IIFF/LA Townhall Meeting at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica –
Where Film & Finance Meet To Succeed Together
abstract | moderator | venue | schedule | program | bios | registration | help

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Following a sold-out Los Angeles chapter premiere in July, the Institute for International Film Financing (IIFF) continues its popular, monthly, multi-city gatherings at the junction of film and finance with a special Townhall Meeting at the state-of-the-art facilities of Writers Boot Camp in Santa Monica's Bergamot Station complex.

This "grassroots" community meeting is designed to build upon IIFF's successful L.A. launch and further introduce the organization to the Greater Los Angeles Area's community of 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 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.: 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 moderated by Thomas Trenker (bio | profile) who 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 and organizing a variety of events and initiatives at the junction of filmmaking, entrepreneurship and venture capital, Mr. Trenker 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 in person at this or another upcoming IIFF meeting.

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Writers Boot Camp (WBC)
Bergamot Station Arts Center
2525 Michigan Avenue, Building I
Santa Monica, CA 90404

Map: Get a map of WBC at Bergamot Station from Ask, Google, MapQuest, MSN, Windows Live or Yahoo. Alternatively, see the map on WBC's website.

Driving directions: Our meeting venue is conveniently located in Santa Monica. It can be easily reached from nearby Santa Monica Freeway (I-10). Please find detailed directions to WBC at Bergamot Station on our host's website. Personalized driving directions can be obtained from the above-listed online mapping services; simply follow the link of your choice and enter your start address where required.

Our Host:

This month's Townhall Meeting is again graciously hosted by Writers Boot Camp (WBC), a leading screenwriting workshop and career development program headquartered in Los Angeles.

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4:30-5:00 pm ... Registration, welcome and introductions
5:00-6:20 pm ... Four featured presentations with Q&A (4x 20 min)
6:20-6:30 pm ... Networking break I (10 min)
6:30-7:30 pm ... Three featured presentations with Q&A (3x 20 min)
7:30-7:45 pm ... Networking break II (15 min)
7:45-8:30 pm ... Moderated panel discussion with Q&A (45 min)
8:30+ pm ... Community time at area restaurant

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1) The Ins & Outs of Film Funds: A Practical Guide to Portfolio-Centric Film Finance

— by Gordon Clark, senior banking & finance executive turned film fund manager; Co-founder & Director at int'l movie investment fund The Movie Portfolio Fund; Founder & CEO at film finance & specialist fund management company Out Of Obscurity Inc. … (more)

2) Beyond the Box Office: New Opportunities for Indie Producers & Investors in Video Games, Traditional Media & on the Web Are Changing the Film Business

— by Deborah Pratt, multiple award-winning writer & producer for film & television with 25 years entertainment industry experience; Founder & CEO at production company V Global Media, Inc.; fmr. Co-Executive Producer & Head Writer on hit TV series "Quantum Leap" … (more)

3) Other People's Money & the Film Business Plan: Tips for Film Entrepreneurs in Search of Capital

— by Louise Levison, Founder & President at leading film business plan consultancy Business Strategies, Inc. (e.g., "The Blair Witch Project"); Author of popular "Filmmakers & Financing: Business Plans for Independents" (now in 4th edition); Adjunct Professor at UCLA … (more)

4) The Power of Social-Message Movies: How Filmmakers & Financiers Can Tap the Universal Need for Meaning & Inspiration

— by Terrance Sweeney, five-time Emmy winning producer & writer of 60+ films & TV shows; top-10 national bestselling author; President of Michael Media, Inc.; fmr. Senior Vice President at film & TV company Paulist Productions; fmr. Executive Director & Trustee at the HUMANITAS Prize … (more)

5) Self-Serve Distribution: How the Service Deal Impacts a Film's Bottom Line

— by Kaiser Wahab, Esq., Co-founder & Executive Vice President at indie distribution company Anywhere Road, Inc. (e.g., Brad Gann's "Black Irish" & Tata Amaral's "Antonia"); Co-founder & Partner at New York City-based law firm Wahab & Medenica LLC … (more)

6) Screenwriting for Success: What Writers Can Do to Get Their Independent Films Funded

— by Jeffrey Gordon, Founder & President at leading screenwriting workshop Writers Boot Camp, Inc.; Producer at feature film production company Writers Boot Camp Productions; Founder at philanthropic Screenwriting Museum Project … (more)

