During the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Andrew Lavigne followed a group of various social media users around the city to see how the digital world impacted the Games and their daily lives. The result is With Glowing Hearts. A unique documentary that, being funded by grassroots campaigns and screenings by donation, is finally ready for its official premiere.

The premieres will take place over the course of a few days in select cities across Canada:
Montreal: Friday, September 23, 2011 at 7:00pm at Cinema du Parc
Vancouver: Saturday, September 24, 2011 at 7:00pm at SFU Woodward’s
Toronto: Saturday, September 24, 2011 at 7:00pm at the Revue Cinema
Ottawa: Sunday, September 25, 2011 at 6:30pm at Mayfair Theatre

Kris Krug, who is in the film, will have a photography exhibition in the lobby of each theatre prior to the screenings. I also have a few cameos in the documentary along with John Biehler, Dave Olson, and a feature on April Smith.

If you would like to attend the Vancouver premiere this Saturday, tickets are currently available for $10. The documentary channel has also picked up With Glowing Hearts and it will run over the next three years starting with its television premiere November 21, 2011 (check local listings).

Follow WGHTheMovie on Twitter for screening updates and to find out how you can support the distribution of this Vancouver-made film.

The power of social media is growing every day when it comes to communicating across borders and raising awareness for issues in our own communities. To celebrate these networks there will be a special event in Vancouver April 5th called #NetCulture: Stories of Culture and Diversity in Social Media.

Photo credit: wonderwebby on Flickr

Stories connect us to each other, our cultures, and the world. Come and hear from inspiring local speakers reflecting our culturally diverse communities who will show how social media has helped them strengthen their identities, roots and friendships.

Presented by Ajay Masala Puri (the man behind one of the city’s best community events newsletters and the #EastVanTweetup) along with the NetTuesday Meetup group, #NetCulture will host the following speakers: Veronica Heringer (DDB Canada), Ray Hsu & Zi-Ann Lum (Way Too Azn), Jordana Mah (Schema Magazine
), Rafael Aquino & Jay Catalan (Tulayan
), Norma Ibarra & Paola V Murillo (Latincouver
), and Ashok Puri (retiree and world traveller).

The keynote is Kety Esquivel, a well-known advocate for the Latino community and VP of Digital Strategy at Ogilvy Public Relations who will be joining in via Skype.

The best part of NetTuesday Meetup events (as I used to attend them back in 2008) is that they are community-driven, they often have a non-profit focus, and they’re absolutely free.

#NetCulture will take place Tuesday, April 5, 2011 from 7:00pm – 9:00pm at the 
Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch downtown. Register for free online and join the after-party at the Kingston to continue discussions.

With everyone in business now realizing that social media cannot be ignored, training sessions, tutorials, and conference are popping up like crocuses in March. However, what makes a conference stand out for me is the lineup of speakers. How long have they been using social media? Do they practice what they preach? Do they have a successful track record and respectable reputation in their field? This is exactly why I didn’t ignore the Social Media Marketing Unplugged event listing when I saw it appear in my inbox. It involves leaders, trend-setters, and people who actually have a career in which they use social media in various ways, for a wide range of audiences, will be taking part.

Confirmed speakers include:
Rochelle Grayson (CEO, BookRiff, Canada) has 19 years of business, technology, entertainment, and education experience. Rochelle was also a “Vancouver Tech Woman to Watch” in 2008 and has since been named a one of Business in Vancouver’s Top 40 under 40.

Dave Olson (Community Marketing Director, Hootsuite Media) has been working with internet media and technologies since 1996. Dave has done everything from operate an ISP to being a podcast pioneer and helping to grow HootSuite into the most popular Twitter manager on the planet. Dave is also a very good friend of mine who has spoken at my WordCamp Whistler and WordCamp Vancouver events in the past.

