American Film Market 2007 – Conferences and Seminars
The American Film Market (AFM) has announced its schedule of seminars and conferences addressing distribution, budgeting, finance, locations, fair use, production incentives, digital distribution, film adaptation, and mobile. Presented by Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and KPMG LLP, 16 sessions featuring executives, filmmakers, producers, distributors, financiers, and talent from the entertainment world will be held during AFM in Santa Monica at Le Merigot Hotel and the Fairmont Miramar Hotel from November 1 to 6.
In addition to the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA), other 2007 AFM lectures are being programmed by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, SAGIndie, the American Society of Cinematographers, Film Independent, Writers Guild of America, West, the Directors Guild of America, and Women in Film.
Below is the full schedule of seminars, including participants. For ticket prices, venues and additional information, please visit www.americanfilmmarket.com.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2007
11:00am – 12:30pm
U.S. Theatrical Distribution: The Producer’s Holy Grail
Programmed by: British Academy of Film and Television Arts
Find out the trade secrets of successful producers/filmmakers, acquisition/studio executives, producer’s reps and distribution consultants in their quest for those elusive strategies of cost-effective domestic theatrical distribution.
Moderator: John Alan Simon, Producer, The Getaway, former staff writer New Orleans Times-Picayune
Panelists:
Phil Alberstat – Agent, William Morris Independent; author, The Insider’s Guide to Film Finance
Peter Block – President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions, Lionsgate
Seth Willenson – Marketing and Distributing Consultant
Daniel Myrick – Co-writer/Director, The Blair Witch Project, President of Gearhead Pictures
2:00 – 3:30pm
The DIY Generation: A case study of the film Palo Alto
Programmed by: SAGIndie
Moderator: Darrien Michele Gipson, National Director, SAGIndie
Panelists:
Daniel Englehardt, Producer, Palo Alto
Brad Leone, Co-writer/director, Palo Alto
Tony Vallone, Co-writer, Palo Alto
Ben Savage, Actor, Palo Alto
Justin Mentell, Actor, Palo Alto
Eve Brent, Actress, Palo Alto
4:00 – 5:30pm
Artful Movies on a Limited Budget
Programmed by: American Society of Cinematographers
ASC Cinematographers discuss how new film, digital and hybrid tools are affecting the Art and Craft of Cinematography.
Moderators:
George Spiro Dibie, ASC; Chair, ASC PR Committee; Member, Board of Governors
Richard Crudo, ASC, American Pie, Down to Earth, American Buffalo
Panelists:
Daryn Okada, ASC, Just Like Heaven, Mean Girls, Cradle 2 the Grave
Michael Goi, ASC, Invasion, The Kids Who Saved Summer, Judas
Bill Bennett, ASC, Waiting to Exhale, Bugsy, Dante’s Peak
Daniel Pearl, ASC, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem
Christian Sebaldt, ASC, Desperation, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, FeardotCom
James Chressanthis, ASC, The Music Man, The Ghost Whisperer
Stephen Lighthill, ASC, Nash Bridges, Coming out Under Fire, Open Season
Isidore Mankofsky, ASC, Love Lies & Murder, Polly, The Muppet Movie
Billy Fraker, ASC, Rosemary’s Baby, Tombstone, Rules of Engagement
Caleb Deshanel, ASC, Anna and the King, The Passion of the Christ
Rodney Taylor, ASC, Home of Freedom, Wired to Win, Home of the Giants
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2007
9:00am – 12:30pm
AFM Finance Conference
IFTA’s yearly Finance Conference brings together CEOs, financiers and filmmakers in two back-to-back sessions where you will learn about the current state of independent film financing. The high-powered panels will discuss emerging trends and financing options.
9:00 – 10:45am Film Financing -Year in Review
Moderator: P. John Burke, Head of Entertainment Group, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Panelists:
Morgan Rector, Regional Manager Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, Comerica Bank
Bob Hayward, Chief Operating Officer, Summit Entertainment LP
David Molner, Principal, Screen Capital
Roy Salter, Principal, Salter Group
11:00am – 12:30pm Emerging Trends in Film Financing
Moderator: Benson Berro, Senior Manager, Federal Tax services, KPMG
Panelists:
Jeff Begun, VP Business Development, Axium International
Trevor Short, Chief Financial Officer, Nu Image
Christa Thomas, Managing Director, JPMorgan Securities, Entertainment Industries Group
4:00 – 5:30pm
Hong Kong: Your preferred destination for Asian co-production and gateway to China
Programmed by: Hong Kong Trade Development Council
This session will feature a panel of veterans sharing their views on co-production partnerships from a Hong Kong perspective and identify opportunities in the most lucrative and promising region in the world.