7) The Many Faces of Film Financing: Whom & What It Takes to Finance a Film

— by Leszek Burzynski, veteran producer & director of feature films, TV series & theater in US & UK (e.g., indie feature "Wooly Boys" starring Peter Fonda & Kris Kristofferson, Paramount's theatrically released doc "Trucking"); Founder of several successful film & TV production companies, including UK's Picture Partnership Productions (with "Traffik" producer Brian Eastman) … (more)

8) Hollywood Profits: Quantitative Drivers of Motion Picture Profitability

— by Thomas Trenker, Founder & Chairman at Institute for International Film Financing (IIFF); Managing Director at FilmAngels Capital; fmr. investment banker on Wall Street & in Silicon Valley … (more)

In his quantitative presentation, Mr. Trenker summarizes the conclusions of his statistical analysis of factors that, alone or combined, predispose movies for profitability. Digging deep into his data, Mr. Trenker makes the case that, on average, independent films are superior not just on their widely touted creative merits, including originality, but – perhaps surprisingly – also on their commercial merits as measured by expected return on investment (ROI). With the economics of filmmaking evolving past Hollywood's traditional "rules of thumb", a new savvy generation of film entrepreneurs and financiers is well positioned to succeed through innovation.

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– Gordon Clark: senior banking, finance & professional services executive turned motion picture entrepreneur & film fund manager; Co-founder & Director at international movie investment fund The Movie Portfolio Fund; Founder & CEO of specialist fund management & film financing company Out Of Obscurity Inc. (OOO), a pioneer of portfolio approach to movie slate investing; fmr. Director at executive search company The Consulting Partnership, focusing on senior executives in banking, finance & fund management around Asia, Europe & USA; fmr. Managing Director at largest independent recruiting firm TMP Worldwide, now Monster Worldwide (NASDAQ: MNST), focusing on senior banking & finance positions around Asia, etc.; fmr. Investment Consultant at Global Investments (Far East) Ltd.; fmr. Country CFO (Thailand) & Regional Controller (Southeast Asia) at leading international bank Standard Chartered Bank (LSE: STAN); fmr. Supervisor & Chartered Accountant at leading global professional services/accounting firm Ernst & Young in London, Europe & Singapore, working on audit, consultancy, corporate finance assignments with financial-services clients; fmr. Trainee Chartered Accountant at Spicer Watson & Co, providing accounting, audit, taxation & general business advisory services for small to medium-sized clients; BA in Accountancy & Mathematics from University of Stirling, Scotland, UK.

– Deborah Pratt: Founder & CEO of V Global Media, Deborah is a significant creative force in Hollywood. A 25-year veteran of the entertainment industry, her credits include Co-Executive Producer and Head Writer of the award winning Sci-Fi TV series "Quantum Leap" (starring Scott Bakula, Dean Stockwell & herself) which still runs in syndication. "Quantum Leap", which originally aired from 1989 to 1993, was awarded multiple Emmys, 2 Golden Globes and many prestigious awards worldwide. It has become a cult phenomenon with an active, loyal fan club of ca. 7 million. As TV writer, Deborah was awarded the Lillian Gish Award from Women in Film, The Angel Award, and The Golden Block Award. As producer, she is a five-time Emmy nominee as well as a Golden Globe nominee and received five B.E.N. awards. Deborah has created an incredible range of successful entertainment properties from her early days writing for "Magnum P.I." and "Airwolf" to her co-creating and Executive Producing USA Network's series "The Net" (starring Brooke Langton). She co-wrote the Emmy-nominated "My Friend Martin", and "Cora Unashamed" which she also directed for the BBC/Masterpiece Theatre. "Cora Unashamed" was the highest rated dramatic feature in PBS history. Deborah's first series of novels, "The Vision Quest" trilogy, is a science fantasy adventure of epic proportions designed to deliver 'a total entertainment experience'. The novels have been written to incorporate multiple entertainment platforms in film, TV, online and console-based interactive games as well as numerous wireless applications. Book one of "The Vision Quest" series has recently been released. Moreover, Deborah is set to direct her first feature film, "Chevalier and Antoinette", which she wrote, with "Gods and Monsters" and "Crash" producer Mark R. Harris. Deborah has two children, Troian Avery and Nicholas-Dante Bellisario. She sits on the Board of Directors of one of Los Angeles' oldest charities, El Nido, and is an active member of the Directors Guild (DGA), Producers Guild (PGA) and Writers Guild (WGA).

