Since August 23, 2012, URBMN has run an IndieGoGo campaign.  The object of this campaign is to obtain travel funds for the 2012 Ottawa International Animation Festival and Television Animation Conference, and the 2012 DGC Awards.  The goal is $500, though I originally wanted the goal to be $300.  IndieGoGo doesn’t allow sub-$500 campaigns.

The reason I mount this campaign for URBMN is simple: the site is caught in a catch-22.  If I want to get URBMN’s name out there, I need to go to a few industry functions.  These things are sometimes expensive to attend, even with the media accreditation.  I live between Ottawa and Toronto, which is not the best place to run a media-centric blog.

The campaign’s modest by design – I actually think $500 is excessive, for a travel fund.  If the URBMN campaign can reach or surpass $500, that would be great.

Full details are here:
The URBMN 2012 Travel Fund

There’s a history behind me, and the Ottawa International Animation Festival.  In 2010, URBMN was given media accreditation, which was later revoked.  In 2011, URBMN was officially given media accreditation around September 12, 2011 – which was five days after URBMN attended the 2011 Gemini Awards, and too late for me to build a travel plan around the festival.  If all goes well, 2012 will be the first time URBMN attends OIAF and TAC.

Here are the schedules for the Ottawa International Animation Festival, and the Television Animation Conference.  I’ll have a better idea of which panels/industry gatherings URBMN will frequent, within a week or so.

This IndieGoGo campaign is almost a week old, though I haven’t mentioned it on URBMN until now.  This fund is to make up whatever deficits accrue from attending both industry functions, OIAF/TAC 2012 in particular.  The deadline is October 1, 2012.

Keep in mind, this IndieGoGo campaign isn’t about me going to parties.  It’s about reviving URBMN after a year of inactivity.  I want to see who actually frequents this site, and who respects my work enough to support it monetarily.  At the end of the day, I do URBMN to cover stories that aren’t featured on other Canadian television and entertainment blogs.  I want to keep doing that.

I will be attending the 2011 Gemini Awards broadcast gala in Toronto tomorrow.  I will do at least one special article on the 2011 Gemini Awards after September 8, much as I was active during Upfront Week earlier this year.

I will post some updates at my Twitter and/or Google+ accounts.  I likely won’t do a liveblog of the awards ceremony, given that I will actually be there.  My setup for the awards ceremony will be spartan, given that it’s the Geminis and I’m not being paid to cover them, but I will show my presence.

Expect some content on URBMN proper within this week.  Right now, I need some content.  I’m this close to telling inconsequential poems about cat penises, or whatever the prevailing meme is today.

Over at Google+, I’ve given CBC-related items some attention.  CBC has a (quite boring) 75th anniversary site.  The problem with official CBC functions like this is the sanitized history – here’s Mr. Dressup, here’s Wojeck, hello Peter Gzowski, and so on.

I hope to counteract this state of boredom.  Through the magic of flash video sites and recorded media, CBC’s true history is revealed.  It’s a history full of failed shows, forgotten culture, ignored culture (CBC has a lot of the third option), and great shows CBC did nothing with.  It’s the history CBC would rather people forget.  CBC wants people to forget.

Here are the first thirteen entries in my ongoing effort to provide a better overview of CBC’s 75th anniversary than an episode of Hangin’ In followed by an episode of The Beachcombers.  Newer Google+ compilations will be posted on URBMN every so often.  Check the URBMN Google+ page daily for new entries, as URBMN ‘Celebrates’ 75 Years of CBC!

By the way, I am not paid to endorse the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation like this.  If I was, I’d mention something about Jian Ghomeshi, then take note of a “hilarious” Ha!ifax Comedy Festival compilation.  HFC has a Gemini nomination for Best Comedy Series or Program this year, don’t you know?  It won’t win over Living in Your Car or Call Me Fitz, but I’m sure the nomination doesn’t have anything to do with CBC wresting the Gemini telecast from Shaw Media’s clammy hands.  I’m not cynical.

August 30, 2011: CBC Late Night opening
August 29, 2011: 1978 CBC promos
August 28, 2011: The CFL on CBC, 1977
August 27, 2011: 1979 CBC promos
August 26, 2011: Flappers
August 25, 2011: What It’s Like Being Alone
August 24, 2011: 1987 CBC promos
August 23, 2011: The Odyssey
August 22, 2011: Town Beat!
August 21, 2011: Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie
August 20, 2011: The S and M Comic Book
August 19, 2011: The Tea Party on Friday Night! with Ralph Benmergui
August 18, 2011: Double Up

This is another first for URBMN: YOUTUBE!  Granted, this is due to Posterous not liking big MP3 files, but what can you do.  Kenny Hotz’s Triumph of the Will debuts Friday, July 22, 2011 at 10:00 PM ET, on Action.  I think I like my interviewing skills in this piece even less than the Yannick Bisson interview.

Dan for Mayor‘s second season – which premiered Sunday, June 5 at 7:30 PM ET – mirrors Dan Phillips’ run for the mayorship of Wessex, Ontario.  Dan didn’t really “win” the election so much as survive it.  Dan for Mayor‘s second season is the result of an almost-across-the-board renewal of CTV’s 2010-11 output, as DfM‘s mid-season decline didn’t do the show any favours.

Fred Ewanuick is a survivor himself.  The Vancouver native is best known for playing Hank Yarbo on Corner Gas (2004-09.)  For three seasons, he was Nick Papathanasiou on CTV’s Robson Arms (2005-08.)  Regardless of what one thinks of Dan for Mayor – the show splitting off into “good” and “shit” camps, with little inbetween – Ewanuick deserves his Dan for Mayor starring role.  Given his early background and acting career, Ewanuick’s taken the long road to television infamy.

This is a first for URBMN: AUDIO!  Yes, you get to hear me ask four questions to Murdoch Mysteries‘ Yannick Bisson.  Bisson plays title character William Murdoch, a detective in 1890s Toronto using primitive forensic science to solve his cases.  Murdoch Mysteries has recently been renewed for a fifth season, the fourth season premiering on CityTV Tuesday, June 7 at 9:00 PM ET/PT, 8:00 PM MT/CT.

Link to the MP3 (Posterous)

Admittedly, I’m out of my element here.  The interview isn’t as in-depth as I’d like.  The whole piece is four minutes long, and edited within three hours.  Hey, it’s out, and I get to use the moribund Posterous account again.  I should have more MP3-related fun within two weeks.  In the meantime, enjoy my mumblemouth.