Toolkit | A Look at this Weekend’s FIND Filmmaker Forum; Full Schedule
A weekend packed with filmmaking insiders and insights, Film Independent’s annual Filmmaker Forum is set for the final weekend of this month, October 29 – 31. A screening of Doug Liman’s “Fair Game” and a keynote by Lionsgate’s Joe Drake will kick-off the event and will be presented this year with indieWIRE. The conference aims to arm filmmakers with knowledge via a wide-ranging roster of industry participants, directors and producers alike over two full days of panels, case studies and networking sessions at the Directors Guild in Los Angeles. Lionsgate’s Joe Drake, Co-Chief Operating Officer and President of its Motion Picture Group, will offer a keynote speech on Saturday morning at the conference. Drake was founder and former CEO of Mandate Pictures before joining Lionsgate.
indieWIRE will report from many of the panels and proceedings throughout the weekend. In addition, iW and Film Independent are partnering on providing both attendees and iW readers the opportunity to submit questions to one of the many experts participating over the weekend. Wide-ranging topics to be covered by panels include “Evaluating Your Project for Today’s Marketplace,” “Budget Your Documentary,” “Taking Advantage of Domestic and Foreign Tax Incentives,” “Find Money for Your Documentary,” “The New Distribution Lexicon,” “Day and Date,” “Your Marketing Toolkit” and more. Details follow… iW and FIND invite you to check out the schedule and if you are unable to attend the event, submit questions over the next week to ask@indiewire.com. iW will collect the questions and will select inquiries to be answered. You may direct the question to an individual panelist or in general.
For information and prices to attend the 2010 Film Independent Filmmaker Forum, click here.
The full schedule to the 2010 Filmmaker Forum with information and descriptions provided by Film Independent:
Friday, October 29
7:00 pm, OPENING NIGHT SCREENING: “Fair Game”
Followed by a Q&A with director Doug Liman, moderated by John August (writer, “Go”)
Saturday, October 30
9:00 am, INTRODUCTION TO THE CONFERENCE (DGA 1)
9:15 am, KEYNOTE ADDRESS (DGA 1)
Joe Drake, Lionsgate’s Co-Chief Operating Officer and President of its Motion Picture Group
10:15 am. EVALUATE YOUR PROJECT FOR TODAY’S MARKETPLACE (DGA 1)
Learn how other filmmakers have creatively assembled their financing and come up with realistic budgets that make sense in today’s economy. Comparing and contrasting between films that have been recently produced, we will pinpoint specific strategies for financing and budgeting that have worked for filmmakers in the current marketplace.
Moderators: Dan Cogan, Executive Director, Impact Partners
Scott Cooper, director, Crazy Heart
Michael Costigan, producer, Cyrus, Welcome to the RIleys
Oren Peli, director, Paranormal Activity
Jamie Patricof, producer, Blue Valentine
Celine Rattray, producer, The Kids Are All Right
OR
BUDGET YOUR DOCUMENTARY WORKSHOP (DGA 2)
How do you budget and maintain a production that spans many years? This workshop will help you create a realistic budget and strategic plan for completing your documentary.
Robert Bahar, writer/producer, Made in L.A.
11:45 am, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN TAX INCENTIVES (DGA 1)
What productions qualify to take advantage of various tax incentives? How do you turn soft money into cash? You will learn about some of today’s most-used incentives.
Moderator: Larry Brownell, Executive Director, AFCI
Silvia Echeverri Botero, Comisión Filmica Colombiana
Hans Fraikin, Quebec Film & Television Council
Sten Iversen, Montana Film Commission
Aaron Syrett, North Caroline Film Commission
OR
BUDGET YOUR DOCUMENTARY (Cont.)
1:00 pm, OFF-THE-RECORD NETWORKING LUNCH (DGA Lobby)
Film industry professionals host tables for lunch and candid conversation.
2:15 pm, REALIZE YOUR VISION ON A BUDGET: PRODUCTION CASE STUDIES (DGA 1)
In this candid, straightforward session, the producers of current indie films will give you an honest account of their journey, from the inception of the project through production.
Moderator: Shelby Stone, Flavor Unit Entertainment
Dean Zanuck, producer, Get Low
Alpita Patel, producer, La Mission
OR
FIND MONEY FOR YOUR DOCUMENTARY (DGA 2)
Who funds and who buys documentary films? What are the major distribution outlets? Representatives from key financing sources will give you specific advice on where and how to get the money you need for your doc.
Moderator: Caroline Libresco, Senior Programmer, Sundance Film Festival
Karim Ahmad, Programming Manager, ITVS
Dan Cogan, Executive Director, Impact Partners
Lisa Erspamer, Chief Creative Officer, Oprah Winfrey Network
Stephen Nemeth, executive producer, Climate Refugees
3:45 pm, GENRE FILMS: CASE STUDIES (DGA 1)
With a formula that combines distinctive narrative elements and a very specific core audience, genre movies are commercially viable vehicles that can be made for relatively low cost. Learn from the filmmakers who’ve made effective genre films.
