Contact IIFF San Francisco Bay Area for event and ticket information.
IIFF relaunches its monthly gatherings in San Francisco!
After successfully starting chapters in New York, New England and Los Angeles over the past year, the Institute for International Film Financing (IIFF) returns to its roots in the Bay Area to continue its popular meetings at the junction of film & finance with a special Townhall Meeting in San Francisco. IIFF's friends at Academy of Art University are graciously making their new facilities on Townsend Street available for this and future occasions.
This "grassroots" community get-together is designed to reintroduce IIFF to Northern California's filmmakers, entrepreneurs and financiers as well as the public at large. Our goal for this and future gatherings is not only to provide unbiased insight & education about the business of film —and film financing in particular— but also to foster & inform productive relationships between attending professionals. The event features a powerful roster of highly topical speakers from the worlds of film and finance. We are delighted to 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, monthly 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.: 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 five seven 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 expertly moderated by Daniel Riviera, a seasoned entertainment and intellectual property attorney, longtime supporter of the Institute for Int'l Film Financing (IIFF), and member of FilmAngels, the world's first professional angel investor organization for independent film.
Mr. Riviera has extensive professional experience as an attorney in film, TV, music, publishing, trademarks, and copyright. He practiced law in Los Angeles for many years before moving to the Bay Area. He represents both individual artists and companies, and has worked for clients involved in all aspects of the development, production, financing, and distribution of movies, TV, and music, including Carolco Pictures, Imagine Entertainment, Spelling Entertainment, The Groundlings, Keiko Matsui and Gilda Radner. Since coming to the Bay Area, independent film, music, video games, and book authors & publishing have occupied a greater proportion of his practice. Current clients include Oscar-nominated filmmakers, film companies producing narrative work with a social or political edge, award-winning singer-songwriters, and prominent authors. Mr. Riviera's practice also involves intellectual property (trademarks & copyright), the Internet & new media, and corporate work including entity formation & financing, nonprofit corporations, employment law, and the license & sale of assets. He is a graduate of Harvard College and the Georgetown University Law Center.
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Academy of Art University – School of Motion Pictures & Television
466 Townsend Street (btw. 5th & 6th St.)
Room #230 – 2nd floor
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 274-2200
Map: Get a map of 466 Townsend St. from Ask, Google, MapQuest, MSN, Windows Live or Yahoo. 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.
Nearest public transportation stop & walking directions (ca. 0.3 miles or 7 min.): San Francisco Caltrain Station at 4th & King St. is just a short walk from our venue at 466 Townsend St. Take Caltrain or Muni Metro line N Judah to 4th & King St. (San Francisco Caltrain Station), then walk northwest on 4th St. toward Townsend St.; turn left onto Townsend and proceed approx. 2 blocks to the last building on the right-hand side of the second block, a large warehouse-like facility, where our meeting takes place — look for Academy of Art University's signature red, white and black logo above the entrance!
IIFF's San Francisco Townhall Meeting 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 and Colleges (WASC), one of the six major regional accreditation commissions recognized by the U.S. 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 go to Jack Isgro, AAU's Department Director of Motion Pictures & Television, for making this event possible!
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6:00-6:30 pm ... Registration, welcome and introductions
6:30-7:50 pm ... Four featured presentations with Q&A (4x 20 min)
7:50-8:00 pm ... Networking break I (10 min)
8:00-9:00 pm ... Three featured presentations with Q&A (3x 20 min)
9:00-9:20 pm ... Networking break II (20 min)
9:20-10:00 pm ... Moderated panel discussion with Q&A (40 min)
10:00+ pm ... Community time at area restaurant
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1) Winning Angel Investments: Practical Insight & Advice for Filmmakers & Financiers — by Ian Sobieski (bio) »
2) From Dream to Distribution: How a First-time Producer Got a Multi-Million Dollar Movie Funded & Made — by Paco Chierici (bio) »
3) State of the Market for Indies: An Analysis of Latest Developments & Current Opportunities — by Sandy Rosenberg (bio) »
4) The Economics of Film Distribution: Realistic Distribution Scenarios for Credible Business Plans — by Rob Barnum (bio) »
5) Anatomy of a Film Budget: A Guide for Producers & Investors to Getting the Numbers Right — by Curran Engel (bio) »
6) The Digital Advantage: Why Independent Filmmakers & Financiers Stand to Win Big — by Greg Berkin (bio) »
