Friday, September 8, 2006 - 3:00 – 4:00 PM

HASSLE-FREE? BORDER CROSSING AND IMMIGRATION LAW

Working to pull together a production either for or with our neighbours to the south is a reality of the Canadian film industry. Crossing the border to work legally in the United States can be difficult, but it's not as difficult as you think. You’re not necessarily limited to the visas you might already know about.

Experienced immigration lawyers can help give you insight on how to navigate US customs and port authorities if you are above-the-line or below-the-line professionals. Producers who are knowledgeable in the immigration process and have experienced problems first-hand will help lay to rest some popular misconceptions about border-crossing.

Points of discussion will include:

• When do you need a visa?
• When do you need an employment authorization?
• How do you work legally in the United States?

Moderator: Sandra Cunningham, Producer, Strada Films

Guest Speakers: Joel S. Guberman, Partner, Guberman, Garson, Bush – Immigration Lawyers; Heather N. Segal, Partner, Guberman, Garson, Bush – Immigration Lawyers.

Sandra Cunnigham has been producing independently for ten years. Early films include: Curtis’ Charm, Saint Jude and Possible Worlds. Titles produced with Serendipity Point Films include: Ararat, The Statement, Being Julia, Where the Truth Lies and Fugitive Pieces by writer/director Jeremy Podeswa, currently in post production. Sandra is also a former programmer for Perspective Canada at TIFF and the co-chair of the Feature Film Committee of the Canadian Film and Television Production Association.

Joel S. Guberman, a senior partner with Guberman, Garson, Bush, has been practicing in the field of immigration law for over twenty-five years. He is certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a Specialist in Immigration Law. He is Past-Chair of the Ontario Bar Association, Immigration and Citizenship Section, a Past-Chair of the Canada Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association - of which he was a founding member.

Heather N. Segal is a partner with Guberman, Garson, Bush. She is a Director on the Board of Governors of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the first Canadian to ever hold his position. She has been voted one of the “Best Lawyers in Canada” by the publication Best Lawyers in Canada.

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 - 1:00 – 2:00 PM

THE PRODUCERS

Producers are often the unsung heroes of the film industry. And just as often, they are some of the most uniquely talented people working in the business. In order to be a successful producer, you have to possess a unique combination of skills: a strong creative vision, business know-how, and an unwavering tenacity. Producers bring together diverse talents and interests to make films possible. Come and meet the industry’s most sought-after producing talents.

Moderator: Damon D'Oliveira, VP, Conquering Lion Pictures / Pluck Inc.

Guest Speakers:Al Clark, producer, Wildheart Films (The Book of Revelation), Luc Dery, Producer, Micro_Scope, Philippe Carcassonne, Producer, Cine B

Al Clark's credits include, as producer, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994), Heaven's Burning (1997), Siam Sunset (1999) and The Hard Word (2002); as executive producer, Absolute Beginners (1986), Gothic (1986) and Chopper (2000); and as co-producer, Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) and Eye of the Beholder (1999). His latest production The Book of Revelation directed by Ana Kokkinos, is playing in the festival's Visions section.

Luc Déry has worked in distribution for five years. As a producer, his films – including La Moitié gauche du frigo, Un crabe dans la tête, Familia and Congorama – have screened in the most important film festivals around the globe (Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, Sundance, etc.) and won several awards.

Philippe Carcassonne, was born in Paris, 1955. He became a "professional moviegoer" while attending school. He has produced 42 films since 1986, with directors including Patrice Leconte, Anne Fontaine, Benoît Jacquot, Jacques Audiard, André Téchiné, Claude Sautet, Olivier Assayas, Claire Denis, Nicole Garcia, Robert Lepage, Denys Arcand, Christopher Hampton, Michelangelo Antonioni among others. Today his "main hobby" still remains watching movies.

