IIFF Lower Midwest Film Financing Townhall (July 2010): Networking & Education for Filmmakers & Financiers - Kansas City Première!

Thursday, July 22, 2010 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM (CT)

Kansas City, MO

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Ticket Information

Ticket Type	Sales End	Price	Fee	Quantity
IIFF Member more info Buy your ticket now to reserve a seat at the best available price! If your plans change and you can't make it, send a friend instead or come to a similar IIFF event in the future. All tickets are transferable but nonrefundable.	Ended	$25.00	$2.37
Non-member more info Buy your ticket now to reserve a seat at the best available price! If your plans change and you can't make it, send a friend instead or come to a similar IIFF event in the future. All tickets are transferable but nonrefundable.	Ended	$35.00	$2.92
IIFF Member: Last minute more info Buy your ticket now to reserve a seat at the best available price! If your plans change and you can't make it, send a friend instead or come to a similar IIFF event in the future. All tickets are transferable but nonrefundable.	Ended	$35.00	$2.92
Non-member: Last minute more info Buy your ticket now to reserve a seat at the best available price! If your plans change and you can't make it, send a friend instead or come to a similar IIFF event in the future. All tickets are transferable but nonrefundable.	Ended	$45.00	$3.46
IIFF Member: On-site more info Buy your ticket now to reserve a seat at the best available price! If your plans change and you can't make it, send a friend instead or come to a similar IIFF event in the future. All tickets are transferable but nonrefundable.	Ended	$45.00	$3.46
Non-member: On-site more info Buy your ticket now to reserve a seat at the best available price! If your plans change and you can't make it, send a friend instead or come to a similar IIFF event in the future. All tickets are transferable but nonrefundable.	Ended	$55.00	$4.02
* Special: Associate Membership (1 yr) at intro rate * more info Regular rate: $99. Associate Members of IIFF benefit from special discounts on events, seminars and other services or offers available through IIFF and its partners. Membership does not include free admission to IIFF events. Contact IIFF for additional details about membership benefits and privileges.	Ended	$75.00	$5.12
* Special: Full Membership (1 yr) at intro rate + 1 FREE Townhall ticket * more info Regular rate: $199. Full Members of IIFF gain all the benefits of Associate Membership (i.e., discounts) plus privileged access to members-only services and events. Membership does not include free admission to IIFF events. Contact IIFF for additional details about membership benefits and privileges.	Ended	$150.00	$9.24
Add: Attendee bio book for Members more info Designed to facilitate effective networking, the bio book contains professional biographies submitted by registered attendees for sharing with their peers. A copy of the bio book will be handed to you upon check-in. Not everyone may choose to make their details available; we publish attendee information only with express permission.	Ended	$10.00	$1.54
Add: Attendee bio book for Non-members more info Designed to facilitate effective networking, the bio book contains professional biographies submitted by registered attendees for sharing with their peers. A copy of the bio book will be handed to you upon check-in. Not everyone may choose to make their details available; we publish attendee information only with express permission.	Ended	$20.00	$2.09

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Event Details

*** Don't miss IIFF's other upcoming events in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco ***

Abstract:

The Lower Midwest Chapter of the Institute for International Film Financing (IIFF) is launching its presence in Kansas/Missouri with an extravaganza at the junction of film & finance, the first-ever Film Financing Townhall in Kansas! We are pleased to be collaborating with Avila University, located in the heart of the city.

This grassroots community get-together has been carefully designed to foster & inform productive relationships between attending professionals and to provide unbiased insight & education about the business of film (and film financing in particular). The event features a powerful roster of highly topical speakers from the filmmaking and financial industries. We are delighted to 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 finance," IIFF's regular 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.: January '08 Bay Area Townhall in San Francisco, CA, January '08 Los Angeles Townhall in Venice, CA & January '08 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan | December '07 Bay Area Townhall in San Francisco, CA, December '07 Los Angeles Townhall in Santa Monica, CA, December '07 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan & December '07 New England Townhall in Providence, RI | November '07 Bay Area Townhall in San Francisco, CA & November '07 New England Townhall in Norwalk, CT | October '07 Los Angeles Townhall in Santa Monica, CA, October '07 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan & October '07 New England Townhall in Boston, MA | September '07 Los Angeles Townhall in Santa Monica, CA & September '07 New England Townhall in Norwalk, CT | August '07 Los Angeles Townhall in Santa Monica, CA & 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 Jose, 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.

