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June 24, 2011: Winners Announced for the Second Annual PWAC Writing Awards Competition
Winners and runners-up have been announced in the second annual writing awards of the Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC) for stories published in 2010 in print or on the web.
The winner in the features category (over 1,200 words) is Melissa Martin for her entry "La lang di Michif Ta-pashipiikan," which appeared in the September 25, 2010 edition of The Winnipeg Free Press. The runner-up is Stephen Kimber for "Is Corey Wright the Wrong Man?" which appeared in the May 6, 2010 issue of The Coast. The other finalists in this category are:
- Beverly Akerman for "Six Pixels of Separation" (Grain Magazine)
- Mark Cardwell for "Getting Away with Murder" (Canadian Lawyer)
- Terri Perrin for "All in the Family" (InFocus Magazine)
- Mark Witten for "Heal or Harm?" (Today's Parent)
The winner in the short articles category (1,200 words or less) is Beverly Akerman for her entry "Woman's murder exposes need to raise age for gun ownership," which appeared in the April 20, 2010 edition of The Toronto Star. The runner-up is L. D. Cross for "How to Get the Money You're Owed," which appeared in the May 2010 issue of PROFIT Magazine. The other finalists in this category are:
- Karen Virag for "The Naked Truth About Raw" (The Tomato)
- Mark Witten for "Brainwashed" (The Walrus)
"Congratulations to the second annual PWAC Writing Award winners, runners-up and other finalists. The entries and finalists demonstrate the rich diversity and overall quality of journalism and creative non-fiction in the country," says PWAC President Craig Silverman. "PWAC is pleased to showcase the skills of Canadian writers through the award competition."
Silverman also thanked the competition's judges for their expert consideration: Richard Burnett, Martin Dunphy, Nora Underwood, Lezlie Lowe, Stephen Whitworth and Bridget Wayland.
"Our writing competition continues to grow, and we are proud of the high-quality entries we have received," Silverman said.
The winners and runners-up were announced on Saturday, June 18, 2010, at PWAC's Gala Awards Ceremony & Dinner at PWAC's 2011 National Conference & AGM. The first prize in each award category has a $750 value, including a free PWAC membership for a year (if eligible).
PWAC, established in 1976, is the national organization representing freelance writers and journalists in Canada.
More information:
Sandy Crawley, Executive Director, scrawley@pwac.ca, (416) 504-1645
Craig Silverman, President, silvermancraig@gmail.com, (514) 808-0548
June 15, 2011: Report from Banff
June 14, 2011: Banff World Media Festival - Day 3
Andrea Tombrowski, president of PWAC's Calgary Chapter, is representing PWAC at the Banff World Media Festival 2011 from June 12-15 in Banff. This is her report from Day 3 at the festival. BWMF is the "world's largest global development and production marketplace," attracting television and digital media professionals from across the globe.
Why is it that everyone acknowledges "content is king" yet there is so little talk about writers?
INTERVIEW WITH TREVOR CAMERON
Trevor Cameron is a Gemini award-winning screenwriter from Saskatchewan. I asked him what makes an award-winning piece of writing. His response:
"For me, I find that the award-winning script is always somewhere along the lines of a fifth draft. I find so many young writers are pumping out this first draft and they think it's brilliant and they don't want to change it. And, you know, we're in a business that you have to be willing to kind of mould your idea and suddenly you'll find that you'll do something way better."
QUESTION FROM PWAC MEMBER
Knowing I was at the Banff World Media Festival, one PWAC member asked me what the process was for turning a great fiction book into a movie or television series. I posed that question to Scot Morison, an Edmonton-based writer, story editor and director. Morison, who got his start writing novels, has worked on several well-known television shows and was president of the Writers Guild of Alberta from 1998 to 1999. Morison suggested the member send the novel and a one-page story synopsis to producers who have shown an interest, or have some history, in producing movies adapted from literature.
I didn't ask Morison the second part of the member's question: should she query the company by email, phone or snail mail. My advice? Don't send anything by mail before inquiring first (you're wasting a book and postage if they're not interested). Call the company's office and ask for the name and address of the person you may submit your query to. At the same time, you can also ask what the company's query protocol is (if you haven?t already found the information on the company's website).
To find Canadian film producers, check out the Canadian Media Production Association, Reel West Digest and provincial film associations. Watch the Gemini Awards in November, honouring Canadian film, and the Genie Awards in March, honouring Canadian television.
