American film market 2010..thinking of going but...

[FELIPE.AGUILAR]

How good is the AFM? Does it realy work as a selling stage for inde films? Any personal experience you can share? Is it worth the investment?
Thanks!,
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[Jeremy Torrie]

Absolutely have to have meetings set up...the randomness that is Vegas may result in a chance encounter but otherwise you need to have your itinerary set. Get in as late as possible and leave sooner.

 

[M Most]

Absolutely have to have meetings set up...the randomness that is Vegas may result in a chance encounter but otherwise you need to have your itinerary set. Get in as late as possible and leave sooner.

AFM is not held in Las Vegas. It is held in Santa Monica.

 

[FELIPE.AGUILAR]

Right, thanks for the tips Jeremy and M, any other people interested in going to AFM?
Anyone else that has been cares to comment?
thanks,
ƒ

 

[Jeremy Torrie]

Yes confusing shows -but the principle still applies.

 

[Mark Allen]

I went twice. Once I had a meeting set up for me and "they really wanted to meet me." Well I go there and they didn't have a freaking clue who I was and were even a tad rude about it. I ended up just walking around and meeting a few people, but since my agenda was totally fixed on a specific thing, it was not helpful. Plus, I was very young and I hadn't learned the grand lesson about Networking.

You can't network until one person has something they need and one person can offer than thing or part of it.

AFM is really a way for established companies to meet and get on track.

If you're going thinking of selling a finished film. I would highly recommend getting a producer's rep in advance and let them do that work for you. They'll do it better and know what to look out for if they're good.

If you're going trying to raise money for a movie.... you need to have a package that is exactly what people are looking for and have meetings set up with all those people in advance. Money is hard to come by right now.

If you're going to learn about sales and that end of the movie business - then do a lot of research - go to AFM's site and review their members, check their websites. If people look like their into what ou're into, make a note and make sure you try to spend some time there. Get to know people when their not busy.


Honestly - it's a hard nut to crack and I think 99% of people going there without already being in that business are going to waste their time. But there is the 1% of people who are the same people who walk into a party knowing no one and when they leave everyone calls out their goodbyes by name and the party is basically over. If that's you. Go.

 

[Mark Allen]

Got me curious enough to look at the site and I saw this which you may have seen already:

http://www.americanfilmmarket.com/attendee/first-time-attendees

 

[FELIPE.AGUILAR]

Thanks Mark, appreciate your imput!

 

[David Collard]

There is a link at the AFM site which basically gives good advice on how to prepare.

It's quite a small little event, relative to MIPCOM etc.

In my opinion, it's mostly about selling finished product, finding a distributor, selling territories.

If you're not sure, I wouldn't go. Find out who is attending, source companies who might like your project and approach them individually. What ever you do, follow protocol as much as possible and be professional in your approach at all times.

 

[FELIPE.AGUILAR]

Thanks David