Mark O. Forker - Visionary Visual Effects Supervisor

Launch of New Intellectual Property Development Fund

We are delighted to inform you that Minister Carroll today announced the launch of the new Intellectual Property Development Fund. We know you have looked forward to this with great anticipation. Detailed guidelines and FAQ’s about the IP Development Fund are now available on OMDC’s website www.omdc.on.ca.

Application forms will be available on the website by December 14th. OMDC will begin accepting applications at that time for development expenditures incurred from April 1, 2009 and up to March 31, 2010.

Information sessions will be scheduled for January 19, 25 and 28 in Toronto, and February 17 in Ottawa. Further details about how to register for the information sessions will be posted on our website, sent by email to stakeholders and featured in our monthly newsletter.


If you have any questions regarding the Intellectual Property Development Fund that are not addressed in the guidelines or FAQ’s, please contact the OMDC at IPFund@omdc.on.ca or (416) 645-8524.

Sincerely,


Jennifer Blitz
Director Tax Credits & Financing Programs


Objet : Lancement du nouveau Fonds pour le développement de la propriété intellectuelle

Nous sommes ravis de vous informer que la ministre Carroll a annoncé aujourd’hui le lancement du nouveau Fonds pour le développement de la propriété intellectuelle. Nous savons que vous attendez ce moment avec trépidation. Vous trouverez ci-joint le communiqué de presse et le document d’information sur le Fonds pour le développement de la PI. Par ailleurs, les lignes directrices détaillées et une FAQ sur le Fonds pour le développement de la PI sont maintenant disponibles sur le site Web de la SODIMO à www.omdc.on.ca.

Les formulaires de demande seront affichés sur le site Web d’ici au 14 décembre. La SODIMO commencera à accepter les demandes à ce moment-là pour les dépenses de développement engagées entre le 1er avril 2009 et le 31 mars 2010 inclus.

Des séances d'information seront organisées les 19, 25 et 28 janvier à Toronto, et le 17 février à Ottawa. De plus amples renseignements sur les dates et le mode d’inscription aux séances d’information seront affichés sur notre site Web, envoyés par courriel aux intervenants et publiés dans notre bulletin mensuel.

Si vous avez des questions concernant le Fonds pour le développement de la propriété intellectuelle qui ne sont pas couvertes dans les lignes directrices ou la FAQ, veuillez vous adresser à la SODIMO à IPFund@omdc.on.ca ou en composant le 416 645-8524.

Cordialement,


Jennifer Blitz
Directrice, Programmes des crédits d’impôt et de financement

DigitalMediaCamp Invitation

Join us for DigitalMediaCamp Toronto on Saturday, December 12th. Save the date and register at the link below.

DigitalMediaCamp Toronto
Saturday, December 12th
9:30 to 4:30
OCAD Auditorium
100 McCaul Street
Toronto, ON
Register: http://guestlistapp.com/events/8148

You will join other emerging leaders in Toronto's digital media community in an intense and interactive set of conversations around this central question:

How can we work together to propel Toronto's technology, content and design communities into the future and make Toronto a globally competitive hub of digital media entrepreneurship and innovation?

The day is structured as an unconference. The participants create the content of the day. There is no pre-set agenda. Your ideas, your needs and your voice will have the platform and the content of our conversations will be shared online in real-time and will be used beyond the day of the event in a number of forums, including at the Canada 3.0 2010 conference which will take place May 10-11, 2010.

This is the first of a series of DigitalMediaCamp events to be held across Canada, hosted by the Canadian Digital Media Network, and designed to help shape the agenda for Canada 3.0 2010. The series is intended to engage emerging leaders and the talented and passionate creators in Canada's digital media industry, to identify great ideas and new voices and to spur creativity in Canada's digital economy.

For more information about the Canadian Digital Media Network, visit www.cdmn.ca and see what's in store for Canada 3.0 2010 at www.canada30.ca

CASO ELECTS 2010 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

TORONTO, ON, October 28, 2009 – Computer Animation Studios of Ontario Association (CASO) is pleased to announce the newly appointed members of the 2010 CASO Board of Directors.

