BookShorts Moving Stories

Neil Smith: First Public Reading of BANG CRUNCH

BookShorts — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 03:22:00 +0000

Neil Smith in the person belies his personae on the page. Â Or perhaps that's just part of the eloquent deception that happens to be his self. Whether he is truely skewed or just skewers readers' expectations, his is an intriguing first collection.

Testament to Anne's figure on the pulse, and Louise's graceful guidance in devloping talent, I concur with all of the 25 interviewers that Neil had spoken to by the time he did his reading from BANG CRUNCH at Toronto's Harbourfront series.

And happily, an author that cares enough to follow his theatrical muses to deliver a stage performance that engages as much as the writing. It's an easy segue onto the silver screen, Jaybird is just begging for a treatment.

Mr. Smith -- prepare for another 25 *hundred* interviews!

(and thank you Sharon, for setting us up :)

Google & The Digital Book NMBA iLunch

BookShorts — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 22:48:00 +0000

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"Forget squeezing millions from a few megahits at the top of the lists. The future of entertainment is in the millions of niche markets at the shallow end of the bitstream."Â So says just about any guru in any of the cultural industries, and books are no exception.

The New Media Business Alliance has consistently provided excellent topics and speakers in their iLunch series, and I was thrilled to know that the organization has now reached out to the book publishing world. Google & The Digital Book was the session attended, and included Roland Lang (Google); William Zertner (Wiley); Sarah Irwin (TVO Interactive Learning Channel); Aideen O'Brien (BMG Music Publishing) and moderated by Diane Davy (Castledale Inc.).

The panel of speakers were well-informed in current industry status, and (once past the "what we are" and "how we did it" segments) had very validating comments on what we all here in the trenches intuit, but look to the uber-big-biz partners to confirm has risen to industry prominence as a pervasive mind-set.

NMBA also recorded the event and perhaps will make the proceedings available as a podcast or for member-only -- if you can get the podcast in the next couple of months, and your in the book industry, it would be well worth it.

More at http://www.nmba.ca; sponsored by OMDC and Getty Images; produced in collaboration with OPBO. (c) BookShorts Inc.

Toronto Public Library Posts Video Reviews

BookShorts — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 19:10:00 +0000

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Visit the site, see the video, borrow the book - easy!

Sheila emailed us to post a link to the BookShorts coverage of the Giller short-list announcement; which was a delightful email to recieve for a number of reasons, not the least of which is her bringing to my attention the fact that they believe in the power of media too. Toronto Public Library shoots and posts video reviews of all the books nominated, as well as hosting the "Guess the Giller" initiative.
http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/rec_awa_giller_06_vid_vl.jsp

Formats available:

Tags: pascal quiviger, gaetan soucy, scotiabank giller prize, rawi hage, carol windley

PorkBelly Futures Cure the Blues with BookShorts & Strange Duck Media Holiday Party

BookShorts — Sun, 24 Dec 2006 20:14:00 +0000

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The Canadian Blues.

Strange Duck Media, BookShorts and PorkBelly Futures invited a hundred of their closest friends to "to cure the holiday blues with live music, contests, free stuff and other barely disguised excuses to meet fellow rejoicers."

The highlight of the evening had to be PorkBelly's rendition of the blues verses written by our guests, which we have captured for your continued enjoyment, though we do not wish the winning verse on anybody.

Best of the season!

Judith

The evening's beverage of choice sponsored by

Saint Andre Lager

Saint Andre brand was founded to brew authentic European style beers, to bring some of Europe's cultural brewing Heritage to Toronto. It is brewed locally at Cool Brewing in Brampton in small batches to ensure freshness, with specialty malts imported from Belgium and Czech Saaz hops.

Thanks Doug!!

