Ahead of its kick-off next week, the American Film Market (AFM®) has added new topics and speakers to the expansive AFM 2020 Online programming lineup that will bring 70+ sessions and 200 speakers over five days, November 9-13, alongside the AFM’s marketplace and screenings at AFM2020.online.
Plans for AFM’s Networking Pavilion have also been revealed. This truly unique online experience gives attendees the opportunity to explore and join over 100 video discussions/“tables” every hour with small groups focused on various genres and specialty topics ranging from Documentary to Horror to Socially Responsible Storytelling. Additional “tables” will offer hourly meet-ups for dozens of countries and U.S. cities, providing the “face-to-face” connections that happen organically in Santa Monica.
While the AFM doesn’t officially start until Monday, November 9, three buildings on the AFM Campus--the Industry Offices, LocationEXPO, and the On Demand Theatr--will go live on November 4 for pre-market screenings and project previews.
Additional topics and speakers joining AFM’s two online stages and previously announced conferences, panels, conversations, workshops, podcasts and presentations, include:
- AFM’s Pitch Conference featuring producer & agent, Cassian Elwes (Mudbound, Dallas Buyers Club), Elevated Film Sales, Elizabeth Haggard, VP Narrative Film, Participant Media, and Lee Jessup, Screenwriting Career consultant & coach.
- How to Secure the Right Cast for a Greenlight featuring Randall Emmett (The Irishman, Power), co-chair & producer, EFO Films, Caroline Couret-Delegue, managing director, Film Seekers, Jenny Jue, owner & casting director, Downtown Casting, Laura Rister, producer, Untitled Entertainment.
- Who Did I Offend Now? Cultural Competency in Storytelling presented in partnership with the NAACP with Kyle Bowser, NAACP, Darnell Hunt, dean of the Division of Social Sciences and professor of Sociology and African American Studies, UCLA, and Brittany A. Little, VP, drama development, Universal Television.
- Distributing & Monetizing Feature Documentaries with Anna Godas, CEO, DogWoof, Gregg Goldstein, author, Variety, Kevin Iwashina, agent, Endeavor Content, John Von Thaden, head of acquisitions, Magnolia Pictures, Krista Wegener, EVP, sales and distribution, Participant Media.
- Using Artificial Intelligence to Inform Success featuring Nadira Azermai, founder, ScriptBook, Tobias Queisser, co-founder & CEO, Cinelytic, and Debajyoti “Deb” Ray, CEO, RivetAI.
- Discover New Voices presented in partnership with WINSTON | BAKER with Adhrucia Apana, founder & producer, Curiosity Entertainment, Janaé Désiré, media finance executive, Creative Artists Agency, Gina Reyes, TV lit agent, Verve Talent & Literary Agency, Sophia Yen, partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, and Viviana Zarragoitia, VP, Three Point Capital.
- Standing Out in the Streaming Game - What Platforms and Audiences Want featuring Scilla Andreen, co-founder & CEO, IndieFlix, Cameron Douglas, VP of home entertainment, FandangoNOW, and Erick Opeka, president, Cinedigm Digital Networks.
- Blockchain Streaming Platforms presented in partnership with the Blockchain Global Entertainment Alliance with Jake Craven, VP, content partnerships, Breaker, Adrian J. Garelik, CEO, Flixxo, Trinabh Gupta, professor at University California Santa Barbara, Rouslan Ovtcharoff, founder, Blockchain Global Entertainment Alliance, Patrice Poujol, founder & CEO, Lumiere, and Serban Simu, president & co-founder, Eluvio.
As previously announced, AFM’s programming will kick off on November 9 with two marquee one-on-one conversations: Mark Gill, president and CEO of Solstice Studios, will take the online stage to discuss his views and predictions of how independent film, the marketplace, and audience consumption will change in the near future. The morning will continue with a dialogue with Elissa Federoff, president of Distribution for NEON, who will share her insights on the future of feature film distribution and exhibition.