Village Gamer

The CMPA is pleased to announce the results of its recent Board elections.  The incoming Board of Directors will serve a two-year term commencing this month and ending in June 2013.  Tom Cox (SEVEN24 Films) was also reelected as Board Chair.

“I would like to thank the outgoing Board for steering the organization through an important strategic review, and rebranding over the past two years,” says Sandra Cunningham, Chair CMPA Nominating Committee. “The Board’s dedication and passion has helped position the independent production sector as a vital leader for the future success of Canada’s screen-based industry.”

“It will be the job of the new Board to build on that success,” says Norm Bolen, CEO and President CMPA. “It is up to all of us to make sure each element of the system continues to make a significant contribution to the creation and presentation of Canadian content. Now, more than ever, the industry must stand together. Under the leadership of Tom Cox, the CMPA Board will continue to lead the way.”

The 2011-2013 CMPA’s Board of Directors is as follows:
BRITISH COLUMBIA

• Rob Bromley (Force Four Entertainment)
• Brian Hamilton (Omni Film Productions)
• Alexandra Raffé (Thunderbird Films)
• Cal Shumiatcher (Paperny Films)

ALBERTA

• Tom Cox (SEVEN24 Films)

SASKATCHEWAN

• David Cormican (Minds Eye Entertainment)

MANITOBA

• Jamie Brown (Frantic Films)
• Kim Todd (Original Pictures)

ONTARIO

• Douglas Barrett (PS Production Services)
• Mark Bishop (marblemedia)
• Don Carmody (Don Carmody Productions)
• Sandra Cunningham (Strada Films)
• Sari Friedland (Factory Films)
• Scott Garvie (Shaftesbury Films)
• Ira Levy (Breakthrough Entertainment)
• Mark Musselman (Serendipity Point Films)
• Margaret O’Brien (Entertainment One)

QUEBEC

• Ina Fichman (Intuitive Pictures)
• Arnie Gelbart (Galafilm)
• Janis Lundman (Back Alley Film Productions)

ATLANTIC

• Michael Donovan (DHX Media)
• David MacLeod (Big Motion Pictures)
• Paul Pope (Pope Productions)
• Mary Sexton (Rink Rat Productions)

In celebration of the June 17^th theatrical release and big-screen debut of the popular superhero “Green Lantern,” Warner Bros. Pictures will electrify 11 North American cities on Monday, June 13, encouraging people to Join the (Green Lantern) Corps. Markets include: Los Angeles, New York City, Vancouver, San Diego, Miami, Atlanta, Cleveland, Kansas City, Sacramento, St. Louis, and New Orleans, where the film was shot.

To Join the Corps, fans will be invited to decipher local clues leading them to a secret location where the “Green Lantern” symbol will be projected from dusk until midnight. Those attending the events, sponsored by Kodak, will have the chance to win fantastic prizes, including an opportunity to be among the first to see the film at local preview screenings, limited edition T-shirts, light-up “Green Lantern” rings, “Green Lantern: Emerald Knights” Blu-ray combo packs and more. And some people who are photographed with the projected symbol behind them will have their photos posted on the movie Facebook page. Select markets will also give people the chance to record the “Green Lantern” oath which will be added to the Infinite Oath app on the official movie website.

“Green Lantern” opens in theaters nationwide in 3D and 2D on Friday, June 17, 2011. The film has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action.

Nearly one in four enterprises already use tablets, and by 2013, so will the majority of businesses, according to multiple analyst and vendor surveys of Chief Information Officers and IT managers. As this installed base grows, so does the opportunity for enterprises to leverage the tablet to minimize telephony costs while improving employee productivity and responsiveness.

To enable enterprises and mobile workers to capitalize on this trend, CounterPath Corporation has announced the worldwide availability of Bria iPad Edition Version 1.0 via the Apple iTunes App Store. This standards-based, service agnostic softphone provides an intuitive user interface for making and receiving calls over a Wi-Fi or a 3G/4G mobile connection, making it the first universal endpoint for iPad.

“With Bria iPad Edition, business users now can carry a single device that combines the best of their laptop, mobile phone and deskphone,” said Todd Carothers, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Products, CounterPath. “Tablets are quickly becoming the essential business tool for the mobile workforce, and we’re also seeing an increase in personal devices being used for work. So based upon our success with Bria for iPhone, and Bria for Android, the iPad Edition was the natural next step to address both emerging trends.”

