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The Cast
MISA SHIMIZU as Keiko Hanada
"Keiko is a Japanese who has a very Classical attitude, a lot of emotions kept inside. She is a lot like me. I believe I have quite a variety of personal characters. I don't have certain rules in myself that I have to act or behave certain ways. I am the type who can play quite a variety of characters once my mind is set."
Misa Shimizu
Born in Tokyo, September 1970, Misa Shimizu shot to worldwide fame as the heroine in the 1997 Cannes Palm d'Or winning film The Eel. The same year Misa was awarded the prestigious Fumiko Yamaji Prize and the following year she won the Japan Academy's Leading Actress award, again for The Eel. In the interim, Misa has gone on to become one of Japan's most sought after actresses.
After making her film debut in 1987, Misa won the Rookie Prize (Shinjin-sho) at the Japan Academy Awards in 1991. The following year Misa stunned the Japanese movie world when she scooped 7 prizes for her acting. Winner of numerous awards for her appearances on TV, Misa is truly a national favourite.
In 2001, Misa Shimizu starred in the critically acclaimed Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (Official Selection, Cannes Film Festival 2001, in competition).
Misa is currently living in Maryland with her American husband and two young children.
BRENDAN FLETCHER as Hart Turner
"Paper Moon was a very good opportunity for me, a chance to veer a way from the dark side and explore a softer side, be the innocent one. And it was a pleasure to act with an acclaimed Japanese film actor, Misa Shimizu, in her first English speaking movie and to film in some of the most beautiful locations on the coast of B.C. I'm very excited for "Paper Moon Affair" to have it's world premiere in Montreal."
Brendan Fletcher
Brendan Fletcher plays Hart Turner, a young man torn between the burden of caring for an alcoholic father and the driving desire to move his life forward.
One of Canada's hottest rising stars; Brendan Fletcher burst into the scene in 1996 at the young age of 13 and hasn't looked back since. His acting debut was the lead in the CBC movie-of-the-week Little Criminals, a performance that earned him a Leo Award as well as a Gemini Award Nomination for best lead actor in a dramatic role.
Since 1996, Brendan Fletcher has been the lead in several award winning films, including Jimmy Zip, Rollercoaster, and The Five Senses. In 2002, Brendan was awarded a Genie for "Best Actor in a Leading Role" for his work in the feature film The Law of Enclosures and this past year, Brendan was nominated for a Gemini Award for the Movie-of-the-week, 100 Days in the Jungle. His role in Everyone was the winner of a Golden Zenith for Best Canadian Film at the 2004 Montreal World Film Festival.
Upcoming feature films include the highly-anticipated Terry Gilliam flick, Tideland, the Canadian indie, Eighteen, and the comedy, The Onion Movie, based on material from the satirical website. Brendan was most recently seen on television as a guest star on USACable's Touching Evil, Fox's Tru Calling, UPN's Jake 2.0 and CHUM's The Collector.
Brendan was born and raised in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. He now currently makes his home in the heart of Hollywood North; Vancouver, Canada.
SEBASTIAN SPENCE as Vern Staub
"Tamagi is a director with a vision, encouraging collaboration and input creatively from his cast, it was a very organic process. "Paper Moon" is a film with heart, I enjoyed it immensely and enjoyed working with the truly gifted cast."
Sebastian Spence
Sebastian Spence plays Vern Staub, a man who finds himself bound to an unloving wife and the pressures of a young family. When Keiko appears in his life, he feels an overwhelming need to escape.
Sebastian Spence has come a long way from his theatrical roots in St. John's Newfoundland. Whether playing a stoic, aggressive, yet compassionate alien hunter in The Lone Ranger's brother, or most currently, Matt Freeman, a socially gregarious, gay college professor in WB's hit series Dawson's Creek - Sebastian's talent and far reaching range continues to shine. Recent television highlights include guest starring roles in James Cameron's hit Dark Angel and VHI's anthology series Strange Frequency. Spence was the solo lead in Francis Ford Coppola's hit series First Wave for its three year run. Spence won the lead role in First Wave while still a regular in the popular Showtime action series Fast Track, playing Stevie Servine, a cocky young racecar driver. Prior to that, Spence had guest appearances in such notable television series as The X-Files and Outer Limits, and a starring role along side Charles Bronson in CBX's movies Family of Cops 1, 2 and 3.
In his first film, the award-winning Boys of St. Vincent, Spence won high praise for his outstanding portrayal of Kevin Reevey, a tortured young man trying to live a normal life, yet forced to confront his past of childhood sexual abuse in an orphanage at the hands of the very priests entrusted with his care. Upon the heels of this praise winning performance, Spence co-stars in Misa Shum's dark comedy Drive, She Said in which Spence plays Jonathan, an uptight, commitment -phobic young man.
This was certainly a far cry from the elite smoke-jumping firefighter Spence plays in 20th Century Fox's Firestorm. Never one to be typecast, Spence revels in the vast range of characters he has been called on to play. His numerous stage credits include such notable plays as King Lear, Crime and Punishment, Wolf In the Fold and The Great Fire Show. It is no coincidence that Spence shoes acting as his profession. His father, the late Michael Cook, was a renowned playwright and his mother, Janis Spence, is also a successful playwright and actor. So in truth Sebastian Spence is simply keeping up the family tradition.
JOHN LONE as Husband
In Paper Moon Affair, John Lone plays Keiko's dominating husband: alternately charming, mysterious and cold.
At a time when cultural barriers around the world are breaking down at an ever increasing pace, John Lone stands out as an actor ready for this new age. Transcending stereotypes, his portrayals have gained their strength and appeal through a deep sense of touching both the universal and the personal. His unique combination of gifts contributes to an undeniable screen presence.
John Lone's three most recent films testify to the scope and diversity of his talent. In David Cronenberg's film adaptation of the Broadway hit M Butterfly, Lone starred in the title role as the captivating muse who seduces and coerces a French diplomat into duplicity. In the 1994 release, The Shadow, Lone portrayed Alec Baldwin's nemesis, Shiwan Khan, the last warrior descendent of Genghis Khan, who would stop at nothing to gain world domination, much as the Shadow would do everything in his power to prevent him. In Jonathan Lawton's 1995 release of The Hunted, Lone starred as a ninja in a haunting story of revenge and pursuit set in contemporary Japan.
Lone catapulted to international attention with the title role in Bernardo Bertolucci's Oscar-winning The Last Emperor. With a series of starring roles in feature films and two Golden Globe nominations, Lone's artistry as a actor has been highly regarded by critics and audiences alike.
Lone made his theatrical film debut portraying a prehistoric man brought back to life in Fred Schepisi's Iceman. He next played a suave and dangerous Chinese underworld kingpin in Michael Cimino's crime drama The Year of the Dragon. His subsequent roles include that of an enigmatic businessman/art collector living among expatriates in 1920's Paris in Alan Rudolph's The Moderns, and a Balinese dancer involved in an interracial love affair (with Wendy Hughes) in Philip Noyce's Echoes of Paradise. Lone was also responsible in helping to assemble an international creative team for the independent feature films, Shadow of China and Shanghai 1920. He was exhilarated by the experience these two opportunities provided in bridging differences in the cultural and artistic worlds his own life and career has spanned.
Lone was born in Hong Kong and became orphaned early on. In the absence of traditional educational opportunities and through his own young instincts, he was sent, at an early age, to live with a monastic- like company of the Beijing Opera. There he trained in the highly disciplined and rigorous formal arts of classical Chinese theater. Eventually, feeling confined by the regimentation of the Beijing Opera, coupled with his own growing curiosity of the world outside, he sought other opportunities. A gifted performer of grace and ability, Lone passed up the offer of a ten-year contract to be groomed as a star for the Hong Kong cinema establishment and instead chose to pursue his own brand of artistic expression. This determination and a growing interest in Western culture led him to the United States.
Lone's initial American success was in David Henry Hwang's play FOB at Joseph Papp's Public Theatre in New York. His performance earned him an Obie Award and the serious attention of the New York theater world. Hwang wrote his next play, The Dance and the Railroad, specifically for Lone. In this critically heralded production, Lone not only played the lead but also served as director, choreographer and composer. After a successful theatrical run, his production was showcased on television as part of the New York Shakespeare Festival/ABC Arts Productions. Lone made his directorial debut with the PBS/American Playhouse production of Paper Angels, based on a play that he had directed for the New York stage.
Choosing his roles with conviction, Lone is pleased with the thought that audiences seem to "rediscover" him with each project. From childhood onward, life and art have joined together uniquely for this charismatic actor. As he recently said, "Ideally acting, even directing, is about revelation and sharing. I've been very lucky to have the opportunity, the good fortune to have a life and career which lets me experience that so often."
PHIL GRANGER as Bill
"David was a wonderful director to work with, we spoke the same language."
Phil Granger
Phil Granger moved to Los Angeles at the age of 19 to follow his dream of acting and has never looked back. While in LA, Phil co-founded the critically acclaimed Naked Stage Theatre Company where he was the artistic director from 1985-1991. While working in Theatre in LA, Phil won a variety of awards including the prestigious Los Angeles Theatre Alliance Award and was named Best New Director. In addition he received two Hollywood Dramalogue Awards for outstanding achievement in Theatre, one for Best Director and the other for Best Actor.
Since moving to Vancouver in the early 90's, Phil has been in over 40 Feature Films, has been a regular or recurring in four Television Series and had 22 Guest Star roles including Neon Rider for which he won the coveted Gemini Award for Best Guest Performance. The past year has been one of Phil's busiest with 4 feature leads under his belt working opposite the likes of Christian Slater and Selma Blair.
The Film Makers
David Tamagi,
Director & Screenwriter
Born in Yokohama in 1969, he spent the first four years of his life in an American Catholic Mission in Kanegawa Prefecture and was given the name Shigeo Aoki. Adopted by a second generation Japanese Canadian family, he was given the name Shigeo (David) Tamagi and arrived in Canada in 1973 and grew up in Kelowna, BC on an apple orchard.
