Obtaining finance & tax incentives to get independent and studio films made, distributed and marketed in today’s market place

Benefits of Attending

• Access to and information from the most senior players in the industry at the top of their professions
• Significant networking opportunities amongst the top professionals and financiers in the film business today
• Expanded session on the U.S. state, federal and international tax credits and incentives for film and TV production
• The role of banks and specialized finance companies in providing financing for film production
• Learn via case studies how medium to low budget films are made, financed and distributed
• Ways to generate financial support for films utilizing brand integration and product placement
• Understand how sales agents and distributors can generate the domestic and foreign distribution you need to make your film a success
• Understand how to utilize new digital platforms for distributing media content into the home and onto hand held devices
• Networking opportunities and much more

Summit Co-Chairs:
Vinca Jarrett, FilmPro Finance; Thomas Leo, Sheppard Mullin; J.D. Tengberg, Deloitte; David Zitzerman, Goodmans LLP

Educational Course Credit — Up to 12 CPE / CLE Credits Available

Substitutions/Cancellations

Cancellations received more than 72 business hours prior to the meeting will be issued a credit. A $350 fee will apply to cancellations received within 72 business hours of the event. No credit card or cash refunds will be issued at any time. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as complaints and refunds, please contact us at 1-914-328-5656, or e-mail info@citeusa.org. Credits will not be issued for "no shows"

CITE's block of discounted sleeping rooms is limited - reserve your sleeping room early! We cannot guarantee rates or availability. A very limited block of rooms at a reduced rate has been set aside for CITE attendees. For conferences being held at local firm centers, hotel blocks have not been arranged and accommodations are at your own discretion

Day One - Thursday, September 22nd

7:30 – 8:45am    Summit Registration & Continental Breakfast

8:45am Welcome & Keynote remarks –Pat Kaufman, New York State Film Commissioner

9:00am Current Trends and Developments in   Film Finance

• Where are the emerging sources of financing coming from
• Has the glut of independent films slowed down
• The role of private equity-hedge funds and wealth funds
• Recent developments with  slate deals-Have the structures changed
• Strategies of studios in making  films in the current economy
• State of the Pre-sale market
• Is “soft money” disappearing with austerity budget cuts
• What’s new and exciting  in digital distribution developments

9:45am Current Developments in the use of US State Tax Incentives

• Where are the current hot spots and which states have scaled back
• Describe the various incentives and how much money can you really count on
• How do you monetize incentives
• When do the incentives become available in the finance structure
• How do you use banks, brokers and investors to get  your money
• Challenges in accessing incentives –pitfalls and traps for the unwary
• Eligibility of non-traditional programming
• Dealing with audits and compliance
• Recent developments and trends

11:00 am Break for Refreshments

11:15am International  Film Production Incentives – What’s Available outside the US in the way of   “soft-money” –New developments in Canada, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific and Emerging Markets

• Which countries are offering the most competitive financial incentives
• How do you go about applying for the credits? 
• What do you have to set up to qualify?
• Must the film be done as a co-production
• What percentage of production spend is available as a credit?
• How do you monetize international tax credits
• How and when to do you  get the money?
• How do you deal with currency risks
• Need to satisfy certain EU  or national requirements as to nationality of director/producer, etc.
• Is there a cultural test? Any PE tax risk or  currency risks?
  

12:15 pm Report on Tax Incentives from Select Film Offices Including: West Virgina, Greater Philadelphia & Puerto Rico

12:30pm Summary and Q&A

12:45pm Luncheon

1:45pm Structuring a Film Financing : Utilizing Banks,  Private Equity, Film Funds, Tax Credits & Other Funding Sources – Completing a Film Financing in  Current Economic  Climate   

• Which banks and other lenders are actively lending on presales, tax credits and gap
• What conditions need to be met to obtain financing
• Due diligence/ proof of funding on film funds, equity and non-traditional sources
• How do you access equity investments – and who is investing?
• What has changed in production lending?
• Current state of slate financing
• How important is the completion bond company in obtaining financing
• Is financing available for state tax credits?

