BEST OF THE BEST IN THE FILM INDUSTRY KNOW WHERE TO GO
Well, it’s me. It’s him. It’s T.I.M, and yours truly attended the American Film Market (AFM) this year, walking the halls among industry leaders and like-minded people for the first time. It was an amazing experience, so without further ado, here are the nuts and bolts of the event. The 45th American Film Market visited Las Vegas for the first time. For the last 44 years, AFM has been home to Santa Monica beachfronts, and attendees were shuttled from one venue to the next to achieve their selling and buying goals. This year, Las Vegas became the hub. The Palms Casino Resort was taken over for six days by more than 250+ exhibitors and a thousand-plus people from all over the world, providing an all-in-one exclusive experience under one roof.
Why Vegas this year? What changed for AFM? People wanted a more efficient market. With AFM facing new challenges because of the Toronto Film Festival launching its own fall film market next year and seeing low numbers from the previous years, leaders decided to shift gears in hopes of renewing the independent market. “It was a move borne of necessity,” says Nat McCormick, the Exchange’s President of Worldwide Sales and Distribution. “In a perfect world, the AFM could have continued in Los Angeles, but it was a move forward largely for logistical reasons,” he says. The new venue “creates a centralized location to bring the community together in a way that it has truly never been brought together,” he adds. (First reported in Variety). So, some might be asking, what is even the American Film Market? AFM is the world’s largest motion picture business event, drawing thousands of industry leaders from more than 70 countries for six days of deal-making, screenings, conferences, and networking between sellers, buyers, producers, and other industry stakeholders. It’s the only independent international sales market, and each November, the Independent Film and Television Alliance produces the event.
And what is IFTA, you ask? Great question! Think of it this way: AFM is the event, and IFTA is the governing body behind it. They set the rules and regulations for the market. The business done at AFM has led to more than one billion in distribution and film financing deals. Regarding the nitty-gritty details, each exhibitor and attendee had complimentary valet and self- parking, but no EV charging stations were available. So, you had to leave your electric cars at home. But there were also Lyft and Uber options to get you to a different destination if you wanted to wander down our four-mile strip of sights to see galore. Security was in place to ensure everyone visiting was safe and the odd behaviors of Vegas nightlife didn’t intrude. Over the course of the six days, screenings of 120+ films were scheduled at the Brenden Theatre Las Vegas 14 IMAX & JB-X at the Palms.
Check-in was a breeze on day one but prevalent as no one was allowed access to the AFM area if they didn’t have their badge. After that, full range was at my disposal. That evening, the Spanish Producers Showcase brought a powerful lineup of fresh talent, bold narrative, and genre-spanning productions. American Film Market had their schedules and times set. Tuesday through Saturday was from 9- 6 p.m., and their last day on Sunday was 9-5 p.m. Each day, they had panels with industry gurus answering questions and delving into the secrets of the business. If you are a buyer and IFTA member, you could sneak to their Lounge at Greene Street and enjoy complimentary refreshments and network.
The lineup on day two was full, and depending on what panel you chose to sit in, you heard from Founders, CEOs, and even the Presidents of their respective production companies. Examples included Spanish Animation Showcase… From Local to Global: Developing Stories and Content for Worldwide Appeal… Finding Gold: Discovering Captivating Narrative and Essential Story Ideas for Your Next Project… Working with SAG-AFTRA as an Independent… Inside Troma World: An Interview with Lloyd Kaufman… Unlocking Latino Representation: Tapping into Billions in Untapped Revenue… Bringing Music Stories to Screen… Spanish Fantastic Showcase… Producing and Financing Films for Social Impact. Day three didn’t hold back either with Spanish Remakes Showcase… Finance I: Cracking the Formula: Independent Film Financing in Today’s Financing Landscape… The Innovators… Focus on Italy: Why Filming in Italy is Now More Convenient Than Ever… Making Sense of Distribution Today: Evaluating a Film’s Release Potential Across All Windows… Ask Me Anything: Financing Independent Films… Confronting Fear – Transcending, Challenging, and Elevating the Horror Genre… FlexTV International Forum – Short Dramas: Where Entertainment Meets the Internet. The Producer’s Journey. AFM didn’t stop there, with day four delivering another packed event with Focus on Navarra/Spain. Intelligent Shooting with AI Lab Professor Octopus and up to 50% tax credit… The Writer’s Life – Staying Creative (and Sane) in the Intersection of Art and Commerce… Finance II: How to Choose a Location to Maximize Your Budget… Black Culture at the Epicenter of Hollywood… Casting for Low-Budget Films… The Untold Realities of Global Film Sales: