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IIFF New York City Townhall Meeting (August 2007)Wednesday, August 15, 2007 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM (ET)New York, NY |
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Event Details
IIFF/NYC Townhall Meeting at NYFA in Manhattan –
Where Film & Finance Meet To Succeed Together
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The Institute for International Film Financing (IIFF) continues its successful series of Townhall Meetings in New York City with a special event at New York Film Academy (NYFA) on Union Square.
This "grassroots" community meeting is designed to foster productive relationships between filmmakers, entrepreneurs and financiers and to provide unbiased insight and education about the business of film. The event features a powerful roster of highly topical speakers from the worlds of film and finance. We are delighted to again welcome real-world financiers among our guests for the evening.
IIFF's one-of-a-kind mission is to sustainably expand the scope & appeal of film financing, and to do so for the benefit of the public at large. True to IIFF's proven motto, "democratizing film financing," our regular, monthly Townhall Meetings bring together a wide array of professionals from relevant backgrounds in film, finance and beyond for a vibrant evening of insightful presentations and speeches, inspiring discussion and focused networking. Past meetings (e.g.: July '07 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan & July '07 Los Angeles Townhall in Santa Monica, CA | June '07 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan | May '07 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan & May '07 Bay Area Townhall in Mountain View, CA | April '07 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan & April '07 Bay Area Townhall in San Francisco, CA | March '07 New England Townhall in Stowe, VT, March '07 Bay Area Townhall in San Rafael, CA & March '07 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan | February '07 Townhall West in San Francisco, CA & February '07 Townhall East in New York City | January '07 Townhall in Santa Cruz, CA | December '06 Townhall East in New York City & December '06 Townhall West in San Francisco, CA | October '06 Townhall in New York City | September '06 Townhall in Oakland, CA | July '06 Townhall in Palo Alto, CA | June '06 Townhall in San José, CA | May '06 Townhall in San Francisco, CA | April '06 Townhall at Stanford business school) have reliably delivered useful insights into the business of film, provided valuable networking opportunities, and managed to draw large and enthusiastic crowds.
Who should attend? Entrepreneurs, technologists, attorneys, bankers, investment managers, venture capitalists and other non-film professionals are cordially invited to learn more about independent film. Are you considering taking an active role in film or would you like to expand your current involvement? Don't miss this opportunity to connect with the like-minded... Established and aspiring filmmakers are, naturally, more than welcome to join us as well!
The evening's five presentations plus panel discussion will address key issues relevant to filmmakers, financiers, and anyone interested in the economics, business mechanics, and financial dynamics of film. They will be followed by Q&A time. Attendees will also have ample opportunity to interact & network with our distinguished presenters and panelists and amongst themselves.
An informal après-meeting celebration will take place at an area restaurant.
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Featured Moderator:
The event will be expertly moderated by Kaiser Wahab, a partner at the law firm of Wahab & Medenica LLC. Providing corporate legal and consulting services in financing, licensing, and exploiting media, "idea" and technology driven properties, Kaiser's practice has brought him in contact with nearly every aspect of indie film. Recently, he co-founded and became Executive Vice President of Anywhere Road distribution, which has just picked up "Black Irish," the second film by the writer/director of "Invincible."
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Meeting Venue:
New York Film Academy (NYFA)
100 East 17th Street (at Union Square East)
4th floor, Robert K. Hartman Screening Room
New York, NY 10003
(212) 674-4300
Map: See NYFA at 100 E 17th St on a map from Ask, Google, MapQuest, Windows Live or Yahoo.
Closest subway station (ca. 0.2 miles walking distance): 14th Street–Union Square station served by the 4 5 6, N Q R W, and L lines; see all nearby subway stations here.
Subway & walking directions: Take the 4, 5, 6, N, Q, R, W, or L train to Union Square and walk three blocks north on Union Square East to the NE corner of Union Square Park; look for NYFA's big red banner on the historic Tammany Hall building that NYFA calls home; turn right (east) on E 17th Street – NYFA's main entrance is just around the corner, on the block between Union Square East & Irving Place.
Our Host:
This month's Townhall Meeting is graciously hosted by New York Film Academy (NYFA), a leading film school headquartered in New York City.
