Last week, I had had the pleasure of attending Brett Wilson’s yearly charity Garden Party. Each year, party guests are invited to make a donation to a featured charity. And this year over $100,000 was raised to fight blindness through 777 Run for Sight where Norma Bastidas is “running 7 ultramarathons [over 100 km each] in 7 continents in 7 months to raise funds for the blind and the visually impaired.” (see my earlier blog entry here)
It was very enjoyable listening to The Canadian Tenors performing at the party. And the highlight of the party for my better half and me had to be listening to the beautiful and accomplished Sarah McLachlan performing with the Tenors (singing Tenors’ Hallelujah) and then performing a few solos. Sarah’s performances were just beautiful and wonderful for us as it was our first live & really up close performance by Sarah!
So to me, Sarah & Brett seems to be more than just friends, but then only they really know! :) :) In person, Brett & Sarah are just super nice and very friendly people. I think it is in part of our Canadian DNA to be nice and friendly. :)
P.S. The following are better quality videos [recorded elsewhere] of the songs we had the pleasure to listen to at the party that evening. Enjoy.
Flashpoint is one of the best TV show in recent years (I don’t use the word “best” lightly). In my humble view, Flashpoint is even better than 24 (recent plot twists have become overwhelmingly nutty).
P.S. In Canada, you can watch the shows on CTV (online episodes available). In US, on CBS.
P.P.S. Mark& Stephanie, a husband & wife team, were very nice and humble people (very Canadian). I had a chance to talk to Stephanie briefly afterwards and it was so wonderful to talk to her. Great to see nice people being successful and their passion paid off.
I attended a great master class with Ron Moore, Battlestar Galactica writer & executive producer, at 2009 Banff World TV Festival. The following is my one-on-one interview with Ron after the master class talking about,
influence of the original BSG series and the style of the show
how the actors/actresses affect the writing of their characters?
I had the great pleasure to like to listen to a 2009 nextMEDIA keynote by Janet Kestin, Co-Chief Creative Office of Ogilvy Toronto. For those that don’t know Janet, she lead the team that created the award winingDove Evolution campaign which has been viewed over 300 million times. I will blog more and post some video clips later.
I attended a great master class with Ron Moore, Battlestar Galactica writer & executive producer, at 2009 Banff. I had an one-on-one interview with Ron after the master class talking about BSG and his new series. I will post the video on YouTube and in this blog.
Stay tune.
*******
Update: I have posted the video and some notes here.
I am looking forward to a full day of nextMEDIA sessions and then some partying tonight at the Crossover Cocktail and Opening Reception.
Updated: 12:08pm
Love the nextMEDIA keynote “Interactivity, Creativity & Web Domination” by Janet Kestin, Co-Chief Creative Officer – Ogilvy Toronto. Wow, Janet lead the team that created the Dove Evolution campaign. It was my honour to meet her in person finally. I will definitely blog more and post more video later.
Here are my three previous blog entries about the Dove Evolution campaign. (first one in 2006 Nov)
Join Janet Kestin, Chief Creative Officer of award-winning Ogilvy & Mather Toronto, who helped produce some of the Web’s most talked about interactive ad campaigns, propelling brands into worldwide consciousness. (Just check out the cheeky Diamond Shreddies Campaign for Kraft, or the interactive film for female 20 something’s Waking Up Hannah.) Get your creative juices flowing and listen as Janet explains how digital media is changing the nature of creative output. Learn the underground tricks of the trade when it comes to creating interactive digital media campaigns.
* What do you have to do to entice people to experiment with media?
* Is there a prescription for creativity when it comes to digital media?
* How do you create an interactive experience that doesn’t break the narrative?
* Can you ever ensure that content will go viral?
* What would you list as your top 5 creative campaigns?