As a producer, Damon D'Oliveira has brought to screen some of Canada's most innovative features - RUDE, Law of Enclosures, H, Proteus, LIE WITH ME.  D'Oliveira's films have been distributed internationally and shown in festivals including Cannes, Berlin, Toronto & Sundance. D'Oliveira's sexally-charged 2005 feature, Lie With Me caused a stir at the Toronto International Film Festival and at the 2006 Berlin Film Festival. Damon just wrapped production on POOR BOY'S GAME starring Rossif Sutherland, Danny Glover & Flex Alexander

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 - 3:00 – 4:00 PM

FROM THE BIG SCREEN TO THE BILLION DOLLAR VIDEO GAME

The games industry has become a billion-dollar business. Its fan-base rivals Hollywood’s, and its projects have spawned unparalleled talent and cutting-edge technology. These two forms of entertainment have much in common. What makes a good film candidate for a video game? What do developers look for? The process of taking a film – it’s characters, visual aesthetic, narrative, and themes – and making it into a video game presents a unique challenge. Game developers, writers and filmmakers will share the trials and tribulations of creating an interactive product based on a film property. How does the underlying development process work? And how do game developers work with film producers to deliver a consistent brand experience?

Moderator: Warren, Currell, President and CEO, Sherpa Games Inc.

Guest Speakers: JT Petty, filmmaker/writer, S&MAN; Meghan Nishimizu, Producer, Konami Digital Entertainment; Mark Skaggs, consultant

Warren Currell is President and CEO of Sherpa Games Inc. and has worked in the video games industry for over 9 years helping game developers, licensors, publishers and other 3rd party organizations develop business in the video game industry.

J.T. Petty is a writer and director of movies, video games, books and graphic novels. He is one of the creators of the popular video game “Splinter Cell” and created the video game adaptation for the film Batman Begins. In the summer of 2005 his most recent children’s book, “Clemency Pogue: The Hobgoblin Proxy,” was published. His feature films include Soft for Digging (’01), Mimic: Sentinel (’03)and S&MAN (’06).

Meghan Nishimizu has worked on various sides of the digital production industry.  Her experience includes a computer graphic film based loosely on a video game as well as various video games based off of animated series and films.  (Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, The Animatrix: The Final Flight of the Osiris, Dragon Booster, The WINX Club)

Mark Skaggs is one of interactive gaming's most successful and innovative talents. With a gaming career spanning over thirteen years, Mark has been responsible for game design, technical direction and art direction on hit products that have sold over ten million units of PC games since 2000. Mark will share his insights having worked games based on movies such as Lord of the Rings and Dune.

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 - 2:30 – 3:30 PM

DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION INNOVATORS: CLOSING THE WINDOW, OPENING THE DOOR

With day-and-date releasing and digital delivery mechanisms facilitating consumers' access to content, film distribution has taken a major step into the 21st century. Films by both professionals and amateurs are becoming available to audiences through seemingly unlimited channels. All eyes are on digital distribution as the film industry ventures into virtual frontiers and a period of unparalleled confusion -- and opportunity.

Points of discussion will include:
• What impact are delivery methods such as VOD, mobile phones and Internet downloading threatening to have on long-established distribution paradigms?
• What role will consumer-generated content sites (such as Google Video, Youtube and MySpace) play in the future of filmed entertainment distribution?
• In a universe of content choices, who will be the curators of the future?
• How will an abundance of consumer choices in the realm of film distribution affect the way films are financed and produced?

Moderator: Eric Besner Esq., Entertainment Attorney

Guest Speakers: Susan Wrubel, Film Consultant, Susan Wrubel Film Consulting; Bahman Naraghi, Head of Red Envelope Entertainment, David Gale, Executive VP, MTV Films

Eric Besner is an independent film and new media executive, most recently spearheading acquisitions and development as VP of Original Programming for Netflix. Among Erics acquisitions out of TIFF are Vers Le Sud, C.R.A.Z.Y. and Darwin’s Nightmare. Cardboard Belt Productions, of which Eric is a principal, is currently developing Snapshots, a new stage production by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked).

Susan Wrubel is an independent consultant for several internationally focused companies in content acquisition and aggregation, as well as production financing and consultation. Clients include foreign distribution rep Orange Entertainment, start-up film website iklipz, UK cover-mounting company Content Partners, in addition to NY, LA and Paris-based independent producers. Previously, Susan has worked as an acquisitions executive at Paramount Classics, October Films, New Yorker Films and Madstone Films.

