2017 TAG DIGITAL MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT SUMMIT - NOVEMBER 15, 2017 The Battery Atlanta at SunTrust Park - Technology Association of Georgia
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TAG DIGITAL MEDIA AND
ENTERTAINMENT SUMMIT
2017
NOVEMBER 15, 2017
The Battery Atlanta at SunTrust Park
Hank Aaron Terrace
AGENDA
12:30 - 1:00
“Icons of the Industry” Fireside Chat & Award Presentation
1:00 - 1:10
Tech Innovation Award Presentation
1:10 - 2:00
Combined Industry Panel Discussions (Film, Broadcast, Music, Digital
Media, Gaming)
2:00 - 2:10
Media Mover Award Presentation
2:10 - 2:45
Vendor Booths & Social Networking
2:45 - 3:00
Georgia’s Own and Georgia’s Legends Awards Presentation
3:00 - 3:15
Industry Videos/Updates
3:15 - 3:55
Keynote Address
3:55 - 4:00
Closing Remarks
4:00 - 4:30
Vendor Booths
Platinum Sponsor
ICON OF THE INDUSTRY
SID TOPOL
Sidney Topol was born in 1924 in Dorchester, Massachusetts. His parents were Yiddish
speaking immigrants from Poland. Topol enlisted in the Army Air Corp during WWII, where
he was trained as a radar officer.
Topol hold a B.S. in physics and an honorary Doctor of Science Degree from the University
of Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard-MIT Radar School and has been awarded
the MIT Corporate Leadership Award. Mr. Topol has been inducted into the Satellite Hall of
Fame, the Cable Television Hall of Fame, the MTC Hall of Fame and the Georgia Technology
Hall of Fame.
Topol was general manager of Selenia Telecommunications, a Raytheon joint venture in
Rome, Italy from1960 until 1965, when he became head of Raytheon’s communications
division. From there he went to Scientific-Altanta, retiring as Chair and CEO in 1990.
In the Boston area, Topol has served on the board of the American Jewish Committee, the
Jewish Community Relations, Council of Greater Boston, and Combined Jewish Philanthro-
pies of Greater Boston.
Topol has served on the board of Americans for Peace Now since 2000 and the J Street
PAC since 2008. He served on the board of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom from 2004-2009. In
2003, he went to Geneva, Switzerland to witness the signing of the Geneva Accord, a draft
agreement to end the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. During that time, Topol was also an active
member of American Diaspora Alliance for Israeli-Palestinian Peace, a Boston area dialogue
group.
Topol’s newest peace-related venture is funding programs to create leaders of non-violence
at ten universities in the U.S. and Israel.
Topol is President of The Topol Group LLC and The Topol Family Fund.
TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION
FINALISTS
The Technology Innovation Award recognizes an individual, company or
institution exhibiting new and innovative technology for use in production,
distribution or performance in the media and entertainment industries.
JASON DRAKEFORD
Jason Drakeford is a passionate filmmaker creating docu-
mentaries, video series and VR films with a focus towards
impactful and visually engaging work. He is currently an Atlanta
Film Society “Filmmaker in Residence” as well as an “Artist in
Residence” at the new GSU Creative Media Industries Institute.
Highlights of his stories include the space series “Out There”
with The New York Times and “Shelf Life” science series for The
American Museum of Natural History as well as VR films “Inter-
rupture”, premiering at the Atlanta Film Festival, the documen-
tary “Ken Jacobs: A Pioneer of Avant-Garde Film” premiering at
the Independent New York Film Festival and “Fossil Hunters of
the Gobi VR” at the Sheffield International Documentary Festi-
val. You can view his films at www.drakefordfilms.com and on
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/jasondrakeford.
ENDAVO DIGITAL NETWORK
Endavo Digital Network is a new breed of OTT video platform
and multichannel network (MCN) that empowers content cre-
ators and digital media companies to deliver OTT channels and
services to online audiences everywhere. Our network is de-
signed to empower content creators to launch video channels
and apps “over-the-top” on all the popular connected devices;
reach, engage and expand viewers; and generate new revenue
streams through subscriptions and sponsorship. We also help
our content partners build brand awareness that can lead to
funding and paid syndication with major OTT networks. Endavo
is partnering with ChooseATL, part of Metro Atlanta Chamber,
to launch THEA this fall https://about.thea.network/.