Crystal Henrickson (Marketing Director of Canada, Yelp Canada) has helped successfully launch and promote Yelp in Canada, including taking social media out into the ‘real world’ with events. With millions of user-submitted reviews, engagement, and these in-person meetups Yelp is a global social media success story.

These industry stars will also be joined by Marty Yaskowich (Managing Director, Tribal DDB Worldwide), Iman Biock Aghay (CEO, SuccessRoad Entreprises), Elijah van der Giessen (Creative Services Lead, David Suzuki Foundation), Amielle Lake (CEO, Tagga Media Inc.), and Annalea Krebs (CEO, ethicalDeal). Each will share their experiences and stories about how they effectively use social media in their various fields — and how you can do the same.

Social Media Marketing Unplugged will take place at the Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema (SFU Woodward’s, Vancouver) January 29th, 2011 from 9:00am until 5:00pm. Here’s how you can enter to win a ticket to this event:

I will draw one winner at random from all entries tomorrow, January 13th, at 12:00pm. Value of the prize is $259 (for regular registration).

Update The winner is Christina (@paperclipco) – have a great time!

During the Vancouver 2010 Games, everyone became a reporter in their own way. Photos, videos, podcasts, tweets, and Facebook updates allowed anyone in town to share what they were experiencing with the rest of the world. While all of the high-fives were happening and the streets flowed with flags and colours of all nations, Andrew Lavigne was making a documentary about social media creating social change.

Today is your chance to view this film at the With Glowing Hearts Unfestival. They are doing a screening at 4:00pm that will be free for the community and then again at 7:00pm for $12. The paid screening will include a larger event with silent auction, drinks, Q&A and every ticket-holder will receive a producer credit on the film for contributing to its production.

If you’d like to support this film, the social media community, and the continued story-telling of what went on in town during the Vancouver 2010 Games, this is definitely an event not to miss.

Next week Marc Smith – event planner extraordinaire – from Amuse Consulting will be hosting a social media seminar: “How to use Twitter & Facebook to Raise Your Profile & Increase Business“.

Marc’s not a self-proclaimed social media “guru” or “expert” but he is a small business owner who has grown his audience, reach, and customer base by using social media tools. Unlike other seminars that spew buzz words without talking of actual results, Marc will be using real-world examples and providing information (about Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn etc.) that has helped him and his business.

I have worked with Marc on several occasions including Twestival Vancouver and with his help, it was our most successful Twestival fundraiser to date.

There are two seminar times to choose from on Tuesday September 14th: a breakfast session at 7:30am and a lunch session at 12:30pm. You can sign up for the one that suits your schedule and admission is just $20.

Both sessions will have WIFI available as well as complimentary coffee. They will also be hands-on, so bring your laptops so you can take notes, click links provided, and see how things work for yourself.

Last September, Foursquare launched in Vancouver. This location-based social network allows users to “check-in” to the places and businesses they frequent, with applications available for iPhone and Blackberry.

If you “check-in” more than anyone else to a certain location and you could become its “Mayor”. The concept is to inform your friends while also collecting virtual badges and hopefully taking advantage of specials offered specifically to a Foursquare audience.

From the business perspective, it’s a great way to reward loyal customers. For example, if you become the Mayor of any Starbucks location in America, they will reward you with a discount deal, which will be displayed on your screen.

Locally, I knew of V at Earls in Yaletown having an offer, as well as Rogue Kitchen & Wetbar. However, I decided to do a little search (and consult the likes of Chris Breikss) to put together a compilation of Mayor deals in Vancouver, available through Foursquare.

