FINANCING THE INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010
2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
Salon des Arts, Foyer Level
Hotel Hyatt Regency Montreal
1255, rue Jeanne-Mance
(Complexe Desjardins)
Montréal, Québec, Canada H5B 1E5
ADMISSION IS FREE
FINANCING IN THE GLOBAL JUNGLE
FEELING LOST OR ALONE! That's probably the impression that most independent producers have when trying to finance their films. Almost every country, state, city and even rural regions have a program of incentives to attract film, television and new media production. But incentives come with rules and obligations. How do you navigate your way through that jungle ?
Financial experts, advisors and producers will share their hands-on experience in dealing with these situations and how to make the most from all those incentives.
A conference that anyone from producers, lenders, credit agencies and investors in the independent film, TV or new media industry should attend.
A cocktail will follow and the panellists will be available for individual meetings also.
THE MODERATOR :
Michel Zgarka, President ZGA
Mr. Zgarka has been a senior executive in numerous sound, film and television production and distribution companies. Mr. Zgarka has over 30 years experience in this field. He is a graduate of McGill University with a degree in Education as well as a Bachelor of Arts from Sir George Williams University and has done post-graduate studies in International Communications in France. Michel Zgarka oversees the national and international development and sales of iSTUDIO Cinema Television. Michel Zgarka has been a guest speaker at over 20 international entertainment industries events as well as recently the co-President of the Jury of the Rocky Awards at the Banff TV Festival (2009). He recently created a full program for a Quebec based career college about the technical and creative jobs in production.
THE PANELISTS :
Brenda Doby-Flewellyn, President
Brenda (Doby) Flewellyn is one of the premier finance consultants in the entertainment industry. She has utilized her expertise to finance hundreds of films during the past 15 years, which have ranged from independent ventures such as “Behind the Red Door” staring Keifer Sutherland, “Writer’s Block” staring Kelsey Grammer to blockbusters such as “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”.
In January 2007, Ms Flewellyn joined forces with two other partners and founded the entertainment consulting firm, FilmBankers International LLC located in Beverly Hills, California. As president of the firm, she provides consulting services to filmmakers as well as private investors. FilmBankers has a suite of proprietary tools used to vet projects to speed the process from script to screen and weed out potential financial losers. Many projects that make it through the thirty-five step vetting process and have the highest probability of returning its total investment will become eligible for the company’s assistance in arranging financing either from distribution or private investment.
A graduate of the University of California in Santa Barbara with a degree in Political Science and a Masters degree in Business Administration (“MBA”) from Pepperdine’s renowned Executive MBA Program in Malibu, California, Ms. Flewellyn is always in demand as a speaker at conferences and seminars for international and domestic entities including legal and creative organizations : the American Bar Association (ABA); The Montreal World Film Festival; The Writers’ Guild of America (WGA); the Producers’ Guild of America (PGA); and The BFF Summit – HBO’s annual gathering of entertainment heavyweights
.
David Reckziegel Co-President of Entertainment One Films Canada Inc.
David Reckziegel began his career in the film business in 1992 as a co-writer and producer of the critically acclaimed low budget comedy, The Myth of the Male Orgasm. While producing independent features with his partner, John Hamilton, he co-founded Seville Entertainment in 1999 and built it into Canada’s premiere distributor of quality cinema from around the world.
In 2007, Seville was acquired by Entertainment One Ltd. and Mr. Reckziegel now serves as Co-President of Entertainment One Films Canada Inc. which has since become Canada’s second largest distributor and exporter of feature films.
His feature film credits also include: Shake Hands with the Devil, Heading South, Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey, Russian Ark, A Shine of Rainbows and The Myth of the Male Orgasm.
Mr. Reckziegel holds a MBA from McGill University and a BSc. Chemical Engineering from the University of New Brunswick.
Silvia Laj, directeur
- Depuis avril 2001, directeur chez NATIXIS COFICINE (Groupe BPCE), établissement leader dans le crédit structuré aux activités cinématographiques et audiovisuelles en France et en Europe.
- chargée de clientèle puis directeur adjoint à la Banque OBC (Groupe ABN AMRO) de 1997 à 2001 au sein du département MEDIA
- chargée de clientèle à la Banque de la Cité (Groupe BNP) de 1994 à 1997
au sein du département MEDIA
- diplômée de l’Institut Supérieur du Commerce de Paris (option finance) en 1993
Albert Sagales, Director
Diagonal TV was founded in Barcelona in 1997, via the merger of 3B Europea de Ficció (Banacolocha, Bas, Benet i Jornet) and Gestmusic Endemol. Building on its founding partners’ depth of experience in the television sector, Diagonal TV has always sought to work with the industry's top professionals in order to offer quality product, balancing the budget available and the time slot targeted.
Diagonal TV's staple product from the outset has been drama series and serial fiction. In recent years, however, drawing on the accumulated in-company experience in this field, the company has diversified its production base and now has a growing portfolio of TV movies, documentaries and entertainment and cultural programmes, as well as some product intended solely for video release.
Similarly, in 2006 Diagonal TV made its first incursion into feature film production, with further projects now on its development slate.
Sam Coppola, avocat associé bureau de Montréal
Sam Coppola is a partner at the Montréal office. Sam was admitted to the Québec Bar in 1983 and is a graduate of the University of Ottawa Law School. He also obtained a Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) from McGill University in 1979 and a Masters in Business Administration (magna cum laude) from the University of Ottawa in 1982.
Professional Experience :
* Involved in all legal aspects of the production, co-production, financing and distribution of both foreign and Canadian certified film and television productions, including obtaining Canadian federal and provincial tax credits, star contract negotiation, distribution and bank financing.
* Involved in the financing and licensing of various Web sites, CD-ROM production, e-commerce, software, communication products and services, including rights clearances, venture capital investments, due diligence, multimedia tax credits and contract negotiation and preparation.
* Involved in all legal aspects of the recording, management, publishing and promotion of recording artists, including recording and publishing agreements, record label and record distribution agreements.
* Involved in tax planning, reorganization, acquisition and financing of various corporate businesses.
Mr. Kenneth Blaine
Mr. Blaine has been with Tax Credits, LLC since 2007 and is well-versed in placing various transferable credits across the nation; building a large base of corporate and individual buyers, while consistently assisting studios, independents, commercial producers and others generating credits that require immediate monetization. He has been very active in evaluating film tax incentive related legislation and assisting several states with designing appropriate incentive programs, as well as working to maintain and improve existing programs with critical issues. In addition to his business career, Mr. Blaine is also a part-time classically trained pianist, having graduated cum laude with a BA in music performance from Beloit College. His original compositions can be heard while browsing the Tax Credits, LLC website. In addition to his music career, he also has 3 years of Experience in Technology and Business having worked for the phosphate company, Rhodia, and also as a district computer technician for the South Brunswick Board of Education in New Jersey.
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