Banff, Canada’s oldest national park establish in 1885, is one of Canada’s most popular tourist destination.

It is also home to the 2012 Banff World Media Festival located at the stunning Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.

What is the Banff World Media Festival?

BANFF is one of the worlds top production and media-arts festivals. BANFF hosts the world’s largest global development and production marketplace where the latest in digital media innovation is showcased and forward-thinking industry leaders converge.

BANFF is also home to the prestigious Banff World Media Awards, honouring the best in international television and digital media production.

Just take a look at their schedule. BANFF is an exciting, jam packed 4 day event full of engaging panels, keynotes, master classes, key strategy sessions, critical case studies and presentations. It’s not only lectures and academics, it’s interactive and the real value lies in the connections you can make. There are one-on-one meetings you can set up to do business, network, and learn first hand from industry heavyweights.  And there is definitely no shortage of them. Here’s a few for example:

• Glenn Adilman, Executive Vice President, U.S. Comedy Development, Sony Pictures Television
• Steve Bickley, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Business Development, Bell Media
• Kevin Beggs, President, Television Programming & Production, Lionsgate
• Casey Bloys, Senior Vice President, HBO Entertainment
• Julie Bristow, Executive Director, Studio and Unscripted Programming, CBC Television
• Judith Brosseau, Senior Vice President, Programming, Communications and Interactive Media, Canal D, Historia, Series +, Des Chaines, Astral Media
• John Brunton, President & CEO, Insight Productions
• Paul Chard, Global Head of Content, MediaCom
• Len Cochrane, President, TELETOON Canada Inc.
• Valerie Creighton, President & CEO, Canada Media Fund
• Matt Dipaola, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, Mediacom Canada
• Cynthia Fenneman, President/CEO, American Public Television & World TV Channel
• Mike Fleiss, Executive Producer, The Bachelor
• Jonathan Ford, Executive Vice President, Digital Acquisitions and Distribution, Content Media Corporation
• Harold Gronenthal, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Program Acquisitions & International Development, Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
• Jocelyn Hamilton, Vice President, Original Programming, Kids, Comedy, Drama, Corus Entertainment
• Steve Hannah, President & CEO, The Onion
• Kate Harwood, Controller, Series and Serials, BBC
• Thomas Hennet, Vice President, International Co-Production & Documentaries, ProSiebenSat. 1 TV Deutschland
• Michael Hennessy, Senior Vice President, Regulatory and Government Affairs, TELUS
• Brown Johnson, President, Animation, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids & Family Group
• Michael Katz, Vice President, Programming & Production, International Division, AETN
• Larry King, Host, Larry King Live
• David Levine, General Manager, Disney XD
• Jim Louderback, CEO, Revision3
• Matt Loze, Senior Vice President, Programming, Fox Televisions Studios
• Michael McDonald, Senior Vice President, Drama Development, ABC Studios
• John Morayniss, Chief Executive Officer, Entertainment One Television
• Tony Novia, Executive Vice President/New Media & Business Development, Ryan Seacrest Productions
• Tom Perlmutter, Government Film Commissioner & Chairperson, National Film Board of Canada
• Rebecca Segal, Senior Vice President, Sky Networks & Entertainment
• Joel Stillerman, Executive Vice President, Production & Digital Content, AMC
• Kirstine Stewart, Executive Vice President, English Services, CBC Television 
• Barbara Williams, Senior Vice President, Content, Shaw Media
• Terence Winter, Creator, Showrunnner & Executive Producer, Boardwalk Empire

BANFF is organized by Achilles Media, the same company that put on the 2011 Digi Awards and nextMEDIA conference that I went to in December. So I know first hand that they can organize a very successful conference; and they have done it for quite some time.

Established in 1979 BANFF’s  programs and prestige has grown tremendously since then and has now made BANFF a must attend for all current and aspiring entertainment industry professionals. I love supporting and participating in events that help solidify Canada as a world media powerhouse and industry leader.

What I am most excited about is all the information on digital media. With panels on The Role of Social Media in Entertainment Marketing, New Economics of Web Based Entertainment, and even a YouTube Workshop, there is a variety of knowledge to be shared.

I have been creating online videos since 2006, back when YouTube was still a foreign word. It is not only my own personal goal to know the latest in digital media but remarkably it is my job as well. And in an industry that changes so quickly keeping track of trends is a very difficult task to accomplish. Thank goodness for festivals like BANFF where digital media now forms an integral part of their programing.

My 2011 Digi Award for Social Media Maven at nextMEDIA in Toronto.

Branded Content Exchange is also something I am very familiar with in regards to my current Contiki Global Partnership, which is an example of how innovative and adaptable companies are becoming in this digital world.

Yea, BANFF is a pretty big deal. It’s especially exciting for independent content creators and bloggers like myself who rely so heavily on keeping ahead of the times in the ever-changing media landscape.

Everyone who’s anyone will be there, and I would like to be there as well. So give this post a “like” if you think so too! To learn more about the Banff World Media Festival check out http://www.banffmediafestival.com .

• What are your thoughts on BANFF? Have you heard of it before?
• Of the panels listed, which seem the most interesting to you?  If I went to BANFF what panels would you like me to cover?

Want to see more of Banff, Alberta? Check out my blog post from my trip there last summer!