[June 9th Update: In total, I conducted two video interviews with Minister Blackett. The first interview was conducted on June 6th and then 8th (see below YouTube videos). I was unprepared for and a bit shocked by the "justifications" and "reasonings" provided by Mr. Blackett to my questions & concerns in the first interview. After further research and readings, I was much more prepared in my second interview and less able to simply accepting Mr. Blackett's "explanations".]
[Note: The goal for this post is to add grounded reasonings to this passionate debate/discussion. Thanks.
I will update this post as more information becomes available.]
Earlier today (June 6th), I met and interviewed Minister Lindsay Blackett for the first time to ask him about some of my concerns about Bill 44 (PDF or see bottom of this post). (see video below)
I pointed out to Minister Blackett that Alberta Teachers Association has expressed serious concerns about Bill 44. To my surprise, Blackett was dismissive and said the union doesn’t speak for all teachers and implied the 20-30 supportive teachers he has spoken to are more representative of the general teachers’ opinions about bill 44. Is the teachers’ union really this misinformed about bill 44?
Your help (please share your grounded comments and insights)
While trying the best I could in my first interview with Mr. Blackett, I was no match against the well briefed and studied minister in the interview and I probably missed many important concerns and potential problems. So I have done more research and conducted a second follow up interview (June 8th) with Mr. Blackett.
*** Two video interviews with Minister Blackett ***
Lindsay Blackett Bill 44 video interviews (June 6th)
Lindsay Blackett Bill 44 video interviews (June 8th)
After further research and readings, I was much more prepared in my second interview and less able to simply accept Mr. Blackett’s “explanations”.
*******
Thanks for all the comments left on this post so far (as of June 8th, 7:17am). Please keep them coming. It is important to have teachers, students and informed readers sharing their informed opinions here.
The following is a selection/excerpts of some of the comments received so far, I’ve added some emphasis. Please keep them coming.
From “Ken Chapman”,
“The Minister is misleading you on teacher reaction to Bill 44. You [Blackett] did a presentation yesterday to the ATA Executive Group and Senior Adminstratin in their strategic planning session. All 60 of them were negatively concerned about Bill 44. They are getting lots of teacher feedback that expresses Bill 44 concern too.“
From “John Winslow”,
“Mr. Blackett denies the existence of any opinions contrary to his own. Unfortunately, he never seems to have PROOF that those who agree, outside of the obediant MLA’s, exist.”
From “WhiffofGrape”,
“Over 450 teacher representatives chosen by their colleagues from across the province met at the Alberta Teachers’ Association Annual Representative Assembly over the Victoria Day Weekend. All save one voted in favour of a resolution calling for the removal of the education provisions from Bill 44.
Perhaps Hon Blackett should release all of the letters / emails that he has received relating to Bill 44.“
From ” A. Letourneau”.
“Minister Blackett should speak to his colleagues. I am a teacher, and I called my MLA Hector Goudreau to express my concerns with this bill. From conversations with other teachers, I feel the minister is wrong in his judgement that the majority of us support 44.”
9 The following is added after section 11: Notice to parent or guardian
11.1(1) A board as defined in the School Act shall provide
notice to a parent or guardian of a student where courses of
study, educational programs or instructional materials, or
instruction or exercises, prescribed under that Act include
subject-matter that deals explicitly with religion, sexuality or
sexual orientation. (2) Where a teacher or other person providing instruction,
teaching a course of study or educational program or using the
instructional materials referred to in subsection (1) receives a
written request signed by a parent or guardian of a student that
the student be excluded from the instruction, course of study,
educational program or use of instructional materials, the
teacher or other person shall in accordance with the request of
the parent or guardian and without academic penalty permit the
student
(a) to leave the classroom or place where the instruction,
course of study or educational program is taking place or
the instructional materials are being used for the duration
of the part of the instruction, course of study or
educational program, or the use of the instructional
materials, that includes the subject-matter referred to in
subsection (1), or
(b) to remain in the classroom or place without taking part
in the instruction, course of study or educational
program or using the instructional materials.