Session: CAN ONLINE PUBLISHERS SUCCESSFULLY MONETIZE CONTENT?
You'd think that with the word "publishers" in the title, this session would be of interest to writers. Not so. The word "content" didn't apply to writing either. Two strikes. Nonetheless, one panelist made comments that are useful for any person involved in business.
Dominique-Sebastien Forest is the Vice-President of Digital at Transcontinental Media. His advice:
(1) "You have to look at the future with enthusiasm. And if you are changing your (business) model because you feel like you HAVE to change your model, please exit this room and change jobs. Bad business is like bad sex. Bad business done without passion sucks."
(2) "Edison didn't invent the light bulb by trying to improve the candle. Don't try to change your business model by improving your original business model. The new business model has nothing to do with the past."
(3) "Stop being reactive and do what other people tell you to do. You have to stop reacting to the latest gizmo that Apple's put on the market. You have to look at the future and what the key influences (and trends) are in the market that will change your business, and where you should position your business within a three-, five-, ten-years time frame."
INTERVIEW WITH STACEY FARBER
Stacey Farber played 'Jessie Hill' on the CBC comedy, 18 to Life. I met her in a hallway at the festival and she filled me in on her life.
Stacey recently returned from three months in Los Angeles auditioning for television pilots (January, February and March are known as the 'pilot season' in LA when a variety of pilots are cast). Regrettable, 18 to Life was cancelled after two seasons so she continues to audition in Toronto, her home town. "While I'm waiting for auditions, I am looking for freelance writing work because I have a degree in Creative Writing (from the New School University in New York)." During the four-year Bachelor of Arts program, she majored in fiction and minored in journalism. Her newest writing job is penning an online column for The Hudson's Bay company called b-insider. "The thing that I'm finding difficult (with freelance writing) is you have to hustle. And that's true of any freelance work or anyone who works for themselves."
QUOTE OF THE DAY - DAY 3
"The best way to relate to anybody, whether it be comedy, drama or reality or musical, is just be real because everybody understands and relates to real. Because everybody shares whatever weaknesses we have, whatever strengths we have, and I kind of use that today in whatever it is I do."
-Veteran comedian, Howie Mandel, Banff festival?s 2011 Award of Distinction recipient
June 14, 2011: Day 2 - Report from Banff
June 13, 2011: Banff World Media Festival - Day 2
Andrea Tombrowski, president of PWAC's Calgary Chapter, is representing PWAC at the Banff World Media Festival 2011 from June 12-15 in Banff. This is her report from Day 2 at the festival. BWMF is the "world's largest global development and production marketplace," attracting television and digital media professionals from across the globe.
The word of the day was "monetize." I heard it in three separate conversations. While everyone acknowledges the power and prevalence of digital media, no one yet know how to monetize it.
Session: VIEW FROM THE TOP: NON-FICTION
In this session, four broadcasters shared their views on the latest trends in non-fiction content. Christine Shipton is Vice President of Original Content at Shaw Media. She says that at Shaw they use a "big checklist" to determine what makes a great non-fiction show. The checklist starts with three key words: "is it entertaining, dramatic and emotional?" She says the combination of those words is what makes for something incredibly compelling. "Compelling means it holds you. It wants you to come back and you want to come back to it." Emotional, she says, doesn't necessarily mean someone crying. Rather, it's anything that evokes some form of emotion in the viewer, such as joy, sympathy, sadness or empathy.
One other factor on their checklist is character. "What is the access to that character? What is the journey those characters are on?" Shipton says this factor applies to any genre. "If you don't have the right characters that you want us to watch, it ain't gonna make it."
Session: DIGITAL DOWNLOAD: THE STATE OF THE CANADIAN DIGITAL MEDIA UNIVERSE
Bryan Segal is Vice President of Sales at comScore Inc.. Here are some points from his presentation:
-technology is changing media consumption and the way we communicate;
-we?ve moved from passive viewing to active engagement;
-as far as media goes, Canadians spent the majority of their time watching TV. That?s followed by (2) radio, (3) Internet, (4) newspapers and (5) magazines;
-content is what?s important at the end of the day;
-music, newspapers/magazines, TV and radio are not dying; they?re just changing;
-the average Canadian spends 46 hours online each week;
-the average Canadian reads 4000 pages of content per month. "That?s a lot of content and a lot of opportunity."