NYFA was founded in 1992 at Robert DeNiro's Tribeca Film Center and has since expanded into a global educational force in filmmaking and acting for film. The Academy was founded on a belief that a top quality education in filmmaking should be accessible to anyone with the dirve and passion to make films. The Academy offers year-round study options at its global headquarters in New York City's Union Square; at Universal Studios in Los Angeles; and in Central London, England; and summer study options in Paris, France; Barcelona and Bilbao, Spain; Florence and Milan, Italy; and at Harvard University, Cambridge; and Universal Studios and MGM-Disney in Orlando. NYFA recently announced the planned opening of a new year-round location for Miami, Florida for fall 2007.
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Schedule:
6:00-6:30 pm ... Registration and introductions
6:30-7:45 pm ... Three featured presentations with Q&A (3x 25 min)
7:45-8:00 pm ... Networking break I (15 min)
8:00-9:00 pm ... Two featured presentations with Q&A (2x 30 min)
9:00-9:15 pm ... Networking break II (15 min)
9:15-10:00 pm ... Moderated panel discussion with Q&A (45 min)
10:00+ pm ... Community time at area restaurant
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Program Details:
1) Finding the Right Film Financing Fit: Different Roles & Opportunities for Individual & Institutional Investors in Indies
— by Jamin O'Brien, Executive Producer & Producer at NYC & Miami-based independent production company John Doe Entertainment ... (more)
2) Optioning Literary Properties for Film: What Writers, Producers & Investors Need to Know
— by Charles Tolbert, Principal & Attorney at intellectual property law firm with offices in New York City & New Jersey ... (more)
3) Film Festival Strategies for Independents: Making the Most of a Key Tool for Distribution & Marketing Success
— by Ekwa Msangi-Omari, Film Festival Associate at Brooklyn Arts Council & manager/coordinator of Brooklyn Arts Council International Film Festival ... (more)
4) Taking Control of Distribution: How the 'Self-Serve' Service Deal Can Impact a Film's Bottom Line
— by Kaiser Wahab, Co-founder & Executive Vice President at indie distribution company Anywhere Road, Inc. (e.g., Brad Gann's "Black Irish" & Tata Amaral's "Antonia") ... (more)
5) Trenker's Hollywood Profits: Quantitative Drivers of Motion Picture Profitability
— by Don Bertrand, Veteran financial-sector corporate attorney turned entertainment lawyer, film producer & entrepreneur ... (more)
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Speaker Bios:
– Jamin O'Brien: Jamin is a producer, executive producer & film financier who has been in the movie business since graduating from UC Santa Barbara. His company, John Doe Entertainment, is dedicated to material-driven projects with visionary directors that have an identifiable niche audience giving better potential for crossover appeal. He has played a vital role in several successfully distributed independent films including: "Hurricane Streets" by MGM, "Desert Blue" by Samuel Goldwyn, "Stardom" by Alliance Atlantis and "Things Behind the Sun" by Showtime. He recently worked on his first studio movie as a Producer on the MGM release "Into the Blue." More recently, he co-produced Susan Seidelman's breakout box office hit "Boynton Beach Club" for Roadside Attractions/Samuel Goldwyn, and premiered Morgan J. Freeman's latest, "Just Like the Son" starring Mark Webber, Brendan Sexton and Rosie Perez, at last year's Tribeca Film Festival. Jamin helped put together a combination of private equity and finishing funds for both "Just Like the Son" and "Boynton Beach Club." He was Executive Producer of Michael Kang's second film "West 32nd" starring John Cho (of "Harold & Kumar" & "American Pie" fame) and Grace Park ("Battlestar Galactica") which premiered at this year's Tribeca Film Festival. "West 32nd" was financed by South Korean giant CJ Entertainment and marks John Doe Entertainment's launch into the international marketplace with its additional financing and distribution opportunities.
– Charles Tolbert, Esq.: Founder, Principal & Attorney at intellectual property (IP) law firm with offices in New York City & New Jersey; practice areas include business transactions & entity formation, copyright & trademark protection, rights acquisitions & licensing, motion picture & TV deals, agreements for book & magazine publishing, music & technology matters, and general corporate matters incl. acquisitions & divestitures; clients include established corporations & startups, writers & publishers, production companies & producers, software companies, record labels & photographers; fmr. General Manager of Subsidiary Rights at publishing division of London-based media group Pearson plc, in charge of IP rights, int'l licensing, partnership agreements & copyrights for 9 publishing imprints incl. Prentice Hall; fmr. Co-Founding Partner of Circle Entertainment, Inc. in Beverly Hills, placing & packaging talent for commercial productions; fmr. Director of Business Affairs at Dove Entertainment (Dove Audio & Dove Books), handling literary talent, audiobook talent, & int'l licensing agreements; fmr. Associate attorney at Los Angeles-based corporate law firm Booth, Mitchel & Strange LLP; clerked at Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP in Washington, DC & in House of Commons in London; Voting Member at National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences ("Grammy Awards") since 1994; Member at Association of American Publishers, Phi Alpha Delta (world's largest law fraternity), New York County Lawyers Association & American Bar Association; Board Director at NYC community revitalization organization Grand Street Settlement; BA in Journalism & French from American University; studied political science at University of London - Birkbeck College; Certificate from Université de Paris - Sorbonne; JD from Pepperdine University School of Law.