Goodies and prizes from our generous supporters
F.L.A.G. Accessories
BigTime Murder Productions
Dawn Aaron's Tai Chi Class
Strange Duck Media
BookShorts
PorkBelly Futures
?
Thanks to the generous publishers that contributed the gift of literature

Raincoast Books / IPG
ECW Press
McClelland & Stewart
Random House of Canada
Penguin Group (Canada)
Thomas Allen Publishers

Proceeds of the evening's Raffle were donated to PEN Canada.
The contributions above were used in a Raffle to support PEN Canada. PEN is an association of writers and supporters formed in 1926 to defend freedom of expression and raise awareness of that right. It is one of 144 centres of International PEN in 102 countries, and uses the power of the word to assist writers around the world persecuted or exiled for the expression of their thoughts. PEN Canada relies on the generous support of money and time from Canadians from across the country. http://www.pencanada.ca.

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: porkbelly, futures, strange, duck, bookshorts, pork, in, strange, shorts;, pen, canada, paul quarrington

Dave Bidini Does Sex and Hockey - at the same time

BookShorts — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 17:53:00 +0000

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The renaissance thang ain't dead yet -- absconded to the extreme by h'wood and retail granted, yea, sure. Still there are artist like Dave, and our Paul, and Irene and Susan that do pretty much every darn art thing and happily, wonderfully well.

This is the latest installment from Bidini, which (surprise - NOT) is also a suite of music, about-to-be-stage-play, a book and well, we'll see what else comes of it.

In the meantime, check out Bidini's site at http://www.davebidini.ca - more and more all the time.

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: bookshorts, dave bidini, five hole stories, moving stories, pages, tinars

One Minute Film Fest - Archetypes Make the Big Screen

BookShorts — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 22:07:00 +0000

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Congrats Irene! On November 22, the BookShort film "Archetypes: The Expectant Mother" got a big laugh when it was screened at the Bloor Cinema for the One Minute Film & Video Festival. Chosen with 59 others from over 200 submissions, its quite a thrill to see that gal a couple of stories high. Kagan, thanks for the beautiful art; and of course our bows to Mirielle Silcoff, whose brilliant and sardonic mind continues to lovingly skewer the people she meets every day.

To see the other Archetype films, visit www.MovingStories.TV

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: festival;, minute, archeytpes;, film, duma, irene

Pretty and Delicious Launch - Canadian Artisanal Cheese

BookShorts — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 15:14:00 +0000

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In the small world department, Debby invited us to the launch of Gurth Pretty's definitive, and currently the only comprehensive guide to Canadian made cheese in this country -- just weeks after having attended a fabulous seminar on wine and cheese pairings at the "you gotta know about it to get there" Food & Wine Festival in Picton Ontario. Learned lots at the time; delighted to return to hear more from this very passionate foodie. The Cheese Boutique was jammed, more wine flowing, lots of sampling courtesy of the warm owners of the store. If you are in Calgary or Vancouver, watch for Pretty - his next tour stops out west.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: cheese boutique, canadian artisanal cheese, launch, gurth pretty, debby de groot

And the winner is ... great shorts! The Scotiabank Giller Event

BookShorts — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 19:55:00 +0000

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There is an abundance of coverage of the Giller event and the gracious winner, young and charming Vincent Lam. A google seach will net a list of links longer than your arm. Media coverage on books, and the publicity machine that drives it, will be the subject for a future entry.

In the meantime, and being that this is BookShorts, we were particularly interested in the short film profiles that were broadcast in the course of the event.

Hats off to Gordon Henderson, his producer Bree, and the posse at CTV including Michael Serapio. They did an amazing job with them this year. They harken back to the creative approach Gordon began to use in 2002, my fav being the short for Austin Clarke's "Polished Hoe" (which circumstantially won that year). With gorgeous b-roll, a sensitive selections of stills, and originally composed music for each profile, they were a delight to watch, completely in keeping with the overall high production values and "bling" factor of the event itself.

In speaking with Bree after the show, she reminded me that they produced, or at least show, all five in two weeks, between the moment they announced the short list and in time for their integration into the broadcast.

An informal survey of one, with Pauline Couture with whom we made the BookShort "ICE Beauty Danger History" confirmed my opinion that they have a life beyond this one show. Let's hope that we see them again.

