AFM Finance Conference at Fairmont Miramar Hotel
Programmed by: Independent Film & Television Alliance

Friday, 5 November
9am - 10:40am The Magic Behind the Deal
Moderator: Lew Horwitz, President, Horwitz Entertainment Financial Services, Inc.

Panelists:
Mark Damon, Chairman & CEO, Mark Damon Productions
Steve Fayne, Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP
Bob Hayward, COO, Summit Entertainment
Howard Kaplan, COO, Morgan Creek International
Trevor Short, CFO, Nu Image

11am - 12:40pm The Future of Feature Film Financing
Moderator:
Stephen Saltzman, Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP

Panelists:
Michael Burns, Vice-Chairman, Lions Gate Entertainment
Brad Krevoy, CEO, Motion Picture Corporation of America
Kathy Morgan, President, Kathy Morgan International
John Schmidt, Co-CEO, ContentFilm


AFM Seminars

Saturday, 6 November
11am Exploiting Ancillary Markets
Programmed by: IFP/Los Angeles

Many independent producers strive for a theatrical release, yet ancillary markets often offer more lucrative returns. In the context of a growing global market, the possibilities for reaching audiences are endless. Come and learn about the many opportunities for a film beyond the multiplex. The panel will discuss how to exploit these markets; how a theatrical release affects a film's value; what deals are typically offered by buyers; and international direct-to-DVD, cable, and TV sales.

Moderator:
Michael C. Donaldson, Partner, Donaldson & Hart

Panelists:
Peter Broderick, President, Paradigm Consulting
Paul Colichman, Chairman, Regent Entertainment
David Garber, President/CEO, Lantern Lane Entertainment
Robert Greenwald, Producer/Director, Outfoxed
Concepcion Lara, Senior VP, New Business and Marketing, Studio Latino

2pm They Call Them "Chick Flicks": Offensive or Good Marketing?
Programmed by: The International Committee of Women in Film

Women's pictures used to be guilty pleasures: No more! Now they're kicking butt, getting respect and grossing huge. From frothy romance to whale-riding adventures, these films show us who we are, where we've been, what we can take, and better yet, what we can dish out.

Moderator:
June Shelley, International Sales & Marketing Consultant;
Chair, The International Committee of Women in Film

Panelists:
Jack Amiel, Writer, Raising Helen, The Prince & Me
Michael Begler, Writer, Raising Helen, The Prince & Me
Martha Coolidge, Director, The Prince & Me, Rambling Rose, Angie, Valley Girl
Aiyana Elliott, Director/ Writer, Tough, The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack
Kathleen McLaughlin, Producer, Rabbit-Proof Fence, The Quiet American
Dana Precious, President, New Media, Ignition Creative
Mark Rosman, Director/ Writer, Cinderella Story, The Perfect Man, Lizzie McGuire

4pm How To Create Artful Movies On A Budget
Seminar Programmed by: American Society of Cinematographers
Presented by: Sony Digital Production Systems

Go behind the scenes with some of the world's most talented cinematographers who will provide insights into their complex role as visual storytellers and guardians of the budget. Prepare to be surprised when they share their innermost secrets with real-world stories about how they trimmed budgets in innovative ways, during pre-production, production and postproduction.

Moderators:
George Spiro Dibie, ASC, Board of Governors, American Society of
Cinematographers; Barney Miller, Night Court, Growing Pains

AND Bob Fisher, Journalist; Honorary Member, American Society of Cinematographers

Panelists:
Don Burgess, ASC, Forrest Gump, Cast Away, The Polar Express, Christmas with
the Kranks
Curtis Clark, ASC, The Draughtsman's Contract, Alamo Bay, Talent for the Game
Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC, The Shawshank Redemption, Fargo, O Brother Where
Art Thou?
Michael Goi, ASC, Who Killed Atlanta's Children?, Judas, Cloud Nine
Laszlo Kovas, ASC, My Best Friend's Wedding, Shampoo, Easy Rider
Rob McLachlan, ASC, CSC, The One, Final Destination, Cursed
David Mullen, ASC, Twin Falls Idaho, Northfork, Shadowboxer
Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Deer Hunter, The River, Melinda and Melinda



Sunday, 7 November

3pm One for the Bank, One for the Soul
Programmed by SAGIndie/Screen Actors Guild

A conversation with actors and filmmakers who maintain a balance between the high-end projects that put food on the table and low budget films that fuel their creativity. Join us for true tales of those who navigate the great divide between commercial ventures and artistic freedom.

Moderator:
Chris Gardner, Film Reporter & Columnist, The Hollywood Reporter

Panelists:
Kimberly Elise, The Manchurian Candidate, Woman Thou Art Loosed
Diane Ladd, Primary Colors, Rambling Rose
Sandra Oh, Sideways, Under the Tuscan Sun


Monday, 8 November

11am Merging Creativity and Business: The Writer/Producer Collaboration
Programmed by: Writers Guild of America, west

The relationship between a screenwriter and a producer can be an inspired match or a creative landmine (or somewhere in-between). Join screenwriters and producers as they discuss how they balanced artistic and business elements to bring their films to successful completion.

Moderator:
Robin Swicord, Co-Writer, Practical Magic, Shag; Writer/Co-Producer, Little Women

Panelists:
Julia Chasman, Producer, 25th Hour, Quills, Shag
Rodrigo Garcia, Writer/Director, Nine Lives, Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Her; Co-Writer/Co-Director, Fathers and Sons
Julie Lynn, Producer, Nine Lives, Fathers and Sons; Co-Producer, Wit
Michael Petroni, Writer/Director, Till Human Voices Wake Us; Co-Writer, The
Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys
Jay Shapiro, Producer, Thumbsucker, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys
Jeff Stockwell, Co-Writer, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys; Writer, Wilder Days

3pm Made in the U.S.A.: Incentives for Producing Your Film in the States
Programmed by: Directors Guild of America

A panel of DGA members and industry professionals will share their experiences obtaining film finance incentives and "soft dollars" from key U.S. states. The discussion will include case studies of films that have used the various state incentive programs, as well as Canadian/U.S. comparison budgets.

Moderator:
Dennis Bishop, DGA Member, Producer, Unit Production Manager

Panelists:
Christopher Coppola, DGA Member Director, Dracula's Widow, Gunfighter,
G-Men From Hell
Pat Kaufman, Deputy Commissioner & Director, New York State Governor's Office
for Motion Picture & TV Development
John Porter, Lobbyist from the Washington Council Ernst & Young
Brenda Sexton, Director of the Illinois Film Office
Mark Smith, Director, Governor's Office of Film and Television Development,
Louisiana