It's an action-packed wknd with the D23 Expo (with Avengers panel!), and the Sunset Strip Music Fest (see 10 Wknd Ideas Below).  Support LA at SXSW (see below)

And register for our 3 events next wk!
- MON: Drinks @ Greenhouse NY - Free RSVP!
- TUE: Games Get Social panel - Speakers from Activision, EA Interactive, Square Enix, Ubisoft's Prince of Persia, GameStop and more will discuss how console games are starting to integrate social media, and game digital distribution via iPhone app, downloads, and more. Play games in the pimped-out GameTruck too! Register
- WED:

Our recent events:
10 Indie Film Social Media Tips - We discussed how to use social media to promote your film and engage fans from development to film fest to theatrical release, all at the HollyShorts Film Fest. See pics or notes below

5 Voice for Video Game Tips - Voice talent for Sonic, LA Noire, Assassins Creed, SOCOM 4, Marvel vs. Capcom and other games shared voice-acting tips. See notes below!

10 Wknd Ideas
- Movies: Conan, Fright Night, Spy Kids 4D (aromascope)
- D23 Expo. Disney convention w Avengers panel, Fri-Sun. We will be live-tweeting from the panel & show @DigitalLA
- Sunset Strip Music Fest - Motley Crue & more! Thu-Sun
- Disney Fantasia @ Hollywood Bowl w fireworks! Fri-Sun
- Death Cab for Cutie @ The Greek, Thurs-Fri
- Sade with John Legend @ Staples, Fri - Sun
- Summer Explosion w Souja Boy, Baby Bash, Sat
- Venice Art Crawl, art and galleries, Thurs
- Nisei Week, cultural fest downtown Little Tokyo
- Long Beach Funk Festival, get down, get funky! Sat

LA at SXSWi

Help LA represent at SXSWi!  Panel Picker voting just launched so anyone can vote for what panels will be at SXSWi in March 2012.  Vote for LA peeps' panels via the links below (takes 2 minutes to create an account). Add your panel to the list at http://facebook.com/digitalla
Let's go Digital LA peeps!

• Building Celebrity Brands Online EQAL, Cambio, Digital LA 
• Man vs Algorithm Online Video Curation Face-Off (Tubefilter, Google) 
• Beyond the Buzzword: Reality of Direct-to-Fan (TopSpin, PledgeMusic, etc.)  
• Digital Cinema: Power to the People
• The New Indie: BONA FIDE film
• How to Talk to Your Audience Again
• Score Killer PR for Your Start-Up, On the Cheap (ExcelPR Group) 
• Badges & Beyond - Gamification and Mobile Apps (Mobile Roadie, Soundcloud)  
• ATM In Your Pocket-Apps are Driving Real Dollars (Mobile Roadie, Sony Music, Collective) 
• My Social Community is Bigger than Michael Jordan 
• Tips and Tools for Managing Virtual Teams (Tecca) 
• 7 Reasons the Cloud Makes Your Video Work Better 
• Digital Dailies: Reinventing Hollywood's Workflow 
• Strategy to Get Your First 100 Paying Customers (Mixergy, Appsumo, Zaarly) 
• Selling The Undead: Scaring Fans For Profits & Fun (Dread Central, Dilemma)
• 3 Rs of Horror: Remakes, Reboots, Rediscoveries (Dread Central, Fewdio, Dilemma)   

Our Upcoming Events                        

- 8/22: Greenhouse Mixer (New York)

- 8/23: Games Get Social and Digital Distribution 

- 8/24: Digital Deals for Writers @ WGA
- 8/28: Pool Cocktails @ Thomspon Hotel
- 8/29: Geolocation Panel
- 9/5:  Seattle Cocktails @ Amber
- 9/15: Developers & Design panel
- 9/19: Fitness Goes Social
- 9/20: TV Goes Social @ What's Trending
- 9/21: Social Media for Social Good Panel
- 9/29: VFX animation for Movies and Games
- 10/5: Bands and Brands @ Rolling Stone

