AFM to Launch New Five-Day Conference Series

LOS ANGLES: The American Film Market (AFM) has set up a new five-day conference program for the 2011 event, with dedicated sessions on financing, production, marketing, distribution and pitching.

AFM is set to take place November 2 to 9 in Santa Monica. During the 2011 event, the brand-new AFM Conference Series will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily, starting November 4 to 8. This is comprised of the Finance Conference, Production Conference, Marketing Conference, Distribution Conference and Pitch Conference. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP will serve as the presenting sponsor of the AFM Conference Series.

The Finance Conference, held November 4, will feature CEOs, filmmakers, financiers and studio execs discussing the current state of independent film financing. On November 5, the Pitch Conference will spotlight the essential rules and tools of pitching, with audience volunteers pitching to a panel of Hollywood decision-makers. The Marketing Conference, on November 6, explores how the consumer can be the most effective marketing tool and reveals how to win over the broadest possible audience. The Production Conference, on November 7, will feature agents, advertisers and producers talking about what is going on behind the scenes and how to incorporate these new decision-makers into the production process. The schedule finishes on November 8 with the Distribution Conference, with industry leaders discussing various ways of managing and monetizing the proliferation of global platforms and changing release strategies.

Also new for this year’s AFM will be the Industry Conversations program, comprised of 14 intimate and interactive discussions. These will be offered free to market attendees from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. daily, from November 2 to 8.

“The AFM Conference Series and Industry Conversations are two significant initiatives that will bring greater value and benefit to our thousands of attendees,” said Jonathan Wolf, the executive VP of the Independent Film & Television Alliance and managing director of the AFM. “The AFM is unique as it’s the only event in North America that attracts thousands of leaders in motion pictures from more than 70 countries, giving us the opportunity to curate terrific conferences with top talent from both Hollywood and around the world.”