IIFF San Francisco Film Financing Townhall (July 2010): Networking & Education for Filmmakers & Financiers
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 from 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM (PT)
San Francisco, CA
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Event Details
IIFF/SF Townhall Meeting at The Theater @ Academy of Art University –
Where Film & Finance Meet to Succeed Together
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*** Don't miss other upcoming film financing events in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York ***
The Bay Area chapter of the Institute for International Film Financing (IIFF) continues its acclaimed series of monthly gatherings at the junction of film & finance with another special Townhall Meeting in San Francisco. Our friends at Academy of Art University are again hosting us at their new facilities in the City's SoMa district, conveniently located just a short stroll from the BART station at 2nd and Market.
This "grassroots" community get-together is designed to foster & inform productive relationships between attending professionals and to provide unbiased insight & education about the business of film (and film financing in particular). The event features a powerful roster of highly topical speakers from the filmmaking and financial industries. We are delighted to once 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 our proven motto of "democratizing film financing," IIFF's regular 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.: January '08 Bay Area Townhall in San Francisco, CA, January '08 Los Angeles Townhall in Venice, CA & January '08 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan | December '07 Bay Area Townhall in San Francisco, CA, December '07 Los Angeles Townhall in Santa Monica, CA, December '07 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan & December '07 New England Townhall in Providence, RI | November '07 Bay Area Townhall in San Francisco, CA & November '07 New England Townhall in Norwalk, CT | October '07 Los Angeles Townhall in Santa Monica, CA, October '07 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan & October '07 New England Townhall in Boston, MA | September '07 Los Angeles Townhall in Santa Monica, CA & September '07 New England Townhall in Norwalk, CT | August '07 Los Angeles Townhall in Santa Monica, CA & August '07 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan | 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 six 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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The event will be moderated by international businessman, social entrepreneur and film producer Loren Smith (bio), who has built six businesses in various sectors and continues to nurture new global social venture companies worldwide with a focus on producing media that has a social impact. He is currently President of Filmsmith Pictures, a European based film development company created in 2006 and headquartered in Sofia, Bulgaria that is developing feature length narrative films with social issue storylines.
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Academy of Art University Theater @ New Montgomery Street (AAU)
79 New Montgomery Street (btw. Market & Misson & across street from Palace Hotel)
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 274-2200
Map: Get a map of 79 New Montgomery Street from Google. Alternatively, use the map on AAU's website.
Driving & parking directions: Our meeting venue is easily reachable by car from the South Bay via nearby Highway 101 North (US-101 N) or nearby Interstate 280 North (I-280 N), and from the East Bay via nearby Interstate 80 West (I-80 W). Find a comprehensive overview of directions to 466 Townsend St. from different parts of the Bay Area here. Personalized driving directions can also be obtained from the above-listed online mapping services; just follow the link of your choice and enter your start address where required. Curbside parking is generally available at and around 466 Townsend St.; a map of parking facilities in the vicinity of our venue can be found here.
This month's Film Financing Townhall in the Bay Area is graciously hosted by Academy of Art University (AAU), a leading private university founded in 1929 in San Francisco. With nearly 10,000 students that occupy its 30+ buildings in downtown San Francisco, AAU is considered the largest private school of art and design in the United States. It offers both traditional on-campus and online distance-education degree and certificate programs in a wide variety of fine arts-related majors, including Motion Pictures & Television and Animation & Visual Effects. In May 2007, AAU was granted regional accreditation by the Senior Commission of the prestigious Western Association of Schools & Colleges (WASC), one of the six major regional accreditation commissions recognized by the US Department of Education.
At AAU's School of Motion Pictures & Television, students learn the ins and outs of "Lights, Camera, Action!" in a real-world movie studio setting with state-of-the-art equipment and guidance by top industry professionals. The School fosters creativity and independence in filmmaking as an art while also providing instruction in the commercial aspects of filmmaking as a business. The School's educational approach is dedicated to practical, hands-on training in a collaborative framework. Students are immersed in a broad range of filmmaking skills, including producing, directing, cinematography, lighting, sound, editing, and screenwriting. Ultimately, they concentrate on one area and train to become highly employable specialists in their chosen field.
Very special thanks for making this event possible go to Curran Engel, Full-Time Instructor in AAU's film school.
