FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AMERICAN FILM MARKET ANNOUNCES
CONFERENCE AND SEMINAR LINEUP
LOS ANGELES, October 25, 2006 – The American Film Market (AFM) today
announced the lineup for its Finance Conference and Seminar series presented by Akin
Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and KPMG LLP, set to take place during the November
2006 Market (1-8 November).
This year, the AFM will host a record 13 sessions, which span a broad range of topics
and issues important to the global entertainment industry and feature a diverse cross
section of prominent entertainment executives, filmmakers and talent from around the
world. These informative panels provide a forum where attendees can interact with and
learn from prominent filmmakers, financiers, industry executives and talent.
The series will kick off with the AFM Finance Conference on Friday, Nov. 3 at the
Fairmont Miramar Hotel (101 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica), with additional panels
taking place at the JW Marriott Le Merigot Hotel (next door to the Loews Hotel) through
Tuesday, Nov. 7.
These popular seminars are being programmed by the Independent Film & Television
Alliance (IFTA), as well as a number of major industry organizations, including Directors
Guild of America, Writers Guild of America, west, American Society of
Cinematographers, Film Independent, International Committee of Women in Film,
British Academy of Film and Television Arts/L.A. and Hong Kong Trade Development
Council.
Below is the full schedule of seminars, including participants and venue. For pricing and
ticket information, please visit www.americanfilmmarket.com.
Friday, 3 November, 2006
9:00am - 12:30pm
AFM Finance Conference
Programmed by: Independent Film & Television Alliance
The yearly Finance Conference brings together CEOs, financiers, and filmmakers in two
back-to-back sessions where attendees learn about the current state of independent film
financing. The high-powered panels will discuss emerging trends and financing options.
SESSION ONE:
New Sources of Equity for Financing Film: Wall Street Develops a Taste for
Hollywood
Moderator:
John Burke, Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP
Panelists:
Laura Fazio, Managing Director Capital Markets Origination Media, Communications
& Entertainment, Dresdner Kleinwort
Tom Pollock, Principal, The Montecito Picture Company
Roy Salter, Principal, Salter Group
Bob Yari, Principal, Yari Film Group
SESSION TWO:
Maximizing Your Distribution Rights
Moderator:
Penny Mavridis Sales, Principal, International Corporate Tax, KPMG LLP
Panelists:
Vicki Cherkas, Partner, Head of Business Affairs, Business Development and New
Ventures, Greenestreet Films, Inc.
Joseph D. Chianese, VP of Business Development & Tax Incentives, Entertainment
Partners Los Angeles
Hal Sadoff, Head of International & Independent Film, International Creative
Management Agency
Diane Stidham, Managing Director, Newbridge Film Capital
4:00pm - 5:30pm
Hong Kong as an Asian Co-production Centre
Programmed by: Hong Kong Trade Development Council
Known for its exceptional productions and creative talents, Hong Kong has evolved from
an Asian leader for filmmaking to an incomparable hub for co-production in the hot
region. Learn from our expert panelists about partnering with Hong Kong companies and
hit the expressway to the China market via Hong Kong.
Panelists:
Lee Beasley, Head, Media and Entertainment, Creative Industries, Client Relationships,
Wholesale Banking
Charmaine Koo, Partner, Deacons
Han Sanping, General Manager, China Film Group Corporation
Nansun Shi, Executive Director, Film Workshop Co. Ltd.
Saturday, 4 November, 2006
9:00am - 12:30pm
Pitch Me!
Programmed by: Independent Film & Television Alliance
Whether you have a meeting with a studio head or you bump into an actor in an elevator,
you need to be able to pitch your film well. Learn the art of the pitch in this intensive
session where a dozen filmmakers pitch their project to a panel of industry experts agents, producers, and production execs - who will give their unvarnished feedback on
each pitch, saying what worked, what didn't, and why. Space is limited - advance
registration is recommended.
Moderator:
Stephanie Palmer, President, Good in a Room
Panelists:
Peggy Rajski, Executive Producer, Bee Season; Producer, Home for the Holidays, Little
Man Tate; Director, ER (TV Series)
Sebastian Twardosz, VP, Craftsman Films
2:00pm - 5:30pm
Location Expo®
Programmed by: Independent Film & Television Alliance
Sponsored by: Air New Zealand
Film Commissioners and representatives from around the world discuss incentives and
"soft money." Attendees will learn how to get 30% or more of their budget covered.
Space is limited - advance registration is recommended.
SESSION ONE:
North American States
Moderator:
Steve Fayne, Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP
Panelists from:
Dan Chugg, Alberta Film Commissioner
Jamie Cope, Location Services Manager, West Virginia Film Office
Jamie Delatte, Film Commissioner, Louisiana Capital Area Film Commission
Tonya S. Holly, President, Alabama Filmmakers Association
Luis A. Riefkohl, Executive Director and Film Commissioner, Puerto Rico Film
Commission
Christopher Stelly, Economic Development Manager, Louisiana Film Office
SESSION TWO:
National Perspectives
Moderator:
Mark Hutchison, Principal, Rothstein Kass
Panelists from:
Jamal Alsharif, Manager, Dubai Studio City
Owen Bethel, President, Bahamas Invest International
Taniela (Dan) Bolea, CEO, Fiji Audio Visual Commission
Patrick Mao Huang, Taiwan
Carlene Tan, Manager, Industry Development (Media Services), Media Development
Authority of Singapore
David Zitzerman, Partner, Goodmans LLP, Canada
Sunday, 5 November, 2006
11:00am - 12:30pm
Who Backs Movies and Why
Programmed by: Film Independent
Have you ever wondered what made an investor say yes? Is a great script enough, or can
a killer idea be thwarted by a poorly thought-out business plan or budget? Players in
packaging and film financing reveal why they say "No" most of the time, and what
producers need to assemble to hear that elusive "Yes." Learn about current sources of
financing; finding the right fit for your project; attracting interest from talent; and the do's
and don'ts of approaching an investor.
Moderator:
Michael Donaldson, Partner, Donaldson and Hart
Panelists:
Holly Becker, Senior Vice President, Production, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment
Cassian Elwes, Senior Vice President, William Morris Agency
Bo Hyde, CEO/Co-Founder, Cherry Road Films
Diane Weyermann, Executive Vice President of Documentary Production, Participant
Productions
3:00pm - 4:30pm
Practical Production Incentives: What You Think You'll Get, What You Actually
Get, and How to Make it Better
Programmed by: AXIUM
Moderator:
Jeff Begun, Axium International; author Guide to U.S. Production Incentives
Panelists:
Dama Chasle, independent producer; formerly Tax VP, 20th Century Fox
Jeff Geoffrey, partner, Blue Rider
Mike Upton, Head of Production, 2929 Entertainment
Monday, 6 November, 2006
11:00am - 12:30pm
Writing for the Marketplace: How Trends are Determining Content
Programmed by: Writers Guild of America, west
It's a killer script but will the film be marketable? Are non-theatrical markets - TV,
Internet, iPods, DVDs - limiting or expanding creative content? Screenwriters discuss
how marketing and distribution trends affect (or don't) the topics they choose and the way
their ideas are expressed.
Moderator:
Billy Ray, Co-Writer/Director, Breach; Co-Writer, Flightplan; Writer/Director,
Shattered Glass
Panelists:
Doug Atchison, Writer/Director, Akeelah and the Bee; Writer/Director, Outspoken; CoWriter, Spinning Into Butter
Jessica Bendinger, Writer/Director, Stick It; Writer/Co-Producer, Bring It On; CoWriter, First Daughter, Aquamarine; Writer, Sex and the City
Ted Elliott, Co-Writer, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl; Pirates
of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest; Co-Writer/Co-Producer, Shrek
Tyger Williams, Writer/Co-Producer, Menace II Society
2:00pm - 3:30pm
House of Cards: Perspectives on Collapsing the Exhibition Windows (working title)
Programmed by: Directors Guild of America
Directors, exhibitors, and distributors discuss the aesthetic and financial implications of
shifting business models and the pervasive trend toward narrowing exhibition windows.
Panelist:
John Fithian, President, National Association of Theater Owners
Marcy Magiera, Editor, Video Business
4:00pm - 5:30pm
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Film Festivals!
Programmed by: The International Committee of Women In Film
Getting your independent feature or short film into a festival can often be the first step to
distribution. Top executives and senior programmers will tell us what they are looking
for... how and when to apply... and how to maximize your experience if you are accepted.
Moderator:
June Shelley, Chair, Women in Film International
Panelists:
Nancy Collet, Director of Programming, AFI FEST presented by Audi
Matt Dentler, Film Festival Producer, South By Southwest Conferences and Festivals
Eleonora Granata, USA Representative/Programmer, Venice International Film Festival
Caroline Libresco, Senior Programmer, Sundance Film Festival
Jeremy Platt, Artistic Manager/Head Programmer, Santa Barbara International Film
Festival
Rachel Rosen, Director of Programming, Film Independent's Los Angeles Film Festival
David Straus, Co-Founder/CEO, Withoutabox.com
Tuesday, 7 November, 2006
11:00am - 12:30pm
Totems & Taboos: The Rules and Myths of the International Marketplace
Programmed by: The British Academy of Film & Television Arts, Los Angeles
What genres work internationally? What genres are taboo? Romantic comedies?
Westerns? Baseball movies? Erotic thrillers? What are the "rules" and what are the
"myths" of the foreign marketplace? How can you make your movie the exception? An
insider's guide for the perplexed.
Moderator:
John Alan Simon, producer, The Getaway; former staff writer New Orleans Times
Picayune
Panelists:
Chris Auty, Managing Director, The Works Media Group
Jane Barclay, Managing Director, Capitol Films
Kirk D'Amico, President, CEO, Myriad Pictures
Stuart Ford, President, First Look International
Brad Krevoy, Chairman, CEO, Motion Picture Corp. of America
Penny Wolf, Executive Vice President, Peace Arch
3:00pm - 4:30pm
Artful Movies on Shoestring Budgets
Programmed by: American Society of Cinematographers
ASC cinematographers discuss how new film, digital and hybrid tools are affecting the
art and craft of cinematography.
Moderator:
George Spiro Dibie, ASC; Chair, ASC PR Committee; Member, Board of Governors
Bob Fisher, Cine Journalist
Panelists:
Mat Beck, ASC, Visual Effects Supervisor, Miami Vice (2006), The Aviator, Spider-Man
2, Smallville
James Chressanthis, ASC, Ghost Whisperer, The Reagans, Life with Judy Garland: Me
and My Shadows
Richard Crudo, ASC, American Pie, Down to Earth, American Buffalo
Allen Daviau, ASC, Bugsy, Empire of the Sun, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Michael Goi, ASC, Invasion, The Kids Who Saved Summer, Judas
Francis Kenny, ASC, Scary Movie, Heathers, New Jack City
Denis Lenoir, ASC, The Clearing, Uprising, Carrington
Stephen Lighthill, ASC, Nash Bridges, Coming out Under Fire, Open Season
M. David Mullen, ASC, Akeelah and the Bee, The Quiet, Shadowboxer
Guillermo Navarro, ASC, Zathura: A Space Adventure, Spy Kids, Jackie Brown,
Cronos
Michael Negri, ASC, The Dream Factory, Local Color, Nightwatch
Daryn Okada, ASC, Just Like Heaven, Mean Girls, Cradle 2 the Grave
Daniel Pearl, ASC, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), The Texas Chain Saw
Massacre (2003), Madonna: Truth Or Dare
Wally Pfister, ASC, The Italian Job, Laurel Canyon, Memento
Robert Primes, ASC, Money Talks, Bird on a Wire, "thirtysomething"
Nancy Schreiber, ASC, November, Lover Boy, The Celluloid Closet
Leon Silverman, ASC; President, LaserPacific Media Corp.; VP, Entertainment
Imaging, Eastman Kodak Co.; President, Hollywood Post Alliance
David Stump, ASC, Effects DP, X-Men, X2, Stephen King's Storm of the Century
John Toll, ASC, Seraphim Falls, The Thin Red Line, Braveheart, Legends of the Fall
For additional Conference and Seminar information, including location and to
purchase tickets, please visit www.americanfilmmarket.com.
About the AFM
As previously announced, as a result of the continued growth, the AFM, for the third
consecutive year, has increased office space at the Le Merigot Hotel, located directly next
to the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel in order to meet the needs of its new and
returning exhibitors.
The business of independent motion picture production and distribution reaches its peak
every year at the American Film Market (AFM), the premiere global marketplace.
Founded in 1981, the AFM is a pivotal destination for independent filmmakers and
business people from all over the world. Each year, more than 8,000 industry
professionals converge in Santa Monica for eight days of deal-making, screenings,
seminars, red carpet premieres, networking and parties. Participants come from over 70
countries and include acquisition and development executives, agents, attorneys,
directors, distributors, financiers, film commissioners, producers, writers, the world’s
press, and all those who provide services to the motion picture industry.
Unlike a film festival, the AFM is a marketplace where production and distribution deals
are closed. In just eight days, more than $800 million in deals will be sealed — on both
completed films and those that haven’t started shooting yet.
The AFM offers more than 900 screenings of approximately 600 films - 32 new films
every two hours - the majority of them world or U.S. premieres. Titles range from big
budget blockbusters that will be released by the major studios in the U.S., to lower budget
genre films and art films recognized at international film festivals, all destined for
theaters and television around the world.
The AFM is produced by the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA), the trade
association representing the world’s producers and distributors of independent motion
pictures and television programs. For more information, please visit
www.americanfilmmarket.com.
Media Contacts: Jennifer Garnick
Paul Nichols
The Lippin Group/LA
(323) 965-1990
jgarnick@lippingroup.com
pnichols@lippingroup.com
Debbie Lawrence
The Lippin Company/ London
011-44-203-008-5405
deblaw@aol.com