– Ekwa Msangi-Omari: Ekwa works for the Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC) where she is in charge of the day-to-day activities and the year-long coordination of the Brooklyn Arts Council International Film and Video Festival. This prestigious film festival, now in its 41st year, is one of the longest running events of its kind in New York City. Ekwa brings great passion and enthusiasm for film in Brooklyn along with nearly a decade of film festival experience, having worked on the NYU First Run Film Festival, Next Reel International Film Festival, Urbanworld VIBE Film Festival and the New York African Film Festival. Besides her work at BAC, Ekwa is a film director, writer and producer. She holds a BFA in Film & TV Production and an MA in African Cinema, both from New York University (NYU).
– Kaiser Wahab, Esq.: Co-founder & Executive Vice President at indie distribution company Anywhere Road, Inc. (e.g., Brad Gann's "Black Irish" & Tata Amaral's "Antonia"); Partner at New York law firm Wahab & Medenica LLC; dedicated business attorney specializing in business contracts, intellectual property, emerging growth/venture capital, e-commerce & entertainment law; recent film work includes The Film Company's "Brand Upon the Brain!", production counsel on Yash Raj Films' "Tara Rum Pum", distribution counsel on Cyan Pictures' "The Oh in Ohio", etc.; fmr. attorney at Pryor Cashman Sherman & Flynn LLP and Day, Berry & Howard LLP; fmr. Law Clerk at United States Court of International Trade; frequent speaker at conferences (e.g., Harvard Law School's "Wikimania 2006") & contributor to leading legal publications (e.g., Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Journal).
– Don Bertrand, Esq.: Veteran financial-sector corporate attorney turned entertainment lawyer, film producer & entrepreneur; Founder & Attorney at private entertainment law practice in CT & NY, providing legal services to film, TV, music & literary industries as well as general business development law support; Founder & CEO at start-up film company Cat's Eye View Productions, presently in pre-production on various documentary projects; fmr. Vice President and Insurance & Investment Products Counsel at Hartford, CT-based Phoenix Companies (leading provider of life insurance, annuities & investment products for accumulation, preservation & transfer of wealth); fmr. Founder & CEO at New Haven, CT-based software company Softbyte Computing; Director at Greater New Haven Business & Professional Assoc.; Legal Coordinator at NY Film Synergy Group; Member of Entertainment & Sports Law Section at New York State Bar Assoc.; Member at "Grammy Awards" Recording Academy; Member at New Haven Arts Council; fmr. Director at New Haven OIC Vocational Training School; fmr. Deputy Director at New Haven's Model Cities Agency; fmr. Member & presenter at American Council of Life Insurance; JD from Yale Law School & BA from Amherst College.
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Registration:
Online registration is available at http://events.filmfinancing.org/nym/?id=081507 (top of this page)
Early bird registration NLT Tuesday, July 24:
IIFF Member ... $25 if registered online no later than 7/24
Non-member ... $40
Regular registration NLT Tuesday, August 7:
IIFF Member ... $35 if registered online no later than 8/7
Non-member ... $50
Last minute registration NLT Tuesday, August 14:
IIFF Member ... $45 if registered online no later than 8/14
Non-member ... $60
On-site registration (at the door):
IIFF Member ... $55
Non-member ... $70
To learn more about membership with IIFF, email our Membership Bureau, or approach an IIFF team member at or after the event.
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Questions?
Please direct all your questions and inquiries regarding this event to IIFF's online forum at http://forum.filmfinancing.org.
Having trouble with Eventbrite (this site) or PayPal? Please get help in IIFF's online forum. (You can also notify us by email well in advance of the event, and register on-site.)