Featured Moderator:

The event will be moderated by BEN MEADE (LinkedIn profile | full bio | brief bio), who is a Professor of Film and Digital Media in the School of Visual and Communication Arts. Dr. Meade is also a highly respected and acclaimed filmmaker and producer in the Kansas City area, having had his shorts and features played worldwide in festivals including IDFA (The International Documentary Festival of Amsterdam, The Sundance Film Festival, The Zagreb International Film Festival (Croatia), The Mostra Valencia Film Festival (Spain), Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival, International Film festival of Copenhagen (Denmark), The Tribeca Film Festival, The Boston Underground Film Festival, The Sidewalk Festival, The Denver International Film Festival, and The Santa Fe Film Festival. Dr. Meade received his Bachelor of Science in Communication from Central Missouri State University in 1977, his Masters Degree in History from Baker University in 1994, and a Ph.D. in Theatre and Film from the University of Kansas in 1999.

Meeting Venue:

Avila University
11901 Wornall Road (off Minor btw. State Line Road & Holmes Road)
Whitfield Center
Kansas City, MO 64145
(813) 630-4401

Map: See a map of 11901 Wornall Road at Google.

Our Host:

This Film Financing Townhall is graciously hosted by Avila University, an established Catholic University sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, which features a values-based community of learning providing liberal arts, professional, undergraduate and graduate education to prepare students for responsible lifelong contributions to the global community. The film department at Avila is top-notch, offering students hands on experience and tutorials in all areas, including shooting and editing videos, local film festival participation, webpage development, sound mixing, and experimental film development and production.

Schedule:

6:00 PM ... Kick-Off & Welcome
6:00-7:00 PM ... Four Featured Presentations with Q&A (4x 15 mins)
7:00-7:15 PM ... Networking Break I (15 mins)
7:15-8:00 PM ... Three Featured Presentations with Q&A (3x 15 mins)
8:00-8:15 PM ... Networking Break II (15 mins)
8:15-9:00 PM ... Moderated Panel Discussion with Q&A (45 mins)
9:00-9:15 PM ... Networking Break III (15 mins)
9:15-10:00 PM ... Moderated Panel Discussion with Q&A (45 mins)
10:00+ PM ... Community Time at Area Restaurant

Program Details:

1) The Digital Media Revolution: New Production Strategies

— by JIM MCCULLOUGH (bio), Creative Director at production company Juicy Concrete Media; video campaign innovator whose clients include Costco, Yahoo, ESPN, Orlando Magic & Nissan; Multimedia Specialist at Fortune 500 communications giant CenturyLink/Embarq (just bought Qwest); recently produced animated short "Aliens in Wonderland," won Silver Lei Award at Honolulu Film Festival; fmr. Motion Graphics Designer/Editor for O'Brien et al. Advertising; etc … »

2) Making Your Media Appealing: A Creative and Financial Perspective

— by JASON OPAT (bio), Chairman at Kansas Film Commission; Founder & CEO at Integrated Media Group (IMG) with 15+ years experience in film & video industry; worked on 16 feature films including "Transformers," "Iron Man," "Get Smart," "Eagle Eye" & other Hollywood blockbusters; recently developed revolutionary full-motion gesture-based interface which brings virtual worlds to any street; fmr. Director of Sales at MCE Technologies; etc … »

3) Film Finance & Women In Media: A Contemporary View

— by vicky bates (bio), President at Kansas City Women in Film and TV; Tireless volunteer and accomplished business owner; Received the Southwestern Bell Volunteer of the Year award and was named in Outstanding Young Women in America; Helped make possible the TrailBlazer Scholarship Fund, which is a $1500 grant available for a female high school, or younger, student in Kansas or
Missouri wishing to pursue a career in filmmaking, media, or entertainment, etc … »

4) The Benefits of Clean Books in Media And Beyond: A Financial Perspective

— by jason nicolay (bio), Associate at Media Venture Partners; Dynamic Mergers and Acquisitons and Audit Specialist; fmr. Audit Supervisor and an actively practicing Certified Public Accountant at Meara, King & Company, providing comprehensive audit and consulting services; Received both his B.S. in Accounting and Business Administration and Masters in Accounting and Information Systems from the University of Kansas, etc … »

5) Thoughts On The State Of KC Film Finance: Now & In The Future

— by rich welnowski (bio), Emmy Award winning Cinematographer; Heavily Acclaimed "One Man Film Studio"; Won Emmy for Outstanding Achievement for Special Visual Effects for his work in, "The Orchestra"; Has shot for National Geographic, etc … »

6) The Issue of Intellectual Property: Foolproofing Your Project

— by DONALD SIMON (bio), Experienced Attorney and College Professor; Intellectual Property Specialist; Serves as Counsel for Entertainment and Intellectual Property Group, LLC; Highly regarded adjunct professor at The Art Institutes International "Media Business Law," "Critical Thinking," "Speech," and "Ethics," etc ... »