-data shows that Canadians are interested in watching Canadian content online;
-Canadian mobile usage grew 169% from 2008 to 2009;
-Facebook and Google are the top sites on social networks;
-Canadians are news and information hungry, representing the top searches on mobile devices;
-27% of mobile owners now have a touch screen device; something to think about if you?re creating content for mobile devices.
INTERVIEW WITH PHYLLIS LAING
Phyllis Laing is president and producer of Buffalo Gal Pictures, an independent film and television production company based in Winnipeg. Laing was former executive director of the Manitoba Writers Guild in the early eighties.
AT (Andrea Tombrowski): What have been some major issues writers have had to deal with since your time as executive director?
PL (Phyllis Laing): Back then, we didn?t have as many mentorship-type programs. There weren't as many distribution avenues for writers. In the early eighties, women writers were still way behind their male counterparts.
AT: Behind in what way?
PL: Recognition. I remember when Carol Shields won her first Governor General award. Up until then, she was seen to be -what was termed then - a kitchen writer. She didn't get the recognition she deserved. Until she won. And then it was all the sudden. So, I think women writers in general have a lot more respect than what was given to them in the past.
AT: Do you see any issues that have developed over the years as far as copyright goes?
PL: Copyright's always been in a bit of turmoil. Copyright now, because of the multi-platform, is a little more difficult to follow when you?re on a number of different types of platforms.
AT: What?s your advice in terms of copyright for writers?
PL: Get part of the team. Find out what's going on. Get close to your association. Find out from people who have been around longer than you and how they're dealing with it. It's a pervasive problem and it's just going to get more and more complex as time goes on. Best measure is always to get involved.
Session: VIEW FROM THE TOP: COMEDY
Jenny Hacker is Creative Head of Comedy at CBC. She shared the panel with executives from Comedy Central, MTV, and writer Mike Scully of The Simpsons. This was her advice to PWAC members who want to write comedy: "I think they should focus on something that resonates with them. That has strong characters and characters that they know and love - or love to hate. I just think that?s where comedy comes from and that's where good comedies are."
QUOTE OF THE DAY - DAY 2
"The future is not necessarily digital media. It's digital thinking applied to all media. Digital is immersed in everything." Quote from Raymond Reid, Group Director (Digital) at Starcom MediaVest Group.
June 13, 2011: Report from Banff
June 12, 2011: Banff World Media Festival - Day 1
Andrea Tombrowski, president of PWAC's Calgary Chapter, is representing PWAC at the Banff World Media Festival 2011 from June 12-15 in Banff. This is her report from Day 1 at the festival. BWMF is the "world's largest global development and production marketplace," attracting television and digital media professionals from across the globe.
A personal matter prevented me from attending the festival's opening day. Nevertheless, I was able to make contact with several professionals and executives speaking today at the festival. Here is a collection of their comments via email. I want to stress that whether we're talking about digital content, television, movies, et. al. - WRITERS form an integral part in the evolving media universe.
Session: BANFF WORLD MEDIA FESTIVAL WELCOME ADDRESS
Ferne Cohen is Executive Director of the Banff World Media Festival. Here is what she has to say to Canadian freelance writers: "Nowhere else will emerging talent find this kind of access to international decision makers who can take their career to entirely new levels. BANFF is all about access, and having this many important players all in one place is an unparalleled opportunity for anyone, just breaking in or already established, to make new contacts and launch new projects."
Session: ROOKIES IN THE ROCKIES
This 1-hour session introduces first-timers to the maze, buzz and flurry that is the Banff World Media Festival. One of the panel guests was Anna Gecan, Vice President of Original Programming at HGTV in New York. She emails, "My advice to rookies is to try to meet as many key people as you can. Don't even pitch an idea unless you have a really solidly researched concept. Absorb as much information as you can and really listen. Your first Banff is about figuring out who's who and what media execs are looking for. Also, never pitch an exec in the bathroom or in the gym when they are working out. It happens and the results are usually not good."
This session was produced and moderated by Joe Novak, Co-Founder and Executive Producer of 1400 Months/Bow River Productions. Novak writes, "Banff is not only about the convergence of content between television and digital distribution platforms but also new innovative approaches to story telling emerging from this convergence. By the Festival bringing together content creators from across Canada and around the world, this is 'the' place to foster new relationships and to share new ideas."
Session: CANADIAN MEDIA LEADERS: THE STATE OF THE NATION
This session featured five Canadian media leaders addressing the direction of production and development in Canada. Kevin Crull is President of Bell Media. He tells PWAC, "The stability provided by vertically integrated companies gives great reason to be optimistic about the future. With increased competition and investment, the industry is extremely vibrant right now. The advancement of technology and social media means we have the ability to keep viewers engaged on multiple screens. However, while over-the-top services remain a drop in the bucket right now, we must fight for a regulatory environment that provides a level playing field for all content providers."
John Riley is President of Astral Television Networks and Astral Tele Reseaux. He writes, "As a discretionary, premium service, it is essential that we continue to provide our subscribers with an experience that meets their current needs and anticipates their future expectations for entertainment. The future of our business is in taking the exclusive content that we have - HBO, Showtime, Canadian original films/series and first-run Hollywood movies - and offering it on all available platforms. So in addition to the linear, on demand and online streaming services that we already offer, we will strive to be on every screen where Canadians are engaging with content."
Session: nextMEDIA, TECH, MEDIA AND TELECOM PREDICTIONS
Duncan Stewart is Director of Research, Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) at Deloitte Canada. Here are two of Stewart's predictions in the area of TMT:
(1) The future of TV is TV: the Internet, over the top (OTT) video, search TV and PVRs have all failed to kill conventional TV;
(2) Social network ad revenues don't matter, as less than 1% of global advertising is spent on social media. While estimates of global advertising spending vary, Stewart says that $600B is a good number for 2011. The total social network display ad dollars add up to about $4B, representing less than 1% of the total. Still, he says that doesn't mean social networks don't matter. "Although the price for display on social is low now (on a CPM [cost per thousand] basis) that does not mean that social is ineffective - advertisers are learning what social is good for, and what it is less effective for."
Here also is information gleaned from tweets about Stewart's session:
-it is estimated that more tablets/smartphones will be sold this year than PCs;
-wireless data growth is going to be about 280% in 2011. Beware, however, as we are running out of bandwidth;
-attempting to market a product without TV is like buying a car without an engine.
STAND-OUT MOMENT(S) - DAY 1
Visit BANFF LIVE (http://www.banffmediafestival.com/www.banffmediafestival.com/livestreaming.phpto check out streaming keynote presentations and the festival?s live twitter feed.
June 12, 2011: Finalists Announced for the Second Annual PWAC Writing Awards
Ten
finalists have been chosen in the second annual writing awards of the
Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC) for stories published
in 2010 in print or on the web.
In the Features category (over 1,200 words), the finalists are:
- Beverly Akerman for "Six Pixels of Separation" (Grain Magazine)
- Mark Cardwell for "Getting Away with Murder" (Canadian Lawyer)
- Stephen Kimber for "Is Corey Wright the Wrong Man?" (The Coast)
- Melissa Martin for "La lang di Michif Ta-pashipiikan" (Winnipeg Free Press)
- Terri Perrin for "All in the Family" (InFocus Magazine)
- Mark Witten for "Heal or harm?" (Today's Parent)
In the Short Articles category (up to 1,200 words), the finalists are:
- Beverly Akerman for "Woman's murder exposes need to raise age for gun ownership" (The Toronto Star)
- L. D. Cross for "How to Get the Money You're Owed" (PROFIT Magazine)
- Karen Virag for "The Naked Truth About Raw" (The Tomato)
- Mark Witten for "Brainwashed" (The Walrus)
"Congratulations
to the finalists on their excellent submissions. They showcase the
quality and diversity of Canada's professional writers and do us all
proud," said PWAC President Tanya Gulliver.
Gulliver also
thanked the competition's judges for their expert consideration. In the
Features category, the judges were freelance writer and editor Richard
Burnett, The Georgia Straight's Senior Editor Martin Dunphy and
freelance writer Nora Underwood. In the Short Articles category,
freelance writer and journalism instructor Lezlie Lowe, Prairie Dog
Editor Stephen Whitworth and Harrowsmith Country Life Senior Editor
Bridget Wayland weighed in.
The winners and runners-up will be
announced at the PWAC Gala Awards Ceremony & Dinner presented by
Access Copyright on Saturday, June 18, in Montreal, QC. The first prize
in each award category has a $750 value (increased from $500 in 2010),
including a free PWAC membership for a year to those eligible.
Second-place winners get a year's free PWAC membership, if eligible.
The awards are open to PWAC members and non-members.