Moderator: Patrick Frater, Asia Editor, Variety
Panelists:
Peggy Chiao, Producer, Arc Light Films (Taiwan)
Yu Dong, Board Chairman/President, Beijing Polybona Film Distribution Co., Ltd
Nansun Shi, Executive Director, Film Workshop Co. Ltd.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2007
9:00am – 12:30pm
Pitch Me!
Programmed by: Independent Film & Television Alliance
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.
Moderator: Peggy Rajski, Executive Producer, Bee Season, Producer, Home for the Holidays, Little Man Tate, Director, ER (TV Series)
Panelist: Caroline Baron, Producer, Capote, Centre Stage, Associate Producer, The Wonder Years.
2:00 – 5:30pm
Location Expo®
Programmed by: Independent Film and Television Alliance
National Perspectives: 2:00 – 3:30
North American States: 4:00 – 5:30
Film Commissioners and representatives from around the world discuss incentives and "soft money." Learn how to get 30% or more of your budget covered!
National Perspectives Moderator: Edward Repking, Senior Manager, Tax, KPMG LLP
National Perspectives Panelists:
Carlene Tan, Manager, Media Development Authority (Singapore)
Craig A. Woods, Film Commissioner, Bahamas Film & Television Commission
Taneila (Dan) Bolea, Chief Executive Officer, Fiji Audio Visual Commission
Chris Bonnell, Executive Director of Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation, Canadian Film Commissions and Agencies
Fred Wang, Director, Salon Films (HK) Ltd.- Hong Kong
Michael Newport, Manager, Marketing and Client Development, Raleigh Film Budapest
North American States Moderator: Steve Fayne, Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP
North American States Panelists:
Tonya S. Holly, President, Alabama Filmmakers Association
Dan Chugg, Film Commissioner, Alberta Films
Luis A. Riefkohl Miranda, Executive Director, Puerto Rico Film Commission
Hans Fraikin, Film Commissioner, Quebec Film and Television Council
Jimmy Williams, Director of Economic Development for the England Airpark, Central Louisiana in Film
Jamie Cope, Location Services Manager, West Virginia Film Office
Jamie Mabile, Film Commissioner, Louisiana Capital Area Film Commission
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2007
11:00am – 12:30pm
What’s So Fair About Fair Use?
Programmed by: Film Independent
A panel of experts will answer all your questions about what you can and cannot use in your film without getting permission.
Moderator: Michael Donaldson, Author, Clearance and Copyright
Panelists:
Christi Deardoff, Media Professional Insurance
Kirby Dick, Director, This Film is Not Yet Rated
Winnie Wong, DeWitt Stern Group
3:00 – 4:30pm
Creative Production Incentives: Maximizing Benefits, Minimizing Problems
Programmed by: Axium International
Moderator: Jeff Begun, VP Business Development, Axium International
Panelists:
Dama Chasle, Independent Producer, Former VP of Tax, 20th Century Fox
Charlotte Koh, Business Development Executive, Future Films
Buddy Enright, Senior VP, Physical Production, Yari Film Group
Mike Upton, Sr. VP, Physical Production, 2929 Productions
Jeffrey Andrick, Managing Director, Continental Entertainment Group
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2007
11:00am – 12:30pm
Keeping Writers Onboard: The Business Case
Programmed by: Writers Guild of America, West
How the writer’s inclusion in the filmmaking process can enhance feature film projects for everyone.
Moderator: Howard A. Rodman, Writer, Joe Gould’s Secret, Savage Grace, August
Panelists:
Miguel Arteta, Writer/ Director, Star Maps, Director, The Good Girl, Chuck and Buck, Ugly Betty, The Office, Six Feet Under, Freaks and Geeks
Andrea Berloff, Writer, World Trade Center
Nick Kazan, Writer, At Close Range, Reversal of Fortune, Fallen, Bicentennial Man, Co-Writer, Frances, Matilda
Jack Epps Jr., Co-Writer, Top Gun, Dick Tracy, The Secret of My Success
2:00 – 3:30pm
Risky Business: DIY Distribution in the Digital Age
Programmed by: Directors Guild of America
New business models in indie distribution.
