Florida Creatives – Creating a Community of Innovation

Location

(O)rlando Elec(tron)ic (I)nteractive Entertainment (Con)vention

The inaugural Otronicon V.1 event in January 2006 attracted more than 16,000 to experience how the cultural phenomenon of video games is changing everything from art to education to business to military training. Otronicon is uniquely Orlando and spotlights Central Florida's growing digital media industry.

Come join more than 15,000 people, and have fun on more than 100 gaming stations, including Wii, Playstation 3, Game Cube and Xbox, and play some of the newest (and oldest) video games. Experience real life, cutting edge, military training simulators such as those used by the Marines, Lockheed Martin and more. Play alongside your friends or battle it out with tons of video game competitions. Jam with your band mates in the Rock Band Concert Hall, or duke it out with your friends in Central Florida's biggest Super Smash Brothers Festival. Don't miss all the action at this year's Otronicon V.4!

Family
Who said video games are just for kids? Live out your childhood dreams behind the wheel of a racing car or in the cockpit of a fighter jet in one of our state of the art simulators. Or crank up your favorite classic rock hits on a customized Rock Band stage. Oh, and don’t worry, there’s stuff for the kids too!

Gamers
Are you good? Really good? Good enough to face off on some of your favorite games in person? At Otronicon, you can test your skills on more than 100 gaming stations in a variety of competition formats. This year’s highlight – Central Florida’s biggest Super Smash Brothers competition. When you need a break from playing, check out this year’s brand new Machinima Film Festival.

Educators
Otronicon offers interactive classes uniquely designed for middle and high school students to explore the world of gaming technology. Students can work with industry-based tools for 3D modeling, animation and game design. Teachers, we’ve got you covered, too, with special “Teachers Only” workshops to increase your knowledge of technology.

Location

From a recent New York Times article on Likemind:
a monthly kaffeeklatsch for creative professionals, held in 55 cities around the world, including Mumbai, São Paulo, Shanghai, and Malmo, Sweden.

Likemind gatherings have no formal structure, no fees and typically no agenda. But participants exchange ideas, job tips and useful contacts, while also batting around ideas about technology, art, business and culture.

Location

2009 is going to be a big year for Florida Creatives, and this month's happy hour is going to be the kick-off to a lot of that activity. We are starting a monthly conference call for a steering committee, so look at floridacreatives.com for more details.

Location

The Next Planning Meeting will be held this week and you are invited. Ignite Orlando is a community event and all our welcome.

This planning meeting will be held at CoLab, we will be discussing topics such as;

- What is Ignite Orlando
- The Event Coordinator role
- The role of the Talk Coordinator
- The role of the Space Liasion
- The role of the Make Project Coordinator
- The role of the Volunteer Coordinator
- The need for a Videographer

Location

From a recent note by local poetry guy and Orlando Sentinel contributor Tod Caviness:

You have no idea how long I've waited to bust this out: Spoken word returns to Will's Pub next week.

In just a few days, Florida Creatives will have been a regular event in Orlando for 2 years. This is a cause for celebration. I hope you can all make it out to the festivities.

2009 is going to be a big year for Florida Creatives, and this month's happy hour is going to be the kick-off to a lot of that activity. We are starting a monthly conference call for a steering committee, so look at floridacreatives.com for more details.

The Doterati are also having a holiday party the following night at Monkey Bar (which is across the street from Crooked Bayou.

We are having our very first event planning meeting and you are invited. Ignite Orlando is a community event and all our welcome.

This planning meeting will be held at CoLab, we will be discussing topics such as;

- What is Ignite Orlando
- The Event Coordinator role
- The rolle of the Talk Coordinator
- The role of the Space Liasion
- The role of the Make Project Coordinator
- The role of the Volunteer Coordinator
- The need for a Videographer
- The need for a Photographer
- Event Promotion
- Future Meetings
- Projected Costs to run the event
- The event date

Location

Come celebrate and network with doterati as 2008 comes to a close and the holiday season gets rolling. doterati is hosting a Holiday Networking Bash at Monkey Bar in Downtown Orlando Wall Street.

Friends, family, colleagues and clients of doterati are all invited to join in the fun at this free event. There will be a cash bar and doterati will raffle off prizes. Raffle tickets will be on sale throughout the evening.

Location

There is normally very little information about Grandma Party ANYWHERE on the internet (when I google for it, stuff from about 3 authors turns up, and I'm one of them)... therefore, I will let previous coverage speak for itself.

Grandma Party from Jason Hawkins on Vimeo.

One of the best uses of the landing page as a communication tool. Conceptually driven and to the point.

The Employ Florida Digital Media Banner Center at SCC had their first-annual Digital Media Workforce Summit in November 2008. Here is some video from the event, captured on my point-and-shoot camera.