As newly appointed President of CASO, Michael Carter brings over 16 years of business, creative and technical expertise to the Association. Having served as Acting President for the latter half of last year’s term, Michael will continue to provide vision and direction towards building a strong collaborative animation and visual effects community within the region.

Carter states, “It is my objective to work for the common good of all CASO members through personal, governmental and international alliances, to position Ontario as the best place to invest and produce animation and visual effects production in North America.”

For the upcoming 2010 year, CASO plans to continue work in the area of international marketing and government relations, further enhancing over 40 years of animation and visual effects production in Ontario. Our focus will be strengthening our region’s ties to all major domestic and international markets while providing future insight and planning for our sector through an Industrial Strategy. This Strategy will be the platform on which we develop digital animation and visual effects strategies to build our sector over the next 5 to 10 years. Member services such as The Visionary Lunches program, the Jump Start Breakfast series as well as the continuance of highly successful trade missions to Los Angeles and Kidscreen NY, will progress to bring Internationally and Domestically acclaimed talent, investment, job creation and production to Ontario.

CASO 2009 Board of Directors

President Michael Carter, President, Executive Producer, theskonkworks
Vice President/Secretary Wesley Lui, Co-Founder, Director of Operations, House of Cool
Past President Neil Williamson, Partner, CEO, Invisible Pictures

Directors
Mark Ainslie, Director of Creative Operations, Guru Studio
Marianne Culbert, Executive Producer, Media Tree Entertainment
Candice Day, Executive Producer, C.O.R.E Digital Pictures
Christa Tazzeo, Visual Effects Producer, Invisible Pictures
Sheldon Wiseman, President and CEO, Amberwood Entertainment
Jeff Young, Vice-President Finance, STARZ Animation Toronto

CASO Members receive a 15% discount off Early Bird Registration for History Makers 2010!

History Makers 2010 presents the latest ideas and trends which inspire the world's best programs and program creators. We take pride in producing original sessions featuring provocative thinkers and top program makers.

History Makers 2010 is truly international in its scope and delegate mix. With representation from over 16 countries including UK, France, Italy, Germany, USA and Canada, History Makers is the ideal place to meet the key Commissioning Editors and producers from around the world.

Our intimate atmosphere and 2:1 producer to broadcaster ratio makes it easy to gain access to the decision makers you want to meet with. Please visit our website for more information and schedule of events.

CASO members receive a 15% discount on Early Bird Registration! Click Here to get your 15% discount, registration until November 27th, 2009. History Makers takes place January 27th-29th, 2010 at the Grand Hyatt New York, New York City.

Baylea Mahoney - Marketing Communications Co-ordinator
Achilles Media Ltd. | Tel: 416-921-3171 x 239 | bmahoney@achillesmedia.com
nextMEDIA Toronto | November 30 - December 1, 2009. |www.nextmediaevents.com/toronto
The Canadian Innovation Exchange | December 2, 2009. |www.canadianinnovationexchange.com
History Makers 2010 | January 27-29, 2010. | www.historymakers2010.com

GameON:Finance 2009 – CASO members receive a 10% discount

On October 27th and 28th in downtown Toronto, industry experts will explore strategies surrounding funding opportunities including venture capital, angel investment, project financing, public and private equity. GameON: Finance offers great networking opportunities, exceptional value and unmatched industry insight into the world of video game financing and investment. Please enter coupon code: IOGOF2009

www.gameonfinance.com

CASO Fund Brazilian Trade Mission to Ottawa for Members

CASO would like to invite 4 studios to join them at the Brazilian Trade Mission at the Ottawa International Animation Festival. Members will get a chance to collaborate with Brazilian Studios to discuss co-production opportunities.

Please contact Christa Tazzeo to join us, christa@casont.ca

Each member will receive $700 to pay for airfare, 1 night hotel accommodations, per Diem and taxis to and from the airport.

Date of Trade mission is Tues. Oct. 13 @ 1:00.

