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2012 American Film Market Press Report - Part 2: 12-5-2011 - Written By: David L. $Money Train$ Watts, Howard Hobson, Matthew Ables – FuTurXTV -

Funk Gumbo Radio – Auggie Cavanagh - Cameraman & Still Photographer

5 Ways To Drastically Fix The American Film Market:

1. First, the AFM organizers have to acknowledge that the AFI Film Festival is a bigger failure

than ever. Why must the AFM do this? Well, because it was not too long ago when the AFI

Film Festival was heavily sponsored by Audi and was one of the premier film festivals in

Hollywood, North America and a top film festival in the world by anyone’s standards. But

then the financial crisis of 2008 crushed the spirit out of the AFI Fest and Audi’s money and

many other major corporate sponsors bailed as well. The AFI was forced to downsize and

move from the massive operation it had at the Sunset & Vine Cinerama/ArchLight Theaters to

the less than impressive Mann Chinese 6 Theaters. What this did was immediately downgrade

the relevance and importance of the AFI Film Fest which in turn had an adverse effect of also

diminishing the relevance and importance of the American Film Market. It was a big deal

several years ago when the AFI and AFM created a joint partnership or arrangement. The

idea was that why not have AFM attendees be able to take shuttles to mingle with Hollywood’s

A-list celebs, upcoming actors, directors, agents and new film power players that had no

problem with going to premieres or screenings at ArchLight rather than hope Hollywood’s

elite and wannabes would go to Santa Monica to attend the AFM. But AFI at first went out of

its way to even have a series of its screenings in Santa Monica. But in the end this AFI and

AFM relationship was always dicey at best. But it was better for both AFI and AFM to act like

for two weeks that they were the center of the film universe in Los Angeles than what it is now.

One of the main keys to revitalizing the AFM is moving the AFI Film Fest to the Santa Monica

ACM Theaters and securing a new major corporate sponsor to make it an elite global film and

entertainment event again just like the film marketplaces at Cannes, Berlin, Sundance, etc,.

2. AFM needs to reach out to Variety and Victor Harwood’s Digital Hollywood about hosting

Variety’s Fall Entertainment and Technology Summit and the Fall DH at the Loews and not at

the Ritz-Carlton in Marina Del Rey. And there are plenty of posh hotels in Santa Monica to

host Variety’s other Fall film events during the AFM. When Variety sponsors or host any

conference, panel or event everyone in the entertainment biz will know about it. Variety covers

all the AFM news, but they and DH could make AFM an annual mega-Hollywood/Tech event.

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3. There has to be a tremendous social media campaign by all the companies attending AFM.

Yes, I am saying have a planned and highly coordinated social media activity on eve of AFM’s

Day 1 that has every distributor, publicist or even intern Tweeting and posting on Facebook

the official launch of that year’s AFM. The AFM has aggressively become a top trending topic

on Twitter and a top news feed story on Facebook to register on the public that watches AFM

films every day, but has no clue about the AFM. See every year at Sundance, Toronto or

Cannes people and the free national media likes to report on stories about what new indie films

got picked up by a studio or TV network. The AFM gets insider Hollywood hype, but not the

type of juicy Industry film deal gossip that makes all the producers and filmmakers fight to get

their films premiered or sold at a major international film festival. In my opinion the AFM has

unfortunately become the forgotten event that producers and filmmakers can now easily skip.

Spike Lee was at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival doing interviews and promotions for his

Red Hook Summer. But eleven months later when Recreation is repping Red Hook Summer at

this year’s AFM--Spike Lee is nowhere to be found. Only a massive AFM sponsored social

media campaign will make Hollywood publicists, agents and studio/TV networks execs realize

that if they are not promoting their films at AFM than the public will think those new films are

not worth their time, attention and most importantly worth buying on DVD, VOD or cable.

4. AFM needs to give quietly and secretly give free or heavily discounted suites to all the major

digital media tech giants like Google, Amazon, Netflix, Dailymotion and Facebook. They are

all too big now to pretend that they need to be at AFM and buy a suite. If past AFM attendees

saw that the 8th

Floor at the Loews had Google, Facebook, Netflix, etc., than there would be a

sudden rush to buy their tickets to attend the next AFM. Google alone has been dropping $100

Million on their new original channels on YouTube. So Google could easily buyout the whole

film catalogs of half or every film company at AFM and not even blink. Google could create a

new AFM Multichannel Network or AFM MCN that did nothing but digitally premiered all

the new AFM films to attendees who had special access codes from the film’s sales agents or

distributors. Or even arrange it so anyone can see a preview or the first five minutes of every

film being sold at the AFM. I saw no companies at AFM focused on making their film catalogs

available as an iPhone, Android or Windows Mobile app. Mobile is the future of digital media

and exhibitors should have AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and Virgin all wanting to license

AFM films in five minute video bites. Technology has to stop being an afterthought at AFM.