Earls in Yaletown
Foursquare Deal
Complimentary round of Albino Rhino pints for the Mayor and up to three friends

V at Earls in Yaletown
Foursquare Deal
Free round of cocktails for the Mayor and up to three friends

Vancouver Police Museum
Foursquare Deal
Show staff you’ve checked in to the Police Museum and the Mayor will receive a 25% discount in the gift shop, plus free admission for themselves and a guest

One Saigon
Foursquare Deal
30% off all food between 3pm-5pm when you check-in on Foursquare

Rogue Kitchen & Wetbar
Foursquare Deal
Check-in at Rogue then email your server’s name & your favourite dish to receive a gift card for a complimentary cocktail during your next visit

Capilano Suspension Bridge
Foursquare Deal
Check-in on Foursquare and get a free fountain pop every 3rd visit

Ceili’s Irish Pub
Foursquare Deal
Choice of pint on Ceilis for the Mayor at any time, any day

The Mill Marine Bistro & Bar
Foursquare Deal
Mayor receives a free beer

Capones Restaurant
Foursquare Deal
For every 5th check-in, receive a free Ketel One martini for you and a friend

Invoke
Foursquare Deal:
Half price websites every 3rd check-in

The idea of virtual badges and letting your contacts know where you are (all the time) might sound silly but for those who do have favourite coffee spots, libraries, live music venues or pubs, the app-based loyalty program can have its rewards.

It’s free to sign-up for Foursquare and to download the app that suits your mobile device. If you are a business owner you can sign-up to offer a deal by “claiming” your business on Foursquare. Who knows, someone might already be the Mayor of your establishment.

If you know of any other deals that I can add to the list, please feel free to leave a note in the comments.

Today is Social Media Day around the world as initiated by the top social media resource (and most influential Twitter account on the planet) Mashable.

While Vancouver hasn’t officially declared today “Social Media Day in Vancouver” like they did in Victoria, the social media community is hosting a meetup to get together and celebrate.

It’s on this day that I would like to take some time to reflect on the changes social media has made in my life. There’s so much more to “blogging” and being a web-based business owner than sitting behind a computer screen. Social media allows you to connect with people on and offline, and I truly believe it helps you get out and about – meeting real people, making real connections.

Through social media my website and event fundraising efforts (Blogathon, Twestival, etc.) have raised close to $20,000 in the last few years for local and global causes. I have made connections with other local business owners, I have been able to support other campaigns and give promotion to those who couldn’t otherwise afford advertisement. I have met some amazing people (other bloggers from around the globe), and even booked a hotel room based on a Tweet recommendation.

Social media isn’t just a mass megaphone for proclaiming your love for Justin Bieber. It connects people, it’s powerful, and it’s helped shape our world today.

Tonight’s Social Media Day event will be at LUX (965 Granville Street) and you can RSVP online. The tag to follow on Twitter today is #smday.

Update July 1, 2010 In case you missed it last night, Pete Cashmore, founder of Mashable, was in attendance at the Vancouver event.

Photo credit: John Biehler on Flickr

The City of Vancouver also presented a proclamation that June 30th was Social Media Day in Vancouver.

Five Hole for Food will see Vancouver hockey bloggers taking to the streets across Canada this summer to play hockey and raise funds for local Food Banks. The tour will stop in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria and wrap things up in Vancouver this July.

“I love hockey and I wanted to find a way to turn my passion into something that could give back to the community,” said participating blogger, player and campaign founder Richard Loat (@Mozy19 on Twitter). “Being a proud Canadian, it occurred to me that in the name of community and charity we could play hockey for a good cause and thus Five Hole for Food was born.” Richard will be joined by over a dozen other bloggers including my old Crazy Canucks podcast co-host, JJ Guerrero.

Richard told me a bit about how it all came together, thanks to social networking and sponsorship from both Boston Pizza and Molson. “Through hockey blogging I’ve made hockey friends across the country. When I reached out to them they were excited to help support and organize a game in their respective towns. The beauty of this event is that it’s driven by social media and a host of twittering bloggers that have come together for the love of their sport and in the name of a great cause.”

Across Canada each of the street hockey games have been organized by individual bloggers who will bring together two teams for the official match. “We’re also inviting anyone that wants to play to bring a can of food and their hockey stick and they’re welcome to join in the fun,” added Richard. Aside from the main sponsors, they have also partnered with local CHL, AHL, and NHL teams.