This is CASO's first attempt at International Sales from a non-North American perspective. We have a good mix of industry representatives and the number of Brazilian companies participating is amazing. The line up is as follows:

Tanya Kelen - Independent Executive Producer who help trial blaze the Animation Co-Production interest between Brazil and Canada.

Brian Simpson - Well established Series and VFX Animation production Studio, outside of the GTA limits.

Wes Liu - House of Cool co-founder with a medium sized commercial, feature film and series animation studio.

Jonathan Wiseman - A large Ottawa based Animation and Producing company with a long history of developing and selling animated productions.

David Steinberg - Head of STARZ Animation Toronto, one of the largest CGI Animation Facilities in the country.

Monica Szenteszky - Part of the OMDC Tax Credits Department.

Michael Carter - CASO VP & Moderator.


For the Panel discussion, which I would characterize as 1hour of Panel members talking and then 30Min's of Q&A, the need here is to provide a solid foundation to our Brazilian counterparts on the business, production and technical skill that Ontario and Canadian companies such as ourselves, provide in Co-Production and Co-Venture opportunities. Then, after a 20-30min break, we would have a breakout session, in which each panel member will take a table of 4-5 Brazilian companies and talk for about 20Min's. In about 1-1.5hrs, we'll try to rotate the tables every 20Min's so everyone has some exposure.

Basically, this is really a "nuts & bolts" discussion on how and why animation production in Ontario and Canada is so successful and how that might be translated to Brazil to further enhance their industry, while benefiting our future growth strategy.

nextMedia - Member Receive 20% off

nextMEDIA is Canada’s leading digital media production and development marketplace, taking place Nov 30- Dec 1 at the Design Exchange, Toronto. Executives working in the digital media space can expect executive briefings, competitions and social events for executives working within the digital media space. nextMEDIA is your best opportunity to get the critical new business partnerships you need for national and international success as well as meet an international line-up of Online Broadcasters, Advertisers, Games Gurus (and Game Changers), Social Media Experts and more.

Furthermore, this year nextMEDIA has partnered with the Canadian New Media Awards - a spectacular night honouring the crème de la crème of Canadian new media talent. Join us as we recognize, celebrate, and give all out props for the accomplishments of individuals and companies in the Canadian digital media industry, in 19 prestigious award categories. Join us in Toronto at the Design Exchange on November 30 – December 1 (the CNMAs taking place on the evening of the December 1st, 2009)


Baylea Mahoney - Marketing & Communications Co-Ordinator
Achilles Media Ltd. | Tel: 416-921-3171 x 239 | bmahoney@achillesmedia.com
nextMEDIA Toronto | November 30 - December 1, 2009. |www.nextmediaevents.com/toronto
The Canadian Innovation Exchange | December 2, 2009. |www.canadianinnovationexchange.com

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Please see below for your discount on registration for your members to nextMEDIA - Toronto 2009 (20% off) as indicated in your agreement.

Registration Discount –nextMEDIA - Toronto 2009

1. To register, please click on this link: CASO - Discounted Registration - nextMEDIA - Toronto 2009

2. Follow the instructions on screen under “Create a New Account”* to complete your registration.

3. *Please create a new profile, even if you have attended an Achilles Media Event before.

4. You will receive an email message as verification of your online registration.

If you have any problems registering online, please contact our Registration Department at 403-678-1216 x 107 or email to registration@achillesmedia.com.

We appreciate your support for nextMEDIA - Toronto 2009 and look forward to working with you in the months ahead.

Call for Nominations

To all CASO members:

On October 26, 2009, we will hold the Annual General Meeting of the Association at the Veritas Restaurant, 234 King Street E, Toronto at 6:30 PM. At that time, we will elect the Board of Directors for the coming fiscal year (November 2009 – October 2010)

The Board of Directors consists of:

Immediate Past President
President
Vice President and Secretary
Six Portfolio Directors

The individual Directors’ portfolios will be assigned at the first Board meeting following the Annual General Meeting.

