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I am going to out on a limb here and say it outright, I am a day late on my post, but I am going to throw it out there anyway because I know I would be an awesome choice to Blog for the Banff World Media Festival.

For those of you who have never heard of the Banff World Media Festival, I am only going to excuse you because you knew it as two separate festivals for many years. It is formerly known as the Banff World Televsion Festival and the Banff Medial Festival, however, with the way that Television is moving into the digital age it made more sense to combine the two festivals together for one amazing Festival that showcases it all.

When doing research for a post, I like to go to all my sources. Knowing my own Sister attended the Banff World Television Festival for many years with her job at Heritage Canada, I decided I needed to interview her and get her thoughts on #Banff2012. The main question I wanted her to answer for me from an industry standpoint was, what makes this Festival so amazing compared to other festivals, what is it that brings people to Banff? Looking through the schedule, you see many spots where there are Face to Face sessions, these sessions are there for you to bring your ideas and screen plays in front of the decision makers, producers are there to hear all about the next generation of television. These pitch sessions happen, you get to meet the people who can do it for you and will tell you yes or no, right there on the spot. Bringing the decision makers to the Banff World Media Festival is what sets it apart from the others.

I am a little nervous to admit that I remember when television was a Saturday and Sunday affair, when you looked ahead to the TV guide to see what was on and you planned around it. You gathered around the one television (and quite possibly a Black and White one like we had) and watched the Saturday morning cartoons or Sunday Movie special. There was no going to another room to watch a different show, if the Hockey game was on you watched it because that was what Dad was watching. I have seen television grow and change, where households moved from one black and white to multiple colour televisions, from Beta and VHS to DVD and BluRay. We are now in an on demand world where we want our television when we want it and not when the schedule says. The world of television programming is changing rapidly and I would love nothing more than to attend Banff 2012 to see what is coming up next for us.

In addition to the amazing Keynote Speakers, Paul Chard of Mediacom and Paul Lee, President of ABC Television and the In Conversation sessions with Lifetime Achievement Winner Larry King and Nikesh Arora of Google who won the Award for Innovation there are so many more amazing sessions to attend. The biggest problem will be trying to decide which ones to go to with four days packed full of information, it will be hard to decide for sure.

It wouldn’t be right if I didn’t talk a little bit about how nextMedia . nextMedia is offering a whole program within the Festival, bringing many leading digital executives to Banff. Discussing branded content, media buying and new technology, organizing Face to Face sessions and showcasing new online media. nextMedia is bringing you together with the brands allowing you to network  with the key players in media and branding. Having attended many blogging and social media conferences in the last few years (BlogHer’10 & ’11, Blissdom Canada’10 & ’11, Blissdom ’12, She’s Connected ’10 & ’11), following the nextMedia track alone would fill my cup to overflowing with amazing information and content.

Add to all of the amazing information that will be there, the Rockies Awards that will be handed out, parties that will be attended is also the fact that it will be held in Banff, Alberta and as a photographer you couldn’t ask for a more amazing place to photograph. I would love the opportunity to blog for #Banff2012, experience the thrill of being a part of television and media for future generations

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Categories: BlissDom, Blissdom Canada, Conferences

And the winner of the @ Necklace with your Twitter Handle from Blend Creations is……

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Domestic Extrodinaire!!!  I will be sending you an email in just a few minutes. Congratulations and thank you all for stopping by to enter the giveaway and a special Thank you to Vivian at Blend Creations for generously giving one to one of my readers.  I hope to see a lot more of you wearing them at Blissdom next year!!

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Categories: BlissDom, Conferences, Contests

In just 23 Days, I will be getting on another airplane and heading South again. And again, I am traveling to a place I have never been before. I think it is prudent to say that 2012 is the year of Travel for BeachMama, travel to new and exciting places, where I get to meet amazing people and have amazing experiences.

Next stop for me, Nashville, Tennessee for Blissdom’12 at the Opryland Hotel. Wow! I am so thrilled to be a Community Leader in the Photography Niche, which means that I will be hosting a round table in the Photography Niche, so bring your photo questions, gear questions, blog questions and join me at my table.

I'm a Blissdom Community Leader!

