AFM Wraps with Attendance Up 6%

SANTA MONICA: Overall attendance at the 2010 American Film Market (AFM), which wrapped today in Santa Monica, was up 6 percent on the previous year to 7,695.

Company buyer attendance was up 1 percent, from 658 to 664, while buying executives at the market was steady with last year at 1,417. Exhibitor-affiliated participants was at 3,321, which is 1-percent lower than last year. Industry attendees, meaning all non-buyers and non-sellers, was up 23 percent to a record 1,988. Other guests, including government officials, NGOs, AFI Fest filmmakers, etc., was up 11 percent to 753 and press was up 11 percent to 216.

The market saw an increased attendance in buyers from Italy, up 23 percent; Sweden, up 133 percent; Russia, up 31 percent; China, up 64 percent; and Singapore, up 32 percent.

Sellers decreased 7 percent to 343.

“The positive feeling in the halls is a direct result of production levels that are now in balance with marketplace demand,” said AFM’s managing director, Jonathan Wolf. “Buyers are pre-buying, assuring they will have a steady flow of films, which in turn assures producers that their films have been pre-accepted by the marketplace.”