Exhibitor List

A good pitch can get a bad film made while a bad pitch can leave a terrific project languishing on the shelf. Pitching is part art (it’s creative), part science (it needs to follow a tight script) and part sales (you have to wow them). Conference attendees will learn the essential rules and tools of pitching from the experts. Volunteers selected in advance will pitch to our expert panel. They will give unvarnished feedback on each pitch – explaining what worked, what didn’t – and why.

Host
Lee Jessup, Screenwriting Career Consultant & Coach, leejessup.com

Click here to review the AFM Online 2020 Pitch Guide

A good pitch can get a bad film made while a bad pitch can leave a terrific project languishing on the shelf. Pitching is part art (it’s creative), part science (it needs to follow a tight script) and part sales (you have to wow them). Conference attendees will learn the essential rules and tools of pitching from the experts. Volunteers selected in advance will pitch to our expert panel. They will give unvarnished feedback on each pitch – explaining what worked, what didn’t – and why.

Host
Lee Jessup, Screenwriting Career Consultant & Coach, leejessup.com

Click here to review the AFM Online 2020 Pitch Guide

A good pitch can get a bad film made while a bad pitch can leave a terrific project languishing on the shelf. Pitching is part art (it’s creative), part science (it needs to follow a tight script) and part sales (you have to wow them). Conference attendees will learn the essential rules and tools of pitching from the experts. Volunteers selected in advance will pitch to our expert panel. They will give unvarnished feedback on each pitch – explaining what worked, what didn’t – and why.

Host
Lee Jessup, Screenwriting Career Consultant & Coach, leejessup.com

Click here to review the AFM Online 2020 Pitch Guide

in partnership with the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP)

Today’s audiences are more critical than ever and now, writers, Producers and Casting Directors are faced with facilitating a new language and environment around culture in their projects that could ultimately cost them money. Panelists discuss how today’s landscape matters in the world of development, and ways to navigate the multi-faceted and complex Latinx and Latin American identity at the global level.

Moderator
Alan Luna, Casting Director

Panelists
Aaron Ashford, Director of Development and Production, Pantelion Films
Carmen Cuba, Casting Director
Liliana Espinoza, Projects Director, NALIP
Carla Hool, Casting Director

Learn how to hire professional actors for your independent film as SAGindie walks you through the process of signing SAG-AFTRA Low Budget Agreements from start to finish.

Presented by
Eliza Hajek, Manager of Development, SAGindie
Colin McCormack, Communications Manager, SAGindie

Motion picture marketing executives will walk you through the key pieces of a successful marketing plan and how the filmmaker can help deliver the necessary elements. Marketing opportunities on every film are frequently overlooked by filmmakers during production. Learn how to capture everything needed for the ideal marketing toolkit.

Presenters
Russell Schwartz, President, Pandemic Marketing Group
Katherine MacDonald, SVP, Animation, Paramount Pictures

Last year, Harvard Business School showed that films based on Black List scripts made 90% more revenue than other films. Come learn all about the Black List and its proprietary tools to discover some of the best unproduced screenplays – screenplays that make better and more profitable movies.

Presented by
Franklin Leonard, Founder & CEO, The Black List
Terry Huang, Director of Product and Data, The Black List

presented by the Calgary Film Centre

Alberta has opened the province to film and television production in a safe and effective way. This session will feature experts from across the media landscape who have successfully produced, and are successfully producing again, in Alberta. Our experts will share valuable insights and unique opportunities surrounding what the province has to offer.

Moderator
Caroline Couret-Delegue, Managing Director, Film Seekers

Greetings from Tromaville! Join Legendary Independent Director, Lloyd Kaufman (President of Troma Entertainment/ Creator of the TOXIC AVENGER) on a journey of 50 years in Independent Filmmaking. Fight the Evil Devil Worshiping Media Cartels with “Uncle Lloydie” and his newest movie, Troma’s #SHAKESPEARESSHITSTORM, an unparalleled, outrageous, passion-fueled adventure unlike any Shakespeare imagining ever brought to life!

Moderator
Gabe Friedman, Producer

Guest
Lloyd Kaufman, Founder, Troma Entertainment

Join Winston Baker for the second edition of “Discover New Voices” – this time in partnership with AFM! During this unique workshop, we highlight new voices and untold stories through a variety of pitch sessions followed by expert industry feedback. Whether you’re a first time filmmaker or an established producer with a new project, we encourage you to sign up and be considered for our pitch session or register just to tune in and attend.

