Posted by Larry Gleeson
AFM 2020 ONLINE SET TO OPEN MONDAY WITH A RECORD 562 exhibitors, PARTICIPANTS FROM 78 COUNTRIES, More Than 1,450 BUYERS AND 465 FILMS Screening
205 Speakers from 20 Countries Come Together Over 70+ Sessions Covering a Breadth of
Timely Topics Critical to the Global Independent Motion Picture Industry
Los Angeles, CA – November 9, 2020 – Kicking off today, the American Film Market (AFM®) announced today that it will welcome the global industry with participants coming from 78 countries and 42 U.S. states – more countries than any AFM in the last decade. To date, a record 562 Exhibitors are registered for AFM 2020 Online from 48 countries with the largest exhibitor presence coming from the United States with 259 companies followed by Italy (59), the United Kingdom (46), Russia (25), Germany (20), France (19), Canada (17), Republic of (South) Korea (14), Japan (12), and Thailand (11). The current list of Exhibitors can be viewed here.
The world’s Buyers will also be in attendance with 1,468 Buyers from 66 countries confirmed to date, the largest number coming from the United States, followed by Japan, the United Kingdom, Republic of (South) Korea, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, and Canada. Buyers from the world’s leading digital platforms will also be in attendance. 465 films from 184 companies and representing 24 countries will be screening in the AFM’s On Demand Theatre.
In keeping with its mission to provide timely information and knowledge, the AFM will present its largest programming lineup to date with 205 speakers from 20 countries across 71 sessions centered on opportunities and solutions for finance, production and distribution in the wake of the pandemic. The Programming kicks off online on November 9 at 9:30 AM PST with The Future of Film Conference featuring Keynote Conversations with Mark Gill, President and CEO, Solstice Studios and Deadline’s Anthony D’Alessandro; and Elissa Federoff, President of Distribution, NEON and Variety’s Brent Lang. Panels and presentations in partnership with leading industry organizations and institutions will also take center stage, including AAFCA, BFI, NAACP, NALIP, NIFS, SAG-AFTRA, SAGindie, The Black List, The Film Collaborative, USC Annenberg Hollywood, Health & Society, WGAW, and Winston/Baker.
The AFM2020.Online platform was created to serve AFM’s multiple audience segments and features eight dedicated areas including Industry Offices, LocationEXPO, the On Demand Theatre and MyAFM. One of AFM 2020’s key differentiators is its truly unique and interactive video networking capabilities. With technology provided by the company Filmocracy, participants can meet in the Networking Pavilion with 180 online tables for video discussions on preset topics or meet-ups they can schedule. Filmocracy also supports the two Stages, including session replays, and the Info Center, enabling AFM to provide the “face-to-face” connections that happen organically in Santa Monica.
Jonathan Wolf, AFM Managing Director commented, “The global film industry has set aside this week to connect for deal making, presentations, and education, and to gather marketplace intel from one another. AFM’s engaging online experience, with the types of serendipitous meetings that happen organically in the halls, hotels and parties each year in Santa Monica, will keep everyone in touch and ensure that independent film continues to reach audiences around the world.”
The AFM programming lineup will take place live on Stages 1 and 2 with replays available within a few hours. View the full schedule of sessions and speakers for AFM 2020 Online. Highlights include:
Monday, November 9
Global Sales and VOD in partnership with The Film Collaborative: Wendy Bernfeld, Rights Stuff, Todd Olsson, Highland Film Group, Brian O’Shea, The Exchange, Orly Ravid, The Film Collaborative and Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP, and Gabrielle Rozing, Fortissimo Films.
Using Artificial Intelligence to Inform Success: Nadira Azermai, ScriptBook, Tobias Queisser, Cinelytic, Debajyoti “Deb” Ray, RivetAI, and Andrea Scarso, Ingenious.
California: The State of On Location Filming presented by the Film Liaisons in California Statewide (FLICS)
Tasha Day, City of Long Beach, Eve Honthaner, The California Film Commission, Sabrina Jurisich, Film Shasta, Beverly Lewis, Placer-Lake Tahoe Film Office, and Donna Washington, FilmLA.
