The rise of queer cable media giants like here! and Logo and the proven staying power of distribution outlets such as TLA, Wolfe Video and Strand Releasing prove that the need for LGBTQ content is constantly growing. But finding out who’s who in the industry and the best ways to pitch your projects is not as easy as it may seem. Come meet top network executives & Hollywood producers, find out what’s hot & what’s not – and learn hot tips for pitching and landing a deal for your queer- themed or queer-inclusive project.

Documentaries are now BIG business. With the recent boom of queer film festivals and media outlets, the market for documentary and reality-based programming has grown exponentially and has created tremendous opportunities for content makers looking to chronicle the real-life experiences of members of the LGBTQ community. This panel will feature noted documentary and reality content producers discussing unique approaches to exploring non-fictionalized content about queer images, unique experiences and marginalized figures within the LGBTQ landscape.

Over the past few years, shows like “Will & Grace,” “Workout,” “Top Chef,” “Queer Eye,” “Project Runway” and “South of Nowhere” have proven that queer-inclusive content and queer characters can be more fully represented. Come meet the creative minds behind some of television’s biggest queer crossover programs and learn how “integrated” LGBTQ content may be the perfect option for your project.

We’re here! We’re queer! So let’s make contacts and content! The ability to network, hob-nob and do business with industry big-wigs and like-minded peers can seriously improve the odds of turning your project into a reality. This informative workshop features a noted panel of industry leaders and networking experts discussing the most effective ways to find and assemble your creative “dream team”, talk shop with LGBTQ power players and pitch your queer digital content projects like a pro.

Have an opinion on the current state of queer media? Think the increasingly visible world of LGBTQ "inclusive" content is (or isn't!) doing a decent job capturing all of the varied stories and experiences of members of the Queer community? Wonder if the mainstream is using the queer community? Or is it the other way around? Stop by this "Town Hall-style" open forum moderated by Q-Me Con founders John Baez and Jennifer Howd. Speak up and have your voice heard -- and listen to what fellow Q-Me Con attendees have to say about the state of the Queer Hollywood nation!

Does the rise of queer cable television networks and the burgeoning multimedia markets mean the end of feature-length LGBTQ media? The answer is a resounding “No!” Whether you make cutting-edge dramas, queer-themed romantic comedies, provocative genre work or thought-provoking documentaries, long-form queer content is alive and well -- and increasingly lucrative and available for viewing. Join a celebrated panel of queer cinema “autuers” as they discuss the future of feature length content and share inside tips on making the most of your project.

Effectively targeted marketing, online tactics, publicity campaigns and creative promotional efforts matter – especially when it comes to packaging, selling and distributing you and/or your queer content. Come meet a bevy of noted entertainment publicists, queer marketing gurus and highly-regarded promotions experts as they provide their insight and experience on low-cost, engaging ways to get yourself noticed and your project consumed by the right audiences.

Let’s face it…the power of lesbian and gay consumers is old news. So, now that advertisers are proactively targeting the gay community, what is its future -- and what opportunities exist for queer content makers to work in this burgeoning media arena? Led by Commercial Closet Association founder Michael Wilke, this panel will feature notable advertising executives and creatives discussing issues such as “What impact does LOGO have on the LGBTQ marketplace,” “Is self-censorship within the advertising arena still occurring?” and “What impact does the new ‘queer’ youth consumer have on the media industry?”

With the explosion of original queer content currently hitting the air waves, the silver screens, the book stores and the broadband pipelines -- how can queer content creators continue to forge ahead with exploring the complex lives and experiences of queer characters? Join a varied panel of noted writers, as they share success stories, delve into the obstacles content creators face, explore the pressures of accurate LGBTQ representation and share their thoughts on the future of original queer content.

At one time, being out and proud in Hollywood meant the risk of career suicide. But over the years, LGBTQ visibility has been exponentially growing within the entertainment industry. More and more of us are stepping up to step OUT and finding that we can have thriving careers. But what does it really mean to be LGBTQ in Hollywood? Join us for a noted panel of openly queer entertainers, media mavericks and pundits as they share their experiences and tell us how life really is on the OUTside.

Representations of lesbians have been in cinema for decades -- dating all the way back to the “silent screen” days. More recently, the groundbreaking films like “Go Fish” and “Desert Hearts” have opened the doors for queer women to see themselves more accurately and positively depicted. But what is happening now on the scene? And why is it that movies about, and by, queer women have yet to breakthrough into the mainstream and receive the support that gay male content often gets from viewing audiences? Join a panel of celebrated female fimmakers as they explore the power of film, the impact it has on the gay female community and the importance of creating and consuming movies that represent the myriad experiences of queer women.

You did what it whatever it took to finish your amazing film, record or TV pilot, and you’ve been touring around festivals, playing gigs non-stop and pitching your content to studios, labels and television networks. You’ve been marketing it to everyone, and you have thousands of fans on your “myspace page” -- but it still hasn’t sold. You’ve gotten this far on your own, so what’s stopping you from going all the way? Join top distribution execs, as well as new media renegades in the hub of the ever-expanding DIY distribution revolution, as they share valuable techniques and resources that will help you profit from your project and get it OUT into the world where it belongs!

You have an LGBTQ-friendly script or docu project and a dream... How do you put
the money together to make it real? From grants & foundations, to private investors & "soft
moneys", join top industry members & successful funders as they discuss what money's
out there for you and your project -- and share tips on how you can go OUT there and get
it!

For the most part, you can't turn on a reality tv program these days and not see at least one
gay, lesbian or bisexual character prominently featured among the cast of players. What
MTV's "Real World" bravely kicked off over 15 years ago, has now become the standard
templates for queer-inclusiveness on TV. Come join the "Apprentice: Los Angeles" star
Carey Sherell as he chats with some of the most notable and beloved queer reality TV
celebs and discusses just why reality TV has made such a difference in the way we see
ourselves in the media and amongst ourselves.

There is no doubt about it… porn sells. And it sells BILLIONS each year. In fact, it is
widely-known as the chief building block of the Internet and video industries, and its impact
has been felt throughout the queer community for decades. So, while many cast this genre
off as marginal or illegitimate, the truth is that there are big, big, bucks and tremendous
creative coups to be made in the skin trade. This lively forum will feature some of the most
successful and popular adult content producers and gay male porn stars in the country
chatting about why porn is often at the center of the gay male experience. They’ll also
discuss ways of breaking into (and, yes, out of!) the adult entertainment industry, share
“pros” and “cons” of working in the skin trade and offer tips on how queer video creators,
actors and newbies can cash in on this ever-growing XXX phenomena.

The now age-old advertising adage “Sex Sells!” has proven to not only be true but a guaranteed formula for selling products, media and brands. And while this may be even more accurate in regards to the sex-addled culture of gay men, is the same true for queer women? Do women want this too? This provocative panel will delve into the real story behind sexualized representation of lesbians, will trace the impact that increasingly visible bisexuality is having in the media and will examine how queer women “really feel” about the ways that they are bought, sold and portrayed.

Since it was founded in 2002, here! Networks has been at the epicenter of cutting-edge queer content. From the thrilling “Donald Strachey Mysteries” and the campy “Dante’s Cove” to the audacious “DL Chronicles” and the sexed-up “Lair,” here! TV has taken the boldest of steps in creating some of the most daring and risqué programming ever developed for gay men. Join us as we welcome loads of openly gay (and sexy!) male stars from here! original programming and their series creators as they share stories about being gay men in Hollywood, talk about their experiences with stereotyping and “lavender ceilings” and discuss the impact that making and starring in queer content has among gay male viewers!