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Financing your production

FINANCE---The mystery world!!!! Recipes to potential success this is what these guest speakers will offer. An "How To" put your financial structure in place and yourself not in danger. Coming from Europe, the USA and Canada the speakers will give you a glimpse at their very wide and authentic experience in helping the indie producers achieve their dreams and /or complete their budget needs.

Monday : August 22th
Time : 14h30 - 16h30
Location :Hotel Hyatt Regency

Moderator :

Mr. Michel Zgarka
Executive Producer
Gummibar & Friends, Canada

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 has produced, directed and distributed numerous film and television productions.
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 also recently created a full program for a Quebec based career college about the technical and creative jobs in production. He writes editorials for several international publications especially for Video Age Int’l.

Panelists :

Mr. Sam Coppola
Lawyer
Borden Ladner Gervais, Canada

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.

- 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. Luke Azevedo
Commissioner
Calgary Economic Development, Canada

As the Calgary Commissioner for Film, Television and the Creative Industries, Luke works with companies, government, unions, producers, screenwriters and directors in the city of Calgary to facilitate and develop local projects and attract new film and television productions to the area. He has also been heavily involved in the development of the Alberta Creative Hub.

Prior to joining CED, Luke was the Director of the Creative Electronic Environment and the Acting Director of Literary Arts at The Banff Centre, where he developed and directed television and interactive media facilities. With over 20 years experience in the broadcast industry, Luke has worked as the broadcast liaison for the Calgary Flames Hockey Department and video and television consultant to the Canadian Hockey Association through world championships and Olympic Games. In addition, he was owner/operator of Visionworks, a technically advanced transfer and authoring facility, as well as head of operations for Nova Entertainment, North America's largest distributor of alternative programming.

Ms. Laurence Benhamou
Lawyer
Entertainment Paris, France

Laurence Benhamou - With over ten years of practice in the field of entertainment law, Laurence opened a solo practice in 2009, after working for the law firm Paul Hastings in Paris, France and for the motion pictures studios DreamWorks SKG and Columbia TriStar (Sony Pictures Entertainment) in Los Angeles, California. Laurence counsels and represents filmmakers and production companies in the strategy, legal and financing set-up of their film projects and international coproductions.

Also actively involved in supporting and promoting the development of entrepreneurship, Laurence is the President of the continuing education Institute Tremplin Dirigeants and teaches legal workshops and classes to entrepreneurs in several schools. Furthermore, Laurence organizes and moderates the panels of the Filmmakers’ Circle ( Cercle des Cineastes) hosted by the professional network Reseau Dirigeantes.

After completing her studies in Paris with a Masters degree in Law (University of Paris X-Nanterre) and a Masters degree in Business (University of Paris IX-Dauphine), Laurence lived and worked in Los Angeles for six years. Laurence also graduated from the UCLA Extension Film School where she majored in film production and business affairs, and holds a Masters degree from UCLA School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in France and in California.

Laurence Benhamou – Avec plus de dix ans d'expérience dans le domaine du droit de la propriété littéraire et artistique, cinéma et musique, Laurence a créé son cabinet d'avocats en 2009 après avoir travaillé au sein du cabinet d'avocats Paul Hastings à Paris et des studios de production DreamWorks SKG (Spielberg Katzenberg & Geffen) et Columbia TriStar (Sony Pictures Entertainment) à Los Angeles, Californie. Laurence conseille et accompagne régulièrement des cinéastes et des producteurs de cinéma dans la mise en place stratégique, juridique et financière de leurs projets et coproductions internationales.

Active dans le domaine de la création d'entreprise en France, Laurence est également Présidente de l'Association Tremplin Dirigeants, organisme de formation continue à la création d'entreprise, accompagne les porteurs de projets et dispense des formations relatives aux aspects juridiques de la création au sein de plusieurs organismes de formation. Laurence organise et anime également les tables rondes du Cercle des Cinéastes à Paris, émanation du Réseau Dirigeantes.

Après avoir obtenu une Maîtrise en Droit des Affaires de l'Université Paris X-Nanterre, ainsi qu'une Maîtrise de Gestion de l'Université Paris IX-Dauphine, Laurence a vécu et travaillé six ans à Los Angeles. Titulaire d'un diplôme de l'Ecole de Cinéma UCLA Extension Film School, où elle se spécialisa dans la production cinématographique, ainsi que d'un Masters en Droit (LLM) de l'Université UCLA School of Law, elle est avocate aux Barreaux de Paris et de Californie.

Mr. Gary Concoff
Lawyer
Troy Gould, USA

Founded in 1970, TroyGould is a Los Angeles law firm with a diverse client base and a practice covering a broad range of business transactions, litigation, and legal counseling, with emphasis in the areas of corporate finance, mergers & acquisitions, real estate, financial services, entertainment, sports, employment, tax, and competitive business practices.

Mr. Hans Fraikin
Quebec Film & Television Commissioner
and General Manager of the Film and Television Cluster
Commissaire national et directeur général de la Grappe du cinéma et de la télévision.

Détenteur d’un baccalauréat en gestion et marketing, M. Fraikin a occupé des postes de responsabilité dans l’industrie du cinéma et de la télévision, notamment la distribution, le marketing, le financement et le packaging.
Entre autre, M. Fraikin s’occupait de la distribution cinématographique internationale pour la Twentieth Century Fox à Los Angeles, en Asie et en Europe,. Il a aussi été associé dans deux démarrages d’entreprises du domaine des technologies de l’information et des communications (TIC) en France. Il dirigeait jusqu’à sa fermeture le Bureau européen de Téléfilm Canada.

Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Management and Marketing, Mr. Fraikin has occupied several key positions within the film and television industry, including distribution, marketing, financing and packaging.
Amidst a budding international market, Mr. Fraikin handled international theatrical distribution for Twentieth Century Fox in Los Angeles, Asia and Europe. He was also involved in the start-up of two IT companies in France during the Internet boom.
He served as Director of Telefilm Canada’s European office until 2006, when he came back to Canada to open Quebec’s first provincial Film and Television Commission.
Mr. Fraikin brings a wealth of industry knowledge to the QFTC (Quebec Film and Television Council), in addition to his proven expertise in international business development.