2:45pm Refreshment Break

3:00pm Attaching Talent to a Motion Picture- How do you get the right talent at the right time to facilitate financing opportunities

• Fitting the talent to the project
• Is there such a thing as “bankable” talent anymore?
• How to get talent to work below their normal rates for the right script?
• Working with the major talent and  casting agencies-understanding their needs and issues
• Are first time directors “bankable”
• Legal issues in contracting with talent
• Are pay-or- play commitments workable?
• Completion bonds and other insurance issues with talent
• Tips for independent producers  hoping to arrange financing where getting the right talent can make financing happen

4:00pm Current Developments in the Use of Federal Tax Incentives and other Hot Tax &Accounting Topics in the Film  Industry

• Development and use of Federal Section 199 Credits
• Status and use of federal Section 181
• R&D Credits in the media and entertainment business
• Is transfer pricing an issue in the film industry
• Opportunities to enhance the extra territorial income exclusion
• Globalization and international tax

5:00pm Developing a Distribution Strategy to Secure Financing

• Working with sales agents and distributors
• When do you start talking to distributors
• How does the genre of the film affect which markets to go after
• Presales and minimum guarantees
• When does a distributor start selling a film
• Exhibitors and how they determine what films to add
• How do producers self-distribute their films
• What is the importance of film festivals in today’s changing market
• Are film festivals like Tribeca and Sundance  into digital distribution

6:00pm Summary and Q&A

6:15pm First day ends – Cocktail reception begins

Day Two – Friday September  23rd, 2011

8:00am Continental Breakfast

8:45am Film Production Opportunities in Ontario – Donna Zuchinski, Ontario Media Development Corp.

9:00am Brands & Entertainment –Working together for Mutual and Maximum Success

• Can brand integration and product placement generate funds to develop or market a film
• Examples of successful brand integration in films & television
• Corporate brands most active in product placement
• Legal issues in structuring a brand integration deal
• Working with specialized advertising agencies or consultants to do deals-How they work and get compensated
• How do Studios view branded entertainment versus independent film makers 

10:00 am Break for Refreshments

10:15am Labor Issues in Dealing with Guilds and Labor Unions

• Above-the-line: SAG and DGA sign-up and the Station 12 process; 
•  Negotiating guild "financial assurances": security agreements, residuals reserves and more
• Extra-territorial Coverage: Global Rule One;
• Low budget theatrical agreements: SAG, DGA and IATSE; and
• Below-the-line: Accessing IATSE's term collective bargaining agreements

11:15am Structuring a Financing Plan for a Scripted  Network or Cable TV Series    

• How does a television series get greenlit today
• Where does the funding come from for television series
• Co-productions -Does soft money matter?
• Who are the producers on scripted TV Series and who employs them
• How does an independent producer get a scripted television series considered
• Network vs. Cable – Who is making original content
• MOWs vs. Mini Series vs. TV series
• What are the world markets for TV series

12:15 Luncheon Break 

1:15am Latest Developments on Emerging Digital Distribution Platforms

• TV programs and films on demand – successful applications
• Impact of 3D on production and distributions of independent films
• New technologies utilizing hand held devices
• Business models utilized
• Digital theatres
• Downloads to computers-Comparing the different models
• Film financing opportunities utilizing digital distribution
• New technologies that will affect the industry

2:15pm Case Study in Financing  an Independent Feature Film-Taking a Single Film Through  Rights, Finance and Distribution

• Securing project rights
• Putting together an effective team
• Utilizing a talent agency to package a film
• Creating an effective package or business plan
• Strategies for attaching talent
• Structuring funding to finance a film
• What is the distribution and marketing plan
• Other revenue sources utilized- what are they worth
• How do producers and above the line  get paid
• How  are international markets exploited
• How are monies collected for films

3:15pm Summary & Q&A

3:30pm Conference Ends

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