The Five Hole for Food tour kicks off June 29th and will return to Vancouver July 9th. You can follow along on Twitter @FiveHoldForFood or on Facebook.

Half way through September and Vancouver is a hub of activity hosting festivals and events galore. Here’s a quick roundup of what’s going on around town over the next week or so.

Photo credit: guitartwin on Flickr

Launch Party Vancouver 8
In this eight installment of Launch Party a new set of applications and tech developments will be showcased tonight at Circa Resto Lounge on Granville @ 6:00pm. View demos and meet the creators of: Hootsuite, get Yowza, My Wedding Match, Deqq, Wireless Image, Seattle’s Gist, Seattle’s Lilipip Studios, and Kelowna’s Groove Systems. Tickets are $10.

Third Tuesday Meetup
This month’s meetup takes place on Thursday September 17th at Canvas Lounge. The featured speaker is Shel Isreal who is currently on a cross-country tour promoting his book, Twitterville. Tickets are $10.

Vancouver Canucks Tweetup
The first official Vancouver Canucks Tweetup of the 2009-2010 season happens Thursday September 17th at the Hurrican Grill in Yaletown. The Canucks are supplying some great prizes including gift certifitcate, signed merchandise and pre-season game tickets.

Affluenza: The Prodigal Children of Consumer Culture
The Affluenza event takes place Thursday September 17th at Chapel Arts from 6:30pm – 11:00pm. It’s a tongue-in-cheek evening for people to reflect on how values drive their spending patterns and why their consumer behaviour reflects how they feel about themselves. There will be refreshments, exhibits, discussions, debates, and they’ll sync up with a discussion on Twitter at the same time.

The Kitty Card Launch Party
Vancouver’s first discount card for women only is having a soft launch on Thursday September 17th from 8:00pm – 11:00pm. This “Sex and the City” style party will be at Zin on Robson, RSVP is required.

Global Wake Up Call for Climate Change
Monday, September 21 is the Global Wake Up Call for Climate Change. Events are being organized around the world and so far there are 14 registered in Vancouver that day including a meetup at the Vancouver Art Gallery at 12:18pm.

International Day of Peace
The International Day of Peace is September 21st and there are several events taking place around the city. Hold Hands for Peace is happening the day before, on the 20th, in Stanley Park. More information is available on their Facebook page.

Virsa / A-Town Wine & Art Mixer
The SouthAsian non-profit organization, Virsa is hosting a fundraising mixer September 24th from 6:00pm – 8:00pm at Ginger 62 on Granville. Tickets are $15 in advance and includes wine and food sampling by local vendors. For ticket purchase information you can email: info [at] virsa.ca or call (778) 578-0620.

You can read about individual events that I have featured under the tag: Events, and should you have something you would like to promote please feel free to contact me.

In just a few minutes I’ll be heading over to V in Yaletown (at Earls) for the launch of Foursquare in Vancouver. I’ll be liveblogging from 5:00pm until 8:00pm so you’ll be sure to get the entire scoop about this latest craze.

For an overview of Foursquare, check them out here.

Update: To use Foursquare terminology, I have now checked-in at V in Yaletown (at Earls). I did a quick interview with John Biehler to introduce Foursquare and the reason why we’re all here this evening.

Update: Some people without smart phones (iPhone or Blackberry) are trying to “check in” using an SMS (text message) short code. It doesn’t seem to be working for Vancouver locations at the moment but maybe that’s something yet to be activated on the system.

Update: Heather Watson (aka Hez) just told me about Darren Barefoot’s blog post today about Foursquare’s launch in Vancouver and what it could means for businesses.

A Game-Changer for Local Business…. “Talk about an enticement to frequent visit this cafe, eh? I’m not sure what they are yet, but I can imagine that there will be all sorts of creative applications for real-world businesses. Consider, for example, a restaurant where each subsequent check-in in the same week gets you an additional 10% off? It feels like a game-changer for local businesses who haven’t necessarily seen the point of having a robust web presence.”