Bahman Naraghi is head of Red Envelope Entertainment, the newly established original content division of Netflix, Inc.. He has more than fifteen years of studio, production and corporate finance experience, and a background that affords an international perspective on cinema. Naraghi is responsible for leading the acquisition and funding of dozens of original titles each year, focusing on independent films, foreign-language projects and documentaries. While offering filmmakers a national platform for unique projects, Red Envelope Entertainment extends Netflix’s original content initiative which, since 2000, has given audiences a first, and often exclusive, peek at nearly 60 films, including the Oscar®-winning documentary Born Into Brothels and the 2005 Sundance Film Festival favorite The Puffy Chair.

David is Executive Vice President, New Media and Specialty Film Content for MTV Networks. In that Role, Gale finds, develops, acquires, and produces long-form narrative content and branded films for all platforms, including online, wireless, theatrical, DVD, and VOD. From 1995 to August 2006, Gale served as Executive Vice President of MTV Films. Supervising a diverse and successful slate of 24 movies.

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 - 4:00 – 5:00 PM

THE SCIENCE AND ART OF PACKAGING INDIE FILMS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET PLACE: TAKE TWO

After the success of last year's sold out panel, we decided to revisit the ever-popular topic of packaging. How can you attract investors and talent to your project? International sales agents will reveal their much-coveted secrets about what the world markets are looking for and top packaging agents will tell you how they can help attract talent and financing.

Key areas will include:
• What are distributors and sales agents looking for in a script?
• What are the key territories for indie film sales?
• Which A-list stars take on indie projects? Which stars appeal to the international marketplace?
• What Canadian talent can trigger financing in the US and abroad?
• What are some other methods to enhance the film’s appeal (eg. Soundtrack)?
• Can International Sales agents help pre-sell indie films?

Moderator: John Penotti, President/Partner, GreeneStreet Films

Guest Speakers: John Sloss, Founder, Cinetic Media; Arianna Bocco, Head of Independent Feature Packaging Department, The Gersh Agency; Richard Klubeck, Co-Head of Independent Group, UTA (United Talent Agency), Cassian Elwes, Co-Head William Morris Independent, William Morris Agency

John Penotti is President and Founding Partner of GreeneStreet Films, a leading independent production company based in New York which he co-founded with Fisher Stevens. Since founding GreeneStreet, the company has produced twenty films, including the five time Academy Award ® nominee - including Best Picture – In the Bedroom and the #1 box office hit Swimfan. GreeneStreet currently has two films in release: Robert Altman's A Prairie Home Companion and Paul Crowder and John Dower's Once in a Lifetime about the 1970s famed New York Cosmos soccer team. His most recent film, The Pleasure of Your Company directed by Michael Ian Black will premiere at the Toronto Film Festival.

John Sloss, founder of Cinetic Media, Sloss Law Office and InDigEnt, is one of the film industry's most successful and innovative dealmakers. He has also executive produced over forty-five critical and box office hits, and has been profiled by the New York Times and appeared on the Charlie Rose Show.

Arianna Bocco joined The Gersh Agency in the New York office in January 2005 as the head of independent feature packaging. Previously she worked at Miramax Films as a Senior Vice-President of Acquisitions involved in the acquisition of titles like: Garden State, The Station Agent, Tadpole, Dys-Funktional Family, Jet Lag, and City of God. Prior to Miramax, Bocco worked in various roles in acquisitions for New Line Cinema and Fine Line Features where she worked on The Anniversary Party, The Invisible Circus, Invincible, Trick and Saving Grace. She has previously worked at ICM, The Steve Tisch Company and for writer/director Jeremy Leven on his directorial debut Don Juan DeMarco, released by New Line in 1995.