Location

The Employ Florida Banner Center for Digital Media and its Partners are hosting Florida's First Annual Digital Media Workforce Summit at the Seminole Community College Center for Economic Development. This statewide summit is designed to involve industry, education, workforce and economic development leaders in a day-long multidisciplinary exploration of the future of Florida's digital media industry, its workforce and the education and training approaches needed to stay at the cutting edge.

• Meet your counterparts in related fields
• Learn about best practices and the latest technologies
• Collaborate with experts to find uncommon solutions to common issues

Location

Join us for drinks, tasty food, and artsy conversation at Taste in College Park. If you haven't been here yet, this a unique location that serves tapas style food, drinks, and has a relaxed & smoke-free atmosphere. They have great Happy Hour specials + lots of wine options & a full bar. Did we mention that they serve up famous tater tots, too!?

For more information check out their website: www.tastecp.com. It is located on W. Smith St. right off of Princeton St. in College Park.

Greetings Coworkers!

CoLab Orlando is our first Coworking space in Central Florida, and I believe the second one in Florida, after Brikolodge in Miami. I am sitting in the space right now as I write this post.

CoLab is laid out with a general admission area as well as some private suites for rent. I believe the anchor rate will be $250 once this gets swinging, but for November, they have announced a monthly rate of $49, which I was happy to pay.

A full list of rates and amenities should be available over at CoLabOrlando.com

Every single 3rd Monday for the past 23 3rd Mondays, a group of geeks, artists, writers and other creative types have been gathering in Orlando for a networking event otherwise unheard of in this part of the country.

Come and meet some likeminded folks - people who are always learning, working to change the world, looking to create something new, or people who just like being social.

From a recent New York Times article on Likemind:
a monthly kaffeeklatsch for creative professionals, held in 55 cities around the world, including Mumbai, São Paulo, Shanghai, and Malmo, Sweden.

Likemind gatherings have no formal structure, no fees and typically no agenda. But participants exchange ideas, job tips and useful contacts, while also batting around ideas about technology, art, business and culture.

Location

17th Annual
BROUHAHA FILM & VIDEO SHOWCASE

Saturday and Sunday
DECEMBER 6 & 7, 2008

Originally a project of University of Central Florida's Downtown Media Arts Center, Enzian Theater became the home of FilmSlam when DMAC closed in 2006. Now in its second year at Enzian, FilmSlam continues to be a popular outlet for indie and student filmmakers throughout the State of Florida.

FilmSlam will be held on the second Sunday of each month at 1:00 PM at Enzian Theater. Below are the remaining dates for 2008:
November 9
GrandSlam at Brouhaha: December 6 & 7

ENTRY FEE

Hi,
My name is Cory, and I've been lurking around the site for quite a while now. Don't be confused though, you've probably met me at any one of the Florida Creatives events at the Bayou. Anytime I can have a Guinness and Cajun food, I'm in.

I won't bore all of you with the details of me and who I am. Rather, I'd like to expand on something I wrote in a comment earlier about community involvement in Central Florida. I had mentioned that instead of bickering amongst each other, like politicians getting votes with negative ads, we should try to work together, where appropriate.

Download Show 20
flcreatives_20_edcwakefield.mp3
Length: 38:32

Jennifer Wakefield is the Director of Public Relations for the Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC). In this inteview with Ryan Price, she shares a number of exciting industries taking root all over Central Florida, including Film and Digital Media, Helath and Biomedical, Military Simulation and Training, and of course the Entertainment industry.

Shameless Links:

• Orlando EDC
• Metro Orlando Film and Entertainment Commission, headed by Suzy Spang Allen
• Film in Florida, the Governor's office of Film and Entertainment
• Employ Florida Digital Media Banner Center
• Florida Interactive Entertainemnt Academy Downtown
• Enzian FilmSLAM
• Orlando Film Festival
• Florida Film Festival
• Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitor's Bureau
• Nemours Children's Health Care
• Burnham at Lake Nona
• City of Orlando Community Venues
• UCF College of Medicine
• Orlando Health and Adventist Health System
• Winnie Palmer Hospital
• Disney Children's Hospital
• Institute for Simulation and Training
• IITSEC Conference
• National Center for Simulation
• Engineering & Computer Simulations
• Texture Magazine
• Global Robotics Institute
• Florida Creatives on iTunes

Exciting News...

CoLab will be officially open next week!!! Wohooooooo

I just wanted to let you know that the PayPal account is already set and up on the website! But remember we are running the promotion for the month of November and you can also send us a check or bring it by next week, whatever is easier for you.

I would also have to send you the membership agreement by email so, if you are ready to sign up please email me.

See you all next week?

Location

Just a little reminder about our upcoming live sketch comedy show...

November, 1 2008 - 9:00P @ Stardust Video and Coffee, 1842 E Winter Park Rd, Orlando, FL 32803.

'Tis FREE!

Didn't get your fill of screams on Halloween?

Then find yourself at the Stardust cafe, November 1, 9 PM, where sketch comedy group NIGHT OF THE NIGHTWOLF presents an evening of whimsy and delight.

NIGHT OF THE NIGHTWOLF will perform all new live sketch comedy worthy of a lobotomy. It will be a multimedia slaying of sound, light, music, amateur surgery, and humour!

We look forward to seeing you there!

Alex Williams, a New York Times reporter, sent out a request through the Likemind organizers mailing list asking a few questions about the event that has grown to be an international affair every month. Here is a sample of his article:

To Erin Middleton, a 27-year-old brand strategist in Dallas, the word “networking” calls to mind “stodgy business types in suits,” who are “very uncomfortable and poor at engaging conversation,” she said in an e-mail message.

Melissa Clark, an advertising account manager in Minneapolis, said there is “something smarmy” about the word.

Peter Bihr, 28, a media consultant in Berlin, was even stronger in his denunciation. “ ‘Networking,’ as a word, makes me feel like I get a physical reaction, I hate the term so much,” he wrote in an e-mail message. “It sounds all like strategically talking to people and trying to be their friends. It’s not authentic.”

So, what exactly, are these three doing at 8 a.m. on the third Friday of each month, meeting with other young professionals at their local coffeehouse?

They are participating in likemind, a monthly kaffeeklatsch for creative professionals, held in 55 cities around the world, including Mumbai, São Paulo, Shanghai, and Malmo, Sweden.

Read the rest of the Likemind article on the New York Times' website

The article calls out the no-agenda, no-hard-sell nature of Likemind, the differences with Meetup.com events, the similarity to Unconferences, or Green Drinks, and even gives some literary reference.

Our next Likemind in Orlando (or anywhere else) will be Friday, December 5th. Jim Hathaway and Ryan Price are the co-organizers of the Orlando Likemind.

If you work in marketing, design, advertising, or something more squirrely, please check out Likemind, the conversation and the coffee are never cold, and always welcome in the morning.

Likemind.us started over 2 years ago in New York when two guys decided having a good conversation over coffee and talking to a likeminded person would be better than doing it virtually. Now they are in 50+ cities on 6 continents, including: Ankara (Turkey), Shanghai, Bucharest and Frankfurt. On the same day, people in these cities and 40 other places around the globe, other likeminded individuals will be getting together for some good coffee and conversation.

Coffee sponsorship ($25 is plenty) could be kindly paid for by your employer.

Every single 3rd Monday for the past 22 3rd Mondays, a group of geeks, artists, writers and other creative types have been gathering in Orlando for a networking event otherwise unheard of in this part of the country.

Come and meet some likeminded folks - people who are always learning, working to change the world, looking to create something new, or people who just like being social.

Last year at BlogOrlando we had a session called 'The Orlando Scene'. The concept was to bring together folks for different backgrounds to talk about things like cow-orking, start-ups, etc. It's a year later, so what's changed? We gathered some of the local area leaders to talk over what's going on in Orlando.

Watch more live videos from BlogOrlando

BlogOrlando session notes by Tim Welch

groups

florida creatives

barcamp orlando/ tampa/ chaos
doterati
likemind
digital media alliance florida
colab / coworking

ucf incubator program

user groups

ruby
python
java

upcoming events

convergence
create chaos
ignite orlando

the knowledge shop [lab for hire]

florida creative wiki has:

• event calendar
• wireless locations
• is user generated

Watch Florida Creatives History at Pecha Kucha Night Jax

BlogOrlando is happening this week, and that was really the event that kicked Florida Creatives out of the minds of the collective and into reality. Don't believe me? Watch this video. Yours truly has the full explanation of how it all went down.

Recorded at the first Pecha Kucha Night in Jacksonville.

Location

outdoor coffees, originally uploaded by fazen.

Likemind.us started over 2 years ago in New York when two guys decided having a good conversation over coffee and talking to a likeminded person would be better than doing it virtually. Now they are in 50+ cities on 6 continents, including: Ankara (Turkey), Shanghai, Bucharest and Frankfurt. On the same day, people in these cities and 40 other places around the globe, other likeminded individuals will be getting together for some good coffee and conversation.

Coffee sponsorship ($25 is plenty) could be kindly paid for by your employer.

If you love Orlando and you want to find other people of a like mind, you've come to the right place. Chris and Ryan and some friends get together once a month before work to have a good conversation. Come talk about anything, exchange emails, share stories and walk away with a smile on your face ready to face the last day of the week knowing you have made some new friends this week.

Panera is at the corner of Robinson St and Eola Drive on the North East corner of the lake.

Location

Every single 3rd Monday for the past 22 3rd Mondays, a group of geeks, artists, writers and other creative types have been gathering in Orlando for a networking event otherwise unheard of in this part of the country.

Folks from a wide variety of jobs - designers, poets, programmers, entrepreneurs, bloggers, podcasters, painters, filmmakers, musicians, actors - plus plenty of friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, wives, husbands, and acquaintances get together for some delicious Cajun/Creole food (and the ever-popular hot tots and fried pickles), beverages, and discussion.