5. AFM has to work directly with USC, UCLA, Chapman University and all the top Southern

California University film schools to set aside a hundred free all-access AFM conference

passes. The next Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, or John Singleton most likely nowadays has

no idea or concern that the American Film Market is going on. AFM can no longer wait years

or a decade after film school graduates leave their colleges to hear about or even attend the

AFM. The AFM info that college students can learn and the contacts that students can make at

AFM’s annual conferences will be far more valuable than the courses they are studying. It is

way better for film students to see firsthand that just getting one’s first indie film in a few film

major festivals does not mean they are getting to get a big fat check from a distributor the next

week. It would even be greatly helpful for students to learn what elements of an indie film are

marketable in global markets. So the five things that I mentioned above can all be easily and

quickly implemented by the AFM to restore its fading luster, glory and Hollywood relevance.

By David L. Watts, FuTurXTV, Funk Gumbo Radio and www.thedarkroome.com

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2012 AMERICAN FILM MARKET PRESS EVENTS:

2012 AFM - Day 2:

(L-R) Yvonne Chuang, Janet Yang, Zhou Tiedong, Jonathan Wolf, Raymond Yip, Patrick Frater, Tracey Trench and then

next photo is (L-R) Jonathan Wolf, managing director of the American Film Market, Jean Prewitt, executive vice president of

the Independent Film & Television Alliance, Barbara C. Rawdon, director, EHPS Team Office of Service Industries and

Raymond Yip, assistant executive director of HKTDC at Hong Kong Day at American Film Market - Day 2

(L-R) Louis Ho, regional director of Americas HKTDC, Raymond Yip, assistant executive director of HKTDC, Jean Prewitt

and Jonathan Wolf; (middle photo), Guests and Jean Prewitt, president & CEO of IFTA, Raymond Yip, assistant executive

director of HKTDC, Jonathan Wolf (last photo) Raymond Yip, assistant executive director of HKTDC, (C) addresses the

crowd alongside Lloyd Kaufman, chairman of the Independent Film & Television Alliance, and Jonathan Wolf, managing

director of the American Film Market at at Hong Kong Day at American Film Market - Day 2

Her Royal Highness Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi presides over Thai Night at the American Film

Market – Day 2

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2012 AMERICAN FILM MARKET CONFERENCES:

2012 AFM - Day 3:

Director Sacha Gervasi speaks with moderator John Simon Allen, BAFTA, at an American Film Market Industry

Conversation - Day 3.

The "Current Issues in Film Finance" panel, with moderator P. John Burke, Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

and panelists Tom Ortenberg, CEO, Open Road Films, Nigel Sinclair, Co-Chair and CEO, Exclusive Media, and Graham

Taylor, Head, Global Finance and Distribution Group, William Morris Endeavor during American Film Market - Day 3.

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(L-R) Moderator Joseph Chianese, EVP, EP Financial Solutions, Entertainment Partners, Jean-Luc DeFanti, Managing

Partner, Hemisphere Capital Management, Micah Green, Co-Head, Film Finance Group, Creative Artists Agency, Bahman

Naraghi, Independent Film Producer & former COO of GK Films, David Rubin, EVP, CBS Films, and Andy Weltman, EVP,

Pinewood Studios Group, at "Building Your Global Film Financing Strategy" panel during American Film Market - Day 3.

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2012 AFM - Day 4:

Tobin Armbrust, President, Worldwide Production and Acquisitions, Exclusive Media, Cassian Elwes, Independent

Producer/Agent and Stephanie Palmer, Founder, Good in a Room, speak at the American Film Market Pitch Conference -

Day 4.

Bonnie Curtis, Producer, Mockingbird Pictures, Victor Levin, Writer/Producer/Director, and moderator Scott Roxborough,

Correspondent, The Hollywood Reporter, at the "5 to 7" Industry Conversation during the American Film Market - Day 4.

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2012 AFM - Day 5:

Moderator Kendra Campbell-Milburn, Sr. Director, Social, The Visionaire Group, Andrew Freston, Director of

Business/Creative Development, VICE Media Group, Eric Kuhn, Head of Social Media, United Talent Agency, and Graham

Retzik, Creative Director, VP Digital and Print Media, Fox Searchlight Pictures, speak at the "Social Media: Making Friends

for Your Film" panel during the American Film Market - Day 5.

Graham Retzik, Creative Director, VP Digital and Print Media, Fox Searchlight Pictures, and Moderator Kendra Campbell-

Milburn, Sr. Director, Social, The Visionaire Group, and Andrew Freston, Director of Business/Creative Development, VICE

Media Group, speak at the "Social Media: Making Friends for Your Film" panel during the American Film Market - Day 5

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Actor Jonathan Silverman and Actress Pamela Adlon at the American Film Market - Day 5.

Director Josh Stolberg, actress Pamela Adlon, actor Jonathan Silverman, and moderator Fred Topel, CraveOnline.com,

speak at the "Conception" Industry Conversation during the American Film Market - Day 5.

