[Hidden-announce] NEW MEDIA TONIGHT

[webmaster]

REGIONAL OFFICIALS, ENTREPRENEURS AND ACADEMICS 
TO EXPLORE CONNECTING THE REGION TO THE GROWING DIGITAL MARKETPLACE

FORMER HOLLYWOOD PRODUCER LARRY JACKSON TO PROVIDE KEYNOTE

Regional economic leaders, government officials 
and new media entrepreneurs will meet from 5 to 7 
p.m. tonight in the basement room at the Jones 
Library, Amity Street, Amherst, to share short 
presentations on the growing digital marketplace 
and discuss how the Pioneer Valley can leverage 
this sector for economic development.

The digital marketplace - also called new media - 
represents the transmission of digital content to 
a variety of platforms from video games to cell 
phones, laptops to movie theaters and the 
classroom. The new media represents one of the 
fastest-growing and most lucrative global markets.

Larry Jackson of Amherst, a former Hollywood 
producer with Miramax and Orion and principle of 
Northern Arts Entertainment in Amherst, a 
distributor of independent films, will provide an 
overview of how the entertainment industry is 
being affected by digital technology.

The great news for the region is that the Valley 
has some of the top film and new media academic 
departments in the world, along with some of the 
top content producers and new media techies. (See 
www.hidden-tech.net under "past events" and 
Valley Goes Hollywood for examples) Even better, 
the new media represents clean industry that's 
conducted on PCs, servers, or in sound studios, 
and often within homes and small offices 
sprinkled throughout the region. There may be a 
new media entrepreneur next door, but you'd never know it.

Economic developers and government officials 
throughout the Pioneer Valley are exploring a 
number of ways to breed economic development 
through the studio arts, if not digital arts. For 
example, Franklin County is promoting a creative 
initiative for artists and several communities 
promote gallery evenings, artist studio walks, 
etc.- Private developers, including those at 
Eastworks in Easthampton, Open Square in Holyoke, 
and Richard Slobody and Barry Roberts --both in 
Amherst -- are already creating space for 
technology entrepreneurs and artists without 
advertising their space for the new media entrepreneurs in their midst.

What's needed to grow this sector is a synergy 
between all of these players and the academic 
community to connect, cross-fertilize and assist 
each other. Right now academics and new media 
entrepreneurs rarely connect. The fact that the 
region is a hot-bed of new media activity is not 
known to many outside of this niche. Cities and 
towns in this region are drowning in high 
property taxes, yet this burgeoning cluster -- 
which could be acceptable to many with 
environmental concerns -- isn't being nurtured.

The Hidden-Tech board and other regional 
institutions and organizations (listed below) are 
backing this Oct. 3 meeting to foster learning 
about this sector and determine how best to 
leverage it for the benefit of the Hidden-Tech 
network and the entire region. The event is free 
and the public is invited to attend.

Amy Zuckerman, Principal of A - Z International 
Associates, and Amherst-based strategic marketing 
firm, will facilitate. Zuckerman will represent 
the boards of Hidden-Tech and the Regional Technology Corporation.

The following new media entrepreneurs are offering short presentations:

-        Tom Adams - Reelife Documentary Productions - Williamsburg

-        Raf Anzovin - Anzovin Studio - Amherst animator

-        Nancy Fletcher -   Executive Director, 
Act Now! and President, Fletcher Associates 
Public Relations - Media for Youth Development - Belchertown

-        Claudia Gere - President, Claudia Gere & Co. and Gere Publishing

-        Silvana Gravini Gravini.net Web development, Holyoke/Northampton

-        Paul Hake - Paul Hake Productions -- 
Advanced Media Development, Greenfield

-        Mary C. McKitrick - MCM Voices - Voice-Overs, Florence

-        Jon Reed Vice President of SAPtips and 
owner of ECA books Tech/trade publishing, Northampton

-        Joe Minton - Digital Development 
Management - Video Game Agent, Northampton

-        Carlyn Saltman - Your Story Matters - 
Personal history videographer & documentary filmmaker, Greenfield/Turners

-        Silvana Gravini Gravini.net Web development, Holyoke/Northampton
   * Rikk Desgres - Pinehurst Pictures & Sound - 
Video/Audio/New Media Production
-        Peter Acker - Armadillo Audio Group - Pelham

Companies participating from the audience are:

-        Deborah Huisken - Dancing Star 
International - Coaching/Leadership Development, Montague, Mass.

-        Dennis Kunkler - Your Brand Partnership.com - Branding Experts, 
Agawam

-        Afranio Torres-Neto - Web Design - Amherst


The following officials and/or institutions are 
planning to attend among others:

-        State Rep. Ellen Storey

-        The Small Business Development Center

-        Samalid Hogan, staff member, The Pioneer 
Valley Regional Planning Commission

-        Ira Bryck, director, the UMass Family Business Center;

-        Craig Nicholson and Glenn Caffery of the UMass IT Program

-        John Coull, executive director, the Amherst Chamber of Commerce

-        Ann Hamilton, president, the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce

-        Rick Feldman, president, the Northampton Chamber of Commerce,

-        Robert Riddle, Development officer, Hampshire College

-        Leo Hwang-Carlos, Associate Dean of 
Humanities, Greenfield Community College

-        Dee Boyle-Clapp, Project Coordinator, 
Fostering the Arts & Culture Partnership, Greenfield Community College

-        Hidden-Tech

-        Regional Technology Corporation

The following officials and developers can not 
attend, but asked to be kept informed of the proceedings:

-        Ellen Bemben, President, Regional Technology Corporation

-        Teri Anderson, Economic Development 
Coordinator, the Northampton Mayor's Office of Economic Development

-        John Aubin, owner, Open Square, Holyoke