7) Thoughts From One of Kansas City's Finest: Filming In This Day & Age

— by rick cowan (bio), VP and Owner at Hodcarrier Films; Seasoned commercial and film producer; Among his credits include two internationally distributed films, "Ninth Street" with Oscar Winner Isaac Hayes, and "C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America," Executive Produced by Spike Lee, etc … »

Registration:

Online registration is available at http://lmw.filmfinancing.org/072210 (top of the page)

Early bird registration (ends 2 weeks before event):
IIFF Member ... $15
Non-member ... $25

Regular registration (ends 1 week before event):
IIFF Member ... $25
Non-member ... $35

Last minute registration (ends 1 day before event):
IIFF Member ... $35
Non-member ... $45

On-site registration (at the door):
IIFF Member ... $45
Non-member ... $55

To learn more about membership with IIFF, email the membership bureau, or approach an IIFF team member at or after the event.

Proposals:

IIFF and its sister company, FilmAngels, the world's first professional angel investor group for film, accept all independent film finance proposals. Simply hand yours to this event's moderator or leave it with the registration desk upon check-in. There have been plenty of success stories surrounding attendees who have secured varying investments for their projects after submitting. Acceptable materials include: business plans, cash flow analyses, revenue projections, cast attachments, distribution agreements and letters of intent. Cast is the single most important factor, followed by distribution agreements and existing funding placements. Electronic documents are always best, but paper will do as well.

Feel free to ask, or email our FilmAngels liaison directly!

Questions?

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), PayPal or Google Checkout? Get help in IIFF's online forum. (You can also notify us by email well in advance of the event and register on-site.)

Interns!

Want to learn about the ever-changing world of film finance, meet leading financiers, and attend our events for free? We need interns. Forward your resume to the intern coordinator, along with a good reason for applying. Flexible part-time positions and school credit are available. Must be dependable, computer savvy and have strong writing skills.

The Buzz:

The following quotes are samples of what others say about IIFF meetings…

"Wow. Last night was great! I want to thank you again for the inspiring work you do. This is such a big need […] and you're truly doing the work of angels (literally and figuratively)." — Brant Smith, Producer, "Quality of Life"

"I really must say that I found all speakers very interesting, and I was hanging on their every word. IIFF, the mission and content, seems to be a good fit for me, because it is my dream to run a medium size production house. […] Thank you, BIG THANK YOU […], for inviting me to this very quality and important event." — John Henry, Owner, John Henry Filmworks

"Let me again say I think you did a great job putting yesterday's event together – great crowd, smart presentation, lots of enthusiasm." — David Rosen, Executive Producer/Convener, Digital Independence

"Wow! For such a moderate investment, so much information. So much good networking. I hope you are proud of the magic you've created with IIFF." — Kevin Morrison, Writer/Director/Producer of independent film & TV

"I just wanted to say thanks for another great and informative meeting. The speakers were impressive and I made some good contacts." — Jesse Ford, Founder & Executive Director, Group Hug Productions

"IIFF and FilmAngels has really impressed me so far with its focus on the independent film community. I've traveled and interacted with film organizations around the world […]." — Jin Woo Joo, Founder, Cinemasports

"Thanks so much for hosting such an interesting program last week. I am always inspired by the creativity, and most recently, by the commitment to 'a better world'. It keeps my cynic's heart at bay! […] again, my heartfelt thanks for your mission and execution. Well done!" — Teri Cundall, Founder & President, Propville.com

"The event was great, very helpful." — Marc Perez, Co-President & Founding Partner, Sirk Productions

"[…] I greatly enjoyed attending last night's event and found it very informative - certainly something that's been missing in New York so far." — Michael Gunther, Director/Producer, Triboro Pictures

"Great presentation tonight. Lots of energetic discussions and questions." — Campbell Dalglish, Prof. of Screenwriting, MFA in Film & Video at CUNY

"Thanks so much for tonight's event. It was really inspiring and incredibly informative." — Elizabeth Foley, Founding Faculty Member, Producing Dep't at NYFA

"I enjoyed this evening's Townhall presentation and found it very informative." — William Doll, Writer/Director, World Stage Pictures

"Your Townhall mtg was stimulating. You managed to attract the right target audience, and I loved your choice of speakers." — Sandra Schulberg, Founder, Independent Feature Project (IFP)

"I attended the New York Townhall Meeting and just wanted to thank you for setting up such an informative colloquium. It was my first IIFF event and I look forward to attending more in the future." — Blythe Frank, Producer, "Kettle of Fish" (Michael Mailer Films)

"Thank you again for a wonderful event last night." — Morgan Pehme, Co-Founder & CEO, Merlion Entertainment

"I'm just writing […] pertaining to the IIFF meeting last night, which I found both entertaining and informative and also promising of great things to come from IIFF in the near future!" — Thomas Woodrow, Producer, Furnace Films

