Sponsors The Children, Youth & Media Conference is made possible through the generous support of the following sponsors: PRESTIGE EXCELLENCE Special Thanks Youth Media Alliance would like to warmly thank its 2011 Children, Youth & Media advisory committee: Matt Hornburg, marblemedia J.J. Johnson, Sinking Ship Entertainment John Leitch and Michelle Melanson Cuperus, Radical Sheep Productions Jamie Piekarz, Corus Television, Corus Entertainment Many thanks to all our volunteers. Table of Contents About us 2 Word from YMA’s Chair 3 Word from YMA’s Executive Director 4 Schedule and Venue 5 Panels 6 Exclusive Lunch with a Broadcaster 9 Workshop with Maya Goetz 10 Speaker’s Bios 11 About us YMA Board — Executive Committee Chair Vice-Chair Peter Moss Michèle Fortin Independent Producer Chief Executive, Télé-Québec Secretary Treasurer Michèle Paris Vince Commisso Senior Manager, Children’s Programming President and CEO Knowledge Network and BBC Kids 9 Story Entertainment YMA Board — Directors Guillaume Aniorté Madeleine Lévesque Cofounder and Co-CEO Development Tribal Nova Sardine Productions Carole Bonneau Ira Levy Vice-President, Programming Executive Producer & Partner TELETOON Canada Breakthrough Entertainment Michael Goldsmith Alexandra Raffé Director, Original Programming Head of Production Astral Television Networks Thunderbird Films Jocelyn Hamilton Clive Vanderburgh Vice-President, Original Programming Kids, Comedy, Drama Professor Emeritus Corus Television, Corus Entertainment J.J. Johnson Kim Wilson Partner Creative Head Children’s & Youth Programming Sinking Ship Entertainment CBC Television YMA Offi ce Team Chantal Bowen Lyne Côté Executive Director Special Events and Communications Coordinator Youth Media Alliance (YMA) seeks to enrich the lives of Canadian children and teens by helping improve the quality of the content created for them on all screen-based media. YMA pursues its mission of encouraging high-quality content by presenting annual awards of excellence to the best productions targeting young Canadians. It offers ongoing training tailored to the special needs of youth production professionals through workshops, seminars, and special events such as the Children, Youth & Media and Média-Jeunes conferences. It also conducts original research investigating the impact of screen-based media on young people. Finally, YMA lobbies governments to generate interest in all matters concerning screen-based content for young Canadians. 2 Word from YMA’s Chair Once again on behalf of the Board of Directors, I’d like to welcome you to the 2011 Children, Youth & Media Conference. Since our last conference in 2009, the climate for the Canadian television industry has continued to be demanding, particularly for programs directed toward young audiences. Changes in ownership, rule changes at the CRTC and the pervasive fi nancial uncertainty make the climate extremely challenging. During this period, Youth Media Alliance has been vocal in its support of the kids’ sector, making representations to the CRTC on its behalf on several occasions. All of this activity can only be undertaken with the strength of collective insights and with the help and support of our membership. In challenging times, there is strength in associations. Our overall themes for this year’s conference are “humour” and “trans-media production” – both issues that should help us navigate through these perilous times. I hope you’re energized and motivated by the conference sessions, that you fi nd inspiration and companionship with your confrérie, and if you aren’t currently a member of Youth Media Alliance, I urge you to join. Peter Moss 3 Word from YMA’s Executive Director Welcome to the 2011 Children, Youth & Media Conference! YMA is proud and excited to be presenting outstanding guest speakers and to have added 2 extra days to this year’s program. This unique event in Toronto showcases creative executives from the local and international scene. With our lineup of talented experts, we’re assembled here these next few days to reaffi rm our dedication to creating high-quality educational entertainment for children and youth. To begin the Day 1 program, we’re ecstatic to welcome Hedda Sharapan, Director of Early Childhood Initiatives at The Fred Rogers Company, and Angela Santomero, Cofounder of Out of the Blue and Executive Producer of the new preschool animated series Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, as keynote speakers. This year’s themes blend traditional and digital TV content; but after 37 years, YMA’s focus is still on how best to serve Canadian youth. In today’s ever-changing world, these panels will provide insights and responses to shifts in the media landscape brought about by the Internet and other technological advances. The session on Day 2 and 3 will be led by German expert Maya Goetz, PhD, head of the Prix Jeunesse Foundation in Munich, with an eye to tackling one of our greatest challenges: relating to our young audiences. To help us in this endeavour, she created an extensive workshop