Moderator: Bobby Roth, Member, Independent Director’s Committee, DGA, Berkeley
Panelists:
Rob Nilsson, Director/Producer, Pan
Kelly Sanders, Executive Director, Truly Indie
David Straus, Co-founder, CEO, Withoutabox
Angela Wilson Gyetvan, VP, Marketing and Content, Revver
4:00 – 5:30pm
Adapt This: From Source to Screen
Programmed by: Women in Film/ L.A. International Committee
A panel of Hollywood experts will examine the art and business of adaptation for film. They will discuss the process of discovering the sources, acquiring the rights, developing the project, marketing and selling it for the screen.
Moderator: Michael Andres Palmieri, Writer/Producer/Consultant
Panelists:
Linda Lichter Esq., Lawyer, Lichter, Grossman, Nichols & Adler, Inc.
Robin Swicord, Writer, Director, The Jane Austin Book Club, Memoirs of a Geisha, Little Women
Rebecca Yeldham, Producer, President, Ahimsa Films
Steven Fisher, Literary Agent, APA
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2007
iHollywood Mobile Conference
Programmed by: iHollywoodForum
9:00am – 12:30pm
Watching Film on the Go: Mobile and Wireless Opportunities for the Film Industry
Video content and film content on mobile phones is exploding. What’s the market for these services and how fast can they be monetized? What are the revenue deals between filmmakers, distribution and carriers?
Moderator: Michael Polin, CEO, American Television in China, International
Panelists:
Steve Harris, Director of Product Management, PacketVideo
Jim McLaughlin, VP Business Development, Pulse Mobile
Bill Volk, CEO, MyNuMo
Keynote: Martin Percy, Senior Interactive Filmmaker, British Telecom
Making and selling movies using the unique characteristics of broadband and digital cinema
The Digital Content Revolution: Distribution from Broadband, IPTV, HDTV, Mobile and Digital Cinema
Moderator: Thomas Coughlin, Coughlin Associates
Panelists:
Bruce David Eisen, Digital Advisors
Paula Montando, CEO and Founder, Short Brain TV
Derek Handley, CEO, The Hyperfactory
Rob Caldeira, Senior Product Manager, Focus Enhancements
Anthony Bay, Chairman and co-Founder, MOD Systems
iHollywood Digital Conference
Programmed by: iHollywood Forum
2:30 – 6:00pm
Digital Technologies to Enhance Film Creation, Acquisition, Distribution and Revenue
Hollywood’s tech experts discuss how digital tools are transforming the business of film and television, and the impact on creative expression.
Moderator: Krishnan Rajagopalan, Vice President, Digital Media Technologies, Motion Picture Association of America, Inc
Panelists:
Richard Bullwinkle, Chief Evangelist, Macrovision
Joe Franzetta, EVP and General Manager, Broadband Television Business Unit, Tandberg Television, Thought Equity Motion
Kevin Schaff, Founder and CEO, Thought Equity Motion
Bradford Auerbach, Senior Entertainment Executive, Digital Entertainment Services, Hewlett-Packard Company
Ron Atkinson, Principal, eDef Media Labs
Broadband Video Revolution: Using Social Networks, User Generated Content, and Internet Distribution to Sell Film
Broadband video is a fascination of consumers; but what does it mean to professional filmmakers and distributors? Is there a way to generate revenue from traditional film content on the Internet?
Moderator: Michael Stroud, CEO, iHollywood Forum
Panelists:
Ethan Applen, Director, Business Development, imeem
Jason Klein, President and Co-CEO, Special Ops Media
Tony Liano, VP, Programming, Crackle
Tom Ohanian, VP Product Management, Signiant
Colleen Nystedt, CEO, MovieSet
Catherine Deneuve, Laura Linney Tributes at the 2007 AFI FEST
Fflics – Wales Screen Classics
Pordenone Silent Film Festival 2007
Israeli Film Academy’s 2007 Ophir Awards
THE PRINCE OF POT: THE US VS. MARC EMERY at the 2007 Vancouver Film Festival
San Sebastian Film Festival Awards 2007 Winners – Article
San Sebastian Film Festival Awards – 2007
Henry King Retrospective at the 2007 San Sebastian Film Festival
San Sebastian Film Festival 2007 – Official Selection
Middle East Film Festival 2007 – Documentary/Short Film Line-Up
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