Founder and CEO of FilmHedge, a fin-tech platform for production finance, Jon Gosier spoke at the International Film Finance Forum on Friday, along with Paula Paizes (COO & President of Production at Pressman Film), Christopher Woodrow (Founder and Chairman at Media Capital Technologies), Sonia Mehandjiyska (Head of International Distribution at Electric Entertainment), and Marc Iserlis (Head of Film at Republic).
The group spoke about the current state of film financing, what kinds of financing their respective companies do, and the future of film financing. Find the full video of Jon Gosier speaking at the filmfestivals.com YouTube channel or the end of this article. 

Key discussion points included

Film financing is no longer one-size fits all - what are the different financing options now? How can companies and creatives decide what type of financing is best for their specific needs? Discuss what kind of questions should they ask? 

From a financing POV, in what condition is the production industry? What do you look for most when evaluating a project / company? 

What factors have you seen play into the success of certain projects over others in recent years?

The State of Distribution: how does the distribution landscape factor in the conversation for Film and Television…we've been hearing that there's a need for more US distributors - is that the case?

Are investors and their money drying up or are there new companies consistently entering the space?

Shifting financial strategies – The growing synergy between U.S. private equity and European soft money.

Market saturation vs. market correction: Is it time to reset and refocus on quality over quantity?

Originals vs. franchises: is there a fatigue in franchises, paralleled with the success of films like Sinners and Longlegs?

What is broken in the traditional film financing model – and why are they no longer sufficient for today’s filmmakers?

What new funding avenues are emerging to help filmmakers access capital on their own terms?

Are we seeing a shift in the role of fans—from passive consumers to active financial participants and stakeholders in film projects?

MODERATOR:

Jeff Bazoian – Managing Director, Head of Media, Entertainment & Sport, Fifth Third Bank

PANELISTS:

Jon Gosier - Founder and CEO, FilmHedge

Christopher Woodrow - Founder and Chairman, Media Capital Technologies (MCT)

Sonia Mehandjiyska - Head of International Distribution, Electric Entertainment

Paula Paizes - Chief Operating Officer and President of Production, Pressman Film

Marc Iserlis - Head of Film, Republic