Film Short: Financing Conferences for Filmmakers

March 3, 2010 in Film Short, film, film finance, filmmaking | Tags: 2010 International Film & TV Summit, distribution, film, Film Finance Forum, film financing, film production, filmmaking, Independent Filmmaker, indies, investors, online film distribution, producers

This month two Film Financing Conferences are being held in Los Angeles. First there is the 2^nd Annual Film Finance Forum beginning on the 2nd and running through the 4^th at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, then on the 8^th and 9^th the 2010 International Film & TV Summit is being held at the Luxe Hotel. While most independent filmmakers may be focusing on the newer business models, such as crowdfunding, which are aimed at no and low budget productions, becoming familiar with how traditional financial funding is structured and functions is beneficial, especially if you might one day be producing larger projects.

Both of these conferences share some similarities, such as speakers and participating companies. The Film Finance Forum sponsored by Winston Baker, Variety and Thomson Reuters describes itself as the official forum for finance and entertainment professionals seeking new investment opportunities and growth strategies within the film business. Stressing the impact of the lagging economy, the conference focuses on emerging trends in deal structuring, capital raising challenges and solutions. This year’s featured keynote speaker is Ashok Amritraj, CEO of Hyde Park Entertainment Group, while other notable panelists include Ronald Hohauser, CFO at Summit Entertainment, SVP of Finance and Operations at Fox Searchlight, Jill Gwen and Mark Burton, President of IndieVest. I attended The Film Finance Forum’s debut in 2009 and gained a lot of insight into the mechanics of how this part of the industry works. It was before I began my involvement in film, however, during my research phase, so I didn’t have this blog then, nor had I started working on “Accused” or any marketing projects.

At the time what I found valuable was the film industry overview from the financing perspective and the opportunity to network and find out first hand what industry insiders really think. Last year most of the panels concentrated on the lack of money available from hedge funds, banks and other sources, the shrinking number of productions being financed and the emergence of alternative resources, such as the IndieVest model. Reoccurring themes that resonated were the need for producers to understand the components of financing and the acknowledgment that while there will always be a film business, it is redefining itself and is in a state of flux. The pros and cons of trying to finance slates, the need for great scripts that attract talent, the challenges to securing distribution and the development of new technologies like 3D were also key issues, which I’m sure will be hot topics discussed again this year.

I haven’t attended the International Film & TV Summit before, but it is now in its 10^th year. Sponsored by Atlas, this conference brings together the same type of speakers: film finance professionals, commercial and investment bankers, independent producers, state film commissioners and legal and accounting advisors. Perhaps one of the most significant differences is the emphasis on educational rewards, since this program offers up to 12 CPE/CLE credits. Benefits of attending being stressed this year include: the role of banks and specialized finance companies in providing financing for film production, how talent agencies can help package films for finance and distribution and understanding how to utilize new digital platforms for distributing media content into the home and onto hand held devices.

Whether you are interested in pursuing film financing through these traditional methods or are concentrating on the newer funding/distribution models being created and developed for independent filmmakers, one suggestion I’d make is to check out the brochures for these types of conferences. Become familiar with the issues, subjects and information they are choosing to discuss and debate and make note of who their speakers are. Many of these people appear at numerous events and are highly regarded individuals within the industry. It’s good to know who they are, what they think and what they’re doing. Knowledge is valuable and you never know when you may be able to utilize it, so recognizing these high profile industry insiders with pivotal positions in finance, development and distribution is a smart idea. For those who want to know more or perhaps get on the mailing list for future events, more info is available at http://www.filmfinanceforum.com/ and http://www.atlas-sfi.com/Calendar2010/Film/index.htm

This Weeks Tweet Hearts:

openindie - We want open values for film distribution. We are OpenIndie.

zakforsman – an artist-entrepreneur, the filmmaker of HEART OF NOW, editor of WBP NEW BREED and ceo of CINEFIST.

karenworden – Actor, producer, co-host of LA Talk Radio’s Film Courage, and the proud mother of four over-achieving cats.

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