David studied art at Okanagan College, then moved on to Banff Centre but had always had a passion for motion picture and still photography since high school. While producing low budget independent music videos in Vancouver, David was hired as a photographer for BC Parks. In 1992, David was offered a job in Hong Kong directing music videos for Sony Music, BMG Music and Polygram Music for many prominent pop stars. He became a freelance producer/director and lived in Hong Kong for two years directing television commercials for agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi and Grey Advertising. Upon returning to Vancouver, many of David's old clients retained his services and today he produces and directs commercials in Vancouver, Hong Kong and Los Angeles.
David began writing screenplays in 1990, something he has enjoyed since he was eleven years old when Readers Digest published a seventy-page short story of his. The story was about two cyborg robots that became friends while on the run from humans who had decided that robots had become too intelligent and dangerous. David had never heard of Bladerunner until four years after it was released. David finances and produces his own short films on what he calls 'learning experiments'. Twice a year he invites ten to twenty actors, writers and camera people to participate in a workshop he calls First Act during which all are invited to a ranch in Merrit for a long weekend to make a short film.
Much of David's visual style is influenced by his love of nature and water. He says "much of his work is dictated by how the sky and clouds reflects light onto his subjects, which he says is important because it is this light upon which all of humanity relies on in order to live and breathe". "It is this same light," he says, "Which also dictates mood and feelings depending on the time of day." When one looks at his commercial and music video work, one sees clouds and water and reflected light in almost every shot.
Thomas Fung,
Executive Producer
Originally from Hong Kong, Mr. Thomas Fung studied film production in New York University. He is trained in theatrical film production and professional photography and has produced a number of Chinese language feature films in Hong Kong. In 1978, he financed the Hollywood feature The Wild Geese, starring Richard Burton & Roger Moore with tremendous success, then went on to make a sequel. In 1984, he founded the Fairchild Group whose portfolio includes property development, television and radio broadcasting, publishing, retail, and web design. His vast accomplishments have achieved international media attention and Time Magazine has named him one of the most influential people in Canada.
Michael Parker,
Producer & Screenwriter
Michael Parker is an award-winning Vancouver-based writer/director/producer. He has been involved in the production of feature films and documentaries for the past 15 years. Michael's films have been celebrated in festivals and commercially released around the world.
Michael's service production company, Maple Ridge Films has line-produced several Asian feature films and television series including the Jackie Chan blockbuster Rumble in the Bronx and Andy Lau's Saviour of the Soul II. President of the independent production company, Holiday Pictures, Michael is writer and associate producer for the first-ever Canada - Hong Kong co-production, Young Offenders. Building on their strong connections with Asia, Michael then wrote, produced and directed Lunch with Charles. The Genie Award nominated film won 3 Leo Awards (Best Director, Best Screenwriter, Best Music) out of 7 nominations and was voted by Shanghai Daily as one of the 10 "must-see" films at the Shanghai International Film Festival.
Michael is the executive producer of the Gemini-Award winning documentary, "Made in China - the story of adopted Chinese girls in Canada." Nationally broadcast in Canada by CTV and Vision TV, the film was the recipient of The Canada Award; was selected as Best Feature Documentary in the San Diego Asian Film Festival; and was nominated for a Golden Sheaf Award. Michael is the producer and writer of Call it Karma, filmmaker Geoff Browne's compelling documentary about a Tibetan monk. Best Adventure Film winner at the Whistler Film Festival and Leo Award nominee, Call it Karma recounts a remarkable pilgrimage from a remote village in Tibet, across the Himalayas, through Nepal and India to a world apart in Vancouver. In addition, Michael has recently written and directed Hong Kong Express. Nominated for a Best Program Leo Award, the one-hour documentary is a playful look at the phenomenon of Canadian-born ethnically Chinese women winning international Chinese beauty pageants and their subsequent meteoric rise to fame in the Asian entertainment world. Michael was a co-recipient of the inaugural Channel M Award for cultural diversification at the 2005 Leo Awards for Holiday Pictures's forthcoming project, Our Family Pictures.
In addition to several projects with Fairchild Films, Michael is currently developing the feature, What Price Peace - the true story of his Uncle's campaign to bring peace to Northern Ireland following the killing of his 14 year old son on Belfast's infamous 1972 Bloody Friday.
Jilena Cori,
After graduating from university with a Political Science degree, she went to the University of Florence in Italy with a scholarship. Upon returning to Canada, she attended BCIT and further acquired a degree in Journalism and Broadcasting. She has since become a freelance journalist specializing in technical writing. She subsequently has developed a passion for both acting and writing. She has written three features films namely Anna Stasia - a character driven dramatic thriller, Round Two - a romantic comedy and My Memorable Affair. She has also written and directed three short features, PetsRus which has been nominated in the Best Short Film category in the VFS Film Festival as well as Reggies On Top, winner of 48 Hour Film Festival in Vancouver. She has also written a variety of TV pilots within the last three years.
Luc St. Pierre,
Music Composer
Born in Ottawa, Canada in 1965, Luc St. Pierre began composing music at the age of 6. For many years he studied piano while performing in a variety of musical ensembles before entering the Universite de Montreal to pursue his interests in orchestral and electro acoustic composition with Allan Belkin and Marcelles Deschesnes.
He subsequently worked in both the U.K. and Belgium collaborating with several world-renowned producers to develop his eclectic and highly original style. Today, St. Pierre's work continues to draw on a very broad range of musical influences, allowing him to create masterful compositions in genres as diverse as 'trip-hop' and electronic soundscape, to sophisticated classical orchestral scores of great sophistication and beauty. He has recently composed the music for Malcolm Clarkes Academy Nominated documentary feature, Prisoner of Paradise along with Geoff Browne's Call it Karma.
Mary-Ann Liu,
Production Designer
Born in Hong Kong, Mary-Ann Liu is a sculptor, graphic designer and production designer now living in Vancouver, B.C. After graduating with top honours at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, Mary-Ann began to work in the local film industry as a graphic designer, art director and production designer. Ms. Liu has worked as a graphic designer on the television series, James Cameron's Dark Angel, John Woo's Lost in Space and John Doe. Her feature film credits as production designer/art director include Stanley Tong's Rumble in the Bronx, Enemy Amongst Us, New York Tempest, and most recently Julia Kwan's Eve & The Fire Horse. Ms. Liu is also an award-winning sculptor and created the dragon sculptures in Vancouver's Chinatown as well as the monument, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which is prominently displayed in the nation's capital.
Ileana Peitrobruno,
Ileana Pietrobruno is an editor who has worked on several Vancouver productions, most recently for directors such as Ann Marie Fleming (The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam), Evan Adams (Kla Ah Men) and Desiree Lim (Floored By Love). Ileana is also a director/writer who has made numerous short films and two feature films - the darkly surreal Cat Swallows Parakeet and Speaks! and the raucous gender-bending Girl King, which is quickly gaining an underground cult following. Her films have won numerous awards and has screened at over a hundred film festivals; including the Toronto International Film Festival, Frameline International Film Festival, and the Berlin International Film Festival.
Garry M.B. Smith,
Garry Smith has over 15 years experience in editing feature films and documentaries. He has worked on a diverse portfolio including the horror film Snakehead Terror, the dramatic thriller Water's Edge, the Leo-Nominated film Pressure and the black comedy Seven Stories. Garry has extensive knowledge of editing, postproduction and has coordinated post production between Canada and the Czech Republic. Garry has travelled extensively in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Robert New,
Director of Photography
Robert New has been the director of photography on 12 feature films and numerous television films and series featuring several stars including Jamie Lee Curtis and Leslie Neilson Prom Night; David Arquette, Erika Christensen, Barbara Hershey, Cliff Robertson in Stephen King's Riding the Bullet, Parker Posey, Christopher Lloyd, Gill Bellows in Dinner at Fred's, Jean-Claude Van Damme in Lionheart; Rae Dawn Chong The Borrower; Martin Sheen, Robert Loggia, Jimmy Smits The Believers and much more. He has worked in both the US and Canada.
David Tamagi,
(Independent Short)
|Exec. Prod: James Wood, Dinean Stayk
A charming look at a young, free-spirited woman's obsession with a recently heartbroken policeman for whom she makes coffee.
(TV Drama Pilot)
|Exec. Prod: Danny Hui, Martin Burien
Two brothers immigrate to North America in the 1930's and lead two very different lives; one becomes a model citizen and the other leads a life of crime and greed.
(Short Film)
|Exec. Prod: Christian LeLievre
A series of short films of "Women on the Subway" in different cities around the world.
|Exec. Prod: Danny Hui
Semi-autobiographical story of three boys growing up in a Chinese Opera School during the Great Revolution in the 1950's.
A man has turned away from 17 years of life on the streets. Following his drug rehabilitation, he visits his former hangouts.
Production Note:
A small fishing village on a remote corner of the Pacific Northwest is stunned by the arrival of Keiko, a mysterious and radiantly beautiful Japanese woman, accompanied by her cold but wealthy Chinese husband. Abruptly abandoned in an isolated beach house, the fragile and seemingly inept young woman proves to be a disrupting and exciting influence. She forms an intense bond with the local authority, Vern, who is trapped in an unhappy marriage; then starts a platonic friendship with 19-year old Hart. Innocent and earnest by nature, Hart chafes at the burden of care taking an alcoholic father and the pettiness of small town gossip. His dreams of life beyond his depressed island community intensify in the company of the exotic, artistic and overwhelmingly attractive older woman. When Keiko decides to leave, their relationship turns torrid.
Fairchild Films International is proud to present PAPER MOON AFFAIR. Based on a story by Executive Producer Thomas Fung, Paper Moon Affair tells of an abandoned Japanese beauty that fascinates the inhabitants of a remote West Coast village, and in turn is fascinated by two very different local men. Produced by Michael Parker, Paper Moon Affair is David Tamagi feature directorial debut.
