10:00 AM Introduction & Overview of a Film & TV Finance Transaction
This panel will take you through the steps necessary to get your film funded. Representatives from various perspectives in a film financing transaction will take you through a sample content financing transaction.
Structure of a Motion Picture Financing Transaction
Components of Financing: Equity, Debt & Soft Money
Security Interests and Controls
Essential Elements: budgets, letters of intent, script; chain of title
Producers, Bankers, Lawyers & Accountants – Who Controls the Deal?
Completion bonds, Credit Insurance and Enhancements
Moderator: David Steinberg, Partner, Heenan Blaikie Lucie L. Guernsey, Media and Entertainment Industries, Cedar Lane Asset Management LLC Jeff Sanders, Managing Partner, Roberts Ritholz Levy Sanders Chidekel & Fields Jeff Steele, CFO, Magnet Media Group/Film Closings
11:30 AM Networking Refreshment Break
11:45 AM The Economics of Motion Picture Production: From Box Office to Profit Participation
Patty will discuss the revenue stream and payment waterfall using a sample of a single independent feature film. She will also examine who gets what from which revenue stream.
Patricia V. Mayer, Partner, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP
Ten Myths Documentary Filmmakers Need to Understand - this lunchtime presentation will focus on common misunderstandings about producing and delivering documentary films and television programs. The program will touch on fair use, music clearances, personal releases and rights of privacy and publicity.
Jeff Sanders, Managing Partner, Roberts Ritholz Levy Sanders Chidekel & Fields
1:45 PM Financing Content in the Multi Platform World
The recent recession may have had the greatest effect on production that we have ever seen. Content producers are being forced to trim costs and be more creative in financing their programs across all platforms. It will also cover the latest trends, strategies and sources of financing content in the current economic climate.
Moderator: Philip Alberstat, Partner, Fuel Industries
Panel: Jason Janego, independent consultant, attorney, and producer’s representative Rich Jaycobs, President, Cantor Exchange Jana Edelbaum, President, iDeal Partners Film Fund LLC Erik Piecuch, Vice President, City National Bank
2:45 PM Update on State Tax Incentives and Production Strategies
With states offering 20 – 40% in tax incentives, credits and rebates, where you shoot has become a critical part of financing because it is a way to lay off some of the financial risks. This panel will discuss the States with the best incentives, what requirements must be meet to file for tax credits, when it is better to take a tax credit or a tax rebate and the differences between each and how to cash flow and/or transfer the credits.
Moderator: Jeff Begun, Production Executive, The Incentives Office
Randall Emmett, Producer (Rambo, Bad Lieutenant, Righteous Kill, Rambo V (in prep)) Christine Peluso, Production Executive, Tax Credits LLC Kathryn Windsor, General Counsel, Tax Credit Finance Pat Swinney Kaufman, Executive Director, NYS Governors Office for Motion Pictures Nick Paleologos, Executive Director, Massachusetts Film Office George Norfleet, Film Division Director, Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism
3:45 PM Networking Refreshment Break
4:00 PM Federal & International Tax Issues for the Film & TV Industry
This session will provide an overview of federal tax issues impacting the film and television industry, including Section 409A, loan-out corporations, deductions; income forecast amortization, income recognition, inbound and outbound international tax issues, withholding, independent contractor qualification, and characterization and taxation of various financing transactions.
Warren Nimchuk, Consultant, Media Capital Tom Nardozzi, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 5:00 PM International Financing for Film & Television Productions
This panel will be an insider’s look at an international financing and the various players from a film will discuss the advantages and disadvantages in filming in various country’s as well as accessing funds, grants, treaties, tax credits & shelters available globally.
Moderator: Ken Dhailwal, Partner, Heenan Blaikie LLP Luis Schmidt, Partner, Olivares & Cía Wilder Knight, Partner, Pryor Cashman Sherman & Flynn LLP Bruce Weiss, Producer, Ironwork Productions
5:45 PM Question & Answers/Open Forum for Questions