Back by popular demand you’ll have the opportunity to meet with your conference ‘Living Group’. Attendees will be grouped together so that starting on day one you have the chance to meet new contacts and maximize your conference experience.
Chair: Liana Bender, Development Director, California Film Institute
In addition to meeting your Living Group for the first time you will also take part in an interactive discussion and problem solving activity on some of the most pressing issues festivals are currently faced with.
Moderator: David Garber, Lantern Lane Entertainment
Panelist: Logan Mulvey, CEO, GOdigital
Panelist: Eric Stein, Programming & Acquisitions, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution
Panelist: Maren Olson, Executive, Traction Media
Panelist: Tom Quinn, Co-president, Radius-TWC (Invited)
A special film screening of The Drop: The EDM Culture Explosion followed by a Q&A session with director, Edward Platero.
As a filmmaker, especially first-timers, it’s hard to crack the code on having a successful experience at a film festival. Navigating your film through the film festival circuit has its ups and downs, but whether you are heading to Sundance or Telluride this session can give you a step-by-step guide on what role film festivals play in a filmmaker’s life.
Moderator: Dana Harris, Editor-in-Chief, Indiewire
Panelist: Ted Hope, Executive Director, San Francisco Film Society (invited)
Panelist: Stephen Nemeth, Owner, Rhino Films (invited)
Panelist: Glen Zipper, Film Producer
Panelist: Morgan Spurlock, Filmmaker (Invited)
Panelist: Stephanie Allen Bray, Director, LA Film Festival (Invited)
A growing trend includes expanding your festivals to create a dynamic relationship that has the potential to benefit the local community as a whole. Whether it’s working with local universities and film commissions or including opportunities for community action, find out how this process works and how to take advantage of this at your festival.
Moderator: Kelly DeVine, Artistic Director, Global Peace Film Festival
Panelist: Drew Mayer-Oakes, Director, Film San Antonio / San Antonio Film Commission
Panelist: Anne Ashbey, Executive Director, Ashland Independent Film Festival
Panelist: Paul Cohen, Director, FSU College of Motion Picture Arts “Torchlight Program”
With major film festivals popping up around the country, how can your fest stand out from all the rest? Attendees will come away understanding the scope of film’s new and upcoming social and traditional media tools as well as design elements. Learn from our experts the best practices around attracting, engaging and creating buzz through technology so you can capitalize on these audience-heavy marketing tools.
Moderator: Mike Hogan, Executive Entertainment & Arts Editor, Huffington Post (Invited)
Take a look into the festival world through the eyes of a film festival programmer. Is it a dream job? Or is mastering the mechanics of the selection process, paying licensing fees and pressure from studios too complex? In this session get a sense of why the role of a programmer is the ‘arbiter of taste’ that sets the stage for cultural trends and learn how the under-examined fundamental role of programming in film festivals is quintessential in the decision-making process and can be a daunting and exhilarating task. .
Panelist: Carl Spence, Artistic Director, Seattle International Film Festival (Invited)
Panelist: Genna Terranova, Director of Programming, Tribeca Film Festival (Invited)
Panelist: Rodney Perkins, Programmer, Fantastic Fest
Panelist: Sterling Hedgpeth, Program Manager, Mill Valley Film Festival
Festivals are evolving and the archaic sponsorship model should be shifting as well. Many festivals have begun to re imaged sponsorship and have learned the value of straying from the traditional sponsorship model. In this session learn how festivals and their sponsors have tailored their sponsorship strategy to create the ‘wow’ factor; creating the best results for their partnerships.
Moderator: Gail Lowney Alofsin, Director of Corporate Partnerships, Newport Harbor Corporation
Panelist: Franca Miraglia, Director, Sponsorship, Toronto International Film Festival
Panelist: Beau Blanchard, Development Manager, California Film Institute
Panelist: Jenny Song, Assistant Director, Corporate Development, Sundance Institute
Prepare to ask questions as our Drill Down facilitators address industry topics on a more intimate level providing insight, advice and feedback to your questions you can’t get answered anywhere else!
Between festival-related and visitor spending as well as the invaluable cultural and artistic benefit; festivals continue to have a resounding economic impact on communities. Boosting tourism, creating jobs, increasing educational outreach and supporting local businesses, festivals can produce billions of dollars in economic benefit. Learn from festivals and economic impact experts that have capitalized on this concept while simultaneously benefiting the community.
Moderator: Joan Kornblith, Music Correspondent, Voice of America
Panelist: Nick Algee, Planet Roo Manager, Bonnaroo
Panelist: Catlin Whitington, Planner, SXSW
Panelist: Michael Harker,Senior Partner, Enigma Research
Panelist: Ben Loftsgaarden, Partner, Greyhill Advisor
It is common knowledge that film and music festivals and venues are required to license the music at their events. But from whom? Where? And for how much? Also, where does the performer fit in all of this? Hear from our experts at ASCAP and BMI, on how these organizations interface with festivals and be prepared for a lively discussion.
Film festivals have the ability to grow the filmmaking community, allowing aspiring community members to become filmmakers by learning the skills and knowledge needed to produce theatrical motion pictures. In this case study you will learn from two film industry leaders who had a passion to make a difference and “Spark the Formation of a Filmmaking Community”
Presenter: Terry Scerbak, Director, Reel Shorts Film Festival
Presenter: Scott Belyea, Filmmaker