entitled “How to make a TV hero(ine) the favourite TV character of a kid.” YMA is privileged to provide a sneak preview of the second phase of a research project on Canadian youth and children. Led by André H. Caron, EdD, and a team of researchers from the Université de Montréal Communications Department’s Centre for Youth and Media Studies (CYMS/GRJM), this Canada-wide study offers observations on how children and their parents embrace media content. We anticipate an exciting few days, and I’ll remind you that YMA’s website features our calendar of events for you to consult throughout the year. But for now, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Board of Directors, the conference advisory committee and CBC/Radio-Canada for their unfaltering support, and above all, our sponsors for their incredibly generous fi nancial contributions in helping us make this event a huge success. I hope you enjoy the conference! Chantal Bowen 4 Schedule and Venue General conference St. Andrew’s Club & Conference Centre 150 King Street West Day 1 — Thursday, November 17 27th Floor 8–8:30 a.m. Registration, Coffee and Croissants Toronto, ON M5H 1J9 8:30–8:45 a.m. Welcome remarks by YMA’s Chair and Executive Director 8:45–9:30 a.m. Opening keynote: Hedda Sharapan (The Fred Rogers Company) and Angela Santomero (Out of the Blue) 9:30–9:40 a.m. Coffee Break 9:40–11:10 a.m. Bring on the Funny! (Insert Fart Joke Here) 11:10–11:20 a.m. Coffee Break 11:20 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Rich and Substantial: That is the Question! 12:15–1:15 p.m. General Lunch and Exclusive Lunch With a Broadcaster 1:15–1:45 p.m. YMA’s Annual General Meeting 1:55–3:25 p.m. iPads and Tablets: The New El Dorado? 3:25–3:35 p.m. Coffee Break 3:35-4:50 p.m. Case Study: Three Canadian Web Series Success Stories 4:50–5:20 p.m. Is Today’s Television Still Relevant in the Family Environment? 5:20 p.m. CYM Closing Cocktail Reception Maya Goetz’s workshop How to make a TV hero(ine) the favourite TV character of a kid Day 2 — Friday, November 18 CBC’s Canadian Broadcasting Centre 8:30–9 a.m. Registration, Coffee & Croissants 25 John Street 9 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Blocks 1 and 2 Room 3C304 12:15–1 p.m. Lunch Toronto, ON M5V 3G5 1–5 p.m. Blocks 3, 4 and 5 Day 3 — Saturday, November 19 TVO 2180 Yonge Street 8:30–8:45 a.m. Registration, Coffee & Croissants 4th Floor 8:45 a.m.–12 p.m. Blocks 1 and 2 Toronto, ON M4S 2B9 12–12:30 p.m. Lunch 12:30–4 p.m. Blocks 3, 4 and 5 5 Panels PRESENTED BY Opening Keynote 9 STORY ENTERTAINMENT Hedda Sharapan, Director of Early Childhood Initiatives, The Fred Rogers Company Angela Santomero, Cofounder of Out of the Blue and Executive Producer of the new preschool animated series Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Hedda Sharapan will be presenting the past, present and future of The Fred Rogers Company, whose founder, Fred Rogers, dedicated his life to serving children. She will give an overview of the original Neighborhood series that revolutionized children’s media – how it was designed, the impact it had, and how it evolved over time. Angela Santomero, a leading producer of US children’s television and creator of Blue’s Clues & Super Why!, will talk about the pressure of re-imagining this beloved Neighborhood series for today’s audiences. She will demonstrate how the original principles have endured even while the contemporary screen aesthetic has changed. The presentation will include previously unseen clips of the new four-year-old Daniel Tiger, son of the original Daniel Tiger, and his preschool friends. The new show, for which 9 Story Entertainment is doing the animation, will be launched in fall 2012 on CBC and PBS KIDS, together with a content-rich website, including interactive games for kids as well as online resources for parents and teachers. Bring on the Funny! (Insert Fart Joke Here) What’s the key to making a great kids’ comedy series? What’s the difference between making a four-year-old and a 10-year-old laugh? What are the important ingredients in comedies for kids? What are the differences and similarities between preschool, sitcom, animated and reality humour? It’s never too early to laugh – so let’s start the day with a panel of hilarious folks who create funny shows for kids. PANELLISTS • Dan Signer, Creator and Executive Producer – Mr. Young and A.N.T. Farm • Tom McGillis, President and Cofounder, Fresh TV – My Babysitter’s a Vampire and Really Me! • Richard Elliott, Screenwriter and Executive Producer – Spliced • Susan Hart, Voice Director, Casting Director, Session Producer and Voice Instructor • Matt Kippen, Writer and Show Creator – Splatalot MODERATOR • Michelle Melanson Cuperus, VP Production and Development, Radical Sheep Productions 6 PRESENTED BY Rich and Substantial, That is the Question! CANADA MEDIA FUND A representative from the Canada Media Fund will lead a discussion and Q&A session with attendees on CMF guidelines, especially on the meaning of “rich and substantial” as it applies to digital media.