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6:30 PM ... Kick-Off & Welcome
6:30-7:30 PM ... Three Featured Presentations with Q&A (3x 20 mins)
7:30-7:45 PM ... Networking Break I (15 mins)
7:45-8:45 PM ... Two Featured Presentations with Q&A (2x 30 mins)
8:45-9:00 PM ... Networking Break II (15 mins)
9:00-9:30 PM ... Moderated Panel Discussion with Q&A (30 mins)
9:30+ PM ... Community time at area restaurant
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1) Getting A-List Talent Attached To Raise Funding: Guaranteeing Distribution
- by PHIL RYAN (bio), Nationally known high-priced entertainment lawyer and zero-loss murder trial attorney; high-powered counselor to California politicos and civil rights organizer in the Mississippi Freedom Summer; clients have included legends Robin Williams, Sylvester Stallone, the Jefferson Airplane, Grace Slick, Huey Lewis, several all-star pro baseball, basketball and football players, Ticketmaster, Motown Records, the Recording Industry of America, sitting judges, legislators, anti-war demonstrators, record producers and record label brass; Was featured three times on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine; Dubbed by the SF Chronicle as the, "San Francisco's Rock 'n' Roll Lawyer"; graduated cum laude from Howard Univ. Law School, etc ... 
»
2) High Net Worth Individuals: How To Meet Their Needs
- by Ethel chen (bio), Senior Associate at Norwest Venture Partners, former tech/mobile investment analyst for Index Ventures; Dynamic tech and online content venture capitalist; fmr. exec at Morgan Stanley in the Media & Communications M&A Group, where she specialized in strategic advisory work for such clients as Comcast and AT&T; Held positions at IBM’s Tokyo Research Laboratory and Netscape Communications Corporation; Received MBA from Harvard, etc ... »
3) You Are The Message: How To Pitch Yourself & Your Project
- by susan harrow (bio), Presentation and media coach, marketing strategist. Author of “Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul” and media kits “The Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah” “Get Into O Magazine”, “Bestseller”, “The Soundbite System for Success” and others. Clients have appeared on Oprah, 60 Minutes, Good Morning America, The Today Show, Larry King, CNN, PBS, CSPAN, E!, Howard Stern, Extra! Clients interviewed or reviewed in TIME, O Magazine, NY Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, People, Wired, Vogue, Bazaar, Seventeen, Self, Mademoiselle, etc. ... »
4) Story: The Ultimate Pitching Tool
- by WILL CSAKLOS (bio), Founder at Feature Film Writers' Workshop & Acclaimed Script Doctor/Consultant; fmr. Story Consultant and Senior Creative Executive at Pixar, on story team that created Oscar Winners “Ratatouille” (Best Animated Feature), “Finding Nemo” (Best Animated Feature), “Monsters Inc.” as well as “Cars”, “The Princess and the Frog” and Sony’s first animated feature “Open Season”. Writer of Oscar nominated film “The Princess and the Frog”; fmr. story exec at Pixar, Disney and Sony; Co-founded the Graduate Screenwriting Program at AAU, etc ... »
5) The Reel + 100 Phone Calls = Cash: Doc Funding Strategies For Narrative Films
- by GARY WEIMBERG (bio), Acclaimed Producer/Director/Editor/Sound Editor/Writer; Won Emmys for “The Story of the American Mob”, “Earth & the American Dream,” two Emmy wins for film he edited “Dear America”, and another Emmy for film editing in “And the Band Played On”; received Oscar noms forediting “Memorial” and “Super Chief”, and an Emmy nom for “Soldiers of Conscience”; Directed “The Double Life of Ernesto Gomez-Gomez" (PBS 1999), a program that contributed directly to the Presidential Pardon and release of 12 political prisoners who had already served 19 years in priso; fmr. Sound editor for "Colors, Godfather 3," "Nightmare on Elm Street 3," "Black Stallion Returns," "Campus Man"; fmr. producer for Dateline, PBS, etc ... »
6) The Media Finance Path: Navigating The Waters
- by RON SPECTOR (bio), Principal at Circini Partners, Entrepreneur, executive and advisor with broad based experience in e-commerce, digital media, software, mobile-wireless and Internet applications; Advised companies such as Logitech, Swisscom, Acer, MetaDesign, Naspers; Co-founded Moonshadow Technologies, served as Senior Vice-President of Corporate Strategy for MediaZone, Inc. andas CEO of Conferserv, an online collaboration company, was Investment Director for Macquarie Venture Capital where he led investments in Looksmart, Onebox, Seek Ltd. , Altium, Telera; fmr. US head of the Technology Investment Banking group at Macquarie Bank; Earned a JD with honors from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, etc ... »
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Online registration is available at http://sfb.filmfinancing.org/072810 (top of this page)
Early bird registration (ends 3 weeks before event):
IIFF Member ... $25
Non-member ... $40
Regular registration (ends 1 week before event):
IIFF Member ... $35
Non-member ... $50
Last minute registration (ends 1 day before event):
IIFF Member ... $45
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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Please direct all your questions and inquiries regarding this event to IIFF's online community forum at http://forum.filmfinancing.org.