CALL FOR SPEAKERS:

- 8/29: Geolocation Panel: If u used Foursquare, Facebook places, etc. for a check-in campaign to promote a movie, TV/web series, band or game, email info@digitalla.net w GEO as subj and ur bio

- 9/29: VFX Animation for Movies and Games. Looking for VFX supervisors and animators who worked on summer blockbuster movies or games. Email info@digitalla.net with VFX as subj and your bio

PAST EVENT PICS
 - Thompson Pool Pics
 - Bastille Day Cocktails  - Digital Drinks @ Drai's - W Hollywood- QR Codes - Solstice Cocktails   - Branded Entertainment Panel
- NAB Cocktails @ Cosmopolitan - Marquee
- Comedians Go Digital
- TV Goes Social: Awards Shows
- Hosts Go Digital - Digital Music panel
- Entertainment Apps
 
PICS: Teenage Paparazzo, Glee 3D Movie, US Open of Surfing Pics. 

SUNSET STRIP - Our expert panelists shared tips of using social media to promote indie film at our panel at the HollyShorts Film Festival. Key tips: Share assets, engage fans, reach out to influencers and niche auds online, and get everyone who worked on ur film to promote everywhere, from development to film fest premiere to theatrical release.

Check out our PICS.

10 Social Media for Indie Film tips:
1) Get Started: Start marketing via the 3Fs: Friends, Families, Fans. Start your Facebook and Twitter pages during development, preferably using the same username. Follow your cast, crew, fellow filmmakers and filmmakers who inspire u, and hopefully they'll do the same. Tweet updates & pics during development til u wrap. Get your cast and crew to promote too.

2) Reach Influencers. USE FB, Twitter, and email to reach influencers, like movie bloggers, editors, critics. Don't just say "Please promote / RT my film." Try "Can u take a look at my trailer/site, I'd love your opinion." Find out what types of films the influencers like and tailor your message. Tell them why your film is novel or different. Be short and sweet - people rarely read past the first paragraph, so keep it to the logline and your top 1 or 2 credits; avoid a 3-paragraph film synopsis or long personal bios.

3) Reach Niche Auds. Find online communities who'd be interested in ur genre film, become a member of the community, and engage in discussion about ur film project. More authentic than "Hey I'm new here! Check this out: http://WatchMyFilm.com/" To promote the Adrian Grenier indie doc Teenage Paparazzo, Miller PR worked to promote the film on college campuses with a "u r the paparazzi' campaign.

4) Tie in with PR. Use social media and PR together. Send out press releases and tweets/status udpates at the same time. When u get a good press/influencer review, tweet it out! When Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool News tweeted about @DeadheadsMovie, its social media team screen-capted the tweet and promoted it on its Facebook, Twitter page (with permission, as courtesy).

5) Film Festival Social Media. Congrats, u got into your first film festival! But don't kick back and relax - now u have to promote to put butts in seats, and sell out your screenings so u have buzz and look good to distributors and studios. Follow and #FF other films at the fest which u have a connection with (u know the filmmakers, same genre, same day, same theater, etc.), saying "Excited to be at the fest with u!" and they'll likely do the same. Find out where the film fest theater is, and use Facebook and Twitter to promote your movie with nearby malls, movie theaters, restaurants. Use FB and Twitter to reach out to local influencers and groups / organizations who'd be interested in ur movie. Get buzz on Festival Genius, a tool film sites can incorporate to track and rate film buzz. The Deadheads movie used these tools to sell out three screenings at the Newport Beach Film Festival.

6) Small Theatrical Release. Congrats, u got picked up at the film festival and are getting small-theater or platform distribution! But don't relax, continue to use social media and PR in opening cities to sell out your opening weekend.

ENGAGE 7) Be Relevant. Just don't tweet "Watch my movie" - that starts to turn fans off. Engage fans in Facebook / Twitter conversations about your movie genre, theme or your movie's take on Top 10 Trending Topics. Humor helps.