Multiple award winner Misa Shimizu (The Eel, Cannes Palme d'Or 1997, Warm Water Under a Red Bridge, Cannes 2001) stars as "Keiko" an enigmatic Japanese beauty forced to find herself while lost in a remote Pacific northwest corner of North America. John Lone (Bertolucci's The Last Emperor) makes a special appearance as her husband and recent multi Jessie Award nominee Brendan Fletcher (Terry Gilliam's Tideland) stars as "Hart" a young man who discovers his inner strength and sexuality through his encounter with the Japanese woman. Sebastian Spence (Crossing, Dawson's Creek) is "Vern" an unhappy romantic who must decide just how much he is willing to lose for the possibility of love.
Rounding out the cast is Philip Granger (Flower & Garnet, Lunch With Charles) as "Bill" Hart's father, whose slide from affluent fish boat owner to the local town drunk, famous for his violent binges, has seriously jeopardized his relationship with his son, and Brenda James (The Practice, Red River) is "Lucinda", Bill's daughter and Vern's neglectful wife.
PAPER MOON AFFAIR is directed by commercial/music video producer/director David Tamagi and marks this young Canadians debut feature film. Producer Michael Parker (Lunch with Charles) is a pioneer of Asian/Canadian co-productions who has won awards as a writer, director and producer. The executive producer is Thomas Fung, named by Time Magazine as one of the most influential people in Canada. Founder of the Fairchild Group (property development, television and radio broadcasting, publishing, retail, and web design) Fung has also financed several International films including the Hollywood feature, Wild Geese, starring Richard Burton and Roger Moore. He recently launched Fairchild Films International.
One of Thomas Fung's inspirations for the film came from a Chinese expression, loosely translated as "The moon reflecting on the water is an illusion". This sparked the idea for Keiko, a woman who finds love in an unlikely relationship with the younger Hart.
After meeting several actors from Japan, the team was thrilled to meet Misa Shimizu. Possessing a deep talent and impressive commitment, Misa's only challenge came from having to perform for the first time in English. "She is a remarkably talented performer", says Producer Michael Parker. "Her great concern to understand every nuance of the script meant that she would go to great lengths to fully absorb what was written. On at least one occasion, this meant long distance phone-calls to a translator while filming on a remote beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island." Her dedication to the film was put to the test during one scene that called for her to collapse on the sand wearing a scant nightgown. Ice-cold Pacific Ocean water surged over her for take after take.
Brendan Fletcher was a preferred choice for Hart from early on. During an initial meeting, the filmmakers learnt that Fletcher grew up in a small town on Vancouver Island - Hart was a character that he could very much relate to. "Brendan is a strong, physical actor with a great presence. His ability to possess the angst of a young man torn between family responsibility and the burning desire for something more appears effortless to him." From the emotional confrontation with his father to the sensitive love scene with Keiko, Brendan Fletcher possesses a captivating raw intensity.
Looking for a strong performer to play Misa's husband, the producers were able to get a script to stage and screen star, John Lone. "John's role is small but pivotal. He understood that and was constantly reminding David not to feature him - something that was difficult given his stature. Fortunately, he had no inhibitions whatsoever to appear as a cad who would dump his wife in the middle of nowhere."
PAPER MOON AFFAIR is written by David Tamagi, Michael Parker and Jilana Cori from an original story by Thomas Fung. The director of photography is Robert C. New, (Stephen Kings Riding the Bullet) production designer is Mary-Ann Liu (Eve & the Fire Horse) and the Music Composer is Luc St. Pierre (Prisoner of Paradise).
Factoids by Michael Paker
Where was Paper Moon shot?
The main house was shot on Bowen Island. The scenes that feature the waves and ocean was shot in Tofino, on the West coast of Vancouver Island. We dressed the town set at Celtic Shipyards, a remote industrial pocket in Vancouver. The countryside and driving shots were in the Mission area.
How many days to shoot?
All that in just 20 days!
How long did it take for Paper Moon to be finally done from story to post?
The idea for the story had been with the executive producer, Thomas Fung since 2000. The first working draft for the script was ready by the fall of 2003 and we went into production in May 2004. The first answer print was ready in March 2005.
Incidents on set?
There were discussions during the scene where Vern (Sebastian Spence) is driving with Hart (Brendan Fletcher) as to how reckless to make it once Hart starts beating Vern. David asked Vern to drive as wildly as he felt comfortable with and to take out one of the mailboxes. This idea was nixed when we realized that if we broke off a truck mirror, we couldn't get it replaced in time for the next take. Sebastian overheard the first part of the conversation, but not the conclusion. Unexpected by the crew, when we rolled camera, he swerved back and forth brilliantly, and ended up crashing into and knocking down the mailbox. Fortunately the people and the truck were fine - only the camera crew were unnerved. The "burning candle" origami scene was hell to film. The tide was coming in, the wind kept blowing out the candles and the salt-water was turning the origami boats into clumps of wet newsprint. Hurray for CGI!
What do you think is the main message Paper Moon is telling?
While not a real message-kind of film, it describes three people who feel trapped by their environment and find a sense of hope through love. Of course love is a complex emotion - it can be real, it can be fantasized, it can be an illusion.
Were there any different endings that you were contemplating?
The film has a bitter-sweet ending, as life often does. There was a beautiful scene shot between Hart (Brendan Fletcher) and his dad (Phil Granger) where they make up. As much as we love the scene, whenever it was cut in it just had a nagging feeling of redundancy. We already know Hart forgives and loves his father and seeing it just seemed to take away from the impact of the current ending.
What was the mood on set? Did everyone work well together?
We had a brilliant crew that were highly dedicated and believed in the film. Given the tight schedule and challenging locations, it was difficult for David to make his days and we had to keep people moving. Fortunately Bob New and his camera crew were able to deliver stunning images.
What did you have the most fun with while producing this movie?
David and I took a small crew to do some 2nd unit pick-up shots. We filmed butterfly wings for the opening credit sequence, lots of waves and the aerial footage. When you have a tight, structured shoot, there is nothing better than the freedom of being able to fly through a series of off-the-cuff pick up shots with a handful of people.
What was your vision for this movie in the beginning?
Thomas Fung's inspiration for the film was a modern version of "Summer of '42". He wanted to tell the story of a young man who encounters and falls for an older woman who comes from such a different class and background that she is seemingly unattainable to him. It was this, combined with the Chinese expression referencing love that says, "The moon reflecting in the water is an illusion." I wrote a treatment for him in 2000 and then went on to make my feature "Lunch with Charles". Thomas called me up in 2003 with a script and director attached and asked me to come on board as a writer/producer. I had the task of merging the drafts by Jilena and David. In the end, I'm happy with how it came together.
What was the hardest thing about producing this film?
When the first cut was made, several scenes were deleted and there was an extensive narration added. This was not the film we shot and we had to do a fairly considerable re-edit. Fortunately, I knew what we had to work with and believed that it could be turned around. We were able to complete a new cut in time for the Cannes selection. The film was short-listed for Critic's week and in the end, made it down to the final dozen. That gave us back our confidence that we were making a beautiful film.
Any quick facts?
The film was shot in High Definition. It features the first English language performance by the Japanese star Misa Shimizu. Both Brendan Fletcher and David Tamagi grew up in small towns. Sebastian Spence (Vern) really is "from the other coast" - he grew up in Newfoundland. Except for one butterfly nick- named "Ed", who escaped into the lofts of the studio where we did the insert shots and hasn't been seen since, all other butterflies were released into the wild to live happily ever after.
Director's Note
On Thomas Fung...
I think it's remarkable that one man would invest his own money into a film. This is art, taking risks with so many unknowns - especially a new director- which is rare these days.
On Misa Shimizu...
I hope all actors/actresses I work with are like Misa.
On the Creative Process...
What you see in your mind and what ends up on the screen can be drastically different. What a number of people see in their minds of the same movie and what ends up being produced can be very interesting - much like children. It's a huge responsibility and by the time that child walks out of the home you either have a person that people either like or hate - much like a film. Commitment is an enormous part of the filmmaking process. On what makes a movie work. You need a good story - how you interpret the story can be called the 'emotional impact'. These are key. Everything else is just by accident and can be attributed to 'style'.
On being a first time Director...
I'm hooked. I'd do it again in a heartbeat (a lot of things differently, mind you) but I can't wait to sink my teeth into something substantial with the same good actors and committed crew and producers. For one, I like the food on the movie sets better than on commercials.
Credits & Contact
Sales Contact:
Michael Parker, Fairchild Films International
Fairchild Films International Ltd.
Fairchild Films International was formed by Mr. Thomas Fung to produce and distribute a diverse number of quality feature films for the international community.
Mr. Thomas Fung has a passion and vision for film that has continued since his film studies at New York University. Since that time he has written, directed and produced his own work and has executive produced and financed several Hong Kong productions along with the Hollywood feature Wild Geese starring Roger Moore and Richard Burton.
The company's inaugural film is Paper Moon Affair starring Misa Shimizu, John Lone and Brendan Fletcher and is based on an original concept by Thomas Fung.
Paper Moon Film Ltd.
Paper Moon Film Ltd. is incorporated for the sole purpose of producing the feature film Paper Moon Affair. The company is controlled and owned by Mr. Thomas Fung through an ultimate parent company, i.e. Fairchild Media Group and Fairchild Property Group.
As witnessed in his personal resume, Mr. Thomas Fung is trained in theatrical film production and has personally produced a number of Chinese language feature films when he was back in Hong Kong. Mr. Fung is in his 10th year of operating two nationwide Chinese language TV stations under his Fairchild Media Group. The production team has a wealth of experience and know-how in terms of television and film production. These team members will be an asset to his newly setup Canadian film production venture.
Paper Moon Affair Credits
Fairchild Films International Presents
A Paper Moon Film Production
Misa Shimizu
Brendan Fletcher
Sebastian Spence
Philip Granger
And Special Appearance by John Lone
Canadian casting by
Candice Elzinga
Music Composer
Luc St. Pierre
Edited by
Garry M.B. Smith & Ileana Pietrobruno
Production Designer
Mary-Ann Liu
Director of Photography
Robert New
Story by
Thomas Fung
Screenplay by
David Tamagi, Michael Parker & Jilena Cori
Executive Producer
Thomas Fung
Michael Parker
Directed by David Tamagi
Fairchild Films International Presents
A Paper Moon Film Production
Misa Shimizu
Brendan Fletcher
Sebastian Spence
Philip Granger
And Special Appearance by John Lone
Canadian casting by
Candice Elzinga
Music Composer
Luc St. Pierre
Edited by
Garry M.B. Smith & Ileana Pietrobruno
Production Designer
Mary-Ann Liu
Director of Photography
Robert New
Story by
Thomas Fung
Screenplay by
David Tamagi, Michael Parker & Jilena Cori
Executive Producer
Thomas Fung
Michael Parker
Directed by David Tamagi
©2005 Fairchild Films International. All Rights Reserved.


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subset: commoncrawl


text:
There are Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) in the market which cater to multiple industries and their privacy needs based on the use case. But the finance industry has to deal with some standard contracts and trades which are usual in nature and have pre-defined economic attributes. In order to have least turn-around time and DLT implementation Corda has designed an architecture specific to financial agreements and manage financial assets. This would allow global adoption across the financial industry and thereby end up creating industry technology standards for DLT.
Corda began as a single global ledger but when the transaction involves a small subgroup of parties, corda tries to keep the relevant data purely within the subgroup. Corda is a permissioned blockchain which gives the control of government to the organizations participating in the transaction. Corda, designed specifically for the finance industry tackles the issues of privacy and scalability but reaching a consensus on the participants involved in the transaction level and not inside the distributed ledger level making it better suited for the financial industry. Corda is mostly inclined towards handling complex transactions in addition to restricting access to highly sensitive data
The architecture and deliberate choices of corda for persisting and proceeding financial agreements include three major benefits:
- Ledgers managed by this system will be accessible only to those entities which have a legitimate interest in the assets and agreements they manage.
- The conduct of financial agreements managed by the system will be described in computer code (smart contract) that explicitly refers to and gains its legality from over-arching lawful prose.
- To gain wide acceptance across the financial community, portions of the system will be open source for the open development process and proliferate open technological industry standards.
Corda seeks to eradicate a good number of issues that smother transactions between businesses, by making it possible for businesses to transact via smart contracts. The use of smart contracts makes it possible for the platform to execute tasks as soon as conditions programmed in the smart contract are achieved in real time.
In addition to making it easy for businesses to complete transactions, the commercial distribution platform also comes with unique features such as corporate firewalls as well as features for 24/7 support. Users can also take advantage of predictable release schedules as well as product management features
Corda Key Features:
- Corda prevents any unnecessary sharing of data on the blockchain as only people with legitimate need and access have access to a network.
- Corda platform enables the sharing of data in a network without the need for a central authority
- The consensus is achieved at the level of individuals transacting rather than the entire system
- Corda's design comes with regulatory and supervisory observer nodes.
- Corda blockchain platforms support a wide variety of consensus mechanism and are built on industry-standard tools
- It does not have a native currency.


text:
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Joyetech Cuboid 150W Dual 18650 TC Firmware Upgradeable Mod to 200W
Joyetech Cuboid 150W Dual 18650 TC Firmware Upgradeable Mod to 200W
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Joyetech Cuboid 150W Dual 18650 TC Firmware Upgradeable Mod to 200W
Introducing the Joyetech Cuboid an incredibly small dual 18650 battery TC mod! It is just slightly larger than the Joyetech Evic-VTC single 18650 mod! The Joyetech Cuboid uses the Variable Temperature Control system with firmware V3.0 and 150W output which includes Titanium, Nickel, and Stainless Steel 316 in TC Mode and customized TCR available now.
The Joyetech Cuboid features stainless steel 510 threads and a wide border which matches quite nicely with larger sized tanks. The Joyetech Cuboid is powered by two replaceable 18650 cells with the new slip-open cover. Multiple colors, 0.96-inch OLED screen and the new dual-battery bar display make it more practical and attractive catering to your preference.
Upgradeable firmware ensures that your device is always up to date.
Firmware 3.10 for the Joyetech Cuboid now available which allows you to upgrade to 200W!
Features and Specs:
Dimensions: 3-5/8" x 1-5/8" x 1-1/8"
Stainless Steel 510 Threads
Temperature Control: Nickel, Titanium, Stainless Steel 316 and TCR Mode
Output Wattage: 1-150W
Temperature Control Range: 100 - 315C / 200 - 600F
Resistance Range: 0.05-1.5ohm for Variable Temperature Mode
Resistance Range: 0.1-3.5ohm for Variable Wattage Mode
Requires (2) 18650 High Amp Batteries (sold separately)
Upgradable Firmware
Multi-Colored 0.96-inch OLED Screen
Dual Battery Display Bar
New Slip-Open Battery Cover for Simple Battery Changes
Micro USB Port for Firmware Updates and Charging
**We recommend an external charger for optimal charging**
Reverse Battery Polarity Protection
New Firmware V3.10 for Cuboid Available
Cuboid can be upgraded via VT Software. The new firmware V3.10 for Cuboid, increases maximum output up to 200W.
Cuboid enables you to adjust TCR values for different materials, thus further improving the accuracy of temperature control and bringing you the great taste. There are three options (M1, M2, M3) for you to customize the TCR regarding to the material. In power-off condition, press the fire button and the right regulator simultaneously for around 5 seconds, then you enter into the TCR set menu.
Firmware update now available through official Joyetech website or click here:
Please note: Temperature control requires the use of nickel, titanium, stainless wire.
The Cuboid will include a 30 day Limited Warranty against any manufacturing defects from the date of delivery. Scratches and discoloration from regular use is considered normal wear and tear and is not covered by warranty.
NOTE: Use special caution when working with Li-ion cells, they are very sensitive to charging characteristics and may explode or burn if mishandled. Make sure the user has enough knowledge of Li-Ion rechargeable batteries in charging, discharging and assembly before use. Always charge in/on a fire-proof surface. Never leave charging batteries unattended. We are not responsible for damage if there is any modification of the batteries/chargers in any form or shape (including pack making). We are not responsible for any damage caused by misuse or mishandling of Li-Ion batteries and chargers.
This device should only be used with rechargeable Lithium Ion IMR batteries with an amp limit of 20A or higher. Using other batteries can be potentially hazardous.
simply4vapor.com will not be held responsible or liable for any injury, damage, or defect, permanent or temporary that may be caused by the improper use of a LI-ION battery. Please have a basic understanding of the batteries you are using and how to care for them properly.
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Graduation Wine Glass
Tax included.
Personalized gold glittered name and graduation cap stemless wine glass. Glasses are hand glittered and sealed with a non-toxic, water based sealant so that the glitter won't flake off. The lettering is done with high quality, water resistant vinyl on a 17 oz stemless wine glass.
If you would like the color to be changed, please message me prior to ordering.
Also available as non-glittered.
* Handwash Only
* Do not soak in water
~**~ Glittered items take 2 weeks BEFORE shipping. Items are shipped First Class Mail which is 2-5 business days. ~ ** ~


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Yes I know. I am weak.
But I am human.
And it IS chocolate!!!
Do you forgive me?
And since I am currently quite mad about baking the magic custard cake, yes, you guessed it, I made a chocolate version!
So I shall stop yakking, and tell you how to make this cake!
In a saucepan, I melted the butter. Once the butter had melted, I added the chocolate and stirred until all the chocolate had melted. This was set aside.
Yes, I think everyone in my house heaved a sigh of relief now that chocolate is back on the menu again.
So all is good. :)
To celebrate winning The Best Cooking Blog at in this year's Singapore Blog Awards, I am giving away a set of Philips Jaime Oliver Stick Blender. Set includes hand blender, chopper and whisk.
"The new Philips Jamie Oliver hand blender features a strong 650W motor with a simple "on / off" button as well as a turbo button, ensuring that busy families can enjoy fresh, healthy food every night of the week. The compact chopper stands sturdy on any kitchen counter and is useful when chopping smaller quantities of onions, herbs or cheese. Homemade pesto and salsas are also really simple to make and add a completely fresh touch to your meals. It also includes a whisk that attaches easily to your hand blender top. It is useful when preparing fluffy whipped cream and homemade mayonnaise. The innovative ProMix technology represents the ultimate in speed and efficacy, to deliver only the finest and evenly cut results. The 1.0L beaker with lid keeps smoothies and batters fresh and is really useful when preparing homemade sauces, pancake batters or smoothies with your hand blender. If you don't finish the batch in one go, pop on the lid and keep it in the fridge for later. It couldn't be easier!"
To take part in the giveaway, simply click on the icon below!
Chocolate Magic Custard Cake (Serves 10-12)
Adapted from White Rice on Couple
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
1/4 cup (45g) chocolate - I used Valrhona 70%
2 1/2 cups (600ml) milk - I used whole milk
1 cup (115g) plain flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/8 cup (44g) cocoa powder - I used Valrhona
4 large eggs, separated
1/8 teaspoon white vinegar
1 3/4 cups (210g) icing sugar
2 tablespoons (30ml) espresso, lukewarm
1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
extra incing sugar sugar for dusting - I used a combination of icing sugar and cocoa powder
fresh berries for garnish - optional
whipped cream for garnish - optional
Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Lightly grease a 8x8-inch baking pan.
Melt the butter and set aside to slightly cool. Warm the milk to lukewarm and set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and cocoa powder. Set aside.