Discover New Voices in partnership with Winston|Baker: Adhrucia Apana, Curiosity Entertainment, Janaé Désiré, Creative Artists Agency, Gina Reyes, Verve Talent & Literary Agency, Sophia Yen, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, and Viviana Zarragoitia, Three Point Capital.
Show Don’t Tell Podcast: Director and host Noam Kroll and screenwriter Bryan Hill to talk Screenwriting on a Micro-Budget.
Trends in Japanese Cinema & Television presented by JETRO: Chiyako Slawinski, Producer & Consultant and
Chuck Williams, Lightbeam Entertainment, LLC.
Spotlight on Russia: Meet Russian Content at AFM 2020 presented by ROSKINO: Evgenia Markova, ROSKINO
Tuesday, November 10
Spotlight On: Production in Alberta presented by the Calgary Film Centre: Linda Ambury, Production Manager and Producer, Luke Azevedo, Calgary Film Commission, Tom Cox, Seven24 Films, Mark Ham, Alberta Film Commission, and Erin O’Connor, Calgary Film Centre.
AFM’s Pitch Conference: Producer & Agent, Cassian Elwes (Mudbound, Dallas Buyers Club), Elizabeth Haggard, Participant Media, and Lee Jessup, Screenwriting Career Consultant & Coach.
The Filmmakers Podcast: Hosts Giles Alderson and Ian Sharp talk to Writer/Producer/Director Dan Mazer (Borat, I Give it a Year) about making movies, working on set and the writer/director/producer relationship.
The Producer’s Guide Podcast: Founder of Broken Road Productions, Producer and host Todd Garner and WWE wrestler turned actor John Cena will discuss Producing Comedy in Today’s Hollywood, A Serious Business.
Indie Film Hustle Podcast: Host Alex Ferrari and Producer Franco Sama on Raising Money in a COVID World & The Future of Film Distribution.
Building a Marketing Toolkit for Independent Features: Katherine MacDonald, Paramount Pictures and Russell Schwartz, Pandemic Marketing Group.
High Concept and Low Budget: Using the Writers Guild of America Low Budget Agreement in Uncertain Times:
Bradford Schleder WGAW and Joy Young-Sang, WGA.
Made by Africans, Watched by the World: Mayenzeke Baza, AAA Entertainment, Bradley Joshua, Gambit Films, Rethabile Ramphakela, Burnt Onion Productions, Pascal Schmitz, AAA Entertainment.
Navigating and Negotiating Intimacy on Set in partnership with SAG-AFTRA: Amanda Blumenthal, Intimacy Professionals Association, Gabrielle Carteris, SAG-AFTRA, Jim Kleverweis, Executive Producer (Euphoria, Insecure and Silicon Valley), Alicia Rodis, Intimacy Directors and Coordinators, and David White, SAG-AFTRA.
New Zealand: Challenges and Opportunities for Film in a COVID World in partnership with the Screen Production and Development Association of New Zealand: Richard Fletcher, SPADA and Libertine Pictures, Patrick Frater, Variety, Rob Tapert, Executive Producer (Don’t Breath, The Grudge), Chelsea Winstanley, Producer, Executive Producer, Director (This Too Shall Pass).
Wednesday, November 11
Producing Without a Completion Bond featuring Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, Brad Krevoy, Motion Picture Corporation of America, Brian O’Shea, The Exchange, and John Sloss, Cinetic Media.
Low Budget Films with Huge Profit Potential: Jillian Apfelbaum, Village Roadshow Pictures, John Rhodes, Screencraft, Nick Spicer, XYZ Films, and Zachary Tarica, The Forest Road Co.
Managing Financial Risk from Script to Screen: Ryan Broussard, Media Services Payroll, Gregoire Gensollen, Tucker Tooley Entertainment, David Offenberg, Loyola Marymount University, Gary Raskin, Raskin Gorham Anderson Law LLP.
Facts Matter: Health & Science Accuracy Onscreen in partnership with USC Annenberg Hollywood, Health & Society: Kate Langrall Folb.
Blockchain Streaming Platforms presented in partnership with the Blockchain Global Entertainment Alliance:
Patrice Poujol, Lumiere Project, Jake Craven, Breaker, Adrian J. Garelik, CEO, Flixxo, Trinabh Gupta, UCSB, Serban Simu, Eluvio.
