Press Release
LOS ANGELES – March 29, 2017 – The Association of Film Commissioners International(AFCI) and its industry partner Lightsource Asia Media Group(LAMG) will bring together hundreds of directors, producers, writers, location managers, independent filmmakers and members of various industry guilds to learn, engage, and connect at the AFCI Locations Show and Global Production & Finance Conference from April 6-8 in Los Angeles at the Marriott Burbank & Convention Center.
Described as the premier marketplace for global production locations and film funding resources, the three-day event connects media content producers to over 80 Locations Show exhibitors from more than 20 countries. The accompanying Global Production & Finance Conference offers unique insights into co-production, new incentives / tax reliefs and changes in the film financing landscape with executive speakers from 20th Century Fox, Amazon Studios, Entertainment Partners, Marvel, Paramount TV, Wanda Studios Qingdao, Warner Bros. Entertainmentand more.
Locations Show exhibitors include service industry providers and guilds such as Air Hollywood, The OIX (The Online Incentive Exchange), Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) and AFCI Members representing more than 50 US City and State Film Commissions including the California Film Commission, and international film offices from Australia, Argentina, Austria, Jordan, Iceland, New Zealand, South Korea and more.
“AFCI Members represent in part more than $3 billion each year toward funding support of commercial, film and television production while supporting the industry with an estimated global impact of nearly $90 billion annually,” says Kevin Clark, AFCI Executive Director.
The Global Production & Finance Conference, curated by LAMG is sponsored by theAbu Dhabi Film Commission, Entertainment Partners, the New Zealand Film Commission, and includes the Producers Guild of America and Screen International as the official industry partners for the conference.
Conference Speakers, in alphabetical order, include:
- Jassim Al Nowais, Manager, Abu Dhabi Film Commission
- Catherine Bates, Head of Incentives, New Zealand Film Commission
- Mitch Bell, VP of Physical Production, Marvel
- Sophio Bendiashvili, Head of Film in Georgia
- Steve Berman, SVP of Production, Film Finances, Inc.
- Julie Bernard, Manager of Production Services, Creative BC
- Gabriel Bloch, Production Executive, Alibaba Pictures Group Limited
- Jing Cao, Attorney, Omelveny & Myers
- Matthew Carlisle, EVP, Physical Production, Paramount Television
- Melanie Chebance, Film France
- Alexandra Cocean, SVP, International Sales at Voltage Pictures
- Donne Dawson, Film Commissioner, Hawaii State Film Commission
- Lisa Day, Director, Energy Initiative, 20th Century Fox
- Queila Delgado, Economic Representative, Canary Islands
- Carmen Díaz, Director, Gran Canaria Film Commission
- Jamila Fairley, Fox Tax Incentives Group
- Ricardo S. Galindez, Co-Founder, Island Film Group
- Rich Gaye, Producer/Lecturer
- Jeff Geoffray, Managing Partner, VX119 Media Capital, LLC
- Jack Gerbes, Director, Maryland Film Office
- Marissa Román Griffith, Partner – Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer, and Feld
- Richard Guay, Independent Producer
- Tara Halloran, VP North American Partnerships, Pinewood International
- Grant Hill, Producer (“Sense8”)
- Krystal Jones, Film Commissioner, San Antonio Film Commission
- Kattie Kotok, EVP of US Production, British Film Commission
- Amy Lemisch, Executive Director, California Film Commission
- Sandy Lighterman, Film Commissioner, Miami-Dade County Film and Entertainment Commission
- Aoni Ma, COO, Film Finance Asia
- Mary Ann Marino, Head of Physical Production, Amazon Studios, Original Movies
- Kate Marks, Executive Vice President, International Production, Ausfilm
- Albert Martínez, Vice President, Lantica Pictures
- Clint Mock, CPA, Frazier & Deeter
- Emellie O’Brien, Founder & President Earth Angel (NY)
- Heather Page, Director of the Texas Film Commission
- Miguel Palos, CFO, IM Global
- Chris Payne, Head of International Relations, New Zealand Film Commission
- Sarah Platt, Director of International Engagement and Outreach, Wanda Studios
- Bennett Pozil, Executive Vice President, EastWest Bank
- Christiane Raab, Film Commissioner, Berlin Brandenburg Film Commission
- Bas Van Der Ree, Film Commissioner, Netherlands Film Commission
- Chad Robinson, CPA – Principal, KPM
- Stephane Scupham, Film Commissioner, KC Film Commission
- Ralph Singleton, Savannah Area Film Office
- Mike Slavich, Director, Sustainability, Warner Bros. Entertainment
- Greg Spence, Producer (“Game of Thrones”)
- Tava Sofsky, Director, Oklahoma Film + Music Office
- Ubolwan Sucharitakul, Thailand Film Office
- Einar Tomasson, Film Commissioner, Film in Iceland
- Elona Tsou, Physical Production Executive, Walt Disney Studios
- Michael Uslan, Executive Producer of Batman Films and Chief Creative Officer at Uslan Entertainment
- Steve Weizenecker, Partner, Barnes and Thornburg – Atlanta
- Susan Zuckerman Williams, Partner, Loeb & Loeb
Panel Moderators, in alphabetical order, include:
- Joseph Chianese, EVP, Entertainment Partners
- John Hadity, EVP, Entertainment Partners
Panel: Around the World in 90 Minutes (Part 1): Opportunities, Options & Outcomes
- Rob Cain, Partner, Lightsource Asia Media Group
Panel: Film Financing: Types, Definitions & Risks
- Rick Ambros, Partner, Lightsource Asia Media Group
Panel: Global Film, Television and Digital Marketplace
- Chrissie Merrill, Director of Film Finance, Monarch Private Capital
Panel: Georgia on My Mind: Filmmaking in the Peach State
- Jess Conoplia, SVP – US Production & Events, British Film Commission and Partner, Lightsource Asia Media Group
Panel: China Working in The Middle Kingdom
- Joe Chianese, EVP, Entertainment Partners
- John Hadity, EVP, Entertainment Partners
Panel: Island Filming: Shooting in the Dominican Republic, Hawaii, and Canary Islands
- Jeremey Kay, US Editor, Screen International (moderator)
Panel: Shooting in Multiple Territories: Logistics, Challenges and How to Access Incentives / Tax Credits Across Different Regions
- Joe Chianese, EVP, Entertainment Partners
- John Hadity, EVP, Entertainment Partners
Panel: Around the World in 90 Minutes (Part 2): A Win-Win Proposition
- Zena Harris, President, Green Spark Group
Panel: Sustainable Production: Think Global, Act Local
*The above speakers and moderators are subject to change.
AFCI Global Production & Finance Conference panel session sponsors include: The Canary Islands Government; Creative BC, The Crossing Studios; Film Hawai’i, Island Film Group; Lantica Media; Lightsource Asia Media Group; The Location Guide; Media Services; Monarch Private Capital; and the Motion Picture Production Industry Association of British Columbia (MPPIA).
For the complete Locations Show and Global Production & Finance Conference schedules, panel descriptions, speaker bios, and to register, visitAFCILocationsShow.com. Event Hashtag: #LOCATIONSSHOW
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