Whip the egg whites with vinegar to stiff peaks. Set aside.
Beat the egg yolks and sugar until light. Beat in the melted butter, espresso, and vanilla extract for about 2 minutes or until evenly incorporated.
Mix in the flour/cocoa into the batter until evenly incorporated. Gently whisk in the milk until everything is well mixed.
Whisk in the egg whites in three batches until all of the egg whites are folded in.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until when you gently shake the cake, it is slightly jiggly.
Allow cake to completely cool before cutting and then dust with confectioner's sugar and/or cocoa powder.
Garnish with fresh berries if desired.
This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs Up organised by Bake for Happy Kids and My Little Favourite DIY, and hosted by Diana from the Domestic Goddess Wannabe.


text:
Laneway Presents, Penny Drop, Chugg Entertainment, Noisey & FBi RADIO Bring You
RAVYN LENAE With Special Guest Baro
Event Details
"Ravyn Lenae makes vital songs to fall in and out of love to" - The Fader
"'Crush' showcases Lenae's mesmerising voice and penchant for slithery harmonies atop Lacy's production, which is filled with unique chord progressions and rich live instrumentation" - Pigeons & Planes
"A cool and almost mystical teenage talent" - The Guardian
Chicago R&B newcomer RAVYN LENAE will land in Australia for the first time, ready to woo local audiences with songs from her debut EP Crush, executive produced by The Internet's Steve Lacy.
Listed as one of Billboard's 2018 Top 10 Rising Artists Under 21, Ravyn's intoxicating vocal and unique brand of futuristic soul make her one of the most exciting artists of 2018.
Her sultry single 'Sticky' has drawn vast critical acclaim, with Pitchfork declaring it Best New Track while raving that, "Sticky is a steamy affair with a slinky R&B beat, but Lenae sounds like a playfully annoyed lover, glued into a relationship that's falling apart." '4 Leaf Clover' featuring Steve Lacy is as punchy as it is alluring.
She has appeared on Noname's Telefone album cut 'Forever', toured with SZA, and has released three EP's in the past three years. Next, Ravyn introduces Australia to her neo-soul at club shows in February.


text:
In 1942 – Hedy Markey and composer George Antheil received a US. patent for a frequency-hopping device. The technique has led to many advancements in wireless technology including Wi-Fi. Markey was better known under her stage name of Hedy Lamarr.
In 1950 – Steve Wozniak was born in San Jose, California. He would grow up to invent the first successful personal computer, and revolutionize desktop computing.
In 1965 – Shinji Mikami was born in Japan. He grew up to become a video game designer for Capcom, revolutionizing survival-horror games with his popular series, Resident Evil.
Like Tech History? Get the illustrated Year in Tech History at Merritt's Books site.


text:
Last October (2019), the Amazon.com Associates team sent out a note to affiliate publishers and influencers about the necessity of being clear to their community about the use of affiliate links through multiple disclosures. They sent a follow up reminder today (October 5th, 2020), which further emphasizes what an important topic this is!
Compliance is an incredibly important subject. Still, unfortunately, the email was a bit vague (we had some lingering questions) but it brought up an important point that we didn't previously understand as well as we could have. After getting some clarification, we wanted to share our insights with you and some affiliate disclosure examples to help ensure all of your affiliate marketing efforts (not just for Amazon) won't inevitably violate a guideline from the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") or the Amazon Associates' Operating Agreement.
With this article, we will:
- First, walk through Amazon's recent email, line by line, to provide some additional context.
- Explain the bigger picture and goal of these disclosures.
- Share the best practices around how to stay compliant on both your blog or website.
- Explore best practices for social media (YouTube, Twitter, etc.).
Provide Affiliate disclosure examples
- Share what this specifically means for us with Geniuslink and Kit.
- Provide some of the backstory that we've heard.
- Wrap up with some frequently asked questions.
The main takeaway (aka TL;DR) is that there are two disclosures affiliate marketers need to make any time they post an affiliate link:
- a "link-level" disclosure to meet FTC requirements.
- a site, or channel, level disclosure to meet the Associates Operating Agreement requirements.
How and when to do this correctly is explored below.
Understanding Amazon's Email
The email sent out on October 18th, 2019, titled the "Reminder: Associate Program Disclosure Statement" started with the following paragraph:
This is a bit dense and buries a critical point, so let's break it down.
This is a reminder of your disclosure obligations under the Operating Agreement.
The Amazon Associates Operating Agreement is the legal agreement required to participate in their affiliate program and earn commissions from referring sales to Amazon.com. It's also the rules on how to play the affiliate game with Amazon, and we strongly encourage you to read the doc, even if you are not a lawyer.
In that doc, that you agree to when you first sign up for the Associate's program, there are a few sections explicitly talking about "disclosures." This includes section five in the main agreement (titled "Identifying Yourself as an Associate"), which focuses on a line of text you need to add on your website or social media profile. There is also a section in the accompanying Policies page, section 3. (b) that references the requirements to abide by the FTC's rules around disclosure.
This first sentence is merely noting that you should already be familiar with your obligations around "disclosure" from previously reading the Operating Agreement and the Policies page.
However, we think that this is more than merely a reminder and take it as a strong hint that it's time to up our compliance game.
Any time you share an affiliate link, it's important to disclose that to your audience.
This is the theme for the whole email – you need to be obvious and deliberate in disclosing your affiliate links! This includes not only links on social media but also on your website.
They will trust you more if you are transparent about where you are directing them and why.
"Shopper trust" is an essential theme to Amazon as a whole and for the Associate's program in particular. We also believe it to be one of the primary reasons that they have sections 6. (v) and 6. (w) in the policies page that is specifically talking about being clear to the shopper about where they are being directed.
It can also be reasonably ascertained that this transparency is good for business and what is good for selling on Amazon is good for your commissions.
To meet the Associate Program's requirements, you must (1) include a legally compliant disclosure with your links and (2) identify yourself on your Site as an Amazon Associate with the language required by the Operating Agreement.
This is the line that initially threw me off but likely the most important of the email. It's important to note that there are two (2) disclosures you must make. A single (Amazon Associates) disclosure is a common practice, but it doesn't seem to actually meet both of the previously mentioned requirements.
Previously, the disclosure that most affiliates are familiar with is the generic Amazon Associate affiliate disclosure example, which reads "As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases."
The rules for this disclosure are more forgiving—it's acceptable to 'bury' it a little on your site or channel. For example, it can be placed in the footer of your site or in the 'about' section of your social media channel. However, this disclosure is now secondary on Amazon's list.
The first "legally compliant" disclosure mentioned in Amazon's email is the disclosure that is specified by the FTC. In our experience, this disclosure is rarely provided appropriately. It seems that most affiliate sites fail to include the FTC disclosure, perhaps thinking that the generic Amazon Associates disclosure is enough. As for social media channels, it would seem that many affiliates only think it's necessary to include sponsored content. This is simply wrong!
For social media, a disclosure must accompany every post, video, tweet, etc. that includes an affiliate link. For a blog or website, the disclosure should be visible before any affiliate links. More about this and affiliate disclosure examples in the best practices section below.
The next section of the email dives deep into the two requirements of the FTC regulations around using an affiliate link (the #1 in the previous sentence of the email).
To comply with Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations, your link-level disclosure must be:
Clear. A clear disclosure could be as simple as "(paid link)", "#ad" or "#CommissionsEarned".
2. Conspicuous. It should be placed near any affiliate link or product review in a location that customers will notice easily. They shouldn't have to hunt for it.
With regards to the first point, the blurb must explain the financial (a.k.a. affiliate) relationship "from the perspective of reasonable consumers."
So while the examples above are good, merely stating "affiliate link" or "ambassador" as a disclosure, or having a "buy now" button is not okay as per the FTC's website.
We break down some of the verbiage that appears to be copacetic in the best practices section below.
For the second point about being "Conspicuous," I believe that this is reasonably clear. The link-level FTC disclosure should happen before the affiliate link or immediately afterward. Remember, the placement of the disclosure is as essential as the language of the disclosure!
The following section of the text in the email is specific to the more well-known disclosure.
It simply reads:
We've covered the requirement of including an Amazon Associates disclosure on your website in an earlier blog titled "Amazon Associates – The Ultimate Guide To Getting Your Account Banned" where we deep dive on the subject in section 9/ Not Including An Affiliate Disclaimer (the gist is that you need to include the single sentence on your site!).
In our blog "How to Share Amazon Affiliate Links on Social Media" we discuss the requirements of disclosing your relationship with Amazon on your social media channels (hint – it's okay to place this disclosure once in the "info" or "about" section of your social media channel).
The Bigger Picture
From Amazon's perspective, they shoulder a lot of the responsibility that their affiliate publishers and influencers are correctly disclosing the use of affiliate links.
And, it's Amazon who will bear the burden of the FTC's wrath when publishers and influencers aren't doing this correctly. This is likely why we saw the aforementioned email, which we discuss in the Backstory section below.
The FTC has the mandate to help ensure transparency to the average (American) shopper, specifically that they know when they are being advertised to.
The FTC's Enforcement Policy Statement on Deceptively Formatted Advertisements and the Guides Concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising are all applicable to letting shoppers know whether an affiliate publisher/influencer is genuinely promoting a product or if they are just promoting products for monetary compensation.
Unfortunately, this is a very "black and white" approach by the FTC as many of us only promote products that we genuinely use and like. However, since we use affiliate programs, like the Amazon Associates programs, to be compensated for those recommendations, we need to be upfront with that.
So, even if you use a product every day and swear by it if you are getting paid for promoting the product, then the FTC affiliate disclosure applies to you.
The rumor is that 2019's Prime Day bonanza from Amazon Associates' mass communications to consumers in the US was enough to push a consumer rights group into action and complain to the FTC. It's possible the story we are hearing is what triggered the email we recently saw. We'll explore that story further below.