FUTURUS
Futurus is an Atlanta-based future technologies company, spe-
cializing in the development of Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented
Reality (AR), and 360° Video experiences for non-gaming
applications. We work with companies to create one-of-a-kind,
immersive experiences for marketing, training, and testing
purposes. By keeping up with the latest technology, we are able
to recommend the best possible solution to help our clients
use innovative platforms to grow their businesses. Our services
range cross-industry and our team has worked with automo-
tive, consumer packaged goods, retail, hospitality, manufactur-
ing and more. For more information about Futurus, visit http://
futur.us/.
PANELISTS
Michael Campbell is the creator and developer of the BOP TV Platform. He
Michael Camp- is an award winning record producer with over 40 years experience in the
entertainment industry. His knowledge spans streaming media, music
production, Audio engineering, Composition, Content Creation, Film, Tele-
vision and other areas of entertainment.
Mr. Campbell also serves as president and CEO of Brooklyn West Re-
cords, an independent record label with major label distribution and
state of the art recording studio. His knowledge and experience has
earned him numerous gold and platinum record awards and credit for
the production of hundreds of music releases
generating over $250M in sales.
Curtis Daniel III
As the CEO / Co-owner of Patchwerk Recording Studios Curtis Daniel
III is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the multi-
million dollar facility. Curtis is also responsible for identifying and creat-
ing additional revenue streams (outside of what would be considered
traditional revenue streams for a recording studio) for Patchwerk. One
such venture “The Werkstation” which is a recording station in the
middle of The Mall of Georgia was just launched in February of 2014.
Curtis is one of the original founders of Patchwerk Recording Studios
and has been operating the business for 19 years. With the help of
his team Patchwerk has grown from a one room studio to a four room
state of the art facility that has the unique distinction of being the only
recording studio in the world with both an SSL 9000J Console and a SSL
Duality Console all under one roof.
Andrew Greenberg
Andrew Greenberg, executive director of the Georgia Game Developers
Association, has been making his living as a game developer since 1990.
Best known for designing computer games and roleplaying games, is
lead developer on the upcoming Fading Suns: Noble Armada PC game.
Andrew co-created the “Fading Suns” roleplaying and computer games
and was the original developer of White Wolf’s “Vampire: The Masquer-
ade.” He has credits on more than 50 White Wolf products and more
than 20 HDI books. He has also worked on products with other roleplay-
ing game companies, including “Star Trek Next Generation” and “Deep
Space Nine.” His computer game credits include Dracula Unleashed,
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Emperor of the Fading Suns, Warham-
mer 40K: Final Liberation, Merchant Prince II, Mall Tycoon, Dungeon
Crawlers, Dungeon Lords, The Virtual World of Kaneva, Railroad Tycoon
Mobile and the Global Agenda MMO. A fellow with the Mythic Imagination
Institute, Andrew is also organizer of the Southeast Interactive Entertain-
ment and Games Expo (SIEGE). He serves on the Georgia Film, Music and
Digital Entertainment Commission.
PANELISTS
Cara Kneer
Cara Kneer began her TV career in Salt Lake City, Utah. At KUTV, she
was a general assignment reporter for the morning and evening news,
and a co-host/correspondent for the lifestyle show, Fresh Living. Af-
ter her time in Salt Lake City, she was a freelance journalist at WTHR,
an NBC affiliate in Indianapolis, Indiana. While in Indianapolis, Cara was
called by NBC News to cover the aftermath of devastating tornadoes in
Henryville, Indiana. Her work was seen across the world on Al Jazeera,
MSNBC and The Weather Channel. She began freelancing for NBC News
at NBC News Channel in 2012 for breaking, national stories. Cara an-
chored LIVE the 2014 Primary Election Night coverage for USA TODAY.
. Since 2015, Cara has reported for CNN News Source and the CNN
Southeast Bureau, covering the Death of Fidel Castro and the Greenville
South Carolina serial killer. You can watch her daily as a correspondent
for the lifestyle show Atlanta & Company on 11Alive. And, as the host of At-
lanta Tech Edge, which airs every Sunday also on 11 Alive, your local NBC
affiliate. Cara lives in Atlanta with her husband Lee, two sons, and her dog
Judy. In her free time she enjoys doing improv at The Village Theatre and
being with family and friends.
Jeffrey Stepakoff
Jeffrey Stepakoff was raised in Atlanta, Georgia. He is an accomplished
writer-producer and an experienced academic, with a twenty-eight year
entertainment industry career that includes sweeping internationally-
recognized credits, leadership roles in content creation and production,
and a track record of collaboration, innovation, and success in virtually all
forms of commercial media.
