The Inaugural American Film Convention (AFC) has finalized its speaker program, having lined up more than 50 speakers for 40 panels and programs taking place over the three days of the Convention taking place October 15-17 at The Reef in Downtown Los Angeles.
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Inaugural American Film Convention (AFC) has finalized its speaker program, having lined up more than 50 speakers for 40 panels and programs taking place over the three days of the Convention taking place October 15-17 at The Reef in Downtown Los Angeles.
AFC Director of Conferences & Workshops Jon Fitzgerald says, "our three days of programming features many top-shelf leaders, founders and partners coming together to share their insights on this ever-evolving industry." Fitzgerald's all-star program takes place alongside "AFC Talks," three talks and a panel newly programmed by film marketing executive Elizabeth Gilcreast.
Fitzgerald begins, "Day One has an emphasis on film exhibition, as entertainment veterans present a healthy combination of film festival strategies, where the exhibition journey often begins, through a broad range of alternative distribution models."
Distribution pioneer, Next Wave Films' Peter Broderick, kicks things off with a keynote address on this very subject, as he premieres a new presentation – "Supercharge Your Distribution!"
Another all-star team shares insights on this new era of exhibition, from the non-theatrical event sensation with Gathr (Neil Williams) and Kinema (Christie Marchese), to the more traditional art house venues and the independent fare that will play these venues (Lumiere's Peter Ambrosio) with creative marketing initiatives in tow (Abramorama's Evan Saxon).
Distribution guru Keith Ochwat takes convention delegates through alternative and educational distribution case studies with his presentation. And festival veteran (Slamdance co-founder, AFI, Santa Barbara) Jon Fitzgerald joins award-winning filmmaker Justin Giddings to share insights from their industry leading Film Festival Mastery programs.
Day One culminates with a reception bringing film festival associates and film commissioners together with filmmakers and industry professionals from across the US come together to share the current landscape and look to the future
Day Two—Wednesday, October 16—offers a balance of craft, sales and the future of filmed entertainment. Toplining the day's program are the "AFC Talks," running 3:00-5:00PM, programmed by Elizabeth Gilcreast. Moderated by Film Threat's Chris Gore, they feature: Andrew Lazar (AMERICAN SNIPER, SPACE COWBOYS), who's in production on his newest film, BenDavid Grabinski's MIKE & NICK & NICK & ALICE; Jay Chandrasekhar (SUPER TROOPERS, Arrested Development), who will hold forth on The Future of Comedy; and director/cinematographer Wally Pfister (INCEPTION, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES) will review his career and talk about what's next. Finally, Gore will moderate a TV panel with Searchlight Television's Gina Kwon, Reid Shane (The Morning Show), and another panelist TBD on the future of television. A cocktail reception follows the AFC Talks on the premises.
Fitzgerald walks prospective guests through the rest of the day's programming. He explains, "Writing a successful screenplay is more than just storytelling. Writers first need to know who they are as writers and understand what thematic story they tell over and over again in different iterations. In some cases, it's original ideas. Oftentimes, it's transforming existing IP for the screen. This knowledge enables writers not only to write compelling original scripts but also to identify their personal connection to any story so that they can pitch themselves for any project, be that project an existing script, idea, book, graphic novel, play or article. From understanding your POV with original material, to learning the art of adaptation, this session From Your Story to Their Story will explore what it takes to put all the pieces together.
Elaine Sturgess from BooksOffice helps attendees explore the art and business of adaptation, with a company that connects independent publishers with filmmakers. Lisanne Sartor joins us from the Cinestory Foundation, which helps mentor talented emerging screenwriters and television writers who might not otherwise gain entry into the entertainment industry
Industry leading author Christopher Vogler then leads guests on The Writers Journey. His 12-step interpretation of classic Hero's Journey or "monomyth" has guided screenwriters and novelists for decades and is now inspiring musicians and game designers to create captivating works based on his theories. In this presentation he will unveil some of the secret principles that make stories and characters compelling and will show how to give them some of the depth of feeling that comes from a myth or a fairy tale. With many years of experience in story development at Hollywood studios, and a lifetime of exploring the wisdom of myth, Vogler will expand the possibilities for one's own writing journey.
"Filmmakers with great projects will eventually want to sell their movies," Fitzgerald continues. "Whether they sell their film in advance, during or after their festival run, the better deals are orchestrated by trained sales agents. They know the buyer, and the marketplace." In the sales session, industry pros—producer, director and sales agent Alex Nohe, attorney Steven Beer, and producer Mathew Helderman—will share the process of selling a film, to top distributors via agencies and the distribution rights formula for independent films going with the smaller distributors.
These players will share the insights on selling, and one of the primary sales categories is VOD. From the major subscription players to the TVOD platforms, from the niche players to the booming FAST Channels, Bryan Louzil (Mometu) and Mario Niccolo Messina(Insurgence) will share insights about their models and how to make films successful in this thriving marketplace.
Day Three comes full circle, with presentations and panels on international sales, talent representation and career development.
On Thursday, industry representatives share how their work with actors, writers and directors influences a career. They also share how artists can prepare for pitching them on representation, and the best way to approach them. Sara Bottfeld is a partner at Industry Entertainment and knows the lay of the land, from guiding careers to representing major talent. Richard Arlook led a division of Gersh before moving into management, which is also where to find Jason Lubin (First Story Entertainment). Distinguished, published author and producer's rep Mark Litwak, will moderate the discussion.
As veteran sales reps, Linda Nelson and Michael Madison, the founders of specialty distributor IndieRights, present insights on the changing landscape of international sales and distribution, from developing initial marketing materials, through film delivery to streaming platforms, and everything in between.
The importance of marketing is finally gaining traction. Industry veterans Henry Eshelman and Daniel Harlow present a lively discussion around the importance of branding and marketing to general and niche audiences, and how to drive sales for live events and drive traffic to your VOD platform.
Rounding out speakers for Day Three is Dan Mirvish. Since his first film helped to lead the charge at Slamdance thirty years ago with OMAHA, Slamdance co-founder Mirvish has thrived outside the studio system. His most recent feature is 18½, an award-winning, "Top Ten Oscar Contender," "Certified Fresh" 70's Watergate thriller/dark comedy that played at over 25 festivals on four continents, and then had a 7-month theatrical release in over 60 US cities. In his AFC address, Mirvish shares how he took control of his own destiny by developing his own projects, getting them made and establishing a successful release campaign. What pathways lie ahead in the future?
"At the heart of the American Film Convention is a mission to empower and support filmmakers on their journey." CEO Mitesh Patel concludes. "As we kick off our first year, we acknowledge that every great endeavor starts with humble beginnings. Our team is working diligently to create a platform where the industry can unite, inspire, and pave the way for the future of independent cinema."
The full schedule is here.
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