It's important to note that the Amazon Associates disclosure, that's done at the site or channel level, is specific to using the Amazon Associates program, while the FTC agreement applies to ANY and ALL affiliate marketing that you do, regardless of the affiliate program, affiliate network or reimbursement mechanism.
If you are linking to the affiliate programs of eBay or Walmart or B&H Photo Video, you must still include the link-level FTC disclosure.
Best Practices for Disclosures on a Website or Blog
There have been significant and detailed guides written about FTC compliance, assembled for affiliate publishers, by professionals. These guides appear to be updated regularly, so we'll leave the nitty-gritty to them.
A couple that we found helpful in our research included "FTC Disclosure for Affiliates: The Definitive Guide" and "What the FTC Says About Affiliate Disclosures."
We encourage you to dive into those as well as read some of the high-level points that we think are most important below.
A few general guidelines for the FTC disclosure include:
1/ The verbiage must be clear to "a reasonable consumer." A reasonable consumer probably doesn't know what "affiliate" means with regards to the financial relationship, so spelling that out is essential. Further, it's best to keep the disclosure as short as possible and avoid complicated or technical terms and jargon.
2/ The verbiage must also be "conspicuous" to that reasonable consumer as well. This means no hiding it! As a good rule of thumb, the disclosure should go before any affiliate link is used or immediately after the affiliate link. Further, the disclosure should go above the fold of the website. Finally, the font of the disclosure should be at least the size of the affiliate link, and the text color should have good contrast. A disclosure that is too small or doesn't stand out against the background isn't going to get you off the hook.
3/ Ideally, the verbiage finishes with a hyperlink to the full disclosure on your site. On the page with the full disclosure, you should also include your Amazon Associates disclosure.
One disclosure, multiple links?
We don't yet have a clear answer on if a long-form article or blog post that contains multiple affiliate links requires an FTC level disclosure at every affiliate link that is used. The FTC writes:
While they mention "a single disclosure may be adequate" they follow that up with "the reader can see both the review containing that disclosure and the link at the same time" which implies the disclosure needs to be viewable from all the affiliate links on a page, which on a longer-form piece just isn't possible.
From our review of other Amazon affiliate related blog posts on the subject, the general consensus seems to imply that a substantial disclosure at the beginning of the long(er) form piece should be enough.
However, including multiple disclosures intermittently through your longer-form content or and additional notice in a sidebar that scrolls along is likely the most conservative approach.
While it's hard to be definitive in saying what is okay as it's up to the FTC to make the call, the one thing that is absolutely clear is that an FTC disclosure at the end of the post isn't going to fly.
Affiliate Disclosure Example
While we aren't saying these are wrong, as we aren't qualified to make that decision, only the FTC is, we don't think these are the best-written disclosures:
The "reasonable consumer" likely doesn't understand the financial relationships associated with an affiliate link.
Rather, we like these Affiliate disclosures better:
Both of these follow the term "affiliate link" with a hint at the financial implications. While "fees" is more clear than "commissions" both are better than the first affiliate disclosure examples.
Another few good Affiliate disclosure examples might be:
Here are a few more affiliate disclosure examples we found from prominent websites across the internet that regularly use affiliate links, with my unqualified personal opinion on how strong a disclosure it is:
Wirecutter: Wirecutter is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
Note: While the placement is good, as it's found at the top of the page, it mentions "earn," which shows a financial relationship, and it includes a link to a full disclosure, the inclusion of "reader-supported" dips into a (dark) grey area of Amazon Associates policy around "incentivized clicks" (which we'll discuss below).
TechRadar: TechRadar is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
Note: Very similar to the Wirecutter affiliate disclosure example, I think the placement is great and like the link to a full disclosure, but again mentioning "supported" could be seen as an incentived statement by the Amazon Associates review team.
Windows Central: We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
Note: The shortest yet, I too think this placement (top of the page) and wording is a great example.
Digital Trends: Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.
Note: This disclosure is buried at the bottom of the page in a footer so it may not pass muster.
CNET: AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE CNET may get a commission from retail offers.
Note: This disclosure is also at the footer of the page and while it's one of the shorter ones and the all caps / bold are eye-catching, it's placement and weak use of words in sharing the financial relationship might not pass FTC review in my non-professional opinion.
Asking for support
As you work on exactly what wording you'd like to use for your FTC disclosure, it's crucial to consider one other nuance that can get you in trouble – asking for support or incentivizing clicks on your affiliate links.
Asking your readers, or even hinting, to click your affiliate link to "support" your website is considered a form of "incentivizing" shoppers and is not allowed by the Amazon Associates program in section 6. Content on your site (g) of the Policies page (emphasis is ours):
Therefore you should be careful not to include more verbose language like "Clicking the affiliate links below supports our site" or even something as simple as "supported" or "reader-supported" as "a reasonable consumer" may read that and then click your links even without the intent to buy in hopes the action will support your site.
You have to remember that Amazon wants consumers to purchase because of good recommendations, not as a method to support a site or cause.
To learn more about incentivized clicks, check out section 6 in our blog "Amazon Associates – The Ultimate Guide To Getting Your Account Banned."
Amazon Affiliate Disclosure
Thankfully the Amazon Associates Operating Agreement does a good job precisely outlining what to use for compliance. They simply state (emphasis our own):
While we regularly see this one line Amazon disclosure in the footer of affiliate focused site it seems to be okay to be a bit more buried and live on your About or Terms page. However, it will ideally live on a separate "disclosures" page where you link to, from your FTC disclosure mentioned above.
Best Practices for Social Media
Every tweet on Twitter, post on Facebook, video description on YouTube, pin on Pinterest, etc. that includes an affiliate link also needs to include an affiliate disclosure to be compliant with the FTC. Period.
Unfortunately, this isn't something we, or researchers, regularly see but something that is needed to ensure long term good standing with both Amazon and the FTC (note: a research paper from Princeton University found that 90 percent of affiliate posts on YouTube and Pinterest aren't disclosed to users).
The individual FTC affiliate disclosure examples we've seen can be as simple as "#ad" or slightly longer with "(paid link)", or "#CommissionsEarned".
There are likely many other short phrases that will work, but it's essential when choosing one that you are disclosing that a financial relationship exists and doing so in a way that a "reasonable consumer" would understand.
Unfortunately, "affiliate link" isn't clear enough. The FTC states:
Please share in the comments below what you think is a good hashtag or phrase to include in your posts! The more affiliate disclosure examples, the better.
For a tweet, where the character count is limited, or a short Facebook post, the disclosure can come at the end. However, for longer form Facebook posts or YouTube comments, it's best that the disclosure precedes the affiliate links or immediately follows them.
Leveraging a Choice Page
Another option to completely avoid the requirement to include a link-level FTC disclosure on each social media post is to take advantage of our Choice Pages. These interstitial landing pages are built specifically with Amazon (and now FTC) compliance in mind and include the requisite FTC disclosure immediately after the buy buttons and a link to a full disclosures page that includes the Amazon statement as well.
By dropping in a link to a Choice Page you can stay in compliance and, as our testing has shown, significantly improve conversion rates and earnings per click.
Amazon Disclosure
Amazon perfectly explains in a Resource Center article that the single sentence Amazon affiliate disclosure example ("As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.") can be placed in the "info" or "about" section of their social media profile.
Our Updates
To help ensure full compliance for Amazon Associates publishers with our intelligent link management service and with Kit, we've recently made some changes as well.
For Geniuslink Choice Pages we've always included an "affiliate disclosure" link at the bottom of the page that contains a full disclosure for Amazon Associates as well as for reviews and sponsored content. We now include the sentence "Note: Commissions may be earned from the links above." directly underneath the buy buttons to ensure full FTC compliance for our clients using our Choice Pages.
For Kit, we are now including the sentence "Note: Commissions may be earned from the links below." directly below the title and description of each kit and directly above the individual product listings.
Affiliate disclosure example on Kit page.
Rumor has it… (The backstory on this email?)
While it's always a good time to double-check on your affiliate links, especially in relation to compliance, it seems that the email we received may not have been entirely out of the blue.
A nod to Dom Wells at OnFolio for the tip. He speculates that Amazon is under additional scrutiny from the FTC after this year's massive 2019 Prime Day event. The story goes that a consumer protection group, Public Citizen, noticed a barrage of outreach to Americans across email, social media, and websites for Amazon Prime Day deals and the bulk of them were not disclosed at all or done improperly.
In a letter to the FTC, they wrote:
The letter then goes on to focus specifically on the Amazon Associates program:
Then comes an accusation that Amazon isn't taking FTC disclosure seriously enough:
Towards the end of the note comes the requests. The first aimed at the publishers and influencers who were included in the letter as examples of poor or missing disclosures from websites and social media posts:
And then the hammer for Amazon:
If this letter from Public Citizen led to action from the FTC on Amazon's affiliate program or if it was merely a wake-up call for the Amazon Associates team, we cannot tell. But the bottom line is that Amazon's recent email is an excellent wake-up call that many of us need to up our game to ensure full compliance, or we risk losing our Amazon Associates account and/or trouble with the FTC. Neither good options!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I live outside the US, does this affect me?
A: Yes, as it's Amazon.com who carries the burden of your disclosure practices when using their affiliate program, so while you may avoid the direct wrath of the FTC, you are flirting with getting your Associates account closed. Not something I would recommend!
Q: I don't use the Amazon.com affiliate program, does this still apply to me?
A: First, if you are using an international Associates program and seeing even a few percent of international traffic you should be using the Amazon.com affiliate program as a catchall to earn commissions from this longtail of traffic. And, if you are using the Amazon.com affiliate program you should be following these guidelines.
Second, if you are using any other affliate program that is US based then you'll need to follow the FTC disclosure guidelines, but not necessarily the Amazon Associates ones (if you are not using the Associate's program.
