Join us at the Napa Valley Film Festival, Nov 11-13

1:00pm to 1:30pm

Stag’s Leap Tasting

2:30pm to 3:30pm

Innovations in Film Technology: How Film Making is Changing in the 21st Century

Digital video cameras reduce the cost of shooting a feature length film to a fraction of what it used to be. This same film can now be edited on a $2,000 computer with a $1,000 piece of software, the whole process can be written about online through a blog, through twitter, facebook, or a million other social platforms, and the final video can of course be transmitted digitally to and from any place in the world for significantly less than it costs to send a letter through the post office.

Independent film makers and creative individuals are taking advantage of these new technologies and opportunities to turn their dreams into reality. This panel will discuss the way the video industry is changing, and where we are headed for the next five years.

3:30pm to 4:30pm

Social Listening: How New Technologies are Transforming The Way We Hear Music

Widespread adoption of broadband Internet access and the mp3 changed the landscape of music distribution forever. Now, innovative social technologies are changing the way we experience music at home, on the go, and in the office. The inherently solitary practice of music on your computer or your phone is becoming easier and easier to share with friends (and even strangers) who simply share your taste in audio.

Our panel of entrepreneurs from the front lines of social music and audio broadcast will discuss new trends in listening, how new technologies in cars and on phones are impacting music habits, and how they are working to redefine the way we experience music.

2:30pm to 3:30pm

Harnessing Social Intelligence: How (and why) the Silicon Valley Press Covers What they Do

The Internet has changed the landscape of news, and instant communication channels like Twitter Facebook, and Google+ have redefined what it means to find, or break, a story. The persistent social intelligence created by hundreds of millions of people sharing thoughts and events on platforms like Twitter, Google+, and Facebook have necessitated new approaches to news gathering and distribution.

In this session, CNN tech writer Mark Milian, WIRED writer Brian Chen, and other notable Silicon Valley journalists will discuss what makes a story newsworthy, how they mine new social platforms for stories to cover, and how instant communication platforms have changed the relationship between the author and their source.

3:30pm to 4:30pm

Social Media Best Practices: How Hollywood is Taking Advantage of the Real-Time Web.

It’s no secret that social media is driving a fundamental change in the way films are marketed and how fans are engaged. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and mobile applications have moved from an experimental marketing arena to the epicenter of many organizational outreach strategies. Thanks to the explosion of online social platforms, Independent filmmakers with constrained budgets now have an inexpensive yet effective way to perform global, as well as hyper-targeted (geographic and interest-based) outreach.

In this session, our panel of experts will present real-world examples of film, creative, and talent-oriented companies that are using social media and other “Real-Time” Web tools and platforms to raise awareness, drive conversions/donations, and improve customer satisfaction.

Whether a first-time social media user or a digital enthusiast, this panel will provide insights into many aspects of social media best practices, including:

Do’s and don’ts of outreach and engagement * Discovering and working with bloggers and social influencers * Favorite tips, tools and platforms * Social giving: how celebrities are driving big online donations * Attributes of a “viral” campaign * Contests and promotions that drive response * Social listening: monitoring and mining online content * ROI: tools for measuring and tracking

4:30pm to 6:00pm

Party at the Buick Tweet House

The Tweet House will feature a party for Buick from 4:30 to 6:00pm on Friday. Live music from hit band Stroke 9 (led by singer Luke Esterkyn) and plenty to drink!

5:15pm

Special Appearance by Adrian Grenier and Peter Glatzer of SHFT.com.

While the hit show “Entourage” has wrapped, actor (and avid tweeter) Adrian Grenier isn’t slowing down. Adrian partnered with independent film producer Peter Glatzer to create SHFT.com, a Webby award-winning online platform dedicated to sustainable design and conscious consuming. Peter and Adrian will be at the Tweet House to discuss SHFT.com and to show off some of the content that has come from their collaboration. In addition, they will be announcing a brand-new SHFT.com product that should only be revealed in Napa!

2:30pm to 3:30pm

A Survival Guide for the New Internet Bubble: How Investors and Entrepreneurs Can Weather a Tech Zombie Apocalypse

Much like in the late ‘90’s, Silicon Valley is teeming with startups and investor enthusiasm. Ideas of all stripes are getting funded, and new online services are popping up like mushrooms. While parallels to the dotcom bubble are easy to see, there are subtle yet critical differences that thoughtful investors and savvy entrepreneurs are taking advantage of to get — and stay — ahead.

Although the intense pain of the 2000-2001 tech implosion is still fresh in many minds, veteran V.C. Mark Suster says that “as an investor you cannot simply sit out periods of great innovation.” In this session, we’ll hear advice for young entrepreneurs who want to build viable, enduring businesses.

* Why it’s different this time: how Micro VCs, cloud computing etc. change everything * Navigating through Macroeconomic headwinds * Startup attributes that align with long-term success * What industry sectors look the most attractive and which will underperform * Mobile, tablet, gaming and Web platforms to build for * Weathering a “double-dip” storm

3:30pm to 4:00pm

Life and Work in a Dented Universe

A wise man once said: “We’re here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise why else even be here?”

Tragically, no one will get a chance to work with that man again, but fortunately we can gain insights from those who had the opportunity to collaborate with true genius.

It’s a very select set of people who got to spend time with the foremost creative and entrepreneurial success of our age, and all of them will readily admit that the way they think and work was forever changed by the experience.

In this session, we’ll hear from Oren Jacob of Toytalk (former CTO, Pixar) about how his approach to creative and business endeavors were permanently “dented”, with an emphasis on what practical lessons and philosophies he is applying to work and life in a world after October 5, 2011.