* Heated Telus debate this morning at #nextMEDIA. I commend Telus for sponsoring the debate even more people agreed with views expressed by Michael Geist than David Neale (SVP Products & Services – TELUS Consumer Solutions).
* I didn’t have any expectation when I saw the title of this morning’s keynote and I was very pleasantly surprised by how much insights Alexander Manu had packed into his talk. When I find some time, I will take a look of these downloadable book chapters.
*******
The Death of Print: Is There Any Way Out?
Moderator Don Dodge, Director of Business Development – Emerging Business Team – Microsoft Corporation Participants Jerry Brown, Director – PricewaterhouseCoopers Candice Faktor, Managing Director – Corporate Development & Innovation – Torstar Digital Mathew Ingram, Communities Editor – Globe and Mail
[Updated: 8:23am MST, June 7th]
Many honest but grim (e.g. lost advertising revenue) insights from Candice and Mathew. Lots (and lots) of stats from Don and, especially Jerry. (In general, I am allergic to stats unless I know precisely how the stats were gathered.)
***
And then I attended the keynote “The Wolf in the Story” by Gary Carter, Chief Operating Officer of FremantleMedia, and Chief Creative Officer of FMX (FremantleMedia’s experimental division). (see below for Gary’s full conference bio.)
Since I’ve attended a talk given by Gary two years ago at Banff (or nextMEDIA?), I know how insightful Gary is. So before the keynote, I went up to say hi to Gary and told him how much I look forward to his talk because I learned a lot from him two years ago.
As expected, Gary’s talk was full of insights (and some with deep references, a few of the references were a bit lost on me). After Gary delivered his keynote, he had a very probing and insightful Q&A session with the audience and also shared with us some of the interesting things FMX was and is doing.
If you have a chance to listen to Gary, go & learn. If you want to follow the company’s activities closer, you can set up a Google news email alert on Fremantle Media.
Conference Bio:
“Gary Carter, Chief Operating Officer of FremantleMedia, and Chief Creative Officer of FMX, FremantleMedia’s experimental division focussed on non-linear, broadband-enabled projects considers storytelling in the digital age. Rejecting a narrow view of the respective roles of the professional storyteller and the amateur audience, he will argue for new kinds of narratives for new kinds of platforms, new kinds of subjects for new kinds of audiences, and new means of production for new means of consumption. And he’ll tell a few jokes. Probably.”
*******
Minister Lindsay Blackett & Bill 44
I interviewed Minister Lindsay Blackett and asked him about a few concerns with respect to Bill 44. I blogged about it in this post.
I am very much looking forward to a Master Class with Battlestar Galactica Writer & Exec Producer Ronald D. Moore to speak at 2009 Banff World TV Festival. I will try to shoot some videos and do a brief interview with Ronald if he has time. Will see.
If you are attending Banff (June 7 – 10, 2009) this year, please say hi.
I am a big Entourage fan and I’ve watched every single episodes of the series and can’t wait for the next season to start. If you haven’t watched Entourage before, it is ultimately a show about male friendship. Like Sex and the City (if you can see pass the sex and talk of sex), it is a show less about sex than one about female friendship.
Anyway, I was looking at some of my videos captured at the 2008 nextMedia and Banff, I realized I haven’t posted the following videos interview of Doug Ellin, creator and exec producer of Entourage by author Bill Carter. I figure some Entourage fans might find the videos interesting to watch.
For 2008, I had to cut my Banff attendance short and came back to Calgary for another assignment so I missed a few a few sessions that I would love to have attended (and there were also a few sessions that had a time conflict with other interesting sessions that happened at the same time).
As a big fan of the original Sex and the City TV series (which I watched every single episode the day it aired in Canada), I was a bit sad to give up my chance to meet Kim Cattrall (the one and only Samantha Jones of Sex and the City). Here is a video clip of Kim being interviewed at Banff. And some newspaper coverage of her in Calgary Herald here, here and here, and from Canadian Press here.