Richard Klubeck is a motion picture agent at UTA and Co-Head of the Independent Film Group where he represents independent filmmakers, financiers and production companies. Klubeck earned his JD at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and practiced corporate law at O'Melveny & Myers and entertainment law at Loeb & Loeb. He is married with three children and lives in Santa Monica.

Cassian Elwes, Co-Head William Morris Independent, William Morris Agency

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Monday, September 11, 2006 - 1:00 – 2:00 PM

DOCS GO THEATRICAL

Academy Award® winner Ross Kauffman (Born Into Brothels) talks to a panel of theatrical distributors about the peaks and pitfalls of releasing a documentary in theaters.

Moderator: Ross Kauffman, filmmaker, Born Into Brothels

Guest Speakers: Ken Eisen, President, Shadow Distribution, Peter Goldwyn, VP of Acquisitions, Samuel Goldwyn Films; Tom Quinn, Head if Acquisitions, Magnolia Pictures

Ross Kauffman is the director, producer, cinematographer and co- editor of Born into Brothels, winner of the 2005 Academy Award® for Best Documentary. Kauffman is currently working on a variety of projects including: In a Dream (executive producer), the story of the Philadelphia mosaic artist Isaiah Zagar; and Project Kashmir (producer/cinematographer), a documentary that takes viewers into the war-zone of Kashmir.

Ken Eisen is co-founder and President of Shadow Distribution. He is also co-founder and President of Waterville, Maine's Railroad Square Cinema, and co-founder and co-programmer of the Maine International Film Festival. He teaches film at Colby College and the University of Maine at Augusta, was film critic for the Maine Times, and a contributor to Film Quarterly and Cineaste.

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Monday, September 11, 2006 - 2:30 - 3:30 PM

THE LONG ROAD TO DISTRIBUTION

Last year, Doug Block's 51 Birch Street won wide critical and audience acclaim at TIFF. On this panel he describes the long path to finding distribution that followed. He'll be joined by sales agent Josh Braun, producer Lori Cheatle, executive producer John Priddy and Kelly Sanders from Truly Indie.

Guest Speakers: Doug Block, filmmaker, 51 Birch Street; Josh Braun, Co-president, Submarine Entertainment; Lori Cheatle, Producer, Hard Working Movies; John Priddy, Executive Producer, Priddy Entertainment; Kelly Sanders, Executive Director, Truly Indie

Doug Block is a documentary director, producer and cameraman. Credits include: Home Page, The Heck With Hollywood!, Silverlake Life, Jupiter’s Wife, A Perfect Candidate, Love and Diane, Paternal Instinct and The Danny Williams Story (in post-production). He is also the founder and co-host of The D-Word (www.d-word.com), an online discussion forum for documentary professionals worldwide.

Josh Braun is a partner at Submarine Entertainment, a New York film and television production and sales company. Mr. Braun is an executive producer on David Cronenberg’s Oscar and Golden Globe nominated “A History of Violence,” and is a producer on the feature film adaptation of John Wagner’s graphic novel “Button Man”, recently set up at Dreamworks. Braun is also an Executive Producer of the documentary features “Seamless” directed by Douglas Keeve, “Easy Riders, Raging Bulls” (a BBC/Trio co-production) and the award winning music documentary “Kill Your Idols” which opened theatrically via Palm Pictures  in July 2006. Mr. Braun represents feature films and documentaries as a sales rep for such titles as DELIVER US FROM EVIL (2006 best LA Film festival best documentary) , CIVIC DUTY, I’M REED FISH, EDMOND written by David Mamet, the Oscar nominated docs SPELLBOUND and SUPERSIZE ME,  TV JUNKIE (2006 special Jury prize at Sundance) FORTY SHADES OF BLUE (2005 Sundance dramatic grand jury prize winner), DIG! (the 2004 Sundance documentary grand jury prize winner), THE ONE PERCENT, AN UNREASONABLE MAN, THE ROOST, UNKNOWN WHITE MALE, GUNNER PALACE, CONTROL ROOM and many others.

Lori Cheatle is a producer working in documentary and fiction feature films. Her company, Hard Working Movies, was established to produce entertaining and groundbreaking work by talented directors. Credits include the documentaries: 51 Birch Street, This Land is Your Land,
Dashiell.Hammett.Detctive.Writer. and the upcoming Live at the Fillmore East.