8) Engage during Development. Use social media to expose your filmmaking process, which helps fans feel engaged during development. Aaron Grasso's 30 Day Film Challenge crowd-sourced making a film (from actors, writers to even donated equipment, lighting, cameras, craft services and legal) to create the film Closure in 30 days. They vlogged progress each of the 30 days of shooting. Fans became fascinated by the filmmaking process, and wanted to help out, promoting the film to friends via social media.

9) Engage for Release. Get fans engaged with affecting the premiere of release of the film. To promote the James Franco film "Your Highness", Eventful reached out to university communities who used its Demand-It service and social media to compete for which school could host the official premiere. To promote the limited-rollout release Paranormal Activity, Eventful worked with Paramount to create a program in which cities used demand-it and social media to get release in their city.

10) Crowd-Source Funding. If ur on crowd-source fundraising sites like Kickstarter and IndieGoGo, promote via social media. If someone's invested $ in your film, they will be engaged and help promote.

Thanks to HollyShorts for hosting and thanks to our awesome speakers:
- Aaron Grasso, Producer of Closure, a crowd-sourced film from development to production  @30dayfilm

- Jennie Kong, Miller PR, VP. Worked on PR for Adrian Grenier's Teenage Paparazzo, and projects for Felicia Day, Funny Or Die @jenniekong @MillerPRnews

- Jordan Glazier, CEO of Eventful @eventful

- Natalie Cupps, LACED Agency, VP Digital Marketing & Sales. Created social media campaign for Deadheads, resulting in three Newport Beach Film Festival sold-out shows. @nataliecupps @lacedtweet @deadheadsmovie

THANKS AUD for great tweet-notes!
RT @TheMenaceDenis: Encouragement for your fans via your cast is crucial to create conversations and fandom #IndieSM

RT @HollyShorts Give characters from your movie twitter accounts! Let your actors speak for the character online. @DigitalLA #hsff #indiefilm #socialmedia

RT @melissroth Indie film: using social media during development---get creative input, give ppl stake, build buzz+anticipation. #IndieSM

RT @TheMenaceDenis: Find out what shakes and moves your targeted influencers and how they operate in a sm space #indiesm

RT @Hollyshorts When emailing your projects to others- keep your emails brief and concise! Logline, short synopsis and thankyouverymuch. @DigitalLA #hsff

RT @TheMenaceDenis Use social media NOT as a campaign, but as a channel #indiesm

RT @Hollyshorts Ask your fans questions. Engage them in convos about your project. They will help to spread the word! @eventful @DigitalLA #hsff

RT @Grace__Huang Wow! I've taken pages of tips at this awesome #IndieSM panel at #HollyShortsFF! Thanks for sharing, guest speakers! http://img.ly/7ghP #fb

Mon Aug 22, 9p-1ap @ Greenhouse (New York)

We're teaming up again for engage:BDR's private mixer featuring celeb DJ Skribble during the LeadsCon & Affiliate Summit in New York. We're heading back to network with online advertising, tech fans, social media and more digital peeps at eco-club Greenhouse in SoHo, New York.
RSVP to get on the guest list at http://bit.ly/qw3k0o

Don't forget to RSVP before we hit capacity, and arrive early - we had several hundred attendees at our last packed teamup event at Greenhouse!

About Greenhouse: CitySearch says: "New York's first eco-friendly destination, featuring a two level... 6,000 square foot event space built from recycled materials; and has an environmentally conscious construction & design. The transparent ceiling fixture of over 5,000 individually hung crystals emulates a rolling landscape & the bars are clear recycled glass panorama designs."