He has “written by” or “story by” credits on thirty-seven television epi-
sodes, has written for fifteen different series, and has been a writer and/
or writer-producer on eight primetime or first-run cable staffs, credited
on more than two hundred episodes of popular television. The TV cred-
its for which he is most known include the Emmy-winning The Wonder
Years, Sisters, Wild Card, Hyperion Bay, The Magic School, C16:FBI,
Robin’s Hoods, Land’s End, Flipper, Sons & Daughters, Major Dad, The
Yakov Smirnoff Show, Beauty & the Beast, Have Faith, Simon & Simon, and
break-out hit Dawson’s Creek, where he was Co-Executive Producer.
PANELISTS
Craig Miller
Craig Miller has been producing film and video in the Atlanta area for
nearly 30 years. Craig is chair of Georgia Film, Music and Digital Enter-
tainment Advisory Commission.
Craig Miller Productions is a full service film, video, and event production
company versed in broadcast, corporate productions, and live events.
Shachar Oren
Since founding Neurotic Media in 2001, Shachar Oren has been respon-
sible for the company’s business strategy, sales and marketing, product,
and operations. Neurotic Media’s leading technology and services enable
businesses to create custom digital experiences across multiple devices
and promote their brands using the universal power of music. The firm
provides white label music solutions that bring brands, music and listen-
ers together - curating the moments in which music drives action. Its cus-
tomers are retailers, CPGs, agencies, and record companies who seek
to retain control of their brand and their consumer data - while providing
their target audiences with a world-class music discovery and consump-
tion experience.
In 2017, Shachar also assumed the role of President of Georgia Music
Partners (GMP), the authority that grows and improves the music econo-
my in Georgia. A non-for-profit volunteer organization, GMP encourages the
state’s musicians, music professionals, educators and legislators to work
together to further develop Georgia’s music industry through creativity and
innovation. GMP was the primary driver behind GA’s Music Investment Act,
which Gov. Deal signed into law in May 2017.
Previously, Shachar served as Senior VP of International Business Develop-
ment at Amplified Holdings, the first business-to-business digital distribu-
tion company in the industry. Prior to joining the high tech side of the busi-
ness, Shachar worked at Ichiban Records in A&R and in radio marketing,
and operated his own ShoeString Records in the mid-90s. Shachar gradu-
ated in 1995 from Georgia State University with a B.S. in Music Industry
and Music Production.
MEDIA MOVER AWARD
NOMINEES
The Media Mover Award recognizes the best up and
coming artist, talent, or studio driving media in a new or
meaningful way within the State of Georgia.
AMEENAH KAPLAN
Ameenah Kaplan is a graduate of the Academy
of Art University Film School. She attended New
York University’s Tisch School of the Arts for
Acting. Her TV credits include recurring Guest
Star roles on The Office, Grey’s Anatomy, among
others. She was in the original American cast of
Stomp. As a director, she helmed How to Break
for the Village Theater in Seattle in 2017, The
Wiz for First Stage in Milwaukee in 2017, and
The Royale at Seattle’s ACT Theater in 2016.
She also directed Molodi: Up Close And Personal
for Las Vegas’ premiere body percussion and
Bash’d for Celebration Theatre in 2010. She
serves as a drum coach for Blueman Group and
has choreographed more than two-dozen shows
for stage and TV, including Dancing with the Stars
and The Grammy’s. She is the recipient of mul-
tiple NAACP, LA Weekly, and Ovation awards for
choreography.
FROGTOON
Frogtoon offers a global music video platform
providing entertainment content to music fans
while helping musicians, media brands, and pages
better engage, grow, and monetize their social
media audiences. Frogtoon is designed to foster
relationships with leading networks like Facebook,
YouTube, Apple, and many others in the social
media and entertainment spaces, integrate with
their platforms, leverage their global reach, and
provide value-added solutions to empower millions
of users with a fun and engaging music experi-
ence. With over a million app page fans and more
than 3 million fans across multiple Facebook
genre and artist pages, Frogtoon Music is rapidly
growing into markets around the world. Addition-
ally, the company is deploying a multilingual “So-
cial Media Engagement Center” whose main role
will be to ensure persistent interactions and per-
sonalized “in-language” communication in order to
boost loyalty between brands and their respective
fans.
