Friday 27 January 2012

How to beat the high cost of personal and public relations' photography

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City of Toronto pitches in to reduce the cost of photography!
from a recent popular Stephen Weir Facebook posting 

 Valentine's Day is coming and you want to give the friends back in Renfrew a family portrait but you can't afford the high photographer's fee? Found a cheap(ish) solution. Load the family in the car and drive through a yellow light at Yonge and Lawrence. Printing is free and the post-office delivers! Thanks City Hall - the $350 photo fee was worth it, I now have a great VD greeting card to show the folks back home how cheap it is to live in the Big Smoke.  
I am now working on a series of photos for an upcoming PR campaign. Just having problems convincing my clients to stand on a flatbed truck as I roar through the intersection three times (I bracket my shots!).


Thursday 26 January 2012

Toronto inventor and pan player reaching for the Stars (and needs our vote)

Salmon Cupid's invention - the E-Pan. Weir photo from 2010 Carnival launch
 TROLLING FOR VOTES FOR TORONTO PAN ORCHESTRA AND E-PAN INVENTOR
Never knew about Pan till I started working with Bill Bobek on Caribana 1999 (now Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival). Since then, it has become a passion. I even know what it means "when steel talks". 
One of my favourites is music teacher, e-pan inventor and pan master Salmon Cupid. He recently took the Toronto All Stars onto TV for CANADA'S GOT TALENT.  Salmon helped with the verbage. So here this ... have you ever watched these TV PROGRAMS and thought that STEELPAN could be on a program like this? Well YES. It is happening and I must tell you that TORONTO ALL STARS from TORONTO Canada has been chosen in the LAST 20 SPOTS http://bit.ly/AgRasJ
Check it out. He needs our votes!

Wednesday 18 January 2012

Canada's largest outdoor event announces its 2012 calendar - July and August - Jump Up Time


2012 List of Events – Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival – Our City’s best summer festival – July 16 to August 12, 2012
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The Festival Management Committee presents Toronto’s biggest summer Carnival and festival – from July 16 to August 2, 2012 with:
·       Living Art through the presentation of stunning costumes known popularly as Mas’ at the Junior Carnival for kids age  2 to 16 years and Marquee Lakeshore Boulevard parades in a cosmopolitan Toronto.
·       Performance Art capturing the original music in its diverse forms - soca, calypso, pan, and chutney music to animate the masqueraders and propel their dance steps as well as spectators.
·       Ritualism motivating millions of visitors that have continued to make the city of Toronto the destination of choice for an absolute stunning Carnival event.
Our festival takes place at various locations in Toronto engaging many sectors of our city and citizens.  This year we are offering improvements to the traditional events.
Junior Carnival Official launch – July 16. It’s all about the kids. This year, the event would be moved to a new location. Downsview Park.
Festival Official Launch – July 10:  It’s the event that attracts wide media coverage especially by our media sponsors – television, radio, print media, and social media. It presents a snapshot of what’s on for the Festival.
GTAA Launch – July 20. It’s another year for the Greater Toronto Airport Authority partnership with the Festival Management Committee to promote the festival at the gateway to the City of Toronto with Caribbean entertainment and tastings.
Citizenship Ceremony – TBD  Witness new Canadians being sworn in as citizens of Canada within a welcoming flavour of the Toronto Caribbean Carnival and Festival.
Location:  North York Civic Centre
Carnival Art – July 29 to August 12 – A unique display of Carnival costumes and the history of the festival featuring photography capturing Carnival around the city and also featuring the pioneers of the festival with the recollection of the festival over the years..
Media Conference at the Royal Ontario Museum - July 12
Junior Carnival – July 21. The kid’s version of the Marquee parade attracting over 30,000 spectator visitors comprising families and featuring 2,000 mini masquerades, some as young as two years taking place close to one the city’s priority neighbourhood with partners such as 31 & 32 Division of the Metropolitan Police. This year the festival would be at the Downsview Park.
Trudeau at the CTV 2011 BB-Que
CTV/CP24 BBQ – July TBD – It was so successful the last two years that they’ve decided to do it again – an outdoor BBQ from Queen Street to Richmond Street that celebrates the festival with costumes, music, and of course, delicious food.
Annual Gala– July 27. An elegant evening at the Liberty Grand that showcases masquerade models, music, dancing, exotic food, and signature drinks – sensational sights, sounds, and tastes. Attended by sponsors, donors, and partners, this event attracts the well-heeled clientele who bid on exciting prizes to support an identified cause.
Location: Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex located on the waterfront - the epitome of luxury and elegance.
The Calypso Tent Music Series (CTMS) – The Calypso Tent Music Series (CTMS) will run for 5 weeks on weekends beginning 
June 9th and ending July 8th.
Location:  TBD
Kaiso 365 - Calypso Monarch Finals – July 23
After weeks of performances, calypsonians that have made the final cut will compete for the crown!!! Finalists compete for Canada's top Calypso prize. Humour, double entendre and wit, lyrics range from personal to political, social commentary to celebration.
Location:  TBD
Calypso STARS Showcase – August 1
Gareth Burgess, Carnival Arts characters: Moko Jumbies (Swizzlestick Theatre), interactive Sailor Dancers (Hummingbird Dance Co.), and the Midnight Robber (Afro-Caribbean Dance Co.), Ossie Gurley & Calypso All Stars.
Location:  Harbourfront Centre.
King and Queen Competition and Show – August 2.  A spectacular display of the talent and artistic skill of the designers and costume builders of the King, Queen, male and female individual costumes paraded in front of a captivated audience. These masqueraders compete in costumes that weigh two to three times their body weight.
Location: Allan Lamport Stadium – capacity 6000 spectators.
Pan Alive – TBD. This event showcases the talent of steel pan performers ranging in age from early teens to adults as they perform their original renditions to the aficionados and judges at the Allan Lamport Stadium.  We are planning to move the event to a full day event as opposed to an evening event.
Location: Allan Lamport Stadium
Grand Parade – August 4. This is the marquee parade that is the showcase of the Festival.  After months of preparation, masqueraders in colourful and striking costumes and steel pan bands wind their way from the assembly area at Exhibition Place along a 3.5 kilometre stretch on Lakeshore Boulevard.  This performance of bejewelled masqueraders continues to draw millions from all over the world to see the live performing street art year after year. With opportunities for VIP seating in designated, controlled areas which will include upgraded seating, tents, and marketplace.
Location: Exhibition Place, Ontario Place, Lakeshore Boulevard.  .