Update: You can also read this article from Mashable: Foursquare: Why it May be the Next Twitter.

Update: I’m trying to figure out if there’s a Mayor of Earls in Yaletown yet. Apparently if you check into a location the most, you become its “Mayor” on Foursquare.

Update: Regarding Foursquare’s privacy issues, since you do share your phone number and exact location, I got some feedback from Travis Smith of Hop Studios. “I think it’s going to be interesting to see who “friends” who,” said Travis. “Because you can follow people on Twitter but on Foursquare you’re sharing much more personal information about yourself.”

Many people compartmentalize their social media spaces… for example my husband only approves and “friends” people on Facebook that he’s met in person. As for Twitter, that could be more informal and you could follow back anyone that looks interesting. With Foursquare, you share your location (and in turn your phone number as it is a mobile application) so it definitely changes things.

Update: When you check in this evening you will get a stamp or ticket, which you can redeem for a Foursquare cocktail (a watermelon martini).

Update: Heather and I keep being mistaken for the “hosts” of tonight’s event since we’re both sitting here with laptops… in a bar.

Update: There are a lot of new faces here tonight, and by new I mean those I don’t usually see at social media events. It’s a good thing as it means the word is spreading about these applications (even if they’re just for fun… err or badges… or global domination).

Update: Chris Mathieson just arrived and overheard someone leaving the event saying, “I thought there were going to be more nerds.” I guess I know a lot of nerds.

Update: Just to explain a bit more about Foursquare… when you get to a location, be it a coffee shop, pub, or library of choice, open up the application to check in. You can either select the venue from the list or add the venue to the directory. When you add a venue or location you collect points. When you check in to a location you get points as well. At some point these turn into badges, which are the ultimate marks of uber-Foursquare…ers.

Update: Stacie Biehler just discovered that when I posted my check in to Earls, it published to Twitter as “I’m at V at Earls Yaletown w/ @StacieBee. http://bit.ly/gVfkk”. We figure that we both checked in at the same time so it automatically said we were together. Cool. A little creepy. But cool.

Update: To further the “multiple check in” features, apparently when you check in to a location at the same time as 3 members of the opposite sex you are awarded a “Player Please” badge. Jenn Lowther just received this at Earls, as displayed automatically on her Twitter profile: “I just unlocked the “Player Please!” badge on @foursquare! http://bit.ly/iAZy5″

Update: People are coming and going while I update and try to re-upload my introduction video, which took me about 50 minutes to process last time before it got lost. With the new waves of Foursquare enthusiasts come first-time meetings with a lot of my Twitter followers.

Brian Wong of FollowFormation, just stopped by and told me about 140tc, a Twitter conference at the end of this month down in LA. Halfway through our conversation a bird was spotted. Yes, a real live bird is here to collect Foursquare badges (I wonder if Twitter put him up to this).

Update: I’m getting more information about the “Mayor” process. Apparently if you’re the first person to check in twice to a location you then become its Mayor. I’m not sure if this changes hands or what… but I’ll investigate further.

kk & miss604 – Photo credit: John Biehler on Flickr

Update: Okay solved the “Mayor” mystery… just by checking the FAQ: ” Pretty simple: If you’ve got more check ins than anyone else at a particular place, we deem you “The Mayor” of that place. But once someone else comes along who has checked in more times that you, they then steal the “Mayor” title back from you.”

Update: Tip for iPhone users, once you sign up you’ll be getting notifications to your email or phone for everything… when people add you, when you unlock a badge etc. You can turn notifications off by going to Settings > Notifications. You’ll still be able to see your messages but only when you open the app or login online.

Update: I’ve heard the after party is happening over at Glowbal in Yaletown. Head on over there to check in with Foursquare and enjoy more festivities.

Update: In case you were wondering, it has been confirmed. The parrot’s name is Baby Picasso.