Having trouble with Eventbrite (this site), PayPal or Google Checkout? 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 quotes are samples of what others say 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, Executive Producer/Convener, 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 Townhall 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 Townhall 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 Townhall 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 "As it turns out, my producing partner [producer/director Leszek Burzynski] attended your IIFF meeting in Santa Monica on July 16. He was quite impressed with the presentations." — Terrance Sweeney, Partner & Producer, Winning Team Studios "I just wanted to say thanks again for putting on such a great forum last night. […] I really enjoyed the occasion and especially the presentations. They were extremely relevant and really strong, credible presenters." — Gordon Clark, CEO, The Movie Portfolio Fund "First, I wanted to say how much I really enjoyed your premier IIFF/LA seminar…!" — Frank Sacks, Founder & Principal, The Frank Sacks Company "I had a very enjoyable experience. The seminar was extremely professional and well put together." — Adam Tantleff, Founder, President & Executive Producer, Sinestra Pictures "THANKS […] There are no organizations or groups that I have come across that are doing what you and FilmAngels are doing." — J. Martin, Co-Owner, 24 Bros Entertainment "I cannot express enough gratitude toward the great job that you are doing to help talented filmmakers realize their dreams. God bless you!" — Mara Vardanyan, Producer, Roman Pictures "Your seminars are FIRST RATE!" — Rowan Joseph, President, Greenwood Hill Productions "Thanks for organizing a great event. I thought it was a very interesting group of speakers." — Tricia van Klaveren, Producer/Exec. Producer & Principal, Fully Loaded Pictures "[T]hank you for a terrific meeting last night…" — Greg Lejnieks, Actor/Filmmaker, Art Dealer & fmr. Pro Soccer Player "First of all, thank you for hosting the Film Financing seminar. Very, very informative. I hope you have another one very soon." — Richard Beaty, Writer/Producer/Director & Co-Owner, Cielo Azul Films "Just wanted to say 'thank you' for last night's IIFF meeting. […] The slides look great […]. I look forward to the next meeting." — Robert Pratten, Founder & Writer/Director, Zen Films "I'm a big fan of all you're doing with IIFF… very inspiring to filmmakers." — Thomas Mignone, Director/Writer, DOOM Incorporated "Thank you for hosting the [Workshop] last week. It was very informative and [the instructor] was spectacular. I learned a lot and met several fantastic people." — Lisa McTigue, Producer/Director, Three Masked Peeps Productions "Thank you for inviting us to present to your [FilmAngels] groups in both Palo Alto and San Francisco. The attendees were warm and educated investors. You've done a terrific job gathering people with a passion for film." — Julie Richardson, Producer, "Collateral" (Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx) "First, I simply must say what an amazingly informative session it was and well carried out by [Workshop instructor] Tricia van Klaveren and her guest speakers. It packed a memorable punch. […] I had never heard of IIFF previously and now look forward to more of the same from you guys." — Teo, CEO, Cool Room Entertainment "I must thank you for sending [Workshop instructor] Dr. Patrick O'Heffernan down to Los Angeles last month. It was the best $200 I have ever spent on a seminar. [S]ince Patrick has both raised money and invested money, his perspective was simply invaluable!!!" — Rosser Goodman, Director, KGB Films "It was another great event and I appreciate all your work […]. Thank you." — Paul Oja, Writer/Director, "Bus Trip" "You assembled an impressive group of speakers (and characters). […] I think we share a strong desire to help filmmakers." — Darren Ehlers, COO, Scenechronize Would you like to speak out? We want to hear from you! Send us your comments by email. |
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Copyright © 2010 Institute for Int'l Film Financing (IIFF). All Rights Reserved.
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IIFF San Francisco Bay Area
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.
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