MEDIA MOVER AWARD
NOMINEES
HOWSTUFFWORKS
Founded in 1998, HowStuffWorks is the leading
for-profit publisher of entertaining and informa-
tive podcast content. The parent company of
17 leading brands including Stuff You Should
Know, Stuff You Missed in History Class and Stuff
Mom Never Told You, the HowStuffWorks team
reaches a highly engaged fan base across mul-
tiple platforms and distribution partners and has
amassed a library of more than 6,000 podcasts
and 1 billion downloads. With this expansive and
award-winning collection of audio podcasts, How-
StuffWorks is ranked #2 in global downloads and
streams. The company is headquartered in
Atlanta and also operates studios out of Los
Angeles.KEYNOTE SPEAKER
LEE THOMAS
Lee Thomas is a Deputy Commissioner at the Georgia Department of Economic Development,
and division director of the Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office. A native Atlan-
tan, Lee received a Bachelor of the Arts in Radio -TV -Film from UGA, a Master’s Degree in
Film Studies from Georgia State University, then entered the Tisch School of the Arts Doctoral
Program in Cinema Studies at New York University. She returned to Atlanta in 1996 to work
for the Georgia Film and Videotape Office as a project manager, and then became a location
specialist for the office in 1998. After finding locations for film and television projects for 12
years, Lee became director of the film division in 2010.GEORGIA’S OWN AWARD
AFEMO OMILAMI
Afemo Omilami is an acclaimed film, television, stage actor and philanthropist. He has enjoyed
a long and prosperous film and television career spanning forty years with featured roles in
“Drumline”, “Remember the Titans”, “Forrest Gump”, “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” and
“Steel Magnolias.”
He is a co-star of the recent acclaimed film “Blood Done Sign My Name” and “WAKE” current-
ly featured at the SXSW Film Conference and Festival in Austin, Texas. Afemo is a gifted actor
who received a full scholarship to NYU where he studied under famed method acting teacher
Lee Strasberg. He has graced many regional theatres including the Goodman in Chicago, The
Alliance in Atlanta and several Broadway stages. Some of his favorite roles have been charac-
ters in “Mulebone”, “A Raisin In The Sun” and “Miss Evers Boys.”
Most recently he portrayed characters on hit television shows “Madam Secretary”, top rated
Bounce TV Series “Sinners & Saints” and “True Detective.” His current projects include star-
ring in in a series of August Wilson plays at Lincoln Center in Washington, D.C.
In addition to a fulfilling acting career, Afemo dedicates his life to charity work with economi-
cally challenged communities across the globe. For more than twenty years he has been the
Chief Operating Officer of Atlanta-based organization Hosea Helps. With his assistance the or-
ganization serves 25,000 people per year with food, toiletries, medical supplies, shoes, school
supplies, teacher supplies and more. During the holidays he leads free services provided by
Hosea Helps such as barber and beautician services, 16,000 annually delivered meals, and
more than 3,000 services provided for children at the Back to School Jamboree and Chil-
dren’s Christmas Party. His international philanthropic work has taken him to Haiti distribut-
ing medicine, the Philippines where he founded a school, Uganda, Romania, Kenya, India and
South Africa to provide financial support for orphans and schools for the poor. He has also
lead disaster relief efforts in several states including Tennessee, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Mis-
sissippi, and continues to work with organizations to assist hurricane victims in Puerto Rico.
As an extension of his humanitarian efforts he established OMILAMI, LLC which will train youth
in the performing arts and prepare them for careers in Atlanta’s growing movie industry.GEORGIA’S OWN AWARD
ELISABETH OMILAMI
Elisabeth Omilami is an actress, humanitarian, community leader and activist who has dedicat-
ed her life to empowering and uplifting people by providing resources to aid in a better future.
As the daughter of Civil Rights leader Rev. Hosea Williams and Georgia State Representative
Juanita T. Williams, Omilami boasts a wealth of knowledge and experience in improving hu-
man rights through the political system. Her career in Human Services Programs and Re-
sources spans forty years, including her current position as CEO of her family’s organization,
Hosea Helps. Under the leadership of Elisabeth and her husband, actor Afemo Omilami, the
organization is recognized internationally and operates year-round. In August 2017 Hosea
Helps moved to a 25,000 square-foot facility on four acres. This will allow more people to be
assisted through expansion of programs such as housing placement, pre-employment train-
ing, and youth development classes.