– Louise Levison: Founder & President at consulting firm Business Strategies, Inc., specializing in business plans for film & other entertainment-related companies; Author of "Filmmakers & Financing: Business Plans for Independents" (4th Ed., 12/03, Focal Press) & publisher/editor of "The Film Entrepreneur: A Newsletter for the Independent Filmmaker and Investors"; recent client films include "The Blair Witch Project" (most profitable indie in history), "Hoover" (starring Ernest Borgnine), "The First of May" (Julie Harris, Mickey Rooney, Joe DiMaggio), "Michael Winslow Live", "Extreme Days" (Dante Basco, A.J. Buckley, Derek Hamilton), "Dinner Rush" (Danny Aiello, John Rothman, Vivian Wu, Sandra Bernhard), "Baptists at Our Barbecue", "High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story" (Michael Imperioli), "The Secret" and European films "Charles V" & "Olivetti 82"; other corporate clients include Danny Glover's Louverture Films, Tokuma Int'l ("Shall We Dance", "Princess Mononoke"), The Ilya Salkind Company, Oscar winner Gerald Molen's WhiteLight Ent. & Gener8Xion Ent. ("The Omega Code"); Affiliate of Berlin-based film financing consultancy Peacefulfish; Adjunct Prof. in UCLA's Extension Program; sought-after lecturer & panelist featured at Sundance, Film Independent, Producer's Guild, ShowBiz Expo, Galway Film Fleadh, Nat'l Assoc. of Latino Independent Producers, Independent Cinema Expo, The Learning Annex, Los Angeles Venture Association (LAVA), USC Entrepreneurial Program, Nat'l Association of Women Business Owners, etc.; Fellow at Center of Entertainment Industry Data & Research (e.g., indie film expert on recent study on "The Migration of Feature Film From The U.S. to Canada"); previously worked in corporations for 18 years; fmr. Co-host at widely heard call-in radio show on Business Radio Network; fmr. stockbroker; Advisory Board Member at CineWomen; Member of IFP/West, Women in Film, Int'l Documentary Assoc. (IDA) & US Internet Industry Assoc.; MA in Asian Area Studies from NYU & MBA in Finance from CSU Dominguez Hills.

– Terrance Sweeney: Terry is a successful veteran producer and writer as well as a highly regarded community activist. The White House commended Terry for his service to the homeless and neighborhoods plagued by gang violence. He spent 3 years galvanizing Los Angeles community organizations as well as city, county, and church leaders to set up The Community Youth Gang Services Project which reduced East LA's gang-related deaths by 88%. Further, he has served as Executive Director and Trustee of the prestigious Humanitas Prize, Senior Vice President of Paulist Productions, and President of Michael Media, Inc. In addition to producing over 60 films and TV shows, he is a Top-Ten National Bestselling author. Films he has written have garnered 3 Cine Golden Eagles and an Emmy nomination. As a Producer, he has received 5 Emmy nominations and 5 Emmy Awards. At present, Terry is the President of Michael Media, Inc.; current projects include 3 independent feature films and a mini-series. Past projects include "Streets of Anger, Streets of Hope", an Emmy-winning documentary on gang violence; "Home Sweet Home", a documentary baring the plight of the nation's 2 million homeless; etc. Due to his Emmy-acclaimed expertise as a Producer, combined with a Masters in Communications and Ph.D. in Theology and the Arts, Terry has been a valued executive consultant to Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures, Universal, Paramount, CBS, ABC, NBC, Hanna-Barbera, and Stephen J. Cannell Productions on many movies and series, including "The Thorn Birds", "The Mission", "The Day Christ Died", "A Time for Miracles", "The Greatest Adventure Series", "The Courage to Love", "The Last Temptation of Christ", and "The Garden". In his 12 years at Paulist Productions, Terry wrote 10 scripts, including "The Clown of Freedom" (starring Martin Sheen), "Loser Take All", "The Prodigal Father", "Thanksgiving Requiem", and "The Promise". Of the 5 seasons he produced the "Insight" series, it was on 3 occasions awarded an Emmy as outstanding series. Terry garnered a 4th Emmy for producing "The Juggler of Notre Dame". In addition, he created Paulist's long-form TV and Feature Film Division, launched its first feature film, "Romero" (starring Raul Julia), and its first primetime network TV show, "The Fourth Wiseman". At the end of his first year as Senior VP, Terry had 11 hours of TV in production, the highest in the company's 35-year history, increasing production revenue more than tenfold. In collaboration with Ellwood Kieser, Terry has been a vital part of the Humanitas Prize from its inception. As the Prize's first Executive Director, and later as Director of Education, and finally as Trustee for 25 years, he helped launch and establish the prestigious Prize. On NBC's "Today Show", Barbara Walters said, "What the Nobel Prize is to literature and the Pulitzer Prize is to journalism, the Humanitas Prize has become for American television, the standard of excellence, the criterion of quality".