A clip of Jon Plowman (Banff 2008 lifetime achievement award winner, former head of BBC comedy). I am watching one of Jon’s executive produced comedy series on DVD (season one of “The Vicar of Dibley”) and it is still absolutely brilliant 14 years later. And is “The Office” an master piece. Jon had no idea who I was, but I took time to shake his hands and congratulated him on his lifetime achievement award.
Six Feet Under & Swingtown creator Alan Poul was interviewed at Banff and he also gave a Banff master class which I attended and found insightful.
Now, here are some pearls at Banff 2007 that you might enjoy,
Interview/chat with the veteran Canadian actor Colm Feore (an hour long) – A great chat. And the Q&A at the end was absolutely wonderful. (note: Colm will be part of the up coming season of 24.) – P.S. I am so glad that I finally got to watch this. I had to miss it last year because of a schedule conflict. Great stuff.
I first chatted with Jane Mote (Director of Lifestyle & Factual programming, UKTV) at 2007 Banff (here is a video). As I have been an admirer of the creativities from UK, and in particular UKTV, so it was particularly nice to chat with Jane again this year to get an update of the cool happenings at UKTV. We also talked about the bold, imaginative, and genius in the rebranding of UKTV G2 to Dave. In my humble opinion, if there is such a thing as an instant Lovemark, I think Dave (with its great brand and contents) qualifies as a Lovemark for many people in UK.
For more info on the rebranding and freeview launch of Dave, see Dave’s Wikipedia page. The jump of the TV viewership and the power of rebranding is just so cool, a great lesson for us all.
I’ve been a fan of David Shore’s award-winning House (starring English actor Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House) since season one. So I was really excited when David Hoselton, Producer of House, agreed to an interview with me with me at Banff. You see, the two Davids are actually buddies since their University of Toronto Law School days (both LLB 1982, see this insightful UT Magazine article) so it was my great pleasure to talk to David Hoselton.
Here is my interview with Paul Bloore (Idee’s Founder, CTO & Inventor). Paul has worked on the underlying technologies for years and is one really insightful inventor and businessman.
I am definitely going to pay close attention on the latest development at Idée inc. It is amazing to note that, “Idée’s visual search solutions are the foundation for some of the world’s leading imaging firms, including Adobe Systems Inc., and the most widely adopted solutions in the stock image industry.” They even have Idée Labs for their new new stuff (like Google Labs).
Bill Buxton’s nextMEDIA 2008 keynote address was my most anticipated session of nextMEDIA this year and I was not disappointed. And I even got to meet Saul Greenberg (another HCI expert and Bill’s friend) as a bonus as I stood at the back of the room, holding my copy of Bill’s book, listening to the keynote and waiting to get Bill’s autograph like a fan! (as an aside, check out the sorryBill and sorrySaul videos, they are deadly funny)
You can check out a few video clips I recorded. By the way, I have also recorded the full audio of Bill’s presentation and finally got around to put it onto my cell phone and I will be listening to it as I drive in the next little while.
After the speech, as I was waiting for Bill to autograph my dog-eared copy of his book, I overheard something interesting and insightful as to Bill’s way of working. Apparently, after talking to one of the key conference organizer the night before, Bill actually decided to completely rework his keynote presentation. And the result was just awesome. (BTW, I can only think of Tom Peters as someone that can easily reorganize things completely and pull off a spectacular presentation.)
P.S. For the record, and I think it is a great quote, here is Bill’s personal mantra:`Ultimately, we are deluding ourselves if we think that the products that we design are the “things” that we sell, rather than the individual, social and cultural experience that they engender, and the value and impact that they have. Design that ignores this is not worthy of the name.”
I blog about Business, Sci. & Tech., Law, innovation, Film & TV, Medical Science, Politics and whatever interests me. Just so you know, I aspire to make mistakes faster.
Posted by kempton 
Posted by kempton 
Posted by kempton 
Subscribe to RSS Feed
Subscribe by email
