Agenda

Friday, February 7, 2020

8:00 AM – Registration & Continental Breakfast

8:45 AM – State of the Industry, the Oscars & Future of Film

Featured discussion on the current state of the industry, financing and distribution. This Sunday is the Ocscars, we will address the winners and losers over the last year and the tactics that worked for these films we can expect this coming year.

Brad Sharp, Senior Managing Director, FTI Consulting
Lucie Guernsey, Managing Director, Woodland Bay Capital
David Steinberg, Partner, Dentons Canada LLP

9:30 AM – Networking Break

9:45 AM – Case Study on Financing a Motion Picture, Film & TV Productions

This panel will examine in great detail the process of financing a feature film or television production and the legal documents that are typically applicable.

Structure of a Financing Transaction
Components of Financing: Pre-Sales, Equity & Incentives
Security Interests and Financier Controls
The Role of Producers, Bankers, Lawyers & Accountants
Completion Bonds

David Steinberg, Partner, Dentons Canada LLP
Nicholas Tabarrok, Producer & Owner, Darius Films Inc.

11:15 AM – Networking Break

11:30 AM – Film Distribution & Marketing

Creating a Distribution Plan/Line
Marketing, Social Media and Gorilla Marketing (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat)
Video on Demand Markets & Direct to Consumer Apps
Film Accelerators & Contests
P&A Advertising, Brand Recognition

Moderator:
Lucie Guernsey, Managing Director, Woodland Bay Capital

Panel:
John Evershed, Founder and former CEO, Mondo Media
David Dinerstein, President, Aviron Pictures
Karyn Edwards, Business & Legal Affairs, Original Independent Film & International Original Film, NETFLIX Inc.

12:30 PM – Networking Luncheon

1:30 PM – United States & International Jurisdictions Production Incentives

State Tax Credits in their Jurisdictions
What is Local Spend?
Interim financing for US tax based soft money
Combining U.S. State and foreign incentives

Moderator:
David Steinberg, Partner, Dentons Canada LLP

Panel:
Marco Cardova, Director, West Coast Tax Credit Investments
Antonio F. Sifre, President, The Sifre Group
Leah Medrano, Program Manager, California Film Commission

2:30 PM – Networking Break

2:45 PM – Investing in and Financing Film & TV Productions

This panel will explore the role of debt lenders in film finance and the conditions a producer needs to satisfy to secure such financing.

Banks – Commercial and Private
Private Equity
Banking Presales & Tax Credits
Gap and Bridge Loans

Moderator:
Lucie Guernsey, Managing Director, Woodland Bay Capital

Panel:
David Acosta, Senior Vice President, City National Bank
Adrian Ward, Senior Director Market Executive, Barc of California
David Friedman, Executive Vice President, New Regency Productions
Douglas Lowell, CPA/CEO, Independent Film Financier

4:00 PM – Networking Break

4:15 PM – Other Key Production Agreements: Chain of Title, Casting Agreements, Music, Etc.

This session will discuss the principal agreements required for a typical film. Many issues associated with production agreements are often misunderstood. It will demystify some of the agreements and explain common pitfalls and traps including music licensing for film and Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance.

David Steinberg, Partner, Dentons Canada LLP

5:00 PM – Conference Concludes