Of Course this post doesn’t stop there.  I also welcome you to come and talk to me anytime at the conference. If you are a newbie to conferences or Blissdom, please don’t be shy.  Although this is my first Blissdom in the US, I have attended both Blissdom Canada Conferences in Toronto. And although I was part of the official photography team, I was able to absorb and enjoy both conferences. I have also attended Blogher ’10 and ’11, Women in Business last May, She’s Connected ’10 and ’11, Amplify Her Awesome as the official photographer, Imaging USA, The Savvy Photographer Workshop on the Waterfront and, and, I think that is all in the last few years, but it is a lot. And I have enjoyed each and every one of them for so many reasons. The best one being how I was able to connect with different people and be inspired by them.

Since I am so often on the other side of the camera, here is a little photo of me so you can get the idea. Although I don’t think I will be dressed for summer in Nashville, I will have my camera with me so I thought it would be fun to show you one of my self portraits from San Diego last year. I will be less tanned, but just as smiley.

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Since I have attended a few conferences, I thought it would be a good idea for me to offer a few of my Do’s And Don’ts of Conference Etiquette. I am sure others will find more to add, but here are a few tips from me.

DO:

  • Bring your power supplies for all your devices, you will need to recharge when you least expect it and you don’t want to be running around looking for the one person who has the same cell phone as you.
  • Label all your power supplies and personal devices. There will be room’s full of people with all the same things you want to be able to identify yours.
  • Bring a power bar for your hotel room and to possibly bring down with you to the conference rooms. There are never enough plugs and unless you want to find yourself sitting on the floor leaning on the wall next to a plug, it’s a good idea.
  • Bring a refillable water bottle. Hotels are dry and there is usually jugs of water or stations to refill, its a good thing to remember.
  • Bring a few extra things to wear.  Once you plan your wardrobe, throw in an extra outfit or two. You never know when your plans might change or you just feel like changing! You may not want to go from sitting in a conference room to a party in the same outfit. It feels good to change (some say I do it a lot…)
  • Extra pair of comfortable shoes. Packing is always tight and if you are like me you bring all your party shoes, and look great shoes and by the end of the second day you just wish you had your really comfy shoes. Throw them in! Better to be comfy than not, I always say.
  • A sweater. Since I have never been to Nashville, well, ever, I can’t say what the weather will be exactly. But I do find that no matter what time of year conference rooms can be chilly. It doesn’t hurt to throw in a sweater or wrap that you can throw in your bag and pull out when needed, there is nothing worse than being cold all day. Trust me I live in Ottawa and it is winter right now.

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A few Don’ts for you that are also Do’s:

  • Don’t forget your business cards, if you don’t have any right now don’t despair you can have some made up and printed very quickly at your local Staples or Kinko’s. Put your info on them, Blog name and link, Twitter handle, Facebook Page and if you can a photo of you (I need to add this to my next round of social media business cards myself).
  • Don’t forget your camera. You don’t have to have a big fancy camera, bring your point and shoot or your cell phone, but make sure you have room to take pics, there is always so much to see and capture and you never know when you might run into someone you have been dying to meet, get that photo of the two of you together.
  • Don’t forget extra batteries for your camera!
  • Don’t forget to tip your bartender at the parties! This is my biggest don’t. Even if you get a free drink ticket, don’t forget that the bartenders are still making your drink, throw down a single or some change, it will make their night and they will remember you if you need some water or something else that night.
  • Don’t forget to tip the maid service and bellman. This is usually done on your last day, as you leave right your maid service a little Thank you note with your tip and leave it on the dresser. Let them know you appreciated all those fresh towels and extra coffee they dropped off for you. And the bellman, scrambling to get you a cab, be sure to thank him as well.

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Whew! I think that is all for now.  At least all that I can think of at this moment…. except one thing. Be sure to have lots of fun!! If you are being brave and coming alone, don’t despair you will meet someone at breakfast the first morning, so don’t stay in your room, head down and join the group.

And since that photo of me up there is a little hard to see what I look like, here is another one. Yes, I am not that tanned right now, it is winter after all, but I still look pretty much the same. Stop by, say hi, join in the discussions. I look forward to meeting you all in Nashville!
Anna

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Categories: BlissDom, Conferences, Uncategorized