Alex Lemay and Howell Malham, Digitaal Media
Chicago Convergence @ MGFest : Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 : 2:00 pm : From B.C. to A.D.: Monetizing Online Video Content in the Digital Age
The Talk: Applying 20th century marketing strategies to 21st century media is a recipe for failure. Advertising online, specifically through full motion media, must now be a seamless, transparent and, most importantly, interactive experience to maximize ROI.
Bio: Alex LeMay, Producer/Director
Alex heads up the full-motion media arm of DIGITAAL, a Chicago based New Media Company. He is also an award winning feature film and broadcast director. Over his 15-year career he has directed a number of acclaimed feature films as well as provided commercial media for some of the world’s top-tier companies, including Johnson and Johnson, Starbuck’s Coffee Company, CVS Pharmacies, Abbott Laboratories and Office Max. His award winning feature documentary, The Bulls of Suburbia caught the eye of Universal Studios, for whom he produced and directed the bullfighting sequence for the Academy Award nominated film Seabiscuit, starring Jeff Bridges and Toby McGuire.
LeMay’s latest film, Desert Bayou, which tells the story of 600 African-American evacuees of hurricane Katrina that were airlifted to the entirely white state of Utah without their knowledge, was nominated for outstanding documentary at the 2008 NAACP Image Awards, Broadcast worldwide on Fox. This film was also endorsed by the ACLU as well as leading political figures such as John Conyers (Chair of the House Judiciary Committee), Donna Brazil (CNN) and the NAACP itself. Opening theatrically nationwide in October of 2007 to critical acclaim, Desert Bayou helped to form a robust national debate about the handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. LeMay also won a Poli Award for best campaign ad for the 2004 election cycle. He also ran and operated the Chicago-based motion picture production company, Taproot Productions, since 1993. He represents the new breed of up-and-coming talent in the film and media production world and has positioned himself as a leader in new media development.
Howell J. Malham Jr., Creative Director
For nearly two decades, Howell has developed creative for companies in a variety of industries, growing powerful brands through original media experiences. Recently, he directed and managed strategic branding initiatives for AON, the second largest insurance company in the western hemisphere; Theodor Wille Intertrade, an international supply chain & procurement company serving the Middle East, Asia and Europe; Simplex Trading and Investments, an equity trading and technology house. Over the years, Howell directed creative for a number of major accounts, including: Hilton, IKON Office Solutions, Baxter, Procter & Gamble, National Materials, Wolfgang Puck, Peapod, University of Chicago, and Sands/Hollywood Casino. He earned an Emmy®-nomination for a series of broadcast spots produced in conjunction with the NBA and Chicago Public Schools. A freelance writer, Howell contributes to the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Reader and other publications.
About Digitaal: TBA