Tues Aug 23, 7-9:3-p @ V Lounge

Join us for our discussion on how social media and digital distribution is affecting the creation of video game content. We'll discuss how console games use social media and are starting to integrate social media (Facebook, Twitter awards-postings and playing-now, gamer tags) into game development. We'll also digital distribution including iPhone apps and games, downloaded updates (songs, levels, etc.) and more. During networking, play games in the GameTruck
REGISTER http://digitallagamesdd.eventbrite.com/

SCHEDULED SPEAKERS so far:
- Mike Pelletier, Activision. Marketing Manger on Call of Duty

- Darion Lowenstein, Electronics Arts Interactive, Development Director. Produced games for iPad/iPhone digital distribution: NBA Jam (#1 app store for a wk), Transformers: Dark Of The Moon (#2 for > a week), Tiger Woods Golf 12, and NBA Elite. Also produced games at Rockstar, Activision, and EA, including Red Dead Revolver, Table Tennis, Transformers: War For Cybertron.

- Adam Sullivan, Square Enix, Counsel, Business & Legal Affairs. Increased social-gaming for titles including Final Fantasy XIV (MMO), Dead Island, Dungeon Siege III, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Knights of the Crystals (Facebook), Chocobo's Crystal Tower (Facebook) and Wakfu (MMO). Worked on distribution deals with Apple, Android market, PSN, XBLA, Valve, OnLive, Gamestop, Direct2Drive, etc.

- Ben McCaw, video game writer on Ubisoft's Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands for the Wii, nominated for Best Writing at the WGA and Canadian Video Game Awards. Also: Far Cry 3 for Ubisoft.

- Chris Petrovic, GameStop, Digital Ventures - General Manager. Oversees GameStop's digital strategy including acquisition, investment, strategic partnerships, and how physical stores adapt to digital distribution as games move past discs into bytes.

- Barb Dybwad, Tecca, Head of Content. Tecca is a technology news and gadget review site covering smartphones, video games, etc.. Previously Mashable Senior Tech Editor. @doctorparadox @tecca

- Moderator: Kevin Winston, Digital LA, founder @DigitalLA @kevinwinston

CALL FOR SPEAKERS: if ur from a a major company and can speak on this, email info@digitalla.net with GAMES as the subect and your bio. Namedrop big titles u actually worked on in the past 3 yrs liberally.

Wed Aug 24, 7-9:30p @ WGA West, Third and Fairfax

Join us for this writer-centric digital deals panel where content portals, writers and distributors will describe what sorts of scripted online content they are looking to acquire, develop and/or distribute.

Scheduled Panelists:
- Heath Corson, writer, AIM HIGH, web series about a high school student with a double life as a teen spy
- Richie Keen, writer, AIM HIGH
- Steve Woolf, blip.tv, VP Content
- Moderator: Kevin Winston, Digital LA founder @DigitalLA @kevinwinston

REGISTER to attend http://digitalladeals.eventbrite.com/
FREE if ur a current WGA member, just email newmedia@wga.org with "Digital Deals RSVP" as subject. Please include your first name, last name and a contact number in the body of the email.

We'll discuss:
- Is develeopment interested in humor or drama?
- How many minutes of content should your series contain?
- How many episodes should a "season" have?
- Where does transmedia fit into the equation?
- What kind of marketing and social media support can you get from a portal as part of your deal?
- If you work with a site to distribute your series yourself, how does advertising work and what kind of rates should you expect?

CALL FOR PANELISTS: If u work for a publisher, portal or digital producer that makes WGA-scripted content, email info@digitalla.net with DEALS as the subject and your bio

Sun Aug 28, 12-3p @ Thompson Hotel Beverly Hills

Join us for relaxing poolside cocktails at our second Pool Cocktails at the Thompson Beverly Hills. We'll be networking in our swimsuits, so BYOSwimsuit, towel, sunscreen, etc.

Look for Kevin in the red shorts and towel by the side of the pool. Deck chairs are first come first serve so try to arrive on the earlier side. We can lounge past 3 til 4 or 5. Cash bar. Be camera-friendly cuz we always take lots of pics at our evetns.

FREE RSVP: email info@digitalla.net with THOMPSON as subject and names of your guests, and we will send u a confirmation email to let u know if there's room.