In accordance with the Constitution, the Nomination Committee will propose a slate of directors for ratification at the Meeting. If there are additional nominations from the membership, these will be added to the slate and, if there are more nominees than positions, an election will be held during the meeting. Send nominations to the Chair of the Nominating Committee at least two weeks prior to the meeting. Please send them to:

ron@casont.ca with copy to christa@casont.ca

specifying the position of nomination: President, Vice President and Secretary or Director.

(a) Active members not able to attend the Annual Meeting in person may request the Nominating Committee to provide telephone or internet conference facilities at the Meeting to permit them to cast their vote(s). Votes cast by means of such a facility shall be included in the determining the results of any vote at the Meeting.

Ron Estey,
Chair/Nomination Committee

SICHUAN TV FESTIVAL: SPECIAL PRICING FOR CANADIAN PRODUCERS

Canada will be a special focus at the 2009 Sichuan TV Festival, November 6 to November 8 in Chengdu, China. "Canada Day" at the festival will include preferential packages, seminars and exhibition screenings tailor-made for Canadians and designed to introduce producers to the growing market in China. The festival is offering special pricing for Canadian producers, which includes market access, invitation to all official events, access to networking tools and more for as low as 380 USD and 180 USD. For more information or to register, please contact Josie Zeng at josie@sctv-ca.com.

CASO helps create a white paper for the Digital Industry

CASO helps create a white paper for the Digital Industry
Sheridan organized a round table on digital media in August. The aim was to create a white paper for the government about how the Digital Industry is working and how it can work better. Attendees included CASO, Deluxe, C.O.R.E., Michael Hirsch, George Elliot and more.

CASO/Brazilian Trade Mission @ OAF

As part of a Federal, Ontario and Brazilian Government to increase trade and Co-Production between Brazilian and Canadian Animation producers, a Trade Mission to the Ottawa Animation Festival for 20 Brazilian companies has been arranged for Tuesday October 13, 2009.

CASO has agreed to sponsor an animation studio tours in the morning with a Panel and Breakout session in the afternoon at the Chateau Laurier. The theme of our one day event is "The Nuts and Bolts of Animation Production in Canada". The goal is to educate our Brazilian counterparts on our successful and world renowned animation business practises, with an eye to providing service and co-production opportunities to them and their ever growing Canadian Co-Production Producers. This panel however is not and will not promote the concept of outsourcing, only true Co-Production and Consulting approaches in a B2B working environment.

CASO is looking for companies to participate on the Panel and Breakout session. This is a great opportunity to meet with our Brazilian counterparts and to understand the business opportunity.

Although this program is being sponsored and organized by CASO, all animation and visual effects companies in Ontario are welcome to participate. Those who do, will be given preference when a Canadian Animation Trade Mission to Brazil happens in early 2010.

Please let Christa Tazzeo (Christa@casont.ca) or Micheal Carter (mcarter@theskonkworks.com) know early if you would like to participate in the program.

Participation in Philippine Animation Festival 2009

The Canadian Embassy in Manila has been coordinating with the Animation Council of the Philippines to highlight Canada's interest in getting involved in their annual animation festival Animahenasyon, which will be held November 25 - 28th. The Animation Council is inviting international speakers and companies from the New Media sector such as software providers, gaming and hardware, animation studios and educational institutions to participate. The event presents a lot of opportunities for Canadian content sales and distribution, outsourcing, co-production, financing and education partnerships.
http://www.animationcouncil.org/index.php?p=133

FDI Initiative to INDIA - Digital Media and ICT - Mumbai, Hyderabad and Pune October 31st to November 10th, 2009

You are invited to join the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance (GTMA), the Town of Markham and our partners in an extra-special Executive Business Mission to India to present the GTA’s capabilities in Digital Media. One of the fastest growing sectors globally and diversifying rapidly, the digital media family now spans services, content, network and broadband technologies, software and hardware, and consumer and enterprise devices. Anchored to NASSCOM’s Animation and Gaming Forum in Hyderabad, this mission will enable you to present your city’s capabilities to prospective investors in three major Indian cities.