Bria iPad Edition 1.0 supports multiple VoIP accounts and SIP protocols, Bluetooth headsets and native iOS multitasking. This enables business users and prosumers to access multiple personal and business accounts while simultaneously utilizing other applications or accessing documents on their iPad during a call.

Capable of working with any VoIP service provider, Bria iPad Edition supports hosted VoIP and IP-PBXs, effectively turning the iPad into a mobile desktop phone. Bria includes a list of pre-configured, CounterPath-approved ITSPs, making VoIP account set-up fast and easy for users who either lack a VoIP provider or already use a CounterPath-approved ITSP. Read the rest of this entry »

The dev team over at TransGaming Studios, the creative group who brought you Garage Inc., have been tormenting me for weeks now with hints and images from their upcoming title Kula Blox. I have yet to figure out just exactly how this game is played, but I think it involves some type of match play – or maybe it involves tilt play (which means I’m pretty well toast before I begin), and I know it involves several characters from the animal kingdom. These are the details I have so far – some are from the game’s sell-sheet and others are pure conjecture.

While free-falling through exotic locales, you have to fight your way to the top of the Food Chain. In a total oxymoron, your game avatar becomes faster while growing bigger as you consume more and more enemies. Apparently your avatar – and I’m presuming that you will take on the appearance of one of the animals in the game – must consume enough enemies who are lower on the food chain than you are, in order to become big enough to defeat enemies who are higher up on the food chain than you. The developers have also provided special powers for each character and pick-ups to assist you with this task. Those who reach the top of the food chain will be recognized for their world supremacy on the Leaderboard as well as player achievements.

Kula Blox will launch directly to iOS devices, GameTree TV, Mac and PC with three geographical map areas, each with several levels to play through. The Jungle, The Savannah and The Forest will each feature its own set of unique characters, with more maps, levels, predators and prey coming in future updates. This game is rated E for everyone and will be available in English, French, Italian, German and Spanish.

There will also be the option to make in-game purchases of items such as the previously-mentioned power-ups, and possibly other types of upgrades, but I don’t know what they will be, because they won’t tell me. Not a nice thing to do to a Gemini. I’ll get my revenge at Casual Connect in Seattle, though. I have more than a month to plot and ponder, which is only slightly different from pillage and plunder. However, now that the studio knows I’m plotting, maybe they will defeat my evil plans and release the game before Casual Connect Seattle, although the game is slated for a Summer 2011 launch, and summer doesn’t technically begin until the final day of Casual Connect.

In the meantime though, TransGaming’s Managing Director Wojtek Kawczynski is currently wandering the floor at E3. If you see him, feel free to accost him for me and pry some game details out of him – or ask to borrow his iPad, because he’s carrying the game around with him, and TransGaming did announce on Twitter that they were putting the finishing touches on Kula Blox prior to E3. Once you have completed your mission, send the details to me and I will reward you with a very big cookie.

zuluMe is a mobile social network that gives you and up to ten of your closest friends a level of privacy and interaction that you will not find anywhere else, except in the real world. This new app, created by Vancouver-based digital media entrepreneur (and one of my all-around favourite digital media ladies) Lynda Brown-Ganzert, is designed to put the “social” back into social networking.

“People are beginning to wrestle with digital identity concerns and privacy issues in the social networking sphere. They want to connect in a greater way with the people closest to them,” says Brown. “zuluMe is designed so people can use their devices to build more meaningful and intimate experiences.”

The design is based on how human beings operate and connect in real life, with features that differentiate it from any other app on the market. It is the only completely private network that allows users to update and share moods in real-time, send gifts, dedicate songs by emerging artists, post polls, chat as a group, take photos, update locations, and more, all with the help of a personalized avatar.

The current trend of mobile social networks, while they allow you to connect with a large number of people all over the world, do not allow for more intimate interaction with the people that matter most. In the past few years, there has been a profound shift in the way people communicate. Social networking is a great way to share information, but there is a growing desire for a greater level of connection within that sphere.