Mon Aug 29, 7-9p @ Microsoft Store, Westfield Century City

Check-in to check out our panel where our experts will discuss geolocation phone services (Foursquare, Facebook Places, etc.) and entertainment applications and apps.

Scheduled Speakers so far (more to be added):
- Ann Glenn, Sony Pictures, Director Social Media Marketing. Integrated check-in games into several movie campaigns @sonypictures @urlgrl

CALL FOR SPEAKERS: If you've created a geolocation campaign (FFoursquare, etc) for an entertainment product (movie, music, game), email info@digitalla.net with GEO as the subject

Mon Sep 5, 6-9p @ Amber, Seattle (Belltown)

 
CENTURY CITY - Our expert panelists shared tips on voice for video games.  Panelists included three actors and a casting director who worked on: LA Noire Assassin's Creed, Sonic, Marvel vs. Capcom, SOCOM4MatLageman Mat Lageman#digitalLAVoice for resources go to bobburgen.com & voiceoverresourceguide.com Tara Strong & Rob Paulson are good to check out #digitallavoice @DigitalLA @jules_willcox classical theatre actors are future of video game motion capture acting #LANoire , Final Fantasy and more top-selling titles. 

5 Tips for Voice Actors
1) Getting Started: Take a voice-acting class, perfect your voices, know your range.  Voice acting for video games tends to include a lot of yelling, shouts, or cut-scene monologue. 

2) Your Reel: Put together an interactive (video game) reel in addition to your regular acting reel.  If ur a woman: add some tougher-voice clips to your reel, as most action-hero women in games have tougher voices than female characters tend to have in commercials or animation

3) It's not just voices any more: it's mocap and facial acting. For LA Noire, actor Jules Willcox was cast by a Mad Men casting director for the cutting-edge detective game.  Her face was digitally scanned as she voice-acted, and her likeness was inserted digitally into the game. It's so realistic, her friends recognize her face and voice in the game.  Actor Gwendoline Yeo relied on her martial arts training to help her with body movements when she did v.o. and mocap work in SOCOM 4 playing first female lead Lt. Park.

4) Pay: Unlike commercials or animation, there are currently no residuals for video games. Pay for a 4-hour session is around $800 flat rate.  Do it for the experience or the pride and personal satisfaction of saying you're so-and-so character in a video game - more personally satisfying than commercials for toothpaste or soap. 

5) Networking and Marketing:  Network with video game and voice-over casting directors, and with game publishers. Use social media to build your fan base, especially among niche gamers who will start to support and rally for u.

Kinect Avatar: Also: Kurt from Microsoft technology discussed the new voice-activated Kinect Avatar, which incorporates your voice into game play. For example, in the new Harry Potter game, you must say spells with a hand-wand wave to enact them on-screen.

Thanks to our Speakers:
- Amanda Wyatt, Casting Director on Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Crackdown 2, Halo Wars, Prince of Persia, Assassin's Creed, God of War II, SOCOM, LOST Via Domus. Game on Audio, LA Studio Director; formerly at Soundelux.

- Kurt Shintaku, Microsoft Principal Technology Specialist; works on Kinect Avatar, etc. @kurtsh

Gwendoline Yeo actor Lt. Park lead in SOCOM 4, Paine lead in Final Fantasy X-2. Also: God of War: Ghost of Sparta, Uncharted, Marvel games (Lady Deathstrike) etc. Animated series: Wolverine @gwendolineyeo	Roger Craig Smith actor Assassins Creed, Sonic Generations, Mario & Sonice at the London Olympics, Cars 2 game, Marvel vs Capcom 3, Kinect Adventures, Final Fantasy XIII, Avatar. Animation: Wolverine and the X-Men, The Avengers @rogercraigsmith	Jules Willcox actor LA Noire (Rockstar Games), does voice, likeness and motion capture for Georgia Kent character. Also: CSI NY. @jules_willcox

 
Thanks to the Microsoft Store for hosting and giving out prizes to attendees, who won Kinect T-shirts, a Fable III game, and a free year subscription to Xbox Live (yay Barndi!). Thanks also to Five Four clothing for providing a $20 gift card and the following discount code for all Digital LA peeps for 20% off when u check out, use FFDIGITALLA20OFF

