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GameX--Largest Video Game Event in Northeast

GameX--the Games and Media Expo, a highly visible entertainment, tech and media show with games as its main attraction, takes place in Philadelphia, PA, from October 23-25, 2009. Presented locally by NBC Philadelphia, it appeals to game players, film and television fans, comic book buffs and tech enthusiasts. GameX features a variety of game-focused exhibits and demonstrations, advance film and television screenings and trailers, celebrity guest appearances, high-stakes game tournaments, and robotics demonstrations. Also  featured is an animation festival and competitive art exhibit.
                                                                                                                    
This national game consumer show and ‘pop culture’ festival is produced by Virtual Rush Gaming in Philadelphia, designed to draw from local, regional and national audiences. GameX is supported by NBC Local Media with media and marketing, as well as participation from NBC Universal brand partners.

NBC Local Media Philadelphia is an owned and operated entity of NBC Universal in the 4th largest television market in the country, comprised of a Television Station (WCAU NBC10), an Internet site (nbcphiladelphia.com), two Digital Channels (Universal Sports and NBC Plus), a Production Company (StudioTEN Creative Group), and out of home opportunities (The University Network and Fuelcast). NBC Local Media Philadelphia broadcasts to over 2.8 million households and reaches over 1 million uniques per month on their digital platforms.  

NBC Local Media is comprised of 10 NBC owned-and-operated television stations reaching 27% of US TV households; the NBC Everywhere operation focusing on the growing Out of Home digital market; LX.TV,  a content production company that produces lifestyle and cultural programming; and Skycastle Entertainment, an award winning  entertainment marketing and promotion company. Together, the NBC Local Media properties distribute NBC Universal content and produce local content for broadcast.

GameX has entered into a strategic alliance with leading multimedia retailer QVC to provide gaming enthusiasts with an innovative multichannel shopping experience. As part of this new venture, QVC is scheduled to take viewers inside one of the most prominent video game and media expos in the country with a special live broadcast from GameX on Saturday, October 24 at 2 pm (ET).

During the Gifts for Gamers – Live from GameX show, QVC will feature footage from the event as well as special live VIP and celebrity interviews with the top names in the industry. Shoppers will also have the opportunity to order the holiday season’s hottest systems and games.

Paul Tresca, president of Virtual Rush Gaming, producers of GameX, adds, “GameX is breaking new ground by opening our consumer show to serve as a promotional platform for a top retail broadcast entity like QVC. The dedicated consumer show experience and the direct access to consumer product is a perfect marriage that allows QVC to substantially expand their marketplace reach.  We look forward to their presence and expect great benefits for both GameX and QVC.”

“We are thrilled to be teaming up with GameX for what promises to be an exciting show,” said John Kelly, vice president of merchandising for QVC. “Not only are we taking shoppers inside one of the most prestigious gaming events of the year, but we are also giving them an exclusive, inside look at some of the top gifts of the holiday season. This promises to be one show that viewers will not want to miss.”

For more information about QVC’s Gifts for Gamers – Live from GameX broadcast, visit www.qvc.com/. Products that are scheduled to be featured during the show will be available starting October 24 through QVC at 1.800.345.1515 or QVC.com.
 
For more info on GameX go to:
www.gamexpo.us/ 

High Definition Expo in NYC Again

Since 2001, HD Expo has been held in venues where the entertainment and technology communities meet and exchange invaluable information, community and education. In 2009, HD Expo transitions to Createasphere, a world where entertainment technology and creative vision converge. Building on the success of HD Expo, CreateaSphere is an integrated organization presenting expos and events, a membership organization, ongoing professional educations, and a dynamic online content resource. Createasphere is headquartered in Burbank, California.

Createasphere's HD Expo returns to New York for its second year on September 17th, 2009 after eight successful years in LA and five in Chicago. The well-known industry trade show and conference is in the midst of a year of transformation as it enters the “Createasphere,” expanding a brand that supported the adoption of a single technology to a multi-faceted organization that champions the broader needs and interests of the content creation community.

From 11:00 - 7:00PM the annual HD Expo will be held at The New Yorker Hotel with online registration free. That includes all panels, keynotes, exhibit hall, and intensive workshops.

Renowned cinematographer Lance Acord will join American Cinematographer magazine's East Coast contributing writer Patricia Thomson in a far-ranging Keynote Conversation that will discuss about creativity, cinematography, collaboration and directing.

Acord has worked on some of cinema’s best visual storytelling of the past decade. A native of Northern California, Acord studied photography and filmmaking at the San Francisco Art Institute. His first feature DP credit, "Buffalo 66," earned him a Spirit Award nomination that brought international attention to the young cinematographer for its powerful visual style.

Lance lensed Sofia Coppola's Oscar winning “Lost In Translation” and “Marie Antoinette,” a sumptuous, modern telling of the ill-fated queen’s story.  As one of Hollywood’s most sought after cinematographers, Lance is also a well known and award winning television commercial director. Through his company, Park Pictures, he has directed spots for Nike, Mercedes, Gucci, Coca Cola, Adidas and numerous globally recognized brands. Lance has directed and or shot music videos for artists including Sheryl Crow, Bjork and Elastica. Kudos include three Gold Lions at Cannes for his spot work, alongside nominations from the DGA, BAFTA and the Chicago Film Critics Association for his feature film cinematography.

He worked with Spike Jonze on the critically acclaimed “Being John Malkovich" and continued his relationship with the director for the Academy Award winning “Adaptation."  That collaboration continues on “Where the Wild Things Are,” an emotive telling of the beloved Maurice Sendak children’s story. His latest feature project, "Where the Wild Things Are," looks to be one of the most visually engaging and beautifully imagined films of the year. The film opens nation-wide October 16th.