Third, we see these disclosures as a good, general practice. Additional transparency to your shoppers is never a bad thing and it may be only a matter of time before similar rules are mandated in other countries so this puts you one step ahead.
FAQs from the FTC
Q: Is "affiliate link" by itself an adequate disclosure? What about a "buy now" button?
A: Consumers might not understand that "affiliate link" means that the person placing the link is getting paid for purchases through the link. Similarly, a "buy now" button would not be adequate.
Q: What if I'm including links to product marketers or to retailers as a convenience to my readers, but I'm not getting paid for them?
A: Then there isn't anything to disclose.
Q: Does this guidance about affiliate links apply to links in my product reviews on someone else's website, to my user comments, and to my tweets?
A: Yes, the same guidance applies anytime you endorse a product and get paid through affiliate links.
Q: It's clear that what's on my website is a paid advertisement, not my own endorsement or review of the product. Do I still have to disclose that I get a commission if people click through my website to buy the product?
A: If it's clear that what's on your site is a paid advertisement, you don't have to make additional affiliate disclosures. Just remember that what's clear to you may not be clear to everyone visiting your site, and the FTC evaluates ads from the perspective of reasonable consumers.
Q: Would "#ambassador" or "#[BRAND]_Ambassador" work in a tweet?
A: The use of "#ambassador" is ambiguous and confusing.


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2409 L Street, Suite 1
Sacramento, CA 95816
Dr. Douglas Gedestad is known for providing comfortable tooth cleaning in the Midtown Sacramento, California area. The friendly team at Douglas A. Gedestad. DMD, Inc. provides dental hygiene treatments with a gentle touch.
Good dental hygiene is a necessity for healthy teeth and gums. We're committed to helping you maintain life-long oral health.
Friendly, caring family dentistry in the Midtown Sacramento, California area is available at Douglas A. Gedestad. DMD, Inc.. Our team strives to make you and your family feel comfortable during your appointment. Douglas Gedestad, D.M.D. wants to help you and your family maintain your oral health now and for years to come. You'll love visiting our comfortable setting where personalized customer service still matters.
Douglas A. Gedestad. DMD, Inc. practices the highest infection control standards to protect our patients and ourselves. In the Midtown Sacramento, CA area, Dr. Douglas Gedestad and his staff strictly observe all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines. All instruments are cleaned, disinfected and routinely sterilized as recommended by the American Dental Association and the Centers for Disease Control. Whenever possible, disposable, single-use items are used to ensure your safety.
If you're looking for dentures that look great and last, look no further than Douglas A. Gedestad. DMD, Inc. located in the Midtown Sacramento, CA area. Douglas Gedestad, D.M.D. will assess your needs and fit you with durable, comfortable, natural-looking dentures - at a price you can afford.
In order to maintain your oral health, it's important to schedule regular dental check-ups. Don't wait until something is wrong to make an appointment with Midtown Sacramento area dentist Dr. Douglas Gedestad. At Douglas A. Gedestad. DMD, Inc., we provide comfortable and thorough checkups. By catching and correcting a potential dental problem early, Dr. Gedestad can save you vast amounts of time, discomfort, and expense.
Saffold Bobinski Dental
925 Secret River Dr.
Sacramento, CA, 95831
Dr. Inna Shturman, D.D.S.
3000 I Street
Sacramento, CA, 95816
Smiles To A "T" Mobile Dental Hygiene Services
1786 Bannon Creek Drive
Sacramento, CA, 95833
Nu Smile Center For Aesthetic & Restorative Dentistry
2663 Babcock Way Suite 370
Sacramento, CA, 95835
A healthy, beautiful smile should be part of your wardrobe. When you're getting dressed in the morning, don't forget that a perfect smile is a vital part of your total image.
Your smile is often the first impression people have of you. A psychological study reported in Perceptive Motor Skills found that people judged a person's physical attractiveness by "the mouth, eyes, structure of the face, hair, and nose" in that order!
Psychologists have trouble defining "beauty." But they agree that beauty is important in every social relationship. For example, it was found that mothers cuddle their physically attractive babies more than their so-called "ugly" babies.
Take a moment to smile at yourself in the mirror. Do you have white teeth? Is your smile attractive, appealing? Or, is your smile weakened by cosmetic dental problems? Do you have a broken or missing tooth? If so, you can do something about it.
Cosmetic dentistry has made great strides in the last 20 years. Not only do cosmetic dentists make it possible for people to keep their natural teeth all their lives, they help people look and feel better about themselves.
A cracked tooth, or stained and uneven teeth can be restored. Gaps between teeth, poorly positioned teeth or a jaw that recedes or protrudes, can often be successfully fixed with orthodontics. Did you know that dentists do 95% of all face reconstruction in this country? Through procedures called maxillofacial surgery or orthognathic surgery, many bone and jaw deformities or conditions caused by accidents can be corrected.
Developing a beautiful smile - even if you weren't born with one - is important at any age. Make your smile your strongest fashion asset.
Dental crowns (also known as "caps") are needed on teeth for various reasons. Two of the reasons crowns are needed is to restore broken and unaesthetic - ugly - teeth.
When crowns are well made, research shows that the average length of time before they wear out is approximately ten years. Because each person is unique, no one can tell you how long a dental crown will last. Even though cosmetic dentistry uses advanced materials, the most durable dental crown material is gold. Dental porcelain fused to gold is the next most durable; an all-porcelain dental crown is the least durable.
As stated earlier, each person is unique, but there are some situations that will cause a dental crown to fail sooner rather than later.
When replacement crowns are prescribed, there are certain steps that the dentist must complete. First, the dental crown must be removed. This can be accomplished by either wiggling the crown free or cutting the crown off the tooth. Underlying decay should be removed and fillings should be placed as needed. These fillings are referred to as "build-ups" or "foundations" for the new crown. The tooth should then be refined and a new dental crown can then be placed.
No one can tell you how long a dental crown will last. The length of time that they can last is different for each person. Therefore, maintaining regular six-month visits to your dentist is extremely important if you want to maintain a healthy mouth.
By Benjamin O. Watkins, III, DDS


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Non-Manufacturing Rule & Subcontracting
lyttekg replied to lyttekg's topic in Small Business, Socioeconomic ProgramsTo clarify The prime contractor is awarding small business subcontracts and obtaining small business credit toward their subcontracting plan -- so does the NMR apply to subcontracting or can the large business prime make award to small business subcontractors who are wholesalers or resellers and not have to be concerned about NMR requirements? Thanks for any help
Non-Manufacturing Rule & Subcontracting
lyttekg replied to lyttekg's topic in Small Business, Socioeconomic ProgramsGosh, I never thought of that! Seriously, I was already "advised" that my questions were not really for agency counsel to determine (perhaps, other than Q.3) -- rather, they were geared more toward policy implementation. Hence, the need to find out if other experts in the contracting arena have ever run across this before. I was hoping the Q1. would be a fairly straightforward, quick answer; Q2. to be slightly more complex/annoying; and Q3. to be almost unanswerable. However, WIFCON has been my first "go to" website when researching procurement issues over the years and I thought that I would create an account and actually post my first question...
I am an agency Small Business Program Manager and I discovered that some of our large business prime contractors have awarded small business subcontracts using NAICS Industry Sector 42 and take small business subcontracting credit. In addition, another large business prime contractor awarded ordering agreements specifically using 423840, "Industrial Supplies Merchant Wholesalers" to a number of small businesses (a bullpen of sorts) with orders placed through a centralized electronic catalog by several other large business prime contractors in our agency – a kind of mini-strategic sourcing approach (better volume pricing/better T&Cs/more small business credit/etc.). However, the footnote for this industry sector states, "(These NAICS codes shall not be used to classify Government acquisitions for supplies. They also shall not be used by Federal Government contractors when subcontracting for the acquisition for supplies. The applicable manufacturing NAICS code shall be used to classify acquisitions for supplies. A Wholesale Trade or Retail Trade business concern submitting an offer or a quote on a supply acquisition is categorized as a nonmanufacturer and deemed small if it has 500 or fewer employees and meets the requirements of 13 CFR 121.406.)" 13 CFR 121.406(e) states, "(f) These requirements do not apply to small business concern subcontractors." Question 1: Am I safe to assume that the non-manufacturer rule also does not apply to a large business concern's subcontractors? That is, the large business prime contractor can take small business credit when awarding subcontracts to small business wholesalers and resellers without having to address nonmanufacturer rule requirements? Normally, I would direct the prime contractor to identify the most applicable manufacturing code for a new requirement and go make award. However, some of these agreements cover hundreds of supply items and dozens of NAICS codes – with no dominate NAICS. The mix of supplies purchased also varies order to order, again with no one NAICS being truly dominate. Question 2: In this scenario, could I recommend to the prime contractor that they use a more broad code such as NAICS 339999, All Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing? This approach would also ease vendor concerns about having to update their SAM records with potentially multiple manufacturing codes. Question 3: Regarding existing subcontracted ordering agreements under Sector 42, can the prime modify the NAICS out of this sector? Cancelling existing agreements would be extremely disruptive to the industrial complex and I would rather have them repair the issues during the follow-on competitions. Any rules, regulations or other agency examples would also be helpful. Thanks...


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Letter of Intent to Accept Job Offer
Use this letter format when you have received an offer for a new job, and you want to notify the employer of your acceptance of the offer. Customize this letter according to your specific needs.
[Your letterhead, if desired; if not, your return address]
[Date of letter-month, day, and year]
[Recipient's first and last names]
[Company name]
[Street or P.O. box address]
[City, State ZIP code]
Dear [recipient's name]:
It was wonderful meeting you and your two colleagues at my job interview with your company on the 5th. Thank you so much for taking the time to tell me more about the position and your company.
Thanks also for extending to me an offer to join your company in the position of senior manager of marketing. I am pleased to notify you that I intend to accept this offer. I look forward to receiving the documents that I will need to sign in order to formally accept the job offer.
