Badges are not required to attend Seminars or Conferences.
AFM Conferences and Seminars provide a forum where attendees can interact with and learn from prominent filmmakers, financiers, industry executives and talent. Information about our 2010 Conferences and Seminars will appear below beginning June 1st, 2010.
Missed the 2009 Seminar Series? Below you can view free video of selected panels.
2009 Conferences and Seminars Presented by
 
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| Friday, 6 November, 2009 |
| 9:00am – 12:30pm |
The yearly AFM Finance Conference brings together CEOs, financiers, and filmmakers in two back-to-back sessions where you will learn about the future of independent film financing. These high-powered panels discuss emerging trends and financing options.
Location: Fairmont Miramar Hotel (101 Wilshire Boulevard)
Cost: $95 per person
First Session: Current State of the Independent Film Business
Moderator:
P. John Burke, Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Panelists:
Modi Wiczyk, Co - Chief Executive Officer, Media Rights Capital
Ryan Kavanaugh, Founder & CEO, Relativity Media
Morgan Rector, President, Entertainment Group, Comerica Bank
Roy A. Salter, Principal, The Salter Group
Edward Borgerding, CEO, Abu Dhabi Media Company
Second Session: Foreign Investment: A Growing Source of Film Financing
Moderator:
Benson R. Berro, Managing Director, KPMG LLP
Panelists:
Adam Leipzig, President, National Geographic Films
Jason A. Sklar, Vice President, Entertainment Industries Group, J.P. Morgan
Ashok Amritraj, CEO, Hyde Park Entertainment
Emanuel Nunez, Motion Picture Agent, Creative Artists Agency
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| 4:00pm – 5:30pm |
Programmed by: Hong Kong Trade Development Council
The Hong Kong FILMART seminar at AFM presents a panel of veterans who will share their views on how Hong Kong plays an effective role in the making of successful co-production models. Additionally, the panel will identify opportunities in the most lucrative and promising region in the world, that is Asia, and particularly China.
Location: Le Merigot Hotel, Pacific Room, Courtyard Level (1740 Ocean Avenue)
Cost: $40 per person
Moderator:
Michael Goodridge, US Editor, Screen International
Panelists:
Phoon Chiong Kit, Deputy Chairman & Executive Director, Imagi Studios
Jeffrey Chan, CEO, Distribution Workshop; COO, Bona International Film Group
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| Saturday, 7 November, 2009 |
| 9:00am – 12:30pm |
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.
New for 2009, Pitch Me! will be held at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel (101 Wilshire Boulevard). The AFM Shuttle runs every 8 minutes from the Loews Hotel and will drop you right in front of the Fairmont.
Location: Fairmont Miramar Hotel (101 Wilshire Boulevard)
Cost: $50 per person
Moderator:
Peggy Rajski, Producer/Consultant;Executive Producer, Bee Season; Producer, Home for the Holidays, Little Man Tate; Director, ER (TV Series)
Panelists:
Caroline Baron, Producer, Capote, Monsoon Wedding; Associate Producer, The Wonder Years
Gail Mutrux, Producer, Number 13, Nurse Betty
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| 2:00pm – 5:30pm |
Presented by: Dov S-S Simens
In simple terms, sought after & respected film instructor Dov S-S Simens demystifies the process of producing, distributing & profiting in today's global marketplace. Topics include: Theatrical Deal Memo Points, 7 Major Revenue Sources, Profit Participation Scenarios, Cable/TV/DVD Licenses, Publicity & Festivals, On-Demand vs PPV, Global Revenues, Foreign Sales, Private Placements, Investor Offerings, Gross vs Net, Split Rights & 50-50 Deals, Production-Distribution Agreements, etc. Bonus: Producer's Workbook/Directory.
Location: Fairmont Miramar Hotel (101 Wilshire Boulevard)
Cost: $50 per person
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| Sunday, 8 November, 2009 |
| 11:00am – 12:30pm |
Programmed by: British Academy of Film & Television Arts, Los Angeles
These are confusing times for indie filmmakers. Just as revolutionary production choices are opening up, traditional distribution models are collapsing. How cost-effective is U.S. theatrical release? Does it still impact foreign sales? What kind of income streams can be generated from such new sources as on-demand, internet download, and direct website DVD sales? Our panel of experts may not have all the answers, but will attempt to provide producers with a compass to navigate the rocky shoals of a challenging and still-evolving marketplace.
Location: Le Merigot Hotel (1740 Ocean Avenue)
Cost: $40 per person
Moderator:
John Alan Simon, Writer-Director, Radio Free Albemuth; Producer, The Getaway; Former Staff Writer, New Orleans Times Picayune; Member, BAFTA/LA Education and Outreach Committee
Panelists:
Chris Hyams, Founder and CEO, B-Side Entertainment
Ted Mundorff, CEO, Landmark Theatres
Jon Reiss, Director/Producer, Bomb It; Author, Think Outside the Box (Office) - The Ultimate Guide to Film Distribution and Marketing for the Digital Era
David Shultz, Founder and President, Vitagraph Films
Leslie Urdang, President, Olympus Pictures; Producer, Adam, Rabbit Hole
Mark Burton, President, IndieVest Pictures; Producer, St. John of Las Vegas, 16 Years of Alcohol, Water
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| 2:00pm – 3:30pm |
Programmed by: International Documentary Association
As the models for traditional distribution continue to crumble, more and more filmmakers are choosing to take control of their films' distribution, marketing and outreach responsibilities, and to plunge themselves into the perils and rewards of a DIY release.
Documentary filmmakers in particular are setting an example for the industry, connecting with niche audiences and creating buzz and sales, often on a tiny fraction of a typical studio P&A budget.
Where are filmmakers finding success with DIY distribution? How are conventional distributors adapting to the new dynamics of media consumption? How are emerging distribution models changing the way films are produced, bought and sold?
Location: Le Merigot Hotel (1740 Ocean Avenue)
Cost: $40 per person
Moderator:
Adam Chapnick, CEO, Distribber.com
Panelists:
Lisa Smithline, Producer; Marketing Strategist, Trouble the Water, Crips & Bloods, Dirt!
Matt Tyrnauer, Director, Valentino: The Last Emperor
Sacha Gervasi, Director, Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Scott Hamilton Kennedy, Director, The Garden
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| 4:00pm – 5:30pm |
Programmed by: SAGIndie
This panel will highlight the many different departments and resources offered by Screen Actors Guild and SAGIndie for the independent filmmaker. From contracts to casting to exhibiting your film, Screen Actors Guild has something to help every independent filmmaker achieve his/her goal.
Location: Le Merigot Hotel (1740 Ocean Avenue)
Cost: $40 per person
Moderator:
Darrien Michele Gipson, National Director, SAGIndie
Panelists:
Mark Friedlander, National Director, New Media
William Marshall, Coordinator, iActor
Simon Abou-Fadel, LifeRaft/Roll Film Program Director, SAG Foundation
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| Monday, 9 November, 2009 |
| 11:00am – 12:30pm |
Programmed by: Writers Guild of America, West
Screenwriters are often asked to enlist elements from past films, while embracing originality. No easy feat. How can creativity truly set a genre film apart (or can it)? And where does marketing takeover to reach those built-in audiences?
Location: Le Merigot Hotel (1740 Ocean Avenue)
Cost: $40 per person
Moderator:
Mick Garris, Writer/Director/Producer, Riding the Bullet; Writer, Fear Itself; Co-Writer, The Fly II, Critters 2; Co-Writer/Co-Executive Producer, Hocus Pocus; Creator/Writer/Director/Producer, Masters of Horror
Panelists:
Larry Cohen, Writer, Phone Booth, Guilty As Sin, I The Jury; Co-Writer, Cellular; Writer/Director, It's Alive, Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover, Black Caesar, The Ambulance
Juliet Snowden & Stiles White, Co-Writers, Boogeyman, Knowing
Stephen Susco, Writer, The Grudge 1 & 2; Writer/Co-Producer, Red
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| 2:00pm – 3:30pm |
Programmed by: Directors Guild of America
As the battle continues against online piracy, panelists will discuss their weapons of choice. From cutting edge computer technology to reevaluating international distribution windows, panelists will outline high and low-tech solutions that not only attempt to block piracy but reduce its profitability.
Location: Le Merigot Hotel (1740 Ocean Avenue)
Cost: $40 per person
Moderator:
Jonathan Dayton, Director; Member, DGA Independent Directors Committee West; Co-Director, Little Miss Sunshine
Panelists:
Darcy Antonellis, President, Warner Bros. Technical Operations, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.
Brad Beutlich, Sales Director, DtecNet
Andrew Horton , Director, Product Management, MarkMonitor, Inc.
Allan MacNeil, Vice President, Content Protection Services, Deluxe's Web Watch
Barbara Mudge, Director, IFTA and Owner, Worldwide Film Entertainment LLC
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| 4:00pm – 5:30pm |
Programmed by: Producers Guild of America
This seminar promises to be an insider's look at what it takes to attract talent, strategic partners and financing for independent films with an international setting. Using an actual screenplay budgeted at ten million dollars as a starting point for discussion, our moderator and panelists will take you through the various steps a producer needs to consider when packaging a project overseas. Moderated by a seasoned Producer with international production and sales experience, our panelists will include packaging agents, international buyers, and foreign sales and distribution experts.
Location: Le Merigot Hotel (1740 Ocean Avenue)
Cost: $40 per person
Moderator:
William Stuart, President/CEO, Aurora Productions
Panelists:
D'Arcy Conrique, Entertainment Finance Group, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Doug Hansen, President and COO, Endgame Entertainment
Robert Katz, President of Production, The Film Department
Tim O'Hair, Agent, Motion Picture Finance, Paradigm
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| Tuesday, 10 November, 2009 |
| 11:00am – 12:30pm |
Programmed by: Film Independent
The old rules of distributing & marketing films no longer apply—as the print media loses its power and the theater moves into the living room, new outlets and tools at a filmmaker's disposal make for exciting times. How do you create a distribution plan and marketing campaign in the Twitter age? Whom should you have on your team to create the right buzz? Come and hear from filmmakers and indie experts who have created unique distribution strategies & marketing campaigns that dispense with the old models, and prove that you don’t need to be a studio to reach your audience.
Location: Le Merigot Hotel (1740 Ocean Avenue)
Cost: $40 per person
Moderator:
Michael Donaldson, Partner, Donaldon & Callif
Panelists:
Susan Jackson, Co-President, Freestyle Releasing
Dennis Rice, Founder, Vision Entertainment
Russell Schwartz, President, Pandemic Marketing
Ondi Timoner, Director, We Live in Public
Alex Johnson, Co-Founder, WBP Labs
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| 2:00pm – 3:30pm |
Programmed by: Women in Film International Committee
The seminar will identify and analyze the resources available to independent filmmakers in the new media and social networking platforms. We will discuss how these resources can pinpoint trends to inspire stories, help secure financing and create targeted marketing/public relation campaigns that include innovative branding strategies.
Location: Le Merigot Hotel (1740 Ocean Avenue)
Cost: $40 per person
Moderator:
Peter Broderick, President, Paradigm Consulting
Panelists:
Thomas Mai, CEO, Festival Darlings
Marianna Palka, Filmmaker/Co-President, Morning Knight Productions
Nonny del la Peña, Senior Research Fellow Immersive Journalism, USC Annenberg School of Journalism
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| 4:00pm – 5:30pm |
Programmed by: American Society of Cinematographers
A Panel of Cinematographers hand picked from the ranks of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) will share their knowledge and expertise with Filmmakers in a Q & A session.
Location: Le Merigot Hotel (1740 Ocean Avenue)
Cost: $40 per person
Moderator:
George Spiro Dibie, ASC, Multi-Emmy-Award-winning Cinematographer
Panelists:
Michael Goi, ASC, President, American Society of Cinematographers
Richard Crudo, ASC, Federal Hill, American Buffalo
Nancy Schreiber, ASC, The Celluloid Closet, November
Rodney Taylor, ASC, Boogie Town, Buttermilk Sky
Michael Negrin, ASC, Time Loves a Hero, The Attic Expeditions
Roberto Schaefer, ASC, Stranger Than Fiction, For Your Consideration
Johnny Jensen, ASC, Lost In Yonkers, An American Story.
David Darby, ASC, Far Sighted, True Rights
Christopher Baffa, ASC, Glee, Nip/Tuck
Anthony Palmieri, ASC, ER, Monk
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