"What Teens Want", Songwriters Guild of America Week, TV Producers' Boot Camp, NashCamp Songwriting Week Highlight July Media and Show Business Networking Events

Essence Magazine's annual music festival is in New Orleans and has slated performers, speakers and seminars as part of its 35th anniversary celebration. The Thirty-ninth annual Montreux Jazz Festival takes place at the foot of the Swiss Alps this year in Montreux from July 1-16 and spans a wide musical spectrum. Screenwriter Steve Kaire has sold or optioned eight projects to the major studios including Warners, Columbia, United Artists and Interscope. On July 2 he discusses "High Concept: Creating and Selling to Hollywood" at Alameda Writers Group Meeting in Glendale. Writing the One-Hour Dramatic Teleplay is the focus of a one-day workshop meeting on UCLA campus July 6 in Los Angeles. Los Angeles Area Emmy Nominations covering Broadcast and Cable Previews are set to be announced July 7 in Los Angeles. Meet Margaret Emory, talent agent for Dulcina Eisen Associates and the columnist for "Ask an Agent" in Back Stage newspaper, in an evening that includes interactive on-camera demonstrations, on July 7 in New York. "Battle for the HeArt Creative Roadshow," making stops in several cities, examines the role the Web is playing as both a change and transformation agent during a stop in Chicago on July 7.

Professional and commercial media produced in Florida is previewed in "Best of Florida, Made in Florida" running July 8-10 in Downtown Fort Lauderdale. At the July 9 "No Budget Film Workshop" in Los Angeles, attendees can learn how filmmakers like Christopher Nolan, Joe Carnahan, Darren Aronofsky, Marc Forster, and Tim Story launched careers with no-budget films. Youth culture experts and thought leaders from apparel and entertainment to music, gaming and publishing tackle marketing and selling to teenagers in a July 12 session titled "What Teens Want" taking place July 12 in New York City. This year the American Black Film Festival is introducing a new networking event - ABFF Soap Box, a two-day event designed to highlight festival participants careers and projects - when it opens up a four day session, July 13-17 in Miami. After a welcoming cocktail party, classes, panels, chat sessions, and pitch sessions form "How to Beat the Odds in Hollywood - 12 Steps to an Independent Film" with sessions running July 14-17 in Las Vegas. At the Songwriters Guild of America Week, opening July 17 in Nashville, needs of both the songwriter and performing songwriter are addressed through educational workshops and networking opportunities for both. At the Diversity Film TV Market happening in Washington DC, attend business and industry-related seminars, meet and discuss potential sales and acquisitions from July 21-24. Henry Mancini Summer Music Festival showcases the works of new, competing artists taking place July 23 to August 12 in Culver City. National Association of Broadcasters Management Development Seminar for TV Executives will be held July 24-29 in Evanston. KidFest opens July 25 in Winter Park and includes a Young Filmmakers’ Academy and screenings of unusual and classic children’s films until July 29. Songwriters in the round can discuss and perform their songs in a casual setting at a BMI Acoustic Series on July 27 in New York City.

Dealmaking, through personal contact, dinners, programs, as well as online networking leading up to the event, is what the Mobile Entertainment Summit is seeking to achieve for its guests during its two day session starting July 27 in Universal City. The Writer's Road Map: Directions For Getting Your Book in Print, happens on July 28 in Tampa. "The Pitch Pit" is a featured event at the NATPE Third Annual TV Producers' Boot Camp, July 28 and 29 in West Hollywood. HypeFest is dedicated to showcasing compelling and entertaining short films, commercials, music videos and promos and includes a screenplay competition amidst festivities with an awards show and nightly networking parties, July 29-31 in Hollywood. Fade In: Magazine sponsors its 9th Annual Hollywood Pitch Festival running July 30-31 in West Hollywood. NashCamp Songwriting Week is a Songwriting camp staffed by Nashville songwriters and Music Row professionals taking place on Cumberland Furnace Plantation from July 31 to August 5.

The above events are only a sampling of what is listed. Many of the events above have a submission process for indie and/or performing artists to take part in. Complete details are on the "Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events" page at http://www.actorschecklist.com/news.html.