Check out www.scotiabankgillerprize.com for HQ central, or watch the re-broadcast on CTV Nov. 11 at 4pm ET.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: gaetan soucy, scotiabank giller prize, rawi hage, pascale quiviger, vincent lam, carol windley

Behind the Scenes Day of the Gillers

BookShorts — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 19:25:00 +0000

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We had an opportunity (thanks to our intrepid mutual publicist Debby de Groot) to speak with authors / nominees Carol Windley (Home Schooling) and Pascal Quiviger (The Perfect Circle, translation by Sheila Fischman) about the making of their short film profiles that will be premiered during the broadcast this evening. Both authors are published by Cormorant Books, and both have been somewhat scared but generally elated with the media coverage of their work. BookShorts will have a report on the films as soon as we all see them!!

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg), MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: scotiabank giller prize, pascale quiviger, giller film profiles, carol windley

Geoff Does Rock Star

BookShorts — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 02:45:00 +0000

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We knew he had it in 'im. Next thing, it'll be a band, then the groupies, more photos (look out Tom, could be all your fault ...) then the music video, then the international tour, and then, and then, and then.....

(ok Geoff, tell us you were just posing, 'eh?)

Courtesy Tom Sandler, Photographer Extra-Ordinaire, Hardest working Photog in the City. Contact him for more (but don't tell Geoff) -- tsandler@total.net.

Formats available: JPEG Image (.jpg)

Tags: ifoa, jowi taylor, geoffrey taylor, six string nations guitar

BPAC Future of Publishing at IFOA

BookShorts — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 21:25:00 +0000

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The Book Promoters Association of Canada serves to keep that contingent of the publishing industry appraised of the latest issues and developments. BPAC hosted their annual Future of Publishing luncheon during the International Festival of Authors, at which panelists included The Toronto Stars Phil Marchand, Penguin Group (Canada)s Nicole Winstanley, Ben McNally of Nicholas Hoare, IFOAs Geoffrey Taylor, Nathalie Atkinson and Quill & Quires Derek Weiler as moderator.
Suggestions such as do book launches where something happens and when you send a press release to a reporter, give them an angle were delivered from the panel. After which topics such as government regulation, the viability of e-books, and where and how public funding should be spent were put forward.
Admittedly arriving mid-session, having just one mic to pass around slowed things down considerably, though provided an amusingly ironic sub-text to panelists responses, or rather pass on some of the questions put forward. Was not able to survey the participants post-event but I put this out there . you know how you eat Chinese and youre still hungry an hour later?

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: international festival of authors, ifoa, bpac, pubishing, book promoters association of canada

A Visual Treat - Dupuy & Berberian at IFOA

BookShorts — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 12:45:00 +0000

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Wonder if there is a correlation between artists who make great looking images and great looking artists who make striking art.

The audience at IFOA's session with Charles Berberian and Philippe Dupuy, hosted by Seth, were well-served by the hosts easy but probing manner.

Bet there are a bunch of converts to the Gaelic path in graphic novels -- une verre du vin aussi, peut etre?

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: philippe dupuy, charles berberian, ifoa, international festival of authors, seth

PEN Canada Benefit at IFOA

BookShorts — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 22:00:00 +0000

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PEN Canada is an association of writers and supporters formed to defend freedom of expression and raise awareness of that right. It is one of 144 centres of International PEN in 102 countries, and uses the power of the word to assist writers around the world persecuted or exiled for the expression of their thoughts.

The benefit for PEN at this year's IFOA was an upbeat affair despite the cause, perhaps in part due to the natural enthusiasm that occurs when authors are able to read material unencumbered, and to an audience solid in their convictions against censorship.

Wole Soyinka is a mezmerizing reader (an immedaite affinity likely attributed to his tale of a motorcycle ride through his native land); Miriam Toews reveled in her delivery of expletives; Azar Nafisi conquered her reiticence for self-performance; M.G. Vassanji auditioned new writings; as did Wayson Choy - likely not a victim of his two previous near-death experiences. Ann-Marie MacDonald kept things moving after a poignant introduction from Connie Rooke and John Ralston Saul's presentation of the PEN Canada / Paul Kidd Courage Award to journalist Kim Bolan.

The video here captures some of the spirit of the Benefit; for a great read and your own support for their initiatives, grab a copy of the M&S published "Writing Life" edited by Rooke.