John Priddy, along with his brother Ed, are Co-Founders of Priddy Brothers Entertainment which develops, produces and distributes independent films that explore with respect, grace and artistry the depth and breadth of the human experience. The company champions high-quality film projects created by self-energized, entrepreneurial filmmakers passionate about their art and its message.

Kelly Sanders is the Executive Director for Truly Indie, an initiative launched by 2929 Entertainment in fall 2005 to give filmmakers access to marketing and sales tools without a traditional distributor. She reviews all submissions to the program, and oversees the distribution, exhibition, advertising and marketing of all releases.

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Monday, September 11, 2006 - 4:00 – 5:00 PM

MINING BOOKS FOR FILM GEMS: A LABOUR OF LOVE?

Making a creatively successful film is never easy. The first hurdle to overcome is always the script. Well-drawn characters and a compelling narrative are the basics for any good story. It might seem easier to use an already existing story and its characters from a book or other source material. Shouldn't that make it easier somehow? The answer is a resounding 'no'. The reality of adapting a literary work for film is one that is fraught with challenges and pitfalls that a producing team would not encounter on other projects. So why do they do it? Producers, directors and writers share their insights on moving their cinematic visions of literary gems to the screen.

Moderator: Robin Cass, Producer and Founding Partner, Triptych Media Inc.

Guest Speakers: Mira Nair, filmmaker, The Namesake; Kevin MacDonald, filmmaker, The Last King of Scotland

Robin Cass’ background includes the visual arts and television. A co-founder of Triptych Media the company has adapted to film several literary works including Lilies, The Bay of Love and Sorrows, Falling Angels and The Republic of Love. Currently in production is Emotional Arithmetic from the novel by Matt Cohen. Triptych was also involved with the 1997 Festival’s most popular film, The Hanging Garden and commenced with John Greyson’s Zero Patience – A Musical About Aids.

Mira Nair was born in Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India and attended both Delhi and Harvard Universities. She directed several award-winning documentaries before making her feature debut, Salaam Bombay! (88), which won the Caméra d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Her subsequent films include Mississippi Masala (91), The Perez Family (95), Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love (96), Monsoon Wedding (01), which screened at the Festival in 2001, Hysterical Blindness (02) and Vanity Fair (04). The Namesake (06) is her most recent film.

Kevin Macdonald was born in Glasgow and studied at Oxford University. He is a journalist, author, director and producer. His documentary One Day in September (99) won an Academy Award® for best documentary feature in 2000. His other films include Chaplin’s Goliath (96), A Brief History of Errol Morris (99) and Touching the Void, which played at the Festival in 2003. The Last King of Scotland (06) is his most recent film.

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Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - 4:00 – 5:00 PM

THE CULTURE OF MENTORING AND STORYTELLING: A Co-presentation with imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival.

How can different generations of filmmakers work together to inspire each other and invigorate the industry? This discussion looks at the practice of mentoring as a way to both foster and nurture new talent and to inspire creativity in veteran artists and productions as a whole. Hear from talented filmmakers/producers from New Zealand and Canada whose work in Aboriginal media arts communities have provided successful mentorship models that have resulted in meaningful and successful collaborations.

Moderator: Danis Goulet, Executive Director/Artistic Director, filmmaker, imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival

Guest Speakers: Tainui Stephens, Producer, Pito One Productions; CO-President, Century Street Distribution; Adam Garnet Jones, filmmaker, Cloudbreaker, Joanne Levy, Director of Programming, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network

Danis Goulet, filmmaker and Executive Director for imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival brings with her significant experience in the film and television industry. Her short film spin has screened at several festivals, including the 2004 Sundance Film Festival and her latest short project Divided By Zero premiered in May at the Message Sticks Film Festival at the Sydney Opera House. Prior to joining imagineNATIVE, she worked as a casting director on numerous film productions, as well as for the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation. Danis is currently a member of the board of directors for the Images Film Festival and an advisory committee member for the Planet IndigenUS Festival. She is Métis, originally from northern Saskatchewan and resides in Toronto, Canada.

Tainui Stephens (New Zealand, Te Rarawa tribe) is an independent film and television producer/director/writer who has worked since 1984 to bring Maori stories to international audiences and to develop uniquely Maori storytelling screen formats for indigenous and mainstream audiences. At present he is the Maori advisor to New Zealand’s principal television funding agency, New Zealand On Air and is in his second term as a board member of the New Zealand Film Commission. His company Pito One Productions’ current projects include: a television documentary series, a feature film documentary, a Maori language gameshow pilot, and drama script development.

Adam Garnet Jones is a writer, director and curator (InsideOut and imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival). Since the age of fourteen, Adam has been using film and video to find his voice as an artist, and make a place for himself in his communities. For the last ten years, he has made numerous short films and videos, screening his work at national and international media arts festivals. Adam has also been involved with youth mentorship in film and video, facilitating media arts programs within a youth based anti-oppression framework, for the organizations in BC, Toronto, and Liverpool, England. He is currently working with a program for Native youth at 7th Generation Image Makers.

Joanne Levy has almost 35 years experience in television and film production as a TV reporter, independent producer and commissioning editor. In her current role she works with programming staff in Winnipeg, Vancouver and Montreal who develop, commission, acquire and schedule programming for the first and only Aboriginal television network in the world. APTN’s goal is to broadcast programming by, for and about Aboriginal Peoples to share with all Canadians as well as viewers around the world.

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Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - 1:30 – 2:30

VENTURE CAPITAL AND FILM FINANCING

What you need to know.

The movie business has always been a high-risk proposition for its investors, but one with the ever-alluring potential for above average returns. Studios pour millions of dollars into a movie with the hope that their investment will multiply exponentially as a result of booming box-office. It is a gamble that does not always pay off. Thus, production companies and major studios are changing their business models and looking to attract outside equity from Venture Capitalists who make it their business to dabble in risk. What role can venture capital play in other film industries outside of Hollywood? Come and hear from experts who will share their business acumen and knowledge of both traditional and non-traditional film financing strategies.

Moderator: John Sloss, Founder, Cinetic Media

Guest Speakers: James D. Stern, Chairman & CEO, Endgame Entertainment; Martin Katz, President, Prospero Pictures

John Sloss, founder of Cinetic Media, Sloss Law Office and InDigEnt, is one of the film industry's most successful and innovative dealmakers. He has also executive produced over forty-five critical and box office hits, and has been profiled by the New York Times and appeared on the Charlie Rose Show.

James D. Stern is the chairman and CEO of Endgame Entertainment.  He founded Endgame Entertainment, a private entertainment financing and production fund n 2003. In 2005, due to the success of the first fund, Endgame raised additional capital and became an operating company. Since its beginning in February 2003, Endgame has co-financed twenty-two films, two Broadway way shows and a children’s DVD series. Mr. Stern has executive-produced and produced a number of films including: Harold and Kumar go to White Castle, Hotel Rwanda, Proof, and Stay Alive. Mr. Stern is a veteran theater and film producer, film director and investment manager. His film directorial credits include: The Year of Yao, The Battleground, Michael Jordan to the Max and It’s All the Rage.

Martin F. Katz is President and founder of Prospero Pictures, a Toronto-based film production and finance company specializing in international co-productions. Martin has a twenty-year history in all aspects of media production and finance. Prior to founding Prospero Pictures, Martin was President and Chief Operating Officer of Grosvenor Park Film Financing Corporation. Previously, Martin served as Executive Producer at The Microsoft Network, and as a Producer and Executive Producer at Alliance Atlantis. He has also served as Head of Business Affairs at CBC Television. Martin holds degrees in law from the Universities of Toronto and Paris and has served as professor of law at the French-language University of Moncton and Special Lecturer in Intellectual Property Law at the University of Toronto. Martin has extensive experience as a producer of international treaty co-productions involving Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Luxembourg, Germany, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

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