"I attended the IIFF town hall last week in New York and came away impressed. Thank you for putting together such an excellent panel of speakers. I found [Thomas Trenker's] presentation especially useful. As a former quant at Putnam Investments, I tend to dig into the numbers and [Mr. Trenker's] analysis was illuminating." — Robert Milacci, Executive Producer, Sinestra Pictures

"I very much enjoyed the seminar last Saturday in Stowe, VT. It was a lot of driving in one day (3.25 hrs. each way…), but worth it. […] Thanks again for a very enlightening day." — Marjorie Short, Oscar-nominated Writer/Producer/Director, Short Productions

"Just a note to say Larry Meistrich had a good time last night and was impressed with the quality of the group." — Jeff Silverstein, President of NEHST Access + Learning, NEHST Studios

"As it turns out, my producing partner [producer/director Leszek Burzynski] attended your IIFF meeting in Santa Monica on July 16. He was quite impressed with the presentations." — Terrance Sweeney, Partner & Producer, Winning Team Studios

"I just wanted to say thanks again for putting on such a great forum last night. […] I really enjoyed the occasion and especially the presentations. They were extremely relevant and really strong, credible presenters." — Gordon Clark, CEO, The Movie Portfolio Fund

"First, I wanted to say how much I really enjoyed your premier IIFF/LA seminar…!" — Frank Sacks, Founder & Principal, The Frank Sacks Company

"I had a very enjoyable experience. The seminar was extremely professional and well put together." — Adam Tantleff, Founder, President & Executive Producer, Sinestra Pictures

"THANKS […] There are no organizations or groups that I have come across that are doing what you and Film Angels are doing." — J. Martin, Co-Owner, 24 Bros Entertainment

"I cannot express enough gratitude toward the great job that you are doing to help talented filmmakers realize their dreams. God bless you!" — Mara Vardanyan, Producer, Roman Pictures

"Your seminars are FIRST RATE!" — Rowan Joseph, President, Greenwood Hill Productions

"Thanks for organizing a great event. I thought it was a very interesting group of speakers." — Tricia van Klaveren, Producer/Exec. Producer & Principal, Fully Loaded Pictures

"[T]hank you for a terrific meeting last night…" — Greg Lejnieks, Actor/Filmmaker, Art Dealer & fmr. Pro Soccer Player

"First of all, thank you for hosting the Film Financing seminar. Very, very informative. I hope you have another one very soon." — Richard Beaty, Writer/Producer/Director & Co-Owner, Cielo Azul Films

"Just wanted to say 'thank you' for last night's IIFF meeting. […] The slides look great […]. I look forward to the next meeting." — Robert Pratten, Founder & Writer/Director, Zen Films

"I'm a big fan of all you're doing with IIFF… very inspiring to filmmakers." — Thomas Mignone, Director/Writer, DOOM Incorporated

"Thank you for hosting the [Workshop] last week. It was very informative and [the instructor] was spectacular. I learned a lot and met several fantastic people." — Lisa McTigue, Producer/Director, Three Masked Peeps Productions

"Thank you for inviting us to present to your [FilmAngels] groups in both Palo Alto and San Francisco. The attendees were warm and educated investors. You've done a terrific job gathering people with a passion for film." — Julie Richardson, Producer, "Collateral" (Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx)

"I must thank you for sending [Workshop instructor] Dr. Patrick O'Heffernan down to Los Angeles last month. It was the best $200 I have ever spent on a seminar. [S]ince Patrick has both raised money and invested money, his perspective was simply invaluable!!!" — Rosser Goodman, Director, KGB Films

"It was another great event and I appreciate all your work […]. Thank you." — Paul Oja, Writer/Director, "Bus Trip"

"First, I simply must say what an amazingly informative session it was and well carried out by [Workshop instructor] Tricia van Klaveren and her guest speakers. It packed a memorable punch. […] I had never heard of IIFF previously and now look forward to more of the same from you guys." — Teo, CEO, Cool Room Entertainment

"You assembled an impressive group of speakers (and characters). […] I think we share a strong desire to help filmmakers." — Darren Ehlers, COO, Scenechronize

"I really enjoyed [Workshop instructor Kaiser Wahab's] class. A great value. Thank you for sharing your knowledge." — Bob Rudis, Director of Photography & President, Tubular, Inc.

"Last night was incredible. Really learned a lot. The moderator was perfect. Thank you for everything. I made some great contacts." — Daniel Lir, Director/Producer/Editor/Shooter, Dolce Films

Would you like to speak out? We want to hear from you. Send us your comments by email.

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Join IIFF's online forum & discussion list at http://forum.filmfinancing.org.

When

Thursday, July 22, 2010 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM (CT)

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Where

Avila University: Whitfield Center
11901 Wornall Road
Kansas City, MO 64145

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