Tags: wayson choy, miriam toews, ifoa, john ralston saul, ann-marie macdonald, m.g. vassanji, wole soyinka, kim bolan, constance rooke, pen canada, international festival of authors, writing life

McClelland & Stewart Celebration @ IFOA

BookShorts — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 21:10:00 +0000

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This a gentle ribbing via video ....

but really folks... it *was* a lovely event at the opening night of International Festival of Authors, with many acclaimed and appreciative artists of the realm. This is a cheeky little post while I cut together the real thing (sorry Doug, just couldn't resist, and it'll only be up for a day :)

The Fighter Book & Movie Launch Event

BookShorts — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 17:55:00 +0000

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Hey, we should do this more often! A much hyped event, and for good reason. In attendance -- the ususal suspects from literary circles, AND a great many regular folk, namely boxing fans, that may or may not pick up a book on a regular basis. BookShorts Director Mark Hesselink was on hand to watch another performance, harkening to the movie The Fighter, based on Craig's book, which will launch online and on the circuit with Craig and his book.

WATCH THE UPCOMING EPISODE OF BOOKSHORTS "MOVING STORIES" featuring Mark's film, premiering on CLT November 26, and BookTelevision November 30, 2006.

A huge CONGRATS to the Penguin posse, and particularly to Craig, Stephen and David that have proven their dedication to the job. Overall, very rewarding indeed, for Craig and for those of us who support the outreach to new readers no matter how we get them!

Thanks Myers, I guess there *is* such a thing as "danger pay" in publishing!

Tags: mark hesselink, bookshorts, the fighter, moving stories, penguin group canada, craig davidson

BookShorts at Scotiabank Giller Short-List Announcement

BookShorts — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 14:40:00 +0000

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There's nothing like subjective opinions about art to get the opinions flying! With the energy around the first presser for this year's Scotiabank Giller Prize, there is bound to be lots of "interesting" dialogue. We spoke to J. Marc Cote Publisher of Cormorant Books; Frans & Ian Donker of Book City, Geoff Taylor of IFOA and of course the ever-charming and dedicated man himself, Jack Rabinovitch leads the charge from the podium. Check out the video!

Tags: ga?tan soucy, scotiabank giller prize, pascale quiviger, vincent lam, rawi hage, giller prize

BookShorts Goes to BookExpo America

BookShorts — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 17:04:00 +0000

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This year at Book Expo America, BookShorts hosted the first on-site screening ever undertaken at the book fair - the largest and most important exhibition for the publishing industry. Ten large television screens were mounted in the Autographing Area to broadcast a recurring loop of original book-to-film productions.

For the thousands of book industry professionals lining up for autographs, the BookShorts screening demonstrated the possibilities for a retail or event environment, and also exactly how effective screen media is in introducing new titles to new audiences.

Tags: bookshorts, judith keenan, bookexpo america, largay, random, angel, margaret atwood, america, house

BookShorts Lounge at BookExpo Canada

BookShorts — Sun, 06 Aug 2006 00:05:00 +0000

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At BookExpo Canada, BookShorts executive producer Judith Keenan debuts five new films on the trade show floor and announces a new broadcast series, BookShorts Moving Stories. JPod by Douglas Coupland Directed by Lisa Mann & Curtis Wehrfritz Writer: Bruce Pirrie The Fighter by Craig Davidson Directed by Mark Hesselink Writer: Mona Zaidi i-ROBOT Poetry by Jason Christie Directed by Lisa Mann & Curtis Wehrfritz Writer: Link York No Limit Texas Hold'Em: A Complete Course by Angel Largay Directed by Bert Kish Writer: Paul Quarrington Archetypes by Mireille Silcoff with illustrations by Kagan McLeod Director / Writer: Irene Duma Confessions of a Pilgrim by Sue Kenney Directed by Bert Kish Writers: Bruce Pirrie & Sue Kenney

Tags: i-robot poetry, craig davidson, jpod, angel largay, archetypes, jason christie, sue kenney, kagan mcleod, confessions of a pilgrim, douglas coupland, mireille silcoff, no limit texas holdem: a complete course, the fighter