building for the future. With over 20 years experience in film and television, including as an Executive in Charge of Production for CanWest and the Global Television Network, and as a Senior Policy Advisor for Television for both the Canadian Television Fund and Telefilm Canada, Susan’s advice and guidance is absolutely invaluable. We are thrilled to be working with and learning from her.
Emme Out & About Kissing Calendars for Dyslexia
It’s been a year now since we pushed Emme Rogers out from behind her computer screen and out into the real world, and we are proud to see her flourishing in real life as well as cyberspace. Like any proud parents, seeing your kid making their way in this world, and in this case, truly embracing the reality of cross-platform storytelling, is rewarding to see.
Emme at the Launch of Reading is Sexy (Photographer: John Biehler)
This Saturday we will be proudly looking on as Emme makes her debut in Toronto society, kissing calendars for dyslexia! If you are in Toronto, come and meet Emme Rogers from 1 – 3 pm, Saturday December 19th at Ben McNally Books (366 Bay Street). You can also support The International Association of Dyslexia and promote literacy by buying a Reading is Sexy calendar. Calendars are on special for $18 at the event or $20, if you want to kick in an extra $2 to dyslexia. Cash or cheques will be accepted.
Stick around afterwards and Emme will be heading to a pub with anyone that wants to join her. And knowing Emme, she will buy a couple of plates of nachos and a few pitchers of beer for the table.
All in the Name of Literacy
Our sincerest of apologies to the Vancouver Community for any over-inflation we may have done to the following individuals egos, by placing them in a calendar, entitled Reading is Sexy:
- Monique Trottier – @somisguided
- Lori & Richard Yearwood
- Patrick Tubajon – @iheartgudrun
- Raul Pacheco-Vega – @hummingbird604
- Ian A Martin – @atomicfez
- Rayne
- Lorraine Murphy – @raincoaster
- Mark Leiren-Young – @greenpieces
- Monica Hamburg – @monicahamburg
- Ian Ferguson
- Emme Rogers – @EmmeRogers
You see, it is for a good cause and all in the name of literacy. Aside from sadly feeding Emme’s ego and launching her into a new-to-her form of media, the calendar, we are helping her to raise funds for a cause that both she and we believe in - literacy, and more specifically, dyslexia. A healthy portion of the proceeds from the calendar and the photo auction will be going to The International Dyslexia Association to help them get kids (and adults) with dyslexia to overcome their literary hurdles and have fun with words.
As our way of apologizing to the community, for allowing the above individuals to call themselves Miss, Ms, Mrs or Mr (Insert Month here) for the next year, we are helping Emme to throw a Reading is Sexy Literary Celebration this Thursday. Here are the details:
Cost: Free
Local: Gudrun Wine & Cheese Bistro (150-3500 Moncton Street, Steveston, BC)
Date: Thursday December 3, 2009
Time: 7 pm until late
Festivities:
- general revelry and enjoying of Gudrun Goodies (We will buy a few plates for the room, but bring some money with you to enjoy more Gudrun Goodies and some of the delicious wines and beer)
- readings from a few of our authors (Ian Ferguson, Mark Leiren-Young, Lorraine Murphy, Raul, Rayne … to name a few …Emme may even read something from my yet to be finished novel)
- special guest reading by comedian, Kirsten Van Ritzen
- calendar signings by the ‘models’ on hand
- auctioning of some of Robert Shaer’s photos from the shoot for charity
Come, heckle our various months and enjoy a good night of laughter.
And once again, our sincerest apologies, and please don’t blame the photographers, Robert Shaer and Tris Hussey, for this.
Oh and if you can’t make Thursday, but do want a calendar, you can order one here. (If you are in and around Vancouver, ignore the shipping costs as we or Emme can figure out physically getting it to you. Similary, you can ignore shipping costs and pick up a calendar directly from the Canadian Branch of The International Association of Dyslexia, if you are in Toronto.)
The Yorkton Film Festival Goes Interactive
Most excited to be heading off to the Yorkton Film Festival this week with Tris Hussey (from m2o) and Emme Rogers.
The three of us, along with locals, Richard Gustin, Karen Brownlee, and Lee Robertson will be demoing Interactive Storytelling to the Festival by telling the Festivals story through tweets, snapping pics, blogging and possibly even shooting a bit of video. Much of this is very new to both the film world and Saskatchewan, so we will be posting some basic how-to set-up various social media platform posts on Bridging Media. We will also be talking a fair bit about characters on the web there. We even did a podcast with @SookieBonTemps (the True Blood character Sookie Stackhouse on Twitter) that you should be able to find there later this week. For the lighter side of the Festival (or as Emme likes to call them festivities) check out Emme’s posts on Being Emme.
Designed by Mitch Doll
The main highlight of the festival for us is the Interactive Storytelling Panel on Friday May 22 from 1:30 – 4 pm Saskatchewan time, 12:30 – 3 pm PST. Very excited about this panel as it is all about what I am passionate about – Interactive Storytelling. We will be talking about building stories and characters interactively with the audience, using social media tools to effectively tell stories and further your projects, and discuss the future of media. Joining me on the panel is Richard Gustin (former head storyteller at SCN), Gresham Bradley (Director of On-line Development at e-cast in New Zealand), and Peter Raymont (Executive Producer of the Border). Emme is also insisting that she’s going to be making an appearance (apparently the lack of an invitation hasn’t dissuaded her) and Tris will be our in the audience online panelist driving the traffic and conversation online along with Lee Robertson and Karen Brownlee. We are really hoping some of our social media savvy friends from Vancouver and elsewhere will jump into the online conversation during the panel – the tag is #yff09 – as we want to highlight the sort of talent out there that the producers and broadcasters in the room should be bringing on to their projects. I know for sure that both @SookieBonTemps and @LordLikely are planning on hopping into the conversation.
Stay Tuned for more from Yorkton (mainly on Bridging Media, m2o, A View from the Isle and Being Emme)!
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