Thanks to attendees for great tweet-notes!
RT @MatLageman: @RogerCraigSmith seyz: 1.) take a class 2.) get your reel together 3.) get your act together 4.) network! #digitalLAVoice

RT @ngaulin Listening to @RogerCraigSmith speak @digitalLA #digtiallavoices event in Culver City. This dude was Chris Redfield, Sonic, and Ezio. #WIN

RT @Barndi Advice to all wanna be voice actors: take an f*in' class. - @gwendolinyeo #digitallavoice

RT @MatLagerman for resources go to bobbergen.com & voiceoverresourceguide.com Tara Strong & Rob Paulson are good to check out

RT @MatLagerman @RogerCraigSmith seyz "Once you have representation, you're only as good as your last audition." #digitalLAVoice

RT @MatLagerman @RogerCraigSmith seyz: V.O. work? Bring your acting chops because things have changed. You've got to be the complete actor. #digitalLAVoice  

Panel Photo Credits: Steph Burns Photography 

SUNSET STRIP - We chilled at our private cabana at the London Hotel rooftop, enjoying hot summer weather, pool views, toasty firepit and great company.

Attendees from companies including: Warner Bros, viral video distribution, publishers, web producer, composers, director, etc. We sipped complimentary happy-hour cocktails as we swapped biz cards and admired sweeping city views from the Hollywood Hills to downtown. And we toasted the 1-year countdown to the London Olympics at the London. Yes we are doing a Digital LA event in London for the Olympics - c u there! Check the PICS

VENICE - We enjoyed presentations from West side start-ups and spectacular views of Venice Beach at our Silicon Beach Surfin' Showcase in our own private Dogtown Suite at Hotel Erwin. Thanks to presenting companies: Earbits, LA Scenestar, Wavesquad, Dather, TKN, and Lightcraft Technology. Go Silicon Beach entrepreneurs!
Check the PICS.


 

CENTURY CITY - Our panelists from Ustream and three streaming shows shared tips at our Streaming Panel @ Gulfstream and the Microsoft Store. We discussed streaming content, format, setup, success factors, social media, and revenue.

Check the PICS,
and the TechZulu video recast


HIGHLIGHTS
- Content: Streaming lets u stream content that's spontaneous, interactive, and all yours. U can create it without waiting for your project to be greenlit - just go get a camera
- Format: Most of the livestream shows are 1.5-2 hours.  When audiences e engage with the on-camera personalities via Twitter, chat, etc. they actually want more than 2 hours.
- Appointment Viewing. U must constantly be use social media to promote your weekly show to reinforce fans to appointment watch online. Once they are trained to watch, be consistent

- Success Factors: Be consistent: do a weekly show so fans know when to watch.  Be high-quality: make your video look professional. Even if it's shot in your bedroom or garage, make it look like a studio.  Sound has got to be good.  Be cost-effective: with a few $300 cameras and some Ikea lights, u can make ur shooting space look good
- Movie studios are streaming movie premiere red carpets, concerts and other events to engage audiences and drive traffic to the watch the live TV broadcast of awards shows.

- Revenue.  Commercials: ComedySpeakeasy.com generates revenue from three :30 to 1m spots thruout the show. Other streaming companies do side streaming production jobs to generate revenue that will support their show.
- Advertisers: Most advertises are wary of advertising on a livestream because live is risky, auds aren't big enough, and there aren't known success metrics. As the market matures, success metrics and ad dollars will follow.
- Metrics include number of views, average view time in minutes, engagement (number of Tweets with hashtag or Facebook comments), unqiues, etc.