Thank you again. I am eager to make a lasting contribution to your company's success in the near future.
Best regards,
[Sender's first and last names]
- Print this Letter
- Print this Letter


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The staff of Kings Island works over the summer to try to fulfill changing demands, to give visitors more of what they liked last year and to come up with some surprises. The park had a media day Thursday, giving a peek at what's new on the menu. They include a new Starbucks, expanded healthy choices, a new and improved funnel cake experience and some new menu items.
Read more and see photos from The Cincinnati Enquirer.
I remember when SeaWorld Parks used that font in its mobile apps. Just sayin'.
What about wait times are they considering the need for interactivity? Why is it a touch screen and not just a sign that changes as the information changes?
I think those signs have multiple screen options on them, if they're the same as last season. There's a map and location options for food, rides, shows, etc. You can touch what you're looking for and it brings it up.
Every time i go to a park the wait times posted are inaccurate, like when I rode batman at sfog, it said 15 minutes wait but I waited 1hr 15. At sea world it always had inaccurate times for manta, typically it estimated longer times then the time you were queued.
There is only one thing worse than not being able to see posted wait times; inaccurately posted wait times, or at least under-estimated ones.
Not surprisingly, Disney pretty much nails their posted wait times, or at least 90% of the time, which I think is pretty good. Not sure if they do this un-purpose, but I have noticed that in many cases, a posted wait time is the longest that you will wait for a WDW attraction. In fact, most of the time I have found that the actual wait time is 5-10 minutes (or more) less than what is posted.
If this is Disney's way of under promising and over delivering, great. Nothing better than thinking you will be waiting 30 minutes and you are on the ride in 15-20.
Disney "lies" as a means of crowd control. I don't fault them for this, but there are certain rides they consistently jack up wait times on.
I was there opening day as well as walked through the new Sweet Spot. Was impressed with how big it was and how much stuff there was in it. Posted a picture of my personal favorite item in there.
Sweet Spot looks good. I'll be checking out the one at Cedar Point on opening weekend.
And does anyone know if they will roll out wait times at Cedar Point this year? I doubt they would be of much help to me since I usually do my rides in order and they may be inaccurate as posted above.
Jeff said:
Disney "lies" as a means of crowd control. I don't fault them for this, but there are certain rides they consistently jack up wait times on.
When you really think about this, it is a very powerful behavior control. Think about it. The reason why FP was developed over a decade ago was to drive revenue; not necessarily a guest service initiative. When you are on line, you can't spend $$$. When you are in the park, you can. So why not artificially inflate wait times to discourage people from waiting on a standby line?
I really wonder how much back room research is done and analyzed resulting in algorithms built into the wait times for certain situations to help "convince" guests not to wait on standby, and stay in the park to hopefully spend $$$ somewhere.
While it hasn't happened a lot, I have gotten on a standby line that was say a 30-45 posted minute wait, and the ride was practically a walk on. I wonder how designed this is; in an attempt to discourage guests from riding.
It's actually brilliant.
So, in summary, you can't trust fan-made park apps that give wait times because they rely on user input which is typically lacking. You also can't trust park apps because they inflate the wait times to encourage guest spending.
Since King's Island has a Starbucks now I hope Cedar Point gets one soon!
(Insert funny signature here.)
Pagoda Gift Shop said:
So, in summary, you can't trust fan-made park apps that give wait times because they rely on user input which is typically lacking. You also can't trust park apps because they inflate the wait times to encourage guest spending.
Well, I almost never input actual wait times into the fan apps. If I do participate, I'll just input the stated wait time on the way into the queue.
Hobbes: "What's the point of attaching a number to everything you do?"
Calvin: "If your numbers go up, it means you're having more fun."
I didn't realize that. It's good that CF parks are trying to get better food!
(Insert funny signature here.)
I'd like to point out that the "healthy and/or healthier" options are few and far between , however. Sure, you can get a salad, but that's not going to fill you up.
I wound up eating Chicken Shack and could only finish 2.5 tenders before feeling full and almost guilty. :)
It's too bad, too - I love those tenders.
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British Columbia families now have access to 426 new licensed in-home child care spaces that have been created through the Province's new Childcare BC Start-Up Grant Program.
These licensed spaces are in addition to the 1,600 spaces that have been created up to now through the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund, which was launched in June 2018, and the new spaces that will result from the $13.7-million Community Child Care Space Creation Program, which was launched in partnership with the Union of British Columbia Municipalities in September 2018.
"We're thrilled that so many unlicensed providers are pursuing licensing," said Katrine Conroy, Minister of Children and Family Development. "Government has already approved more than 200 grant applications, and we are on track to exceed our initial space-creation targets for this program. This means that hundreds of children throughout the province will receive high-quality, licensed care through startup grants alone."
Startup grants provide up to $4,500 in funding to support unlicensed child care providers to become licensed through their local health authority. Funds can cover the costs of becoming licensed, including (but not limited to):
- training or application fees;
- hiring replacement staff while taking a required course to become licensed; and/or
- purchasing equipment for the child care facility.
Maria Meng recently received a startup grant, which allowed her and her sister Angela to open Springtree Montessori School in Burnaby, a newly licensed group child care centre that has space for eight children.
"I used to work in one of the Montessori schools in Burnaby, and my dream has always been to provide children with a comfortable, resourceful and playful environment," said Meng. "Having two children of my own to look after put a pause on my career, and cost was another factor. Thanks to the startup grant, my sister and I were able to start our school and provide for families in Burnaby."
When unlicensed child care providers become licensed, they are eligible to access other funding programs to help their businesses and the families they serve, including:
- Child Care Operating Funding, which helps providers offset their day-to-day operating costs;
- the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative, which provides additional operating funding so providers can reduce their parent fees by up to $350 a month, per child. To date, 95% of providers who have applied for the initiative have been approved to participate. This means that more than 52,400 licensed child care spaces are approved for fee reductions and tens of thousands of B.C. families have already saved a total of almost $80 million on the cost of child care; and
- the Childcare BC Maintenance Fund, which helps providers repair or replace equipment or cover relocation costs in order to meet licensing requirements. In 2018-19, the Province has invested $2.2 million – five and a half times more than in 2017-18 – and has approved 711 applications for maintenance funding.
Families eligible for the Affordable Child Care Benefit receive a higher maximum benefit rate when accessing licensed versus unlicensed care. For example, a family using licensed in-home care for their infant may be eligible to receive up to $1,000 per month, whereas a family using unlicensed (Licence-Not-Required) care for their infant may receive only up to $438 per month.
"These spaces - in combination with the 1,600 spaces that have been funded through our New Spaces Fund in just six months - are part of the largest government investment in child care in B.C.'s history," said Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care and MLA for Burnaby-Lougheed. "Parents now have more options to find licensed child care for their kids, and we expect startup grants will create hundreds more spaces over the next few months, as even more child care providers complete the licensing process."
Parents who want more information on how to access new spaces in their communities are encouraged to contact their local Child Care Resource and Referral Centre. Future updates on the grant program and the location of new spaces will be released as more child care providers complete the licensing process over the coming months.
Under Childcare BC, the Province is investing more than $1 billion in child care – over the first three years of its plan – to lay the foundation for a universal child care system. Investments in licensed providers complement the Province's Childcare BC goals of improving quality and building more licensed spaces for B.C. families.
Quick Facts:
- In B.C., unlicensed child care providers, also known as Licence-Not-Required child care providers, are limited to providing care to a maximum of two children or a sibling group (in addition to their own children) without being licensed through their local health authority.
- Startup grants offer one-time funding to help existing unlicensed child care providers or prospective child care providers with the costs of becoming licensed Family or In-Home Multi-Age child care providers.
- The amount of funding applicants may be eligible to receive depends on the type of licence they are pursuing:
- Providers pursuing a Family Child Care licence can qualify for a maximum of $4,000 (an initial payment of $500 plus an additional $500 per space for up to the maximum allowable number of seven licensed spaces).
- Providers pursuing an In-Home Multi-Age licence can qualify for a maximum of $4,500 (an initial payment of $500 plus an additional $500 per space for up to the maximum allowable number of eight licensed spaces).
Learn More:
To learn about the eligibility criteria for the Childcare BC Start-Up Grant program, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare/startupgrants
To find licensed child care in B.C., visit the child care map online: http://maps.gov.bc.ca/ess/hm/ccf/
Parents who need information about choosing child care, or want a list of registered and licensed child care centres in their area, can get help through their local Child Care Resource and Referral Centre or by visiting: www.ccrr.bc.ca/
Childcare BC New Spaces Fund: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare/newspacesfund
To see a list of the child care providers who are participating in the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare/optin
For more information on the Affordable Child Care Benefit, which is available to families with annual pre-tax household incomes of up to $111,000, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/affordablechildcarebenefit
Childcare BC factsheet: https://news.gov.bc.ca/18430
A backgrounder follows.


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Microsoft have made their amazing Learning Tools application available in Word, OneNote, Outlook and the Edge browser. Even more amazing is the fact that this software is free! Previously, I have posted about the opportunities Learning Tools provides to students with learning differences, to read my previous post, click here. In a nutshell 'Microsoft Learning Tools are free tools that implement proven techniques to improve reading and writing for learners regardless of their age or ability.'
For this post I have created a video to demonstrate how Learning Tools, now complemented by a picture dictionary, could add an extra dimension to the modern foreign languages classroom. The video below gives you a snapshot of Learning Tools in action with the OneNote desktop app, both completely free, but you can also use Learning Tools with OneNote 2016, Word 2016 and with the online versions of both applications.
The second video below takes you through adding the necessary language pack to enable Learning Tools read aloud in your preferred language. It is advisable to let your device restart after you add a new language pack.
If you have any further questions or wish to share how you use Learning Tools feel free to share on Twitter @aedamar_frawley or @TeachNetIreland. For further information click here.