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The Buzz: The following is a sampling of what others are saying about IIFF meetings... "Wow. Last night was great! I want to thank you again for the inspiring work you do. This is such a big need [...] and you're truly doing the work of angels (literally and figuratively)." — Brant Smith, Producer, "Quality of Life" "I really must say that I found all speakers very interesting, and I was hanging on their every word. IIFF, the mission and content, seems to be a good fit for me, because it is my dream to run a medium size production house. [...] Thank you, BIG THANK YOU [...], for inviting me to this very quality and important event." — John Henry, Owner, John Henry Filmworks "Let me again say I think you did a great job putting yesterday's event together -- great crowd, smart presentation, lots of enthusiasm." — David Rosen, Convener/Executive Producer, Digital Independence "Wow! For such a moderate investment, so much information. So much good networking. I hope you are proud of the magic you've created with IIFF." — Kevin Morrison, Writer/Director/Producer of independent film & TV "I just wanted to say thanks for another great and informative meeting. The speakers were impressive and I made some good contacts." — Jesse Ford, Founder & Executive Director, Group Hug Productions "IIFF and FilmAngels has really impressed me so far with its focus on the independent film community. I've traveled and interacted with film organizations around the world [...]." — Jin Woo Joo, Founder, Cinemasports "Thanks so much for hosting such an interesting program last week. I am always inspired by the creativity, and most recently, by the commitment to 'a better world'. It keeps my cynic's heart at bay! [...] again, my heartfelt thanks for your mission and execution. Well done!" — Teri Cundall, Founder & President, Propville.com "The event was great, very helpful." — Marc Perez, Co-President & Founding Partner, Sirk Productions "[...] I greatly enjoyed attending last night's event and found it very informative - certainly something that's been missing in New York so far." — Michael Gunther, Director/Producer, Triboro Pictures "Great presentation tonight. Lots of energetic discussions and questions." — Campbell Dalglish, Prof. of Screenwriting, MFA in Film & Video at CUNY "Thanks so much for tonight's event. It was really inspiring and incredibly informative." — Elizabeth Foley, Founding Faculty Member, Producing Dep't at NYFA "I enjoyed this evening's townhall presentation and found it very informative." — William Doll, Writer/Director, World Stage Pictures "Your Town Hall mtg was stimulating. You managed to attract the right target audience, and I loved your choice of speakers." — Sandra Schulberg, Founder, Independent Feature Project (IFP) "I attended the New York Town Hall Meeting and just wanted to thank you for setting up such an informative colloquium. It was my first IIFF event and I look forward to attending more in the future." — Blythe Frank, Producer, "Kettle of Fish" (Michael Mailer Films) "Thank you again for a wonderful event last night." — Morgan Pehme, Co-founder & CEO, Merlion Entertainment "I'm just writing [...] pertaining to the IIFF meeting last night, which I found both entertaining and informative and also promising of great things to come from IIFF in the near future!" — Thomas Woodrow, Producer, Furnace Films "I attended the IIFF town hall last week in New York and came away impressed. Thank you for putting together such an excellent panel of speakers. I found [Mr. Trenker's] presentation especially useful. As a former quant at Putnam Investments, I tend to dig into the numbers and [Mr. Trenker's] analysis was illuminating." — Robert Milacci, Executive Producer, Sinestra Pictures "I very much enjoyed the seminar last Saturday in Stowe, VT. It was a lot of driving in one day (3.25 hrs. each way...), but worth it. [...] Thanks again for a very enlightening day." — Marjorie Short, Oscar-nominated Writer/Producer/Director, Short Productions "Just a note to say Larry Meistrich had a good time last night and was impressed with the quality of the group." — Jeff Silverstein, President of NEHST Access + Learning, NEHST Studios Would you like to speak out? We want to hear from you! Send us your comments by email. |
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Copyright © 2007 Institute for Int'l Film Financing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
When & Where
New York Film Academy
100 E 17th Street
Screening Room - 4th floor
New York,
NY 10003
Wednesday, August 15, 2007 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM (ET)
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Hosted By
Institute for Int'l Film Financing (IIFF)
The Institute for International Film Financing (IIFF) is an innovative, independent social-impact organization that endeavors to bridge the gap between the worlds of filmmaking and finance for the benefit of all stakeholders – including the public at large.
Founded by Thomas Trenker in 2003 and headquartered in San Francisco, IIFF has chapters in the Bay Area, New York City, New England, Florida, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, London, the Pacific Northwest and the Lower Midwest.
Help launch or run an IIFF chapter in your area! We make it easy and worthwhile. Email the chapter development team and tell us about yourself. Or join our online community at http://forum.filmfinancing.org to keep in touch with a growing number of filmmakers and financiers.