Thanks panelists!
- Jonah Minton, Ustream Inc., VP Brand & Entertainment Sales. @ustream @jonahmatthew
- Mike Rotman, Founder, CEO of Streamin' Garage @streamingarage @mikerotman
- Stu Stone, streams Sunday Nite Stu on Stickam @stustone
- Melody Pepaj, Founder of ComedySpeakeasy.com @comedyspeakeasy

THANKS AUD for great TWEET-NOTES

RT @airzuck: Web streaming means content producers don't need to wait for someone to greenlight project. camera+a story #digitallastreaming

RT @Sheersocial: Consistency is EVERYTHING says #digitallastreaming panelist. Audience expects content on regular basis

RT @airzuck Live streaming advantages "anything can happen", "interactive", "viewer becomes producer", "raw creativity" #digitallastreaming

RT @Sheersocial: Livestreaming no longer one camera! Video production standards are higher and multi-cameras are norm #digitalLAstreaming

RT @stevens1: #digitallastreaming Panel: StreamingGarage.com goes for quality production & structure. Chartroom helps live event engagement

RT @Sheersocial: Once audience is built on one platform panelists say its hard to get aud to follow u to diff platform. #digitallastreaming

 SAN DIEGO - We enjoyed panoramic views of San Diego at our third annual Comic-Con Cocktails atop the 22nd floor at the Altitude Sky Lounge at the Marriott Gas Lamp.

Attendees from: WB, Disney, Fox, CBS, Nickelodeon, EA, Square Enix, Naughty Dog, SAG New Media, Amazon Studios, actors, animators, startups, and more traded notes on fave Hall H panels, the show floor, and after-parties. We enjoyed the sun and views of Coronado Bridge, San Diego harbor and PetCo Park. Check the sunny PICS

 

Comic-Con Panels, Premieres and Parties: We camped out in Hall H for movie preview clips of The Amazing Spider-Man and other studio presentations from Sony, Relativity, Screen Gems, Paramount, and more.  We got pics of talent panelists including Andrew Garfield, Colin Farrell, Spielberg, Kate Beckinsale, Nicholas Cage, Channing Tatum, Emma Stone, John Cusack and more.)  See our show/party PICS.

We also attended the Captain America music tribute at the Hollywood Reporter Lounge with Chris Evans and Stan Lee. And at night, we checked out premieres and parties, including the Cowboys and Aliens premiere (first movie premiere at Comic-Con ever!), the SyFy E! party, and the CAA, UTA, IGN, Cirque de Soleil Ka, Diggnation, One Plus and other parties. See our show/party PICS.

 
 

  HOLLYWOOD - Thomas Jane (Hung, Punisher), and speakers from Marvel, DC, Graphicly, artists and writers discussed digital comics and franchises at our third annual pre-Comic-Con Digital Comics Panel @ Meltdown Comics on Sunset. We discussed how digital affects comics creation, distribution and marketing with social media, and franchise brand extensions to animation, movies and toys.
- We had >45K views on our live TechZulu stream! Watch: http://t.co/cYEXJFN
- Facebook pics & highlights here: http://on.fb.me/oUxH34
 

BEVERLY HILLS - We soaked up the sun at the Thompson Hotel.

We discussed digital by - and in - the pool, including: VFX apps, social games for women, animation, and Harry Potter. Fun times with great views of Beverly Hills!

Check our PICS.

 
BEVERLY HILLS - We had a tres amusant time celebrating Bastille Day at bar Bouchon in Beverly Hills. We sipped wine, shared olives and cheese, and enjoyed French performers. We even saw surprise visitor actress Kate del Castillo - quel conicidence! - who joined in our photo fun!

Voila, des photos! 

 
SANTA MONICA - Saying "I'm going to make a viral video" is like saying "I'm going to fall in love." Tough to make happen, It just happens, said a panelist at our Viral Videos panel.

That said, panelists shared tips to help you get into a more "romantic mood." We discussed characteristics of videos that have gone viral, including: content, packaging, seeding with influencers (bloggers, YouTubers, editors, celebs), paid media, and how to leverage and monetize your viral video success. Check out our PICS.

MIRACLE MILE - Our experts discussed how content creators can monetize their content via various tools at our panel with SAG New Media at SAG HQ.