Tropical Rhythm Food Festival – Islands Come to the Islands at Ontario Place – August 5 and August 6. Continuing the tropical Caribbean ambience of the festival, cool down on the south beach at Ontario Place or have fun in the park while enjoying ‘de lime’ with food, music, dance, and an array of fun activities for two days. Be up close and personal with the Bahamian Jankanoo band, ShortKnee performers from Grenada and the Rhyming chef who combines his unique talent of cooking and rhyming – the best way to end the long weekend. Enjoy the Tropical food festival and island hop to tasty, spicy morsels of Caribbean islands.
Location – Ontario Place, a cultural and entertainment park within easy reach of the city.
Canada Rugby League – TBD. A new event featuring fans of rugby league is adding the sporting dimension to the festival. “Governed by the Rugby League International Federation, the sport is officially played in 57 countries across the world. Most popular in England, Australia, New Zealand and across the Pacific, the largest professional associations are the National Rugby League and the European Super League, with a combined fan base of over 100 million”. The event in Toronto will feature a matchup between the Jamaican international team and Canada for the first annual Toronto Caribbean Carnival Cup) and include a concert featuring artistes from Jamaica. 
Location: TBD: 

Issued By:

Stephen Weir
Festival Publicist| stephen@stephenweir.com
or sweir5492@rogers.com
2482 Yonge Street, Unit 45032, Toronto, ONT.
CANADA. M4P 3E3
Tel: 416-489-5868 | Cell: 416-801-3101
www.stephenweir.com

Wednesday 11 January 2012

The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction Announces 2012 Shortlist

Noreen Taylor,  chair of the Charles Taylor Foundation announced on Tuesday the five finalists for this year's book prize. The shortlist announcement was made in the Toronto headquarters of the Royal Bank of Canada. Above Noreen Taylor and Vijay Parmar, RBC vice-president, hold the nominated books.  Photo by Tom Sandler

YouTube Video of event: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV8srJKmkAQ