If you would like to be considered for pitching, you must register for AFM by October 31, 2020. Once you register, please email the following to info@winstonbaker.com:

• AFM Registration Confirmation
• One-Page Treatment
• Sizzle Reel Link (if you have one)
• Headshot and Bio (If you are selected to pitch, we will feature you on our webpage)

Three (3) presenters will be selected by Winston Baker and three (3) additional presenters will be randomly chosen. All selections will be announced by email and posted on Winston Baker’s webpage by November 6^th.

Panelists
Coming Soon.

Hosts
Katherine Winston,Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Winston Baker
Amy Baker, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Winston Baker

Presented by the Film Liaisons in California Statewide (FLICS)

Join the Film Liaisons in California Statewide (FLICS), a statewide professional association of Film Commissions and Offices in California dedicated to promoting filming and assisting productions with locations, permits, resources, and local knowledge, as we discuss the current state of filming on location in various jurisdictions throughout CA.

Moderator
Eve Honthaner, former Deputy Director of the California Film Commission

Panelists
Tasha Day, Manager of Special Events & Filming, City of Long Beach
Beverly Lewis, Director, Placer-Lake Tahoe Film Office
Sabrina Jurisich, Film Commissioner, Film Shasta
Donna Washington, Vice President of Operations, FilmLA

Coming Soon.

Coming Soon.

Presented by the Screen Production and Development Association of New Zealand

Learn the best ways directors and producers can work together to ensure a film’s success from intimate knowledge, tips, insights, and horror stories from prominent filmmakers and producers.

Moderator
Shaked Berenson, CEO, Entertainment Squad

Have an idea, but don’t know where to go with it? Wrote a scene, but need to make it more engaging? Stopped in your tracks by where to go next with a character or a piece of dialogue? Writing coach Pilar Alessandra will get your story out of your head and onto the page with actionable writing tools to help you push through writer’s block and finish your script.

Instructor
Pilar Alessandra, Author/Consultant, On the Page

The current climate indicates very few films are headed into production fully bonded. Our panel explores how some productions are attempting to mitigate risk by negotiating insurance, self-bonding, and working with independent equity financiers.

Everyone in the film business is looking for that next low budget unicorn. Industry decision makers discuss what makes a film investment-worthy and the keys to huge revenue potential.

Coming soon.

Moderator
David Offenberg, Associate Professor of Entertainment Finance, Loyola Marymount University

One of the greatest challenges facing all screenwriters, directors and producers is the process of developing an engaging premise into a compelling, well-structured story. This workshop explores the art of superstructure, those essential narrative turning points that have held together great stories not only throughout the history of filmmaking, but since Shakespeare and The Greeks. From your opening scene to midpoint to your screenplay’s emotionally engaging climax, you will learn how each of these critical scenes work in synthesis with one another and in the process avoid the pitfalls of the poorly structured story. The final goal of the workshop is a greater understanding of what holds any great story together and a set of tools that participants can immediately apply to their current screenplay.

Instructor
Steven Wolfson, Screenwriter/Instructor, UCLA

Geared towards writers and producers early in their career, our instructor will provide insight on how to assess scripts, develop budgets, and be ready to approach the pitch with a sound interpretation of how finances will support the project.

Instructor
Michael Mandaville, Producer, michaelmandaville.com

Unique datasets reveal how film and TV content perform on major subscription VOD platforms.

Instructor
Stephen Follows, Founder of Story Agency & Film Data Expert

Getting films into production safely is the biggest obstacle the global industry is facing. Executives, producers and those creating and overseeing production guidelines talk the protocols, costs, and risks associated with production in the time of a pandemic.

Pre-Selling to territorial Buyers is key to financing most independent films. What are they looking for? Which genres and talent? How do you set a budget that will reflect the marketplace? Discover which projects are most likely to sell globally before they are made.

Script Supervisors are the right hand person to the director, their notes are sent to the editorial room daily, and they oversee all continuity from all departments from script to screen. This session presents an overview of the skills and duties of the continuity/script supervisor and what they bring to a project. Find out why it is so essential to know who this person is, what they do to keep your film’s vision on track, and why they are such a valuable member of your crew.

Instructor
Randi Feldman, Founder, Cinema Workshops

Most filmmakers know how to film a movie. Many do not know how to make a film. They scrap together some money and shoot a film not realizing what it takes to get it to market and how to accomplish it. There is a big difference in shooting a film and making a professional film that can sell. We’ll be showing you the whole process from Script to Market.