Monetizing tools include: advertising, sponsorship, product placement, rev share, crowd-sourcing and more. We discussed how content creators must also know their audience demographics & marketing lingo, use social media and network to meet potential sponsors and distribution partners. See PICS.
Also: We got written up in @lizhkelly's Examiner article: Top 10 Content Monetization Tips.  

Watch video from last year's Digital LA - SAG New Media: Actor-Producer panel discussing how actors can use online tools to create and distribute their content @ SAG on SAG TV
- Part 1: http://bit.ly/bikQVX
- Part 2: http://bit.ly/l5MP1m

HOLLLYWOOD - We sipped cocktails by the rooftop pool and enjoyed panoramic views from the Hollywood Hills to downtown at our pre-Fourth Digital Drinks @ Drai's - W Hollywood. Attendees from Warner Bros, NBC Universal, ABC, CAA, ICM, WME, Hasbro Films, agencies, music companies, startups, actors, composers, producers, directors, and friends from IVY Entertainment. We enjoyed sun at the pool by day, gorgeous sunset views at dusk, and DJs & dancing in the club at night.  See pics! 

HOLLYWOOD -  Our Celebs Go Social panel featured speakers from The Voice, True Blood, Young and the Restless, ParisHilton.com and the LA Lakers, sharing tips on how celebs use social media to build their fanbase and engage fans to action at Madame Tussauds Hollywood. Our social media pro speakers discussed the importance of authenticity, passion, humor, behind-the-scenes, timing, and recognizing superfans. Our speakers engage fans to action including: tune in, appear at events, and donate to charity, and more.

Check our fun pics, and spot our special guests: Halle Berry, Nicole Kidman, Jack Nicholson, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, who were very attentive and speechless listeners!

#FF @TussaudsLA @DanielGoddard @JBLaflin @alisonhaislip @janina @PunkaTess @jamiefreed e Freed. Don't alienate fans with brands that don't fit. ps. It's a rumor that Kim Kardashian gets paid $10K for a sponsored tweet.

THANKS to our our awesome speakers and Madame Tussauds Hollywood for hosting!   

WESTWOOD -  More than 275 attendees and 70,000 livestream views attended our Branded Entertainment panel on Monday, where speakers from ABC, Yahoo!, Fox, Relativity, ICM, EQAL and more discussed how brands create branded web series, games and communities at UCLA Anderson.

Brands including advertisers (Puma, Kraft), movies/TV (Limitless, Glee), games (Angry Birds Rio, Mortal Kombat) and celebs (LeBron James, Jenni Garth) are creating new ways to integrate brands into content and online communities, and promoting using social media. Miss it?
- Check out tag urself in our Facebook pics
- Watch TechZulu's video recast: http://bit.ly/fh4jvg

Thanks to our panelists, audience for great tweet-notes. And thanks to support from Yahoo! Originals, FastPay, our hosts UCLA Anderson EMA, MEMES and the Marketing Association, and our livestream partner TechZulu.

- Digital Drinks at trendy venues from W Hollywood to Viceroy to our E3 Band Jam.
- Big Panels on Apps, Video Games, Digital Franchises, and Curation with up to 300 attendees at the Roosevelt, Grammy Museum, and UCLA Anderson.
- Sponsored events thanks to Disney Interactive, Digg, Citysearch LA, FILTER Talent, etc.
- Niche Panels on Digital Music, TV Goes Social, Games Go Hollywood, Social Games & Virtual Currency, Entertainment Blogging, Latino Marketing, Design Cross-Platform, Celebrity Websites, Scrum for Entertainment, etc.
- Beyond LA: Cocktails in SF, San Diego Comic-Con, Seattle, NY, Austin - SXSW, Miami - WMC
- International: Cocktails at the Cannes and Toronto Film Fests, and Paris and Vancouver!

Big thanks to our panelists, sponsors, venues, TechZulu, our promotional friends, and YOU on a great year!!