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The AFM is the premier film Market in the United States and is host to international filmmakers and buyers. It is put on by the trade organization, the Independent Film & Television Alliance, (IFTA). The AFM opened on November 1 2007, has shown a 3% increase in attendance among buyers. In total, 1,628 buyers from 65 countries registered for AFM 2007, compared to 1,573 and 61 nations for 2006. Major territory highlights include the U.S. (up 10% from 2006), France (up 12%), Scandinavia (down 28%), Poland (up 50%), Turkey (up 25%), Taiwan (down 53%), Russia (up 40%) and Brazil (up 18%). For a copy of a PDF of the AFM 2007 BUYERS ANALYSYS CLICK HERE. Each year the AFM converts the LOEWS hotel in Santa Monica into a myriad of offices for filmmakers, distributors and other film support businesses. In addition to the selling of films, the AFM offers filmed entertainment oriented conferences covering a variety of subjects from film financing opportunities, to distribution & theatrical marketing trends. Pictured below are the IFTA executives including newly elected Chairman Lloyd Kaufman.
ITFA execs. L-R: Lloyd Kaufman, Jean Pruitt, Jonathan Wolfe Photo credit: Thos Robinson/Getty Images. The IFTA....Since 1980, more than fifty percent of the Academy Award™ “Best Picture” winners have been films produced or licensed globally by IFTA member companies. The Independent Film & Television Alliance (“IFTA” or “the Alliance”) was established in 1980 as the American Film Marketing Association (“AFMA”). Its first members were a group of distributors and sales agents whose main goal was to expand the independent film business by creating a world-class trade show, the American Film Market (AFM). Today, the association has evolved into the trade association for the independent film and television industry worldwide, while the AFM concurrently has become the largest international film market in the world. The IFTA Official site: http://ifta-online.org/ ___________________________________ HOLLYWOOD2YOU.TV's Exclusive video Interview with LLOYD KAUFMAN Hollywood2You.TV met with the newly elected Chairman of the IFTA, Lloyd Kaufman to discuss important issues for the independent film community. Lloyd Kaufman is also CEO of TROMA ENTERTAINMENT, a 35 year old film production and distribution company headquartered in New York. Lloyd Kaufman is very concerned about the Film Industry's Consolidation and it's effect on the independent filmmakers of the world. The Majors dominate the content in theatres and network TV programming that we see. While that fight is going on, we face the new media arena of the Internet, and "NET NEUTRALITY". Lloyd and the IFTA have been actively meeting with the FCC addressing the monopolistic bulling of the Majors and it's adverse affects. We need to keep the internet OPEN as it has alway been. Check out the Video Interviews clips below to hear Lloyd Kaufman on Net Neutraliity and his film release POULTRYGEIST and it's success using MYSPACE.com and getting theatrical releases. VIDEO CLIP #1 Lloyd discusses the FILM INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION VIDEO CLIP #2 Poultrygeist - MYSPACE SITE: Night of the Chicken Dead is cinema’s first chicken-zombie horror-comedy… with musical numbers! When well-meaning but somewhat dim Arbie (Jason Yachanin) returns to the spot of his first (and only) romantic encounter with his high school sweetheart– the not-so-romantic Ancient Tromahawk Tribe Indian Burial Ground– he is shocked to discover two horrible realities: Not only has the graveyard been bulldozed to make room for the newest fast-food “American Chicken Bunker” chain restaurant, but after only one semester at college, his girlfriend Wendy (Kate Graham) has been transformed into a left-wing, lipstick-lesbian liberal, and spends her free time protesting the corporate takeover of America. It's a wild ride as usual from the TROMA Production Team. |
FILM FINANCING UPDATE Film financing, ever sought after by independent filmmakers, was discussed in great detail at the AFM Film Finance conferences this year. Finance models are varied utilizing the resources of private equity, distribution presales, tax incentives, hedge funds and investment bankers. Lower budget films often require more creativity, and often private equity is the way to go. Pre-sales to international territories has been down over the past couple of years, curbing that source. In the second session, Christa Thomas of JPMorgan Securities sited that it appears that there are too many films in the market place and buyers are more discriminating than before. The Hedge funds sources are declining, and more single picture deals being made instead of slates of films. Investors are looking to protect for the downside of their investments. Theatrical attendance is down, and in the US the average is 5 visits to the theatre per year, in Japan .2 visits per year. Home theatres have become the preferred alternative unless it's a blockbuster big screen sort of film. Paid subscriptions in homes is dying in favor of buying or downloading to own. New Media options look like a bright financial horizon, but they haven't kicked in to their potential yet. P&A investments follow the last in first out money model, but there is a reluctance now with poor theatrical performances impacting ROI. But worse than that, some 8 digit P&A investments have only been returning 7 digit grosses. Investors know that the banks who suggest film investments are almost a guarantee 18.3% ROI are the same banks in trouble now for huge losses in the mortgage business they chose. Sub prime rates are the indication to tell investors beware. Tax incentives are being used on approximately 70% of films made last year. Film budgets under 1 million find that the costs of admin and legal for application and follow through for tax incentives can eat up the benefits of those incentives. Some state tax incentive never get realized because of overlooked details in the incentives or state's processes. Bonding companies sited that it is common place for producers erroneously put tax incentives in their budgets as if they were cash. The Tax incentives must be discounted, and sometimes don't come true at all. The 4 Major factors to entice an investment banker are. (1) The Person, and his track record of past repayment of loans/ lending history. (2) Fundamental Paperwork - Presales & in place contracts (3) Lastly... Script & Cast. The 4th final and BEST selling point of the project would be to have a SALES AGENT of past known