PWAC
created its PWAC Short Articles Writing Award and the PWAC Features
Writing Award in 2010 to showcase Canadian writers. "For the second
year in a row, we have received more entries than we expected,"
Gulliver said. "We're honoured to celebrate the work of these finalists
as examples of the high-quality writing produced by PWAC's members and
other Canadian writers."
June 10, 2011: Rebecca Caldwell Named Editor of the Year by the Professional Writers Association of Canada
Rebecca Caldwell, Acting Managing Editor of Cottage Life magazine, was today named Editor of the Year by the Professional Writers Association of Canada.
The award recognizes Ms. Caldwell's outstanding editorial work during the 2010 calendar year. She was presented with a plaque and gift during the Writers' Industry Awards Luncheon at the MagNet magazine conference in Toronto. Graham F. Scott, Editor of This Magazine, and Carmine Starnino, Senior Editor of Reader's Digest, received Honourable Mentions for their work.
"As a full-time freelance writer for over 13 years, I've worked with dozens of editors on everything from trade magazines to web sites and high-circulation consumer publications," wrote one of two PWAC members who nominated Ms. Caldwell this year. "So I know how rare it is to find an editor who stands out - and Rebecca does."
"On behalf of Canada's freelance writers, I congratulate Rebecca and recognize her as a worthy recipient of PWAC's Editor of the Year Award for 2011," said Tanya Gulliver, President of the Professional Writers Association of Canada. "We had three great finalists this year and are thrilled to be able to recognize the great work they do.
"This is the fourth year PWAC has presented the Editor of the Year Award. Nominations are submitted by PWAC members, and a panel of judges evaluates the nominees based on criteria that include editing and communications skills, the ability to bring out the best in writers, and the fairness of pay rates and contracts."
PWAC, established in 1976, is the national organization representing over 600 freelance writers and journalists in Canada.
More information:
Sandy Crawley, Executive Director, scrawley@pwac.ca, (416) 504-1645
Tanya Gulliver, President, tanyagulliver@gmail.com, (504) 292-0683
June 02, 2011: PWAC Names Rebecca Caldwell, Graham F. Scott and Carmine Starnino Finalists for Editor of the Year Award
The Professional Writers Association of Canada today named three finalists for its Editor of the Year Award. They are:
- Rebecca Caldwell, Acting Managing Editor, Cottage Life
- Graham F. Scott, Editor, This Magazine
- Carmine Starnino, Senior Editor, Reader's Digest
"Each year we ask freelance writers from across the country to help us recognize the best and most deserving editors working in Canadian publishing," said PWAC President Tanya Gulliver. "Our three finalists for PWAC's 2011 Editor of the Year Award - Rebecca Caldwell, Graham F. Scott, and Carmine Starnino - are recognizable names who do great work for top Canadian publications. They're also the kind of editors that Canada's freelance writers love to work with."
The winner and two honourable mentions will be announced during the Writers' Industry Awards Luncheon at the MagNet magazine conference on June 10 in Toronto.
PWAC's Editor of the Year Award brings national recognition and praise to outstanding editorial professionals. Written nominations are submitted by PWAC members and a panel of three member judges evaluate the nominees based on criteria that include editing and communications skills, the ability to bring out the best in writers, and the fairness of pay rates and contracts.
PWAC, established in 1976, is the national organization representing over 600 freelance writers and journalists in Canada.
More information:
Sandy Crawley, Executive Director, scrawley@pwac.ca, (416) 504-1645
Tanya Gulliver, President, tanyagulliver@gmail.com, (504) 292-0683
June 02, 2011: Shaping the future of jounalism
Conference Call for Papers... Deliberation, Diversity, and Dollars: Public Strategies for Journalism in the Canadian Media Ecology
The conference will be held April 19th through 21st, 2012, at McGill and Concordia Universities in Montreal. The conference will bring together established academics, graduate students, journalists, activists, policy-makers and others interested in journalism policies. Our goal is to help mobilize a broad network that will recommend public policies for ensuring spaces in the Canadian media ecology for journalism that places public deliberation and citizen participation at the core of its mission. In so doing, we aim to undertake a process of policy-making that is itself participatory - within the limitations of time and resources available. The conference will include the following: panels comprised of presenters who have answered this call for papers; panel discussions with invited practitioners, academics, and activists; and breakout sessions for determining concrete policy strategies. Please see the beta version of the website for details: www.journalismstrategies.ca
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