2009 APACONFERENCE

The 2009 APAC was held on Thursday, May 28 in conjunction with Book Expo America. Two tracks were offered concurrently at the 2009 APAC; a publisher track and a narrator track. Agendas for each are listed below.

Narrators who registered for APAC were able to participate in a special offer from AudioFile.

Also, the 2009 APAC was the kick-off for SHARING THE EXPERIENCE: A Contest For Audiobook Narrators

Registration and Breakfast with Exhibitors

State of the Retail Industry

We’ve come a long way together—over the past two years, our industry has experienced dramatic changes, the pace of which seem to increase on a weekly basis. Join panelists Beth Anderson, Executive Vice President & Publisher, Audible; Grady Hesters, CEO, The Audio Partners; Theresa Horner, Director Digital Content, Barnes&Noble.com; and moderator Chris Lynch, Executive VP and Publisher, Simon & Schuster Audio as we pause for a moment to look back at where we thought the industry would be in 2009 as compared to what we are all experiencing today. Then let’s look towards the future to see where the industry is headed in the months and years to come. Panelists will discuss trends that they are seeing, what is working to sell products, what is an acceptable price-point for most consumers, the pros/cons of abridged vs. unabridged, and more!

Networking Break

Concurrent sessions, choose from the following:

The Future is Now!

Customization, multi-media, digital-bundling, property-rights management across multiple industries … you knew this was coming, and maybe you didn’t think it would be here so soon, but the future of audio is here right now. In order to survive and thrive, publishers must adapt their businesses to meet the changing demands of consumers. Join panelists Nick Bogaty, Senior Business Development Manager, Digital Publishing, Adobe Systems; Mark Cyr, Dolphin Global Services; Andrew DaPuzzo, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Arvato Digital Services; and  Michael Novak, CEO, Tertia, along with moderator Troy Juliar, V.P. Content, Acquisitions, Recorded Books as they force you to think outside of your comfort zone and get you focused on strategies to stay at the cutting-edge of the audio industry.

Stretch that Budget … Fresh Ideas for Marketing in Challenging Times

Take one heaping tablespoon of budget cuts, a dash of staffing cutbacks, a teaspoon of reduced retail-spending, a cup of new trends in reaching consumers, and combine in mixing bowl. Let sit for three quarters. Then … add creativity, energy, excitement, and a few new ideas to get the Marketing Mix that will help sell your product!
Join panelists Kim Alexander, Assistant Program Director and Host, Book Radio; Sunil Bhagwan, Vice President, Search, Digitaria; John Goodwin, President, Galaxy Press; Maggie Linton, Program Director and Host, Book Radio; and moderator Amanda D’Acierno, VP, Publisher, Random House Audio to hear what large publishers and small publishers are doing with their marketing campaigns. Delve into trends such as digital marketing and social media … how do you reach a consumer these days? How do you combine SEO and SEM with CRM for a successful e-commerce solution? And let’s see how we, as APA members, can ban together to promote the audiobook industry.

Networking Break

Membership Meeting

All APA members are welcome to attend this meeting and join in a celebration of our growth and successes from the past year. Hear what APA is doing to address your needs now, and what we have on the agenda for the year to come. Preliminary data from the 2008 Sales Survey will also be shared.
Members will have the opportunity to ask questions of board and committee chairs. Non-members may take this opportunity to network with exhibitors.

Lunch

Concurrent sessions, choose from the following:

Making the Grade in Children's and YA Audiobooks

The industry requires age ranges and grade levels but does it also require a rating system a la the MPAA? Hear kids audio experts Bruce Coville, Author and Publisher, Full Cast Audio; Tim Ditlow, Brilliance Audio, Teri Lesesne, Ph. D, Sam Houston State University; David Walsh, Executive Director, Institute on Media and the Family; and moderator Ellen Myrick, Myrick Marketing and Media bring their perspectives to the debate. Take away a range of pro-active options that you can implement to forestall controversy and help listeners and selectors find the audiobooks that best meet their needs.

Navigating the Library Market in Changing Times

In this time of economic uncertainly, more consumers are finding comfort in the halls of their local libraries. How are libraries responding to this increased traffic? What impact is the growth of digital and other consumer-demanded technological changes having on libraries? What are the key factors that influence a library’s decision to buy audio? Join this session as Mike Belsito, National Sales Manager, Library Division Playaway; Ellen B. Ko, Librarian Supervisor Public Services, Wm. T. Cozby Public Library; Steve Potash, CEO, OverDrive; Richard Rosy, Vice President & General Manager, Institutional Solutions Ingram Digital; Miriam Tuliao, Assistant Director, Central Collection Development Collections Strategy; New York Public Library, Alison F. Zepp, Vice President, Marketing, Follett Library Resources; and moderator Michele Lee Cobb, Marketing Director, BBC Audiobooks America discuss these key issues and answer all of the questions on your mind.