success attached to the project. HOLLYWOOD2YOU.TV __________________________________________________ AFM - iHollywood Forum MONETIZING CONTENT - Movies & wireless opportunities for movies and other video content are a key focus for filmmakers at AFM again this year at the iHollywood Forum conference. Although downloading of films sounds like "everybody's doing it", the reality is that less than one percent of all film sales are from downloads. Retail physical sales of DVD's account for over 90% of the gross sales. The reason is that although the technology is capable of it, consumers are not geared up for it. The average homes in the US do not have computers networked to all the TV sets in them. This means they can't share the content between other rooms, (like finish the movie on the bedroom TV set), so this isolates the several DVD/TV's in the home. Then there's the issue of no backup copy (unless you make one) and everyone knows computer disk crashes are common, and your movies will be gone! Yet another major reason is pricing. Studios want the same amount for downloads as DVD sales, although you don't get that hard backup DVD copy or the "DVD special features". A problem that faces filmmakers is getting their films to consumers. How does a consumer find that film? Retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, Target, Barnes & Noble only stock a limited number of DVD products per store, and chances are it' not your film. One company that has a good plan to bridge this gap is MOD systems. Anthony Bay, Chairman and co-Founder sites that "Manufacturing on Demand" system from his company will be made available in retail outlets across the US soon. Consumers requests will be searched on a database and the film will be burned as they wait on DVD or eventually mobile devices. Retailers will benefit as there will be no inventory to stock, and they will be able to offer an infinite number of films. This solution also has the benefit of a social interaction of retailers talking and helping the consumers to find that elusive film and increase other sales opportunities. The download business model is evolving and once we have something that works, DVD's will take the path that CD's did i.e closure of brick and mortar stores like the Tower Records chain. For independent filmmakers trying to find an online download audience it's best to look to the social networking tools like Myspace & Youtube. These social networks can be used to drive consumers in a community of interest to products for sale like videos, films & ringtones. It's a way to reach out without a heavy marketing budget and get substantial results. Sites like Myspace allow you to add friends, thousands of friends, and then by simple messaging your friends you can inform them of new offerings & events. HOLLYWOOD2YOU.TV _________________________
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TROMADANCE
The TromaDance Film Festival is a rebellion held in plain view of Sundance. This independent film festival charges no entry fees and charges no fees to see the films. Huh? What's that all about. Well, Lloyd Kaufman, CEO of Troma Entertainment and now Chairman of the IFTA, has had enough of the so called independent film festival Sundance. Lloyd as a producer himself knows that the fees for entering Sundance, are prohibitive for many filmmakers, and that the winners are really shoe-ins from major supporters of Sundance. In efforts to help the indie filmmaker, Lloyd has launched his rebellion festival TROMADANCE! Troma Entertainment has a catalog of over 700 films, but their films are not featured in this festival. TROMADANCE is now spreading like a plague and has added a second location in Indiana in conjuction with The B Movie Celebration.
TromaDance supporters "hail to the chief" Lloyd Kaufman at the AFM Press conference November 1, 2007. From upper Left then Clockwise: Lloyd Kaufman - Founding "Chief" of TROMADANCE Kevin Eastman - Creator of NINJA TURTLES & owner Heavy Metal magazine Stephen Paul - Film Producer of Ghost Rider (2007) James Gunn - Writer/director of Slither, writer of 2004's Dawn of the Dead Bill Dever - Founder of Indy co-op, TROMADANCE 2nd location in Indiana and the B Movie Celebration site: HOLLYWOOD2YOU.TV - John Reed ADDITIONAL AFM ARTICLES STAY TUNED.... Go to the Home Page for
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SPOTLIGHT on FILMS STUCK At the AFM the over-the- top display for the new film STUCK, stuck in everyone's mind for sure. The life size car with human body STUCK through the windshield spanned 30' across the fourth floor of the LOWES hotel to promote the film. Director Stuart Gordon delivered the intense, psychologically dark thriller starring Mena Suvari (American Beauty) and Academy Award-nominee Stephen Rea (V for Vendetta). Wow, when I think of STUCK I think of that uneasy feeling I got with "MISERY" (1990 Kathy Bates). This film's suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat. You better just accept the fact that you'll have to gasp OMG throughout the film. The Director, Gordon brings out great performances in both of these two top actors in a realistic bloody "I can't believe it, but it's true" film. Mena Suvari has an incredible range as an actress that she demonstrates as her character progresses in the story. Actor Stephen Rea has one of those great faces that only has to look at you to catch you attention and make wonder what he's thinking about. Together they're a HIT team for this suspense thriller from Rigel Entertainment. Official website: www.rigelentertainment.com HOLLYWOOD2YOU.TV __________________________________________________ Hollywood Singing & Dancing Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History VIVA - a film by Anna Biller VIVA is a Quirky, Sexual comedy tribute (or just spoof) to the 70's way of life in the American culture. The sexual revolution quest of the 1970's was characterized by "The Swingers", the Cocktail hours by the pool, and the strange quest we had for bright Colorful interior design. The film's music is definitely "POP 70's TV SERIES", and helps you to re-live the adventurous story of "Barbie" in the film. Anna Biller wrote, produced, directed and starred in this occasionally naked, often silly, frolicking cinematic extravaganza. If you're in the mood for a little quirky fun with a cult classic feel, put VIVA on your Christmas list and experience this creative filmmaker's slant on the sexual revolution era. Official site: http://www.lifeofastar.com/viva.html |
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