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Eddie Schmidt, Documentary Producer/Director ("This Film is Not Yet Rated," "Twists of Faith"), Courtney Sexton,

Director of Documentary Production, Participant Media, and speaks during the "Doc Talk: One-On-One" Industry

Conversation during the American Film Market - Day 5

Moderator Mark Pogachefsky, President, MPRM Communications, Charlotte Mickie,EVP, International Sales,

Entertainment One, Rich Klubeck, Partner, United Talent Agency, Alison Thompson, Co-President, Focus Features

International, and Michael J. Werner, Chairman, Fortissimo Films, speak at the "Film Festivals Demystified" panel during

the American Film Market - Day 5.

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2012 AFM - Day 6:

Jon Larson of DGA, Darrien Michele Gipson, SAGIndie, Kay S. Wolf, WGAw and Kevin Iwashina, Preferred Content, at

"Working with the U.S. Guilds" Industry Conversation at the American Film Market - Day 6

Sue Turley, President of ro*co films productions, Michael Barnathan, President of 1492 Pictures, and moderator Matt

Holzman, KCRW, at the "IDA: The Doc Remake" Industry Conversation at the American Film Market - Day 6.

Robert Beaumont, President, Lightning Entertainment, Bruce Eisen, Vice President, Online Content Development & Strategy,

Dish Network, and Jason Janego, Co-President, RadiusTWC at the "Navigating the VOD Landscape: What Every Producer

Needs to Know" panel during American Film Market - Day 6

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Moderator Amy Friedlander Hoffman, Tom Adams, Director & Principal Analyst, Screen Digest, and David Spiegelman,

President, Domestic & Digital Distribution, Relativity Media, at the "Navigating the VOD Landscape: What Every Producer

Needs to Know" panel during American Film Market - Day 6.

Moderator Dana Harris, Editor-in-Chief, Indiewire, Scilla Andreen, CEO & Co-Founder of IndieFlix,

Damian Benders, Sr. VP, VOD Programming & Marketing, SnagFilms, Eamonn Bowles, Magnolia Pictures President,

Todd Green, Tribeca Film General Manger speaks at the VOD Release Strategies: Finding Your Film's Digital Clique

panel during American Film Market - Day 6 at the Fairmont Hotel on November 5, 2012 in Santa Monica, California.

(L) Writer-director Rupesh Paul, BizTV NetworK Rupesh Paul unveils the initial look of Kamasutra 3D at the AFM

(American Film Market) Press Conference in Los Angeles.

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2012 AFM - Day 7:

Lloyd Kaufman, President, Troma Entertainment, delivers the Keynote Address at the Micro-Budget Conference

at the American Film Market - Day 7.

Lloyd Kaufman, President, Troma Entertainment, and Jonathan Schwartz, Producer, Super Crispy Entertainment

("Nobody Walks," "Like Crazy," "Douchebag"), at the "The Micro-Budget Marketplace: It's a Business!" panel at

the American Film Market - Day 7.

Moderator Paul Hertzberg, President, CineTel Films, Paul Bales, Partner, The Asylum, and Philippe Caland, Filmmaker and

Founder/Chairman, JuntoBox Films, speaks at the "The Micro-Budget Marketplace: It's a Business!" panel at the American

Film Market - Day 7.

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Moderator Liza Foreman, Film Reporter, The Wrap, and Jane Fleming, Producer and Partner, Amber Entertainment;

Tatiana Kelly, Producer; Ry Russo-Young, Writer/Director; and Andrea Sperling, Producer, Super Crispy Entertainment

at the "Journey to Micro-Budget Success: The Filmmakers" panel at the American Film Market - Day 7.

Moderator Liza Foreman, Film Reporter, The Wrap, and Jane Fleming, Producer and Partner, Amber Entertainment;

Tatiana Kelly, at the "Journey to Micro-Budget Success: The Filmmakers" panel at the American Film Market - Day 7.

Moderator Liza Foreman, Film Reporter, The Wrap, Producer; Ry Russo-Young, Writer/Director; and Andrea Sperling,

Producer, Super Crispy Entertainment at the "Journeys to Micro-Budget Success: The Filmmakers" panel at the

American Film Market - Day 7.

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Hans Fraikin, Film Commissioner, Quebec Film and Television Council (QFTC), Moderator Kevin Clark, Association of Film

Commissioners International | AFCI, and Pam Haynes, Director, West Virginia Commerce - WV Film Office, at the North

American Production Incentives Industry Conversation at the American Film Market - Day 7

Bill Hess, Chief of Development, Central Louisiana In Film, and Marvin E. Crespo-Alvarado, Promoter/Coordinator,

Corporación de Cine de Puerto Rico/Puerto Rico Film Commission speaks at the North American Production Incentives

Industry Conversation at the American Film Market - Day 7

Moderator Kevin Clark, Association of Film Commissioners International | AFCI, Silvia Echeverri, Director, Colombian

Film Commission, and Elena Romanova, Head, International Department, Russian Cinema Fund, at the International

Production Incentives Industry Conversation at the American Film Market - Day 7.

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Florence Swamy, CEO, Film Fiji, and Vikramjit Roy, Head, Film Production and Marketing, National Film Development

Corporation Ltd. (India), speaks at the International Production Incentives Industry Conversation at the American Film

Market - Day 7.

2012 AMERICAN FILM MARKET AFM SPONSORS:

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