Hello Everyone!

With registration open, planning for Flashforward2008 San Francisco has now officially been kicked into full gear. We are getting inquiries about arrival and departure flight dates and travel information and I thought it may be helpful for everyone to know a little about some outside events in San Francisco around the conference dates in case you want to extend your trip.

August 17
San Francisco Opera performs at Stern Grove Festival – The Stern Grove Festival, which celebrated it’s 70th annual year in production last summer, showcases admission-free concerts at the enchanting Stern Grove. On August 17th, the San Francisco Opera will be performing. For more information, visit http://www.sterngrove.org/08172008.html.

August 22-25
San Francisco’s Openlands Festival – If there’s any event worth extending your trip a few days, this is it! Aired in San Francisco’s beautiful Golden Gate Park from August 22nd-25th, this music festival is the perfect way to wrap up your SF experience. Featuring the likes of Radiohead, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Jack Johnson, Openlands is the perfect balance between SF’s natural beauty, great music and a good time. Visit http://www.sfoutsidelands.com/ for ticketing, lineup and more information.

August 22-26
San Francisco Fashion Week – Located at the Galleria at the San Francisco Design Center and running from August 22nd – 26th. San Francisco is an epicenter for culture within the United States. Included in that, is the fantastic and diverse fashion that can be found all around the Bay Area. In it’s fifth year, Fashion week offers people the chance to view many talented designers at one event. Take this opportunity to submerge yourself in the industry; from workshops to runway shows. For details, see http://www.metrofashion.com/sanfrancisco.html

August 25-26
Golden Gate Renaissance Fair – Ye Olde maidens and fine gentlemen! Gather round for a taste of the past! August 25 and 26th at Speedway Meadow, Golden Gate park will be swarming with ladies and knights from King Arthur’s court. Cost is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors 65+, military personnel, and teens 13-17; $5 for kids 6-12, and free for children under six. List of actors, merchants and schedule of events etc. can be found at it http://www.sffaire.com/

August 25-September 1
Burning Man – If Openlands is worth extending your Bay area visit, Burning Man is worth moving here. An event that words truly do no justice, we think you may just have to stay to enjoy it for yourself. Burning Man has, quite simply, no rules, as long of the well being of yourself, your surrounding environment and your peers are preserved. Truly an adventure of self-reliance and self-expression, Burning Man must be experienced to be understood. http://www.burningman.com

There is a lot going on in San Francisco worth to stick around for. I hope this gives you an idea of the diverse array events going on in this fabulous city at any given time. Really, why wouldn’t you want to stay a bit longer in the City by the Bay?

See you in San Francisco!

Flashforward2008 Team

The registration for Flashforward 2008 is now open! We are very excited about this, and want you to be too. The first 100 participants to sign up at www.flashforwardconference.com/register will receive a discounted rate of $699.00, so don’t wait.Additional information on pricing can be found online at www.flashforwardconference.com/pricing, while any question about registration can be directed to registration@flashforwardconference.com.

Premium Conference Pass
If you opt for the Premium Pass, in addition to the general conference, you will be treated to the ultimate VIP experience!Premium pass holders can get excited about a year-long subscription to Lynda.com ($200 value); premium Flashforward gear; and access to a VIP Lounge at the Welcome Party; and an invite to the Film Festival VIP After-Party plus a few surprises still in the works.

Conference Venue
We are pleased to announce that this year’s conference will be hosted at the Nob Hill Masonic Center – the original home to Flashforward. We’re bringing the conference back to its roots in the heart of downtown San Francisco. The Masonic Center is one of San Francisco’s most unique and highest capacity venues, perched atop California St. with incredible views of the city by the bay.

Travel and Hotel Accommodation
If you are traveling to the event, the nearby Fairmont Hotel San Francisco (www.fairmont.com/sanfrancisco) and the downtown Westin St. Francis (www.westin.com/stfrancis) have offered us discounted rates for this year’s conference. There is a traditional cable car with a direct line from the St. Francis Hotel to the Masonic (4 blocks away) so, go ahead, be a tourist!San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the closest airport to the event with taxi and public transportation service to and from the city. Oakland International Airport (OAK) is also located within a convenient distance from the event and again provides taxi and public transportation to downtown San Francisco.

Film Festival Nominations
A reminder: Film Festival Nominations close June 15. The Flashforward Film Festival has a history of bringing together and showcasing the best Flash work being done. Get your nominations in for top honors in our ten newly revised categories.

Maya & The Flashforward2008 Team

As the conference quickly approaches, we thought it would be appropriate to introduce you all to the team that will be bringing you Flashforward2008 San Francisco. Upon his acquisition of the conference from Lynda.com Events, CEO Beau Ambur has worked to assemble a dynamic and talented group to put together what we hope you will come to think of, as the most memorable Flashforward Conference and Film Festival yet.