In addition to the Keynote Conversation, a variety of panels and educational offerings fill the day, including; “How the Editor Tells the Story: Creativity, Teamwork, Technology,” featuring Oscar winning and nominated editors, sponsored by POST Magazine, Manhattan Edit Workshop and American Cinema Editors; and “Incentives, Production, Collaboration: An Up to the New York Minute Production Update,” sponsored by the New York Production Alliance. A full compliment of paid and free educational intensives are being presented as well.

For further information about panels, education or exhibition at this HD Expo or future ones, call 818-842-6611 or visit: hdexpo.net

San Francisco Design School Grads Star at NY Fashion Week

For the sixth consecutive year the talented student-designers of San Francisco's Academy of Art University will invade the land of FIT and Parsons when they present the school's Spring 2010 collections in Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week's Main Tent in Bryant Park.

On Saturday, September 12 at 3pm, it will be standing room only as seven AAU designers will present their womenswear collections from the Fashion, Textile and Knitwear Design programs.

"These young designers have an amazing opportunity to be part of New York Fashion Week," said Dr. Elisa Stephens, AAU president. "We view this show as the University's commitment to help launch the careers of our graduates," he declared.
 
The seven designers are:

California native Amanda Cleary, MFA Fashion Design with an undergraduate degree in graphic design. She has interned for Elie Tahari and Verrieres & Sako. Ms. Cleary said she used packaging design as inspiration for her collection. She plans ro move to London or New York to pursue her career. We trust she will see the light and relocate to the Fashion Capitalm of the World: Manhattan!

Sawanya Jonthepmala, MFA Fashion and Textile Design, is a native of Thailand. "For my silhouette, I was inspired by the orgami-like details of Krathong, which are small boats made out of banana leaves," she said. The traditional glass mosacis from Thai Bhuddist temples inspired her textile designs.

South Carolina native Brittney Major, MFA Fashion Design, is a self-desribed "prep" and uses "unconventional preppy" as her inspiration, During the summer of 2008, Ms. Major was an intern for Zac Posen. She is pursuing a career in pattern-making and technical design.

Jin Pan was born and rasied in China. "My collection was inspired by Anna Fidler's paintings of abstract landscapes. mythical happenings and unseen energy," she said. Ms. Pan interned wih Anna Sui as a patternmaker in 2008 and will work on costume designs for the Hua Yi performing Group this fall.

A native of Sofia, Bulgaria, Marina Nikolaeva Popsaka, MFA Fashion and Knitwear Design, is the daughter of a professor in textile and fashion design. "I grew up surrounded by art and fabric," she said. "For my collection I was inspired by nature, humanity and light, as well as the chaos of color and texture," said Ms.Popska.

Kara Sennett, MFA Fashion Design, was raised on U.S. military bases in Germany, with summers spent in Delaware. "David Hockeny's painting beverly Hills Housewife was my inspiration for my wool and vinyl collection depicting the Mad Men era of the 1960s," she said.

Manila-born Richelle Valenzuela, MFA Fashion Design, has lived in San Francisco since he was 14. "The structure of the gem-cuttin diagram and the facets of the gem, not the gliiter amd glitz, inspired my collection,' he said.

Celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2009, Academy of Art University is the largest accredited private art and design school in the U.S. with over 13,000 students, including over 2,000 fashion students, The School of Fashion houses 10 areas of specialization: Fashion Design, Textile Design, Technical Design, Knitwear Design, Accessory Design, Costume Design, Fashion Illustration, Fashion Journalism, Fashion Merchandising and Visual Merchandising,

Gladys Perint Palmer, a working journalist and illustrator, is AAU's Executive Director of Fashion.

Go To Chicago's Toy & Game Fair This November

Chicago's Toy & Game Fair (CHITAG) is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, November 21-22, 2009. Held at beautiful Navy Pier in Chicago, The Chicago Toy & Game Fair is the only toy and game fair open to the public. Every Fall funseekers come from far and wide for two days of previewing and playing the hottest and latest new toys and games. To be dazzled and enchanted, to learn and explore, audiences come to mingle and participate in a magical community event and most of all, to have fun!

It offers an opportunity to speak to the gamers, inventors, and professional in the industry--whether to get feedback, share ideas, or simply having fun playing games. It's in a venue that allows them to ask questions that help shape their ideas. In addition to exhibitions, there are the speaker panels as well as the Ask the Experts in the Inventor and Industry Programs that has made this a fantastic event.

A sampling of last year's CHITAG events included Meet-and-eat with the mighty Star Wars™ 501st Stormtrooper Battalion plus gifts from Hasbro, Top Trumps and Cartoon Network or join us for the Integrity Toys Dynamite Girls Breakfast!. There was the Renaissance Knights Chess Pavilion where participants had fun playing chess on one of the giant chess sets and tested their chess acumen against one of the experts.  There was also a quad tournament where players competed for prizes
The Young Inventor Challenge had kids puttng on thinking caps and inventing. Kids ages 6 -16 competed in this toy and game invention competition to judged by representatives of Hasbro, Mattel, Fundex, Lund and Co. and more. Boy Scouts participating in the Young Inventor Challenge could qualify for an Entrepreneur Merit Badge with many opportunities to attain other Merit Badges throughout the Fair.
There was also an Educator Conference--a State of Illinois accredited program (CPDU credit awarded) to assist educators on the fine art of incorporating play in the classroom.

The complete schedule of events for CHITAG 2009 will be posted on their site in  coming weeks and made available for download. Check back for full details.

To order tickets in advance--Adults: $10 • Children: $5--contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 847-677-8277.

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