Film Riot Podcast: Host Ryan Connolly and writer/director Colin Levy talk Directing a Blockbuster Film on an Indie Budget.
Thursday, November 12
How to Secure the Right Cast for a Greenlight: Randall Emmett (The Irishman, Power), Caroline Couret-Delegue, Film Seekers, Jenny Jue, Downtown Casting, Laura Rister, Untitled Entertainment.
Pandemic Production Challenges & Solutions: Richard Botto, Stage 32, Chris Moore, Producer (Manchester by the Sea and Promised Land), Celine Rattray, Maven Pictures, and Jennifer Westin, MarVista Entertainment.
What’s Working in the Pre-Sales Marketplace: Kimberly Fox, MadRiver International, Jeffrey Greenstein, Millennium Media, Inc., Jeremy Kay, Screen International, and Nat McCormick, The Exchange.
The Black List Can Change Everything About How You Find Future Projects with The Black List’s Franklin Leonard and Terry Huang,
A Conversation with Lloyd Kaufman: Make Your Own Damn Movie in 60 Minutes or Less!
Who Did I Offend Now? Cultural Competency in Storytelling presented in partnership with the NAACP: Kyle Bowser, NAACP, Darnell Hunt, UCLA, and Brittany A. Little, Universal Television.
U.S. Film Incentives: From Application to Audit presented by Media Services Payroll Presentation:
Nicole Ameln, North Star Incentives, Inc., David Benavente, Cast & Crew Entertainment Services, David Brauer, Brauer & Co., PC, Marco Cordova, Monarch Private Capital, Ryan Broussard, Media Services Payroll,
Friday, November 12
Working with Sales Agents: Tamara Birkemoe, Foresight Unlimited, Clay Epstein, Film Mode Entertainment, and Jordan Yale Levine, Yale Productions.
Keep Calm and Carry On Filming in partnership with the British Film Institute (BFI:) Adrian Wootton, Film London and the British Film Commission, Anna Mansi, British Film Institute, Julia Oh, Film4, and Alison Thompson, Cornerstone Films.
Deciphering Streaming Models & the Path to VOD Distribution: Audrey Delaney Blue Fox Entertainment, Bruce Eisen, Digital Advisors Linda Nelson, Indie Rights, Lise Romanoff, Vision Films, and James Schamus, Symbolic Exchange.
Standing Out in the Streaming Game – What Platforms and Audiences Want: Scilla Andreen, IndieFlix, Cameron Douglas, FandangoNOW, and Erick Opeka, Cinedigm Digital Networks.
Distributing & Monetizing Feature Documentaries: Anna Godas, DogWoof, Gregg Goldstein, Variety, Kevin Iwashina, Endeavor Content, John Von Thaden, Magnolia Pictures, Krista Wegener, Participant Media.
Navigating Hollywood During COVID-19 : How To Find Success For Your Project During A Global Pandemic in partnership with the African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA): Jen Barrett, Creative Shop Facebook, Megan Colligan, IMAX Entertainment and IMAX Corp, Malik Ducard, YouTube, Mike Jackson, Lifted Film Co., and Gil L. Robertson IV, African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA).
Everything You Imagine In One Country: Colombia: Catalina Porto, Caracol TV
Casting Global Talent: Who do Latinx Audiences Want to See? in partnership with the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP): Christopher Acebo, Broken English Productions, Aaron Ashford, Pantelion Films, Liliana Espinoza, NALIP, Carla Hool, Casting Director.
For more information and registration, please visit americanfilmmarket.com.
About the American Film Market® (AFM®)
The AFM is the most efficient film acquisition, development, and networking event in the world. More than US$1 billion in production and distribution deals are closed every year — on both completed films and those in every stage of development and production. Over five days in November, 7,000+ professionals from 70+ countries access the entire global catalog of available films and projects, attend world-class conferences, and connect with decision-makers. The AFM is produced by the Independent Film & Television Alliance®.
(Press release provided by Jennifer Garnick |VP, Communications Independent Film & Television Alliance)