The conference is being headed up by Jeremy Stover; Vincent Esparza is taking charge of production; Greg Gavutis is organizing and orchestrating the film festival; Michael Kemper is the conference creative director; while Kellee Cooper is directing all logistical details. Michael Lucaccini, Chris Gerbing, Robin Suchman, Carol Gancia and Luke Nalker make up the support team from Metaliq, and I, Maya Villanueva will act as Community Liaison, your link to the conference.

On behalf of the 2008 team, we look forward to meeting you all at the conference Aug. 20-22nd.

See you in San Francisco!

We’re thrilled to be putting together the 2008 Flashforward event. It is going to be an incredible year for Flashforward, thanks in part to the great people at Lynda.com who have been supporting us as we work to transition the team and lock down the details for 2008.

Film Festival nominations are now open! Visit the Film Festival page to nominate the best Flash^TM work in each of our 10 categories.

To keep you up to date with the latest we’re working on:

The dates have been set and the venue has been chosen in San Francisco. Stay tuned for an announcement regarding venue and online registration opening soon. In the mean time, prices have been set and pricing information is now available online.

Stay tuned for an announcement regarding venue and online registration. We plan to have registration open by May 19.

We are accepting a few more speaker topic submissions. Visit the Session Submission Form page if you’re interested in speaking or if you’d like to request a particular speaker or topic for this or a future event. We’ll be showcasing both the top talent known in the industry and up-and-coming talent from in and outside the industry. The deadline for speaker submissions is June 2.

Organizations interested in sponsoring the 2008 event should contact sponsors@flashforwardconference.com.

More information coming soon about speakers, venue, and our vision for the 2008 event. Any immediate questions should be directed to info@flashforwardconference.com.

We look forward to seeing you in San Francisco in August!

Leading Industry Innovator Metaliq Named Conference Sponsor

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (March 11, 2008) – Beau Ambur, CEO of Metaliq, announced today the acquisition of the Flashforward Conference and Film Festival. Metaliq, Inc., known for its cutting edge innovations for interactive technology, will be a Flashforward Conference premier sponsor. The next conference is scheduled for August 20-22, 2008 in San Francisco.

The Flashforward Conference is the world’s original conference dedicated to interactive platforms. It was developed nine years ago and has been managed by lynda.com events and Lynda Weinman since 2005. Lynda recently transitioned the conference to Beau Ambur and Metaliq because of Beau’s impressive track record and his leadership role in the Flash® industry.

“The Flashforward Conference and Film Festival is a historic event as the longest-running and largest gathering of Flash designers and developers in the world,” said Lynda Weinman, Co-Founder of Flashforward and lynda.com. “As the co-founder, it’s extremely important to me that the torch carry forward to a respected industry insider who will run the conference for the benefit of this talented and diverse audience. Beau Ambur is among an elite group of the most forward-thinking Flash developers, who understands community and how important this event is to this industry. It’s an honor to pass the conference on to someone who is uniquely qualified to bring new ideas and vitality to an event that is near and dear to so many hearts.”

“We see this as an incredible opportunity to lead this year’s conference and believe Metaliq’s support will ensure even more cutting edge advances within the industry,” said Metaliq CEO & Founder Beau Ambur. “Metaliq will lend its innovative approach and inventive focus to enrich the conference while furthering Lynda’s mission to offer diverse knowledge and inspiration for everyone in the Flash® community, and will remain dedicated to a balance between designer and developers alike.” Metaliq’s unique and forward-thinking approach continues to extend and define what is possible in interactive technology on multiple platforms including Adobe Flash® and Microsoft’s Silverlight™.

The Flashforward Conference will be held August 20 – 22 in San Francisco, CA. The Flashforward Conference was the first event in the world focused on Macromedia, now Adobe, Flash®. The Film Festival showcases talent and presents awards to those leading in innovation and design. More details about Metaliq and the conference can be found at http://www.metaliq.com or http://www.flashforwardconference.com.

ABOUT METALIQ AND BEAU AMBUR

Metaliq is a solutions company specializing in industrial strength creative, code, and consulting. As a leading application development firm specializing in data-driven user experiences, Metaliq employs a team of top developers who identify, create, and implement innovative business solutions. Metaliq prides itself in developing industrial strength code and creating usable, intuitive and visually appealing applications. Metaliq works closely with top industry organizations to take their applications further, enhancing existing tools and identifying optimal implementations for our clients.

Metaliq CEO & Founder Beau Ambur is dedicated to innovative technology and creativity. As a top developer in the interactive industry, Beau has used nearly every version of Flash across various platforms. Prior to working with Flash, Beau worked with Director and Shockwave and has also contributed to the release of a number of Adobe, and formerly Macromedia products. Among his other professional interests are speaking internationally on interactive technologies, which starting as a speaker at the very first Flashforward Conference in 2000, and he continues to speak frequently as a leading expert in the field. His awards and recognition include the Webbys, FWA, Flashforward Film Festival and Communication Arts Interactive Annual.