7) Hollywood Profits: Quantitative Drivers of Motion Picture Profitability — by Thomas Trenker (bio) »
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– Dr. Ian Sobieski, Ph.D. (topic): Managing Director at Band of Angels, Silicon Valley's premier & oldest angel investor group (seeded 220+ startups, achieved 40+ profitable M&A exits & 9 NASDAQ IPOs, created 3,000+ jobs); Founding General Partner at Band of Angels Fund, L.P., a $50M venture fund raised exclusively from major institutions; Founding Board Member at Angel Capital Association, North America's professional alliance of angel groups. »
– Francesco "Paco" Chierici (topic): Fighter & commercial pilot turned film financier & producer; Associate Director of Finance at Silicon Valley-based film fund Film 7 Entertainment Group, LLC; Producer of action-documentary feature "Speed & Angels" (exec. produced by Internet industry pioneer Mike Homer); fmr. U.S. Navy fighter pilot decorated with 3 Air Medals & Navy Achievement Medal. »
– Dr. Sanford "Sandy" Rosenberg, Ph.D. (topic): Licensed psychotherapist, educator, researcher, consultant & producer with 25 years working with film, video, TV; Founder & President at consulting firm Media Research Associates; Founding Partner & Exec. Producer at Vancouver & L.A.-based independent film company Front Street Productions with 9 completed features since 1999, incl. "The Deal" (Christian Slater, Selma Blair) & "We Don't Live Here Anymore" (Naomi Watts, Mark Ruffalo, Laura Dern). »
– Robert Ogden Barnum (topic): Founder, President & CEO at indie film distributor Anywhere Road, "taking challenging & unique films into theaters and helping them reach their fullest potential" (e.g., "Antonia", "Black Irish"); fmr. Co-owner & Exec. VP at boutique production & distribution company Cyan Pictures, producing such films as "Premium" & distributing "The Oh in Ohio" (Danny DeVito, Parker Posey, Paul Rudd, Mischa Barton). »
– Curran Engel (topic): Movie industry veteran of 15+ years who worked on 200+ music videos, commercials, documentary, corporate & feature films; Executive Producer at Bay Area-based production company Zephyr Films; Producer or Line Producer on several feature films incl. "Tryst", "Skeleton Woman", "This Space Between Us", "Downfall" & "Cherish"; Full-time Instructor at Academy of Art University's School of Motion Pictures & Television. »
– Gregory Berkin (topic): Silicon Valley-based technology executive turned producer, investor & entrepreneur in media & entertainment; Founder, President & CEO of indie film production & distribution company Think Digital (e.g., "Skin City"); fmr. DVD Evangelist at Intel Corp. who was named one of "Top 20 Most Influential DVD Executives Worldwide"; private investor in Broadway plays & musicals (e.g., "Rent"); judge for Technical & Engineering Emmy Awards. »
– Thomas Trenker (topic): A Wall Street investment banker & Silicon Valley startup executive turned independent film financier, Mr. Trenker (LinkedIn profile | full bio) founded the Institute for Int'l Film Financing (IIFF) and runs FilmAngels, the world's first professional angel investor organization for independent film. Besides that & organizing a variety of events and initiatives at the junction of filmmaking, entrepreneurship & venture capital, he is always on the lookout for worthwhile and intriguing new indie film projects that are seeking investor financing. Don't hesitate to connect with Mr. Trenker via LinkedIn or at an upcoming IIFF meeting. »
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Online registration is available at http://events.filmfinancing.org/sfb/?id=113007 (top of this page)
Early bird registration NLT Thursday, November 22:
IIFF Member ... $25 if registered online no later than 11/22
Non-member ... $40
Regular registration NLT Wednesday, November 28:
IIFF Member ... $35 if registered online no later than 11/28
Non-member ... $50
Last minute registration NLT Thursday, November 29:
IIFF Member ... $45 if registered online no later than 11/29
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 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 is a sampling of what others are saying 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, Convener/Executive Producer, 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 Town Hall 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 Town Hall 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 town hall 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 Film Angels 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 Would you like to speak out? We want to hear from you! Send us your comments by email. |
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The Institute for International Film Financing (IIFF) is an innovative, independent social-impact organization that endeavors to bridge the gap between the worlds of film and finance for the benefit of all stakeholders – including the public at large.
IIFF was founded by Thomas Trenker in 2003 and incorporated in California as a not-for-profit, public benefit corporation. Headquartered in San Francisco, IIFF currently has chapters in the SF Bay Area, New York City, New England, Florida, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, London, and the Pacific Northwest.
Help us expand further, 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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