Networking Break

Keynote Address: Adapting your Business Model to Meet the Future Head-On

The audio industry has fundamentally changed and will only continue to do so in the years to come. These changes are here to stay. There is no going back. In order to succeed, publishers must embrace these changes and adapt their business models accordingly. What should your strategy plans include? Where should you expect to see growth and decline over the next few years? How should you react to long-term trends and changes in consumer-spending habits? Join author Joshua Cooper Ramo and editor Geoff Shandler to get these questions answered and hear about a radical new model for looking at the world, one that embraces its inherent unpredictability—and offers our best hope for dealing with problems and disasters as they emerge.

About Joshua Cooper Ramo and Geoff Shandler

Cocktail Reception

Special Talent Listing Offer from AudioFile
APA and AudioFile are partnering to offer you a Talent Listing in AudioFile's online Audiobook Reference Guide—only $35 when you register for APAC ($160 value). The Talent Listing puts you in front of industry professionals who use AudioFile’s Guide. Click Here for more information on the Talent Listing.

APAC Bonus: Complete your Talent Listing by May 8 and it will appear in the printed Talent Showcase distributed to all APAC attendees!

Registration and Breakfast with Exhibitors

Concurrent sessions, choose from the following:

Employment and Visibility – Veteran Break-Out Session

In this industry it is so important to continue to market yourself. This session is going to make you over so you can better position yourself for those bigger and better titles. Want to try something new or need a change from the same genres you always read for … Join Producer Shari Hoffman, Executive Producer George James (Audible), Producer Sue Mackewich (Gizmo Enterprise), John McElroy (Gas House Productions), Linda Weaver (Access Talent) along with narrators Richard Ferrone and Cassandra Morris as they lead you tofind out the best way to position yourself so you can laterally move from one genre to the next all while increasing your visibility and flexibility of change to your future employers.

How to Get Hired and Prepare for the Job -- Newbie Break-Out Session

Come and learn the “tricks of the trade” from veteran narrators Scott Brick, Dion Graham, Katherine Kellgren, and Renee Raudman as they answer the most important questions to get your prepared and hired in the audio industry.
- What do publishers look for when hiring talent?
- How many excerpts and how long should your demo be?
- What is the best time of year to submit your demo?
- What skills are essential to even be considered for a title?
- What factors give publishers / producers confidence when hiring a new voice talent?
- What are the benefits of a casting agency?

Networking Break

Elephant in the Room

In this panel discussion, Paul Ruben, (Producer, Tribeca Audio), Laura Wilson, (Executive Director of Production, Macmillan Audio), Mike Charzuk, (Executive Producer Content Creation, Audible.com), and David Rapkin, (David Rapkin Audio Production) join with veteran narrators Dion Graham, Jeff Woodman, Suzanne Toren, and Jason Ma to discuss the sometimes controversial topic of narrators using their skills to illustrate age, race and accents. Share, listen and discuss the dos and don’ts when marketing yourself by highlighting your talents in regards to age, race, and accents.

Networking Break

Membership Meeting

All APA members are welcome to attend this meeting and join in a celebration of our growth and successes from the past year. Hear what APA is doing to address your needs now, and what we have on the agenda for the year to come. Preliminary data from the 2008 Sales Survey will also be shared.
Members will have the opportunity to ask questions of board and committee chairs. Non-members may take this opportunity to network with exhibitors.

Lunch

Added Value in Narrators: Productivity vs. Cost

Join veteran narrators LJ Ganser, Suzanne Toren, Johnny Heller, and Simon Prebble along with Dan Zitt, Director of Master Recordings, Random House Audio and John Cheary, Owner, John Marshall Sound to find out how efficiency can help get the job done effectively – saving the publisher and studio money and you your time. Find out how this can make you more successful in your career.

Networking Break

Navigating Through Genres

Join panelists Laura Wilson, Executive Director of Production, Macmillan Audio, Dan Hypes, Executive Producer, BBC Audiobooks America, Michelle McGonigle, Production Manager & Senior Producer, Hachette Audio, and veteran narrator Barbara Rosenblatt to what the most popular genres are and hear from a panelist of producers and publishers on what their biggest challenges are when casting for these roles. Find out how to overcome these challenges to ensure your role on their next audiobook.

Cocktail Reception

APAC REGISTRATION FEES:

Want to Sponsor / Exhibit at APAC?
2010 sponsorship and ehibit opportunities will be available in November 2009.