Presented by:
Greg Lyon, Manager, Half Moon Films

As the global VOD space continues to evolve, our executive panel will provide current insights into the marketplace and platforms so you can better navigate both the streaming opportunities and challenges for independent content.

Gaining attention in an increasingly saturated market is challenging to say the least. Platform leaders will speak to their acquisition needs and strategy, and reveal what types of content have a greater chance at VOD success.

Coming Soon.

African film and television content is on the rise with Netflix’s first African originals all rising to the top in their home market and globally, especially in the US. Meet the producers and talent behind this successful productions that have found global audience with their stories and find out the what the secret to their success is.

How to choose the right film projects, work with the right producers and /or studio so you can make you film all while avoiding the pitfalls that movie making can bring.

Hosts
Giles Alderson, Creator & Host, The Filmmakers Podcast
Ian Sharp, Founder, Sharp House

Coming soon.

The global pandemic has epitomized both the need for authenticity in content and virtualization of traditional channels. During this session you can learn everything you need to know about how to use the Apojo platform as a writer to showcase your work and as a producer to find that next unique script, at the click of a button.

Presenters
Bryony Cole, Actress, Writer, Producer, “Red Heart“, “Blank Face“, “You Listen“, “Always” and “The Unveiling“; Brand Ambassador, Apojo Publications
Nishat Hashem, CEO & Founder, Apojo Publications

In partnership with the African-American Film Critics Association

A panel of leading talent from production, distribution and marketing map out a blueprint on how African American content creators can get their projects made and distributed while also finding an audience during this tumultuous time.

Coming soon.

Your AFM accreditation offers you access to Cinando’s top-level online tools to prepare and navigate the market. But did you know that you can also benefit from your free Cinando subscription all-year-long? Join us & gather the tools you need to unlock the film industry! Cinando is the premier network for film professionals offering you an amazing gateway into the film industry: contacts, films, practical information about markets, screeners… it’s all here www.cinando.com

Presenter
Charlotte Hurni, Sales & Partnerships Manager, Cinando

In partnership with the British Film Institute (BFI)

Coming soon.

Host
Alex Ferrrari, Founder, Indie Film Hustle

Guest
Franco Sama, CEO, Samaco Productions

Join Winston Baker for the second edition of “Discover New Voices” – this time in partnership with AFM! During this unique workshop, we highlight new voices and untold stories through a variety of pitch sessions followed by expert industry feedback. Whether you’re a first time filmmaker or an established producer with a new project, we encourage you to sign up and be considered for our pitch session or register just to tune in and attend.

If you would like to be considered for pitching, you must register for AFM by October 31, 2020. Once you register, please email the following to info@winstonbaker.com:

• AFM Registration Confirmation
• One-Page Treatment
• Sizzle Reel Link (if you have one)
• Headshot and Bio (If you are selected to pitch, we will feature you on our webpage)

Three (3) presenters will be selected by Winston Baker and three (3) additional presenters will be randomly chosen. All selections will be announced by email and posted on Winston Baker’s webpage by November 6^th.

Panelists
Coming Soon.

Hosts
Katherine Winston,Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Winston Baker
Amy Baker, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Winston Baker

Producing micro-budget films has become more accessible than ever in recent years, at least from a technical standpoint. But many filmmakers wrestle with the same question – How can I adapt my creative concepts to work on a smaller canvas? This question serves as the foundation for our discussion, and a framework for understanding how to balance creative intent with budgetary limitations, to ultimately create the most viable finished product.

Panelists
Noam Kroll, Director & Host, Show, Don’t Tell
Bryan Hill, Screenwriter, The Bryan Hill Project

No matter what genre you’re working in, getting your reader to empathize with and root for your story’s protagonist is one of the most important goals – if not THE most important goal – for a screenwriter to achieve. Using film clips, quotes from produced screenplays, and brief exercises, this workshop explores how to create powerful, memorable characters, and the most effective techniques for bringing them to life on the page.

Instructor: Billy Mernit, Universal Studio Story Analyst & Former UCLA Extension Instructor 

Participants will learn how Hollywood, Health & Society works with content creators to ensure accurate depictions of health, medicine and science.  Why it’s important for shows and movies to be as accurate as possible will be discussed.  Research and relevant video clips will be presented.

Instructor
Kate Langrall Folb, Director, Hollywood, Health & Society, USC Annenberg Hollywood, Health & Society

Coming soon.

Coming soon.