Moderator: Doug Jones, Associate Director of Programming, Film Independent
Effie T. Brown, producer, The Inheritance, Polish Bar
Adrian Guerra, producer, Buried
Daniel Stamm, director, The Last Exorcism
Ti West, writer/director, The House of the Devil
OR
DOCUMENTARY: CASE STUDIES (DGA 2)
From their experience making their documentaries filmmakers share their wisdom on keeping the vision and budget on track from development to post and through distribution.
Moderator: Lisa Leeman, director, One Lucky Elephant
Jen Arnold, director, A Small Act
Keith Calder, producer, Thunder Soul
Mark Landsman, director, Thunder Soul
Patti Lee, producer, A Small Act
5:15 pm, IT’S YOUR TURN TO PITCH: PACKAGING AND FINANCING CLINIC (DGA 1)
An interactive session where a select group of Forum participants pitch to a panel of experts and get advice on how to leverage their projects’ elements into an attractive package for financiers, investors, and fans.
Moderator: Paula Schmit, Vice President, Film Finances
Ronna Kress, casting director, Cold Mountain, The Blind Side
Linda Lichter, Partner, Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler & Feldman, Inc.
Michael Nozik, producer, The Next Three Days
Bec Smith, UTA
OR
DOCUMENTARY: LEGAL UPDATE (DGA 2)
Through specific case studies, we will explain common legal issues faced by documentary filmmakers today and the recent developments in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which allows for documentarians to rip DVDs under “fair use” terms. Also, how the reporter’s privilege applies to documentary filmmakers. And how about hidden cameras? This will be a free ranging session with experienced documentary filmmakers and entertainment lawyer, Michael C Donaldson.
Michael C. Donaldson, Partner, Donaldson & Callif
Eddie Schmidt, President, International Documentary Association (IDA)
Marina Zenovich, director, Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
3:00 pm to 6:00 pm, INDIELINK @ THE FORUM (DGA Atrium)
Sunday, October 31
11:00 am, THE NEW DISTRIBUTION LEXICON (DGA 2)
A nuts and bolts presentation to provide you with a comprehensive view of the most current distribution practices: terminology, strategies, technology, tools, business models, and revenue streams.
Robert Baruc, President, Screen Media Films
OR
TRANSMEDIA AND ALTERNATE REALITY GAMES (DGA 1)
Transmedia producers and game designers show us how to harness audience engagement and participation across different platforms.
Steve Peters, Co-Founder, No Mimes Media, Founder, ARGNet
Borut Pfeifer, producer, Skulls of the Shogun
Mark Essen, designer, Flywrench
12:15 pm, DISTRIBUTION CASE STUDIES (DGA 1)
Filmmakers who have recently released their movies give an honest account of what worked and did not work.
Moderator: Peter Broderick, President, Paradigm Consulting
Aron Gaudet, director, The Way We Get By
Gita Pullapilly, producer, The Way We Get By
Jac Schaeffer, writer/director/producer, Timer
OR
SHORT MOVIES FOR THE SMALL SCREEN (DGA 2)
Hear from those who are pioneering new media as well as the companies who are buying webisodes and other short form content.
Moderator: Robert O. Green, Principal, Another Green World Productions
Mike Farah, President of Production, Funny or Die
David Green, director, Zombie Roadkill
Aaron Lam, producer, Zombie Roadkill, The Resistance, 30 Days of Night: Dust to Dust
Jordan Ruden, Head of Production, GOOD
10:30 am to 1:30 pm, INDIELINK @ THE FORUM (DGA Atrium)
1:30 pm, OFF-THE-RECORD LUNCH
Film industry professionals host tables for lunch and insightful conversation.
2:45 pm, DAY AND DATE (DGA 2)
Filmmakers discuss their experiences with releasing their films simultaneously at festivals, theaters, VOD, and the web.
Moderator: Mitch Levine, Founder, The Film Festival Group
Michael Roiff, producer, Serious Moonlight
Thomas Woodrow, producer, Bass Ackwards
OR
YOUR MARKETING TOOL KIT (DGA 1)
Filmmakers share information on the key people and the tools that helped them launch their films.
Moderator: Jon Reiss, author, Thinking Outside the Box Office
Robert Bahar, writer/producer, Made in L.A.
Wendy Cohen, Manager of Community and Alliances, Participant Media
Eric D’Arbeloff, Co-President, Roadside Attractions
Chris Libby, Partner, Ginsberg Libby
4:00 pm, PIRACY: THE REAL COST OF FREE (DGA 1)
As independent film and media makers are seizing digital tools to reach global audiences, the same tools are allowing segments of the public to increasingly engage in illegal downloads and peer-to-peer file sharing. In a roundtable discussion with filmmakers, studio executives, and technology experts, we will discuss the current challenges to monetize content and the need to create new models of value in the digital age.
Moderator: Anne Thompson, Thompson on Hollywood
Cotty Chubb, President, Chubb Film Co.
Matt Dentler, Head of Marketing and Programming Operations, Cinetic Rights Management
Mike Masnick, President and CEO, Floor64
5:00 pm, CLOSING NIGHT RECEPTION
Co-Hosted By AFCI