Join in the unique experiences and highly profitable meetings that are planned:

· Join the GTMA and its partner, the Town of Markham, at one of India’s most prestigious conferences - the NASSCOM Animation and Gaming Forum 2009, with a global reputation for attracting the world’s leading thinkers and industry leaders.

· Actively participate as a team in promoting Canada and the GTA to international audiences and to senior company executives in one-on-one meetings, roundtables and at networking events in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Pune.

· Make connections with Indian firms looking to invest in Canada and the GTA.

· Explore opportunities with top companies in Digital Media:

· Services (IPTV, streaming video, audio, voice, social networks, conferencing, advertising, digital signage, 3-D, interactive and new media, etc.)

· Content including a broad spectrum of producers - film, data, music, news feeds, 3-D, animation.

· Network broadband technologies including web 2.0, G-4 and digital media platforms

· Supporting Hardware and Software.

· Consumer and enterprise devices (cell phones, smart phones, smart displays, PCs etc.)

· Content users such as advertising, media and marketing firms.

· Attend high-level receptions, top level meetings and presentations as well as meet senior executives from among the top Indian companies at NASSCOM in Hyderabad.

· Meet the Province of Ontario in-market specialist and other Canadian trade specialists.

· Attend briefing sessions and orientation visits to gain a better understanding of the Indian culture, economy and how companies in India will expand globally.

Don’t miss this opportunity to participate in this fully coordinated program and make incredible business connections, develop new partnerships and help to attract new investment to the GTA by Indian companies.

Kaj Pindal celebrates 40 years of Peep at a retrospective art show @ Six Degrees Muskoka

A new multi-media interactive gallery in Bracebridge called "Six Degrees Muskoka" is putting on a "40 Years of Peep" retrospective starting August 28th and Running to September 15th. Along with original artwork, Kaj will be displaying some of the original musical instruments and his Emmy and Gemini. The gallery also has a grassroots children's animation school called "Pixels on the Parallel" which I believe Kaj will do a lecture at during the opening weekend.

Message to All Members

Hello CASO Members,

It's been an exciting summer this year, while we haven’t been able to count on the weather, we have been able to rely on the Ontario Government to support the future growth of our industry. Recent highlights include The Ontario Government, through the OMDC, working to implement cost effective changes to the OPSTC and the OCASE tax credits. Further, they have pledged monies to help strengthen the industry by providing incentives to STARZ Animation Toronto and UBISOFT. These changes will help drive production volume and credibility to the region, increase our talent pool and will continue to strengthen our capacity to compete on a global scale.

At CASO, we have been working steadily to plan and develop future trade missions and events that will expand your network, increase revenue for your business, and create programs that will bring intellectual and creative value to you and your employees. On a macro level, we have been working to secure support for the Industrial Strategy initiative, which will help shape the strategy of the digital animation and visual effects industry over the next few years.

Our newly created newsletter format is part of our effort to be more responsive to industry news, events, and just generally giving you the scoop on what you need to know.
We hope you like it! And if you don’t, we’d like to hear from you, the CASO Board of Directors, Christa Tazzeo or myself are only an email away!

Sincerly Yours,

Michael
Vice President, CASO

Welcome to the CASO Blog

The Computer Animation Studios of Ontario (CASO) is a non-profit association dedicated to promoting and growing the Ontario Animation and Visual Effects industry. CASO's mandate is to promote the interests of its members and to enlist the support of government and private sector partners with an interest in the growth of the computer animation and visual effects industry in Ontario.
Some focused areas include:

1) International Promoting and Marketing
2) Industry Statistics and Competitive Advantage
3) Promotion and Publicity
4) Education and Organizational Relations
5) Government Relations
6) Membership

Ontario studios and artists have much to offer to the entertainment industry, CASO provides an encouraging community to foster growth and creativity.

The CASO blog is community driven and we invite all studios in digital media to join us in the continued success of our industry. Please feel free to view our website at www.casont.ca