This app was born out of a simple idea: The people closest to you, who matter most, you want to know what they’re doing and how they’re feeling, all the time.

zuluMe has retained this simplicity in its digital identity. Unlike other mega-social networking tools, it is more image than text-based. So, when you update your mood, the look of your avatar and profile changes, and friends can respond according to that change. It is modeled according to how people would respond to those changes in a real face-to-face interaction.

zuluMe is a novel (and fun) way for people to connect with those they care about the most. It is now available, and free for a limited time (June 8th – 17th), on the iTunes store and is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices running iOS 3.2.2 or later.

Vancouver studio Renown Entertainment has released its latest free to play ad-supported casual title to the iTunes store and Facebook. Ball Hop Bowling is a digital version of the arcade skill-testing game that requires players to get a ball into the centre ring by rolling the ball over a ramp, landing it in one of the rings to rack up points.

Ball Hop Bowling features high definition, retina display graphics and is Game Centre-enabled. Players can redeem their prizes in the game’s shop, as well as remove the ads by purchasing an upgrade for $1.99 USD. Some of the top in-app purchases include extended time and extra prize tickets.

Renown will be releasing free content updates, as well as premium content. Ball Hop Bowling is rated 4+ and is compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, 3rd and 4th generation iPod Touch and iPad/iPad 2 devices running iOS 4.0 or later.

Renown also developed Waves: Survivor for iDevices and Facebook, and is currently working on a Triple A title in Unity called Project Rift. A release date for Project Rift has not yet been announced. Waves: Survivor is currently (at the time of this writing) on sale for 50% off in the iTunes Store, priced at 99 cents USD. Help Johnny Calm survive the epic ocean waves with your Paddle, Jump, Attack and Collect skills for as many days as possible.

Reminder: The BCTIA Tech Impact Awards are on June 9th. Tickets are still available for purchase.
Reminder: The Art of Marketing session day is also on June 9th in Vancouver. Tickets are still available for purchase.

BCIC has appointed Entrepreneur-in-Residence Mark Payne to the position of Acting CEO, effective yesterday. This follows the departure of former CEO Danny Robinson, who will be taking on a new role as Advisor to the Board. Board Chair Greg Aasen announced that the search for a new CEO will begin very soon.

Catalyst Canada announced today that it will honour Monique F. Leroux, Chair of the Board, President and CEO, Desjardins Group; Jennifer Tory, Regional President, Greater Toronto, RBC; and Michael Bach, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, KPMG LLP, with The Catalyst Canada Honours. The Catalyst Canada Honours recognizes three exceptional individuals who have demonstrated commitment, passion and results through their championship of women’s advancement in Canadian business.

“This year’s champions are extraordinarily committed to advancing women in the Canadian corporate world. Catalyst research shows that companies gain when they have a greater number of women on their boards and in senior leadership roles—and that highly placed sponsors like this year’s champions are the key to women’s advancement,” said Deborah Gillis, Senior Vice President, Membership & Global Operations, Catalyst. “Advancing women to leadership strengthens companies and promotes the sustainability and well-being of corporate Canada as a whole. By recognizing these outstanding leaders with The Catalyst Canada Honours, Catalyst hopes to inspire a robust pipeline of women and men who will follow in their footsteps.”

With a mission to create visible role models for Canada’s current and future leaders, The Catalyst Canada Honours recognizes a Company/Firm Leader, a Business Leader and a Human Resources/Diversity Leader who champion progress by advancing women in their organizations, industries and communities. The three categories reflect the unique and critical roles played by those who champion inclusion. The Catalyst Canada Honours celebrates leaders who have made a critical difference to women’s advancement, while inspiring men and women leaders to step up, demonstrate foresight and leadership and become champions themselves.

“Being in business carries with it responsibilities to the people who choose to work with us. BMO became one of Catalyst’s earliest members not only because of a shared conviction that workplaces must provide opportunities for everyone but also to serve as a constant reminder of the standard to which we hold ourselves as a company,” said Bill Downe, President and CEO of BMO Financial Group and Chair of The Catalyst Canada Honours dinner. “The Catalyst Canada Honours is all about recognizing individuals who are setting the bar higher and understand that it’s the strength of Canada’s workforce that will define corporate Canada’s success and, in turn, our customers’ success in a rapidly changing world.” Read the rest of this entry »

Toronto’s new waterfront communities will be wired with the latest in smart technology infrastructure that will make them among the most connected in the world.