 Five authors in the running for this year's non-fiction Prize

TORONTO, Jan. 10, 2012 /CNW/ - This morning, Noreen Taylor, chair of the Charles Taylor Foundation and founder of The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction, announced that the 2012 prize jury, composed of authors Allan M. Brandt and Stevie Cameron and non-fiction publishing consultant Susan Renouf, read 115 books, submitted by 35 publishers from around the world. Mrs. Taylor went on to introduce Ms Cameron and Ms Renouf, who announced the 2012 prize shortlist, as follows:
The Finalists for the 2012 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction Are:
Wade Davis for Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest, published by Alfred A. Knopf Canada
The jury notes: "In this monumental volume, Wade Davis narrates explorer George Mallory's heroic attempt to scale Everest following the Great War. With remarkable new research in previously unexplored British archives and in the Himalayas, Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest powerfully links the devastating carnage and demoralization of the War to the transcendent aspiration of Mallory and his compatriots to ascend Everest. With skill and insight, Davis explores the meaning of this valorous yet tragic climb for post-war Britain and the world."
Charlotte Gill for Eating Dirt: Deep Forests, Big Timber, and Life with the Tree-Planting Tribe, published by Greystone Books
The jury notes: "Only a writer as skilled as Charlotte Gill could make the back-breaking work of planting more than a million seedlings sound like one of life's essential adventures. In a carefully balanced story of science, business and friendship, and one that is surprisingly unsentimental, Gill shares her love for Canada's boreal forests, the tragedy of their disappearances and the grueling work involved in replacing them. Reader, you might finish this book feeling relieved you don't plant trees - but you will be wishing you could."
JJ Lee for The Measure of a Man: The Story of a Father, a Son, and a Suit, published by McClelland & Stewart
The jury notes: "As an experienced radio current affairs producer, JJ Lee knew what it took to make a good story though he never expected his own life to end up in a book. The Measure of a Man, Lee's account of trying to remake one of his late father's old suits into one for himself, began as a CBC Radio documentary. An editor suggested it would make a good book. She was right. Beautifully crafted, Lee's memoir is a heartbreaking page-turner about a family, an abusive father, and men's fashion. Who could have thought these themes could work together? In his first book, Lee has shown us how."
Madeline Sonik for Afflictions & Departures: Essays, published by Anvil Press
The jury notes: "Startlingly original, Madeline Sonik's moving story of her childhood defies all our expectations of memoir. She captures crystalline moments of childhood memory and links them in a daisy-chain with corresponding events of the tumultuous societal change taking place outside her home. It is North America in the 1960s and 70s and her letter-perfect, child's-eye view of the world brings back that time with such intensity that the reader can almost smell and taste it. Droll, tragic, and absolutely compelling, Afflictions and Departures is a visceral portrayal of a family imploding."
Andrew Westoll for The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary: A Canadian Story of Resilience and Recovery, published by HarperCollins Publishers
The jury notes: "Brilliantly blending science and storytelling, primatologist and author Andrew Westoll takes us deep into the world of the haunted and haunting rescued research chimps of Fauna Sanctuary. Pulled from decades of horrific lab conditions, rescued chimps live out the balance of their long lives in sanctuaries such as Fauna, cared for and loved by an extraordinary group of people. Westoll deftly draws the reader into the wild day-to-day ride of life with the Fauna chimps and soon their Otherness falls away. Through his lens, the chimps are revealed as the individuals they are, with all their foibles, damage, and possibility - and the reader's world view shifts on its axis. Heartrending and heart-warming, this is a stunning and important work of art and documentary and science."
The prestigious Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction recognizes excellence in Canadian non-fiction writing and emphasizes the development of the careers of the authors it celebrates. Since its inception, the prize has fostered a growing interest in non-fiction, engaged Canadians in the genre of literary non-fiction, and boosted sales of the winning authors' books. Awarded annually to the author whose book best combines a superb command of the English language, an elegance of style, and a subtlety of thought and perception, the prize consists of $25,000 for the winning author and $2,000 for the runners-up, in addition to extensive promotion and publicity to help all books stand out in the national media, bookstores, and libraries.
The trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation are Michael Bradley (Toronto), Judith Mappin (Montreal), David Staines (Ottawa), and Noreen Taylor (Toronto). They established The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction to commemorate the life and work of the late Charles Taylor, one of Canada's foremost essayists and a prominent member of the Canadian literary community. Charles Taylor was a foreign correspondent with The Globe and Mail and the author of four books: Radical Tories; Reporter in Red China; Six Journeys: A Canadian Pattern; and Snow Job.
The jurors for The 2012 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction are Allan M. Brandt, Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University and a Pulitzer Prize finalist, award-winning author Stevie Cameron, and well-respected editor and consultant Susan Renouf. Full biographies of the jurors can be found here: http://www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca/2012/jury_12.asp
The 2012 prize finalists will speak at Ben McNally's Authors Brunch on Sunday, March 4, 2012. For tickets, please visit www.benmcnallybooks.com. The prize winner will be announced at a Gala Luncheon and Awards Ceremony on Sunday, March 5 at Le Meridien King Edward Hotel. The winner will be featured at the International Festival of Authors in October, 2012.
The trustees of The Charles Taylor Foundation gratefully acknowledge the support of their partners. The Presenting Sponsor of The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction is RBC Wealth Management; the Major Sponsor is Windfields Farm; the Media Sponsors are CNW Group, CBC Books, The Globe and Mail, Maclean's magazine and Quill & Quire magazine; and the In-Kind Sponsors are Ben McNally Books, Event Source, Indigo Books and Music, Kobo Inc., The International Festival of Authors, Le Meridien King Edward Hotel, and the Toronto Review of Books.
To download high-resolution images of the jury, finalists, and shortlisted titles, please go to: http://www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca/2012/photogallery_12.asp
For information on the authors and their shortlisted titles, click on or key in the publishers' website addresses noted below each book.
Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest by Wade Davis, published by Knopf Canada
http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307944108
Eating Dirt: Deep Forests, Big Timber, and Life with the Tree-Planting Tribe by Charlotte Gill, published by Greystone Books
http://www.dmpibooks.com/book/eating-dirt
The Measure of a Man: The Story of a Father, a Son, and a Suit by J. J. Lee, published by McClelland & Stewart
http://www.mcclelland.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780771046476
Afflictions and Departures: Essays by Madeline Sonik, published by Anvil Press
http://www.anvilpress.com/Books/afflictions-departures
The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary: A Canadian Story of Resilience and Recovery by Andrew Westoll, published by HarperCollins
http://www.harpercollins.ca/books/The-Chimps-of-Fauna-Sanctuary-Andrew-Westoll?isbn=9781554686490&HCHP+TB_The+Chimps+of+Fauna+Sanctuary
For more information please visit: www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca

Shortlist for Charles Taylor Prize For Literary Non-Fiction Announced

Noreen Taylor,  chair of the Charles Taylor Foundation announced on Tuesday the five finalists for this year's book prize. The shortlist announcement was made in the Toronto headquarters of the Royal Bank of Canada. Above Noreen Taylor and Vijay Parmar, RBC vice-president, hold the nominated books.

Wednesday 4 January 2012

11 Charles Taylor Prize Longlisted Books vie for 2012 Shortlist - Presser on Tuesday 10am

11 Charles Taylor Prize Longlisted books vie for 2012 Shortlist

New location - 40th floor. RBC Front/Bay

Shortlist to be announced Tuesday, January 10
TORONTO, Jan. 4, 2012 /CNW/ - A news conference to announce the 2012 Finalists of The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction will be held Tuesday, January 10th at 10 a.m. at a new venue -- the RBC South Tower, 200 Bay Street, 40th Floor Executive Lounge, Toronto.  Jurors Stevie Cameron, Susan Renouf and Allen Brandt have been reviewing their longlist (below, which was released December 12th), and will announce the 2012 Prize Shortlist from these semi-finalists:
  1. Something Fierce: Memoirs of a Revolutionary Daughter by Carmen Aguirre, published by Douglas & McIntyre
  2. Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest by Wade Davis, published by Knopf Canada
  3. The Patrol: Seven Days in the Life of a Canadian Soldier in Afghanistan by Ryan Flavelle, published by HarperCollins
  4. Eating Dirt: Deep Forests, Big Timber, and Life with the Tree-Planting Tribe by Charlotte Gill, published by Greystone Books
  5. Nation Maker: Sir John A. MacDonald: His Life, Our Times Volume Two: 1867 - 1891 by Richard Gwyn, published by Random House Canada
  6. The Measure of a Man: The Story of a Father, a Son, and a Suit by J. J. Lee, published by McClelland & Stewart
  7. Facing the Hunter: Reflections on a Misunderstood Way of Life by David Adams Richards, published by Doubleday Canada
  8. Why Not? Fifteen Reasons to Live by Ray Robertson, published by Biblioasis
  9. Afflictions and Departures: Essays by Madeline Sonik, published by Anvil Press
  10. The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary: A Canadian Story of Resilience and Recovery by Andrew Westoll, published by HarperCollins
  11. Bad Animals: A Father's Accidental Education in Autism by Joel Yanofsky, published by Viking Canada
This year, 115 submissions competed for the Charles Taylor Prize's first ever Longlist.
The $25,000 Charles Taylor Prize is awarded annually to a Canadian author whose book best demonstrates a superb command of the English language, an elegance of style and a subtlety of thought and perception. An award of $2,000 is provided for each finalist with promotional support for each shortlisted title. The winner of the 2012 Prize will be announced on Monday, March 5th.
The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction is presented by the Charles Taylor Foundation in association with presenting sponsor, RBC Wealth Management; with support from Windfields Farm. Media partners include CNW Group, CBC Books, The Globe and Mail, and Quill & Quire. The Prize also acknowledges the generosity and support of Ben McNally Books, Chapters/Indigo Books and Music, Event Source, International Festival of Authors, KOBO, Le Meridien King Edward Hotel and The Review of Books.
For more information: www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca

For further information:
Issued by/Media Contacts:
Stephen Weir & Associates:
Stephen Weir:  416-489-5868   cell: 416-801-3101   stephen@stephenweir.com
Linda Crane:       905-257-6033    cell: 416-727-0112   cranepr@cogeco.ca
 Editors Note: Media are requested to RSVP to Stephen or Linda if planning to attend the Shortlist News Conference.

BOOK PRESSER 40 FLOORS UP - TUESDAY AM TORONTO RBC BUILDING WELLINGTON ST

Press Conference - Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction Announcement 2012 Shortlist

National Post's photograph of last year's Prize winner, Charlie Foran
Tuesday, January 10th         10:00 a.m. sharp!
Royal Bank of Canada, Executive Lounge
South Tower, 200 Bay Street, 40th Floor
(corner of Bay & Front Street)
TORONTO, Jan. 4, 2012 /CNW/ - Please join the Trustees of The Charles Taylor Prize Foundation, and presenting sponsor, RBC Wealth Management for the announcement of the 2012 Finalists of The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction.
Who: Hosted by: Noreen Taylor, Founder and Chair, The Charles Taylor Prize Foundation
Also in attendance and available for comment:
Dr. David Staines, Prize Trustee
2012 Jurors Stevie Cameron & Susan Renouf (Allen M. Brandt absent)
Vijay Parmar, Vice President, RBC Wealth Management
Canadian publishers & book editors
What:
Unveiling of the authors and titles that have been shortlisted for the 11th awarding of The Charles Taylor Prize -- the country's most prestigious non-fiction award.
Where:  Note that the Shortlist Announcement venue has changed for 2012
RBC Executive Lounge, 200 Bay Street, 40th Floor.  Paid parking available underground.
Media will be met in lobby by CTP Representatives.
Why:
The Prize commemorates the late Charles Taylor, one of Canada's foremost essayists, a foreign correspondent and a prominent member of the Canadian literary community whose dream was to raise the public profile of non-fiction.  Now in its 11th year, The Prize is recognized as a driving force behind the growth of non-fiction in Canada; celebrating the exceptional authors who captivate us with their stories, insights and style.
The $25,000 Prize is awarded annually to a Canadian author whose book best demonstrates a superb command of the English language, an elegance of style and a subtlety of thought and perception. An award of $2,000 is provided for each finalist with promotional support for each shortlisted title.
The winner of the 2012 Prize will be announced on Monday, March 5th.
This year, 115 submissions competed for the Charles Taylor Prize's first ever Longlist which was announced December 12th, 2011.  For longlisted authors and books visit: thecharlestaylorprize.ca
The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction is presented by the Charles Taylor Foundation in association with presenting sponsor, RBC Wealth Management; with support from Windfields Farm. Media partners include CNW Group, CBC Books, The Globe and Mail, and Quill & Quire. The Prize also acknowledges the generosity and support of Ben McNally Books, Chapters/Indigo Books and Music, Event Source, International Festival of Authors, KOBO, Le Meridien King Edward Hotel and The Review of Books. For more information: www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca

For further information:
Media are requested to confirm their attendance with Stephen Weir & Associates:


Stephen Weir:  416-489-5868   cell: 416-801-3101   stephen@stephenweir.com
Linda Crane:       905-257-6033    cell: 416-727-0112   cranepr@cogeco.ca