– Kaiser Wahab, Esq.: Co-founder & Executive Vice President at indie distribution company Anywhere Road, Inc. (e.g., Brad Gann's "Black Irish" & Tata Amaral's "Antonia"); Partner at New York law firm Wahab & Medenica LLC; dedicated business attorney specializing in business contracts, intellectual property, emerging growth/venture capital, e-commerce & entertainment law; recent film work includes The Film Company's "Brand Upon the Brain!", production counsel on Yash Raj Films' "Tara Rum Pum", distribution counsel on Cyan Pictures' "The Oh in Ohio", etc.; fmr. attorney at Pryor Cashman Sherman & Flynn LLP and Day, Berry & Howard LLP; fmr. Law Clerk at United States Court of International Trade; frequent speaker at conferences (e.g., Harvard Law School's "Wikimania 2006") & contributor to leading legal publications (e.g., Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Journal).

– Leszek Burzynski: veteran producer & director of feature films, TV series & theater, as well as commercials, in the US & UK; Co-founder & Principal at commercial & corporate video production company Advanced Video Solutions (AVS) with clients including Microsoft, Pioneer Corp., Transamerica, Pepsico, Aetna Insurance, McGraw-Hill, etc.; Director of narrative features "Wooly Boys" (Peter Fonda, Kris Kristofferson), "Trapped" (Cameron Mitchell) & "Cry Wolf" as well as documentaries "Trucking", "A Line in the Sand" & "Like As the Lute"; Producer of "Love & Action in Chicago" (Kathleen Turner, Jason Alexander, Ed Asner) & "Blood Harvest"; Supervising Producer of "Eighteen Shades of Dust" (Danny Aiello, William Forsythe), "Kiss Toledo Goodbye" (Christopher Walken, Michael Rappaport) & "Just Sue Me" (Tom Arnold, William MacNamara) for film financing company Flashpoint Ltd.; fmr. Co-founder & Principal at London-based production company Picture Partnership Productions (e.g., Channel 4's "Father's Day" & "Poirot" TV series, BBC's "Blott on the Landscape" & "Porterhouse Blue" TV series, MGM/UA's "Whoops Apocalypse") formed with producer Brian Eastman ("Traffik"); fmr. Assistant Director at BBC in London, working with directors such as Stephen Frears, Mike Leigh & Ken Loach and top writers including Alan Bennett & Tom Stoppard.

– Jeffrey Gordon: Born and raised in Chicago, Jeff's interest in writing led him to leave the accounting department at the University of Illinois and transfer into the rhetoric program, where he complained to the dean that his instructor was turning off the writing students via scare tactics and ineffective teaching methods. Bitten by the industry bug and transferring himself to Los Angeles, Jeff's early jobs included taking Peter Bogdanovich's cat to the vet, delivering mail so well that he earned fast promotion through the William Morris Agency training program, and reading scripts as a story analyst at many prominent indie film companies. In 1989, during his last semester of the Peter Stark Motion Picture Producing Program at USC Film School, Jeff created the unique screenwriting tools for the first session of Writers Boot Camp held in his living room with seven writers. Soon after, having set up the spec feature "Rubicon" as a producer —with Arnold Schwarzenegger attached— that experience and development process led him to continue expanding the Writers Boot Camp, focusing on developing support services for writers (including wonderful ways to apply discrete math to the creative process) and a national community of talented alumni. A consultant to the studios, Jeff is currently launching Writers Boot Camp Productions to develop properties with the next tier of up-and-coming alumni writers and filmmakers. He is also the founder of the philanthropic Screenwriting Museum Project, created to promote the role of the screenwriter in the history of film and television.

– Thomas Trenker: investment banker on Wall Street & startup executive in Silicon Valley turned independent film financier; Founder & Chairman at social-entrepreneurship organization Institute for Int'l Film Financing (IIFF); Managing Director at angel investor group FilmAngels Capital; fmr. CFO at online film distributor/exhibitor Eveo; fmr. investment banker at Deutsche Morgan Grenfell & DB Alex Brown in New York City & San Francisco.

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Online registration is available at http://events.filmfinancing.org/gla/?id=082607 (top of this page)

Early bird registration NLT Thursday, August 16:
IIFF Member ... $25 if registered online no later than 8/16
Non-member ... $40

Regular registration NLT Thursday, August 23:
IIFF Member ... $35 if registered online no later than 8/23
Non-member ... $50

Last minute registration NLT Saturday, August 25:
IIFF Member ... $45 if registered online no later than 8/25
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) or PayPal? Please 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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