Waterfront Toronto is partnering with the pioneering telecommunications firm Beanfield Metroconnect to create Canada’s first open-access ultra-high speed broadband community network. Following a competitive selection process, Waterfront Toronto chose the Toronto-based firm to build and operate an advanced fibre-optic broadband network throughout the new waterfront communities.

The open-access ultra-broadband infrastructure will transform the neighbourhoods into intelligent communities that revolutionize how residents receive telecommunications services, promote economic growth and development, and enable innovation.

“Broadband has become essential public infrastructure for 21st century communities, and the need for faster connections delivered over more robust networks has been intensifying since the dawn of the Internet age,” said John Campbell, President and CEO of Waterfront Toronto. “This state-of-the-art network will help us establish a new hub of innovation and stimulate enduring economic growth to help Toronto remain competitive with other world-leading cities, such as Seoul, Stockholm, and Tokyo where similar broadband infrastructures exist or are now being built.”

Every home and business in the new communities will be wired with fibre and provided with affordable and unlimited access to internet speeds up to 500 times faster than typical North American residential networks. The network will also provide full community-wide Wi-Fi service. The ultra-high speed network will deliver internet connections starting at 100 megabits per second for residential customers and up to 10 gigabits per second for commercial customers – all at an extraordinarily competitive cost.  At present, broadband of this calibre is not available for residential users in Toronto, and commercial access is significantly less affordable in Toronto than in other leading world cities. Read the rest of this entry »

The Canada Media Fund (CMF) thanks the Government of Canada and particularly the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, the Honourable James Moore, for announcing in the Budget that the CMF will receive funding support on an ongoing basis.

“This commitment will enable the CMF to truly play its part in Canada’s Digital Economy Strategy”, commented Louis Roquet, Chair of the CMF’s Board of Directors.

The Government’s support, combined with the funding that the CMF receives from Canada’s cable and satellite distributors, will enable the CMF to provide over $370 million to the television and digital media industry in 2011-2012 and to support the creation of quality Canadian content on multiple platforms.

“This is most welcome news for the industry as a whole” stated Valerie Creighton, President and CEO of the CMF. “With the help of this commitment, the CMF will continue to drive innovation and to support Canada’s competitiveness in the global marketplace.”

As a result of this announcement, the CMF will now be in a position to release a supplementary program budget of $100 million which, combined with the preliminary program budget of $271 million announced on March 31, will amount to a total program budget of $371 million for 2011-2012.

The total funding allocated to each of the CMF’s programs is outlined below, please click the image for full-size view.

Via ESAC: Once again, some of the most anticipated games at this year’s E3 Expo, are developed in Canada. Over 10 major titles at this year’s show are developed in Canadian studios including major blockbusters such as Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, Mass Effect 3, and Prototype (full list below). These games showcase the exceptional talent and expertise of Canadians within the global video game industry.

“The Canadian made games shown at this year’s E3 really demonstrate the calibre of talent and innovation here in the Great White North,” said Danielle Parr, Executive Director of the Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESAC).  “Canada remains a powerhouse in the world of game development, punching well above its weight,” she added.

According to recently-released research (PDF) by Secor Consulting for ESAC, over the past 2 years the video game industry in Canada has grown by 11% and now currently employs approximately 16,000 people across the country at nearly 350 companies, making Canada’s the third largest video game industry in the world.  The industry is projected to grow at 17% over the next two years.

New made-in-Canada games from ESAC-member companies* showcased at E3 2011:

·         Assassin’s Creed: Revelations (Ubisoft)
·         Far Cry 3 (Ubisoft)
·         FIFA Soccer 12 (EA Sports)
·         Hole In The Wall (Ludia / Microsoft)
·         Just Dance: Kinect (Ubisoft)
·         Mass Effect 3 (Bioware / Electronic Arts)
·         Need For Speed: The Run (Electronic Arts)
·         NHL 12 (Electronic Arts)
·         Prototype 2 (Radical Entertainment / Activision)
·         Spider-Man: Edge of Time (Beenox / Activision)
·         SSX (Electronic Arts)
·         The Darkness 2 (Digital Extremes / 2K Games (Take-Two Interactive))
·         War Hammer 40,000: Space Marine  (THQ)
·         X-Men: Destiny (Silicon Knights / Activision)
·         Your Shape Fitness (Ubisoft)

* This list does not include the many non-ESAC member studios who are also down showcasing their titles at this year’s E3 Expo.