November 8, 2011 | The Annex on Hollywood & Highland, Los Angeles, CA
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November 8
8:00am – 9:00am
Registration
& Networking
9:00am – 9:15am
Opening Remarks from Digital Media Wire and Variety
9:15am - 9:25am
Introduction of Flixtracker Presented by Mark Hoebich, General Manager, Variety Insight
And Founder, TVtracker.com
9:25am – 9:35am
Presentation by Rentrak Presented by Bruce Goerlich, Chief Research Officer at Rentrak
9:45am – 10:15am
Keynote Q&A; with Ryan Kavanaugh Interviewed by Peter Caranicas, Deputy Editor at
Variety
10:15am – 11:00am
The State of the Film Industry Top studio and production chiefs will analyze what it means to make and distribute films successfully to audiences now and into the future.
*What constitutes a hit today? Is tentpole and franchise development the main goal at studios? What is the future of small-to-medium budgeted projects?
*What are the current strategies to stretch a film’s life cycle past theatrical, through to emerging platforms and new technologies?
*What were the trends of 2011, which may affect upcoming slates? Will superheroes stay strong? Will literary adaptations continue to be hot?
*What is the impact of growing audience market in China, and other emerging territories?
Panelists
David Glasser, Chief Operating Officer at The Weinstein Company
Jim Stern, CEO of Endgame Entertainment
Rick Nicita, Co-Chairman and Chief Operating Officer at Morgan Creek Productions
Jeff Small, President and Chief Operating Officer at DreamWorks Studios
11:15am – 11:30am
Networking Break
11:30m – 12:15pm
What is the Outlook for Film Finance – Who are the Latest Key Players and Partners? Although the general feeling is that banks have returned to the film industry, there are still challenges to financing in our uncertain global economic times. Many studios have turned to partners, including the just launched Hemisphere fund that is backing many Sony features. What are best strategies going forward to get films officially greenlit?
*What are the major financing funds like Hemisphere, Skydance, Legendary and others looking for before they back projects? What is the likelihood that new partner funds will crop up?
*What do the emerging film markets in China, for example, mean for finance opportunities? Should films appeal to these audiences’ sensibilities?
*What are prospects for indie financing – what is that environment like going forward?
Panelists
P. Clark Hallren, Managing Partner at Clear Scope Partners
Jen-Luc De Fanti, Managing Partner of Hemisphere Capital Management
Christa L. Thomas, Managing Director and Sr. Film Advisor Sports and Entertainment Group at SunTrust Bank
Michael London, Founder of Groundswell Productions
12:15pm – 12:45pm
Keynote Q&A; with Alcon Entertainment Co-Founder and Co-CEO Andrew Kosove and Co-Founder and Co-CEO Broderick Johnson Interviewed by Peter Debruge, Senior Film Critic at Variety
12:45pm – 2:00pm
Lunch
2:00pm – 2:30pm
Kickstarter SuperSession: Is Crowdsourcing the Future of Film Production and Marketing?
Moderated by Joseph Beyer, Director of Digital Initiatives at The Sundance Institute
Panelists Jocelyn Towne, Writer, Director and Actor of
As You Were (Formerly known as I Am I)
Jennifer Fox, Director of My Reincarnation
Mike Plante, Founder of Cinemad Presents
2:30pm – 3:50pm
The Digital Explosion: Navigating the Best of Alternative Film Delivery and Marketing Models
2:30 – 3:10 PART ONE: Trendsetters in Digital Distribution Across Platforms
Studios increasingly cite digital distribution revenues as a true area of growth, as more and more consumers prefer this convenient way to watch film. How are content owners and services collaborating to best advance this side of their business?
*What is best window to release films – can a VOD debut help indie films get exposure? How does that impact theatrical opportunities?
*What is the state of digital content options for audiences? How are they responding to different business models?
*How are studios relating to the increasing popular of the iPad, and out-of-the-gate success to services such as HBO GO?
Panelists
Justin Herz, Senior Vice President, Direct-to-Consumer, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution & General Manager, Warner Bros. Advanced Digital Services
Susan Jackson, Co-President of Freestyle Releasing
David Karp, EVP of Business Development at SnagFilms
Richard Berger, SVP of Global Digital Strategy at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Moderator: Andrew Wallenstein, Editor at Variety
3:10 – 3:50 PART TWO: Trendsetters in Digital Marketing
Social networking and building online buzz is no longer an option but a necessity to successfully promoting films. However, as new options pop up on a daily basis, what are the best strategies to reach today’s audiences? Tweeting, posting, sharing, liking, checking in, gaming – what makes the most sense to promote films? Top studio digital marketers and leading digital services will debate what it takes to reach today’s audiences.
*What is the best way to succeed in reaching today’s viewers – what is the best mix of outreach through Facebook/Twitter/Google/YouTube? What are services rising in importance?
*Which films succeeded in their digital campaign strategies this year? Will this influence the way we see films promoted in the future? For example, what is the effect of Super 8 promoting early screenings on Twitter?
*What are the trends of the future – as tech improves, targeting more and more through mobile/tablets? Does audiences’ increasing use of mobile GPS offer marketers a chance to send ultra-targeted messaging?
Panelists
Adam Stewart, Industry Director of Media and Entertainment at Google
Matt Thomas, Director of Business Development at GetGlue
John Fougner, Social Media Consultant and former Principal Product Marketer at Facebook
Matthew Thomson, VP of Platform at Klout
Doug Neil, SVP of Digital Marketing at Universal Pictures Moderator: Andrew Wallenstein, Editor at Variety
3:50pm – 4:05pm
Networking Break
4:05pm – 4:50pm
How Do We Find and Create the Next Breakthrough Hits?
Studios crave those ideas that will build into long-running franchises of the future. How are development and production chiefs identifying what audiences want to see, and will want to see in ongoing potential installments?
*How are studios and production companies researching and predicting what stories audiences will want? How challenging is it to greenlight a film and be confident there will be demand by the time it’s ready to premiere in theaters?
*Where is inspiration coming from in the development process? How can you tell if a book has the potential to be the next Twilight, Hunger Games or Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? What commands attention in a wholly original idea?
*What are the drivers of breakthrough hits – the right actor/director/producer/special effects sequence?
Panelists
Franklin Leonard, VP of Creative Affairs at Overbrook Entertainment
Alex Gartner, Producer with Atlas Entertainment
Khali Small, EVP Production and Development at GK Films
Palek Patel, Producer at Roth Films
Bryan Unkeless, VP of Production and Development at Color Force Moderator: Josh Dickey, Film Editor at Variety
4:50pm - 5:30pm
Why do Women Matter in Hollywood?:
Their Influence Behind the Camera, In Front of the
Camera, and in the Audience
Women have been having enjoying strong momentum of late, with engaging acting roles in box office hits like The Help. They’ve also moved into high profile broad comedy-once considered a guys-only genre- with starring roles and writing credits , such as Elizabeth Meriwether's No Strings Attached. Influential women and men in the film industry will explore why female-driven projects are important contributors to this business.
*What projects are women excited about making in the future? Is that changing?
*How are female and male filmmakers creating projects that will appeal to today's female audiences?
Panelists
Melissa Rosenberg, Producer and Writer
John Fithian, President and CEO of the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO)
Geena Davis, Actress
Chris Miller, Director of Puss in Boots
5:30pm - 6:15pm
Variety’s Producers to Watch SuperSession Honorees of this year’s Variety Producers to Watch will share their stories of how they are breaking through with their films. They will be joined by veteran producers, speaking to how they are making the films they want to make and how the industry has been evolving for them.
Panelists
Jason Michael Berman, Producer
Laura Rister, Producer at Untitled Entertainment
Lawrence Inglee, President of Production at Lightstream Pictures
Sophia Lin, Producer
James Gay-Reese, Producer of Exit Through the Gift Shop
Josh Mond, Co-Founder of Borderline Films and Producer of
Martha Marcy May Marlene