Aside from running a major non-profit organization, Elisabeth has built a television and movie
career with more than forty credits spanning nearly twenty-five years. Her love for the arts
began during childhood, which lead her to study theatre at Hampton University in Hampton,
Virginia, where she earned her B.A.. She is also the founder of People’s Survival Theater, one
of Atlanta’s earliest theatre companies, and has written several plays. She has also been a
member of both the Georgia Council for the Arts and Fulton County Arts Council where she
advocated art programming be accessible to inner city youth. Her acting credits include roles
in Comeback Dad (2014), The Blind Side (2009) and Madea’s Family Reunion (2006). She
merges her work in Hollywood and responsibilities as a community leader by leading work-
shops to prepare young people for careers in the movie industry.
Throughout her career as a humanitarian and actress she has been recognized by numerous
organizations including the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Humanitarian Award, National
& Community Service 1st Annual Humanitarian Award, Most Worshipful Smooth Ashlar
Grand Lodge 2017 Trailblazer Award, and the Georgia State Senate Resolution to name a
few.GEORGIA LEGENDS
LOUVAIN DEMPS
Louvain Demps was born in New York city. Her family moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan while she was very young
and then relocated to Detroit around the time she turned four. As a little girl she would sing with her big sister at
home, encouraged by their father who sang in their church choir which she eventually joined.
Doo-Wop was popular in those years and Louvain found herself harmonizing with some street corner singing
groups from time to time in her early teen years. Detroit Public schools had excellent music programs in those
years and she began singing in Glee Club and Choir at Cleveland Junior High and later, Pershing High School
where one of her classmates was Duke Fakir of The Four Tops.
In the late fifties she was recruited by Raynoma Gordy, wife of future Motown Mogul Berry Gordy to join The
Rayber Voices, a group comprised of Raynoma, Sonny Sanders, Robert Bateman, Brian Holland, (future Holland,
Dozier, Holland member) and Louvain singing the soprano parts. For a short time she joined Bobbi Smith and
The Dream Girls as well. They recorded about five singles in New York and did several record hops but failed to
gain recognition beyond the local scene. Meanwhile, The Rayber Voices were recording as a solo act and doing
backup for the fledgling Motown roster. Louvain’s first recording with with them was as background on the iconic
track from Barrett Strong, “Money!”
Along the way, she joined up with Jackie Hicks and Marlene Barrow, doing session work for many of the numer-
ous record labels in Detroit at the time including one owned by Johnnie Mae Matthews. Taking notice of the
unique harmony, Motown asked them to be the regular background voices for recording sessions and “The
Andantes” were born!
As most session players did in those days, they snuck around to other studios and cities like Chicago to work
with other labels and Artists, eventually appearing on thousands of recordings and hundreds of hit records. High-
lights would be the Martha and the Vandellas track: “My baby loves me” which was really Martha Reeves, The
Andantes and The Four Tops, the album, “The Return of The Marvelettes” which was really Wanda Rogers and
The Andantes, the Temptations/Supremes album: “ The Magnificent Seven” which was really The Temptations
and The Andantes the Brenda Holloway classic “When I’m gone” which features The Andantes cooing so seduc-
tively, Mary Wells classic, “My Guy”along with the Supremes hit: “Love Child” which features Louvain hitting that
solo high note that everyone recognizes in the song.
From the late fifties until 1972, Louvain Demps was an integral part of The Motown Sound, lending her voice to
hundreds of hit records that have become the soundtrack of a generation.
After Motown’s departure from Detroit, Louvain moved to Atlanta, Georgia where she has recorded song jingles
for Coca-Cola, Six Flags Theme Parks and Burger King commercials among others.
More recently, she has performed in the U.K. Italy and Norway by invitation, performing on stage with various art-
ists in Motown revues and gospel choirs for adoring fans.
Louvain continues to live her life as a Song worth Singing!Silver Sponsor TAG DME BOARD OF DIRECTORS DAVID LIEBERMAN, The Anigraphical Etudes AUDRA BROWNING, Kaminario FRANK BAIA, Global Speak FRAN BURST-TERRANELLA ROHAN CRAWFORD, CGI ANNIE EATON, Futurus TERESA EDWARDS PAUL HAMM, Endavo Media MISTY HOLCOMB, McGuire Woods Consulting MICHAEL JACKSON SAM MAKHLOUF, Dooreme BARBARA E. MARTIN, Technology Association of Georgia JESSICA NEWLAND, Media Frenzy Global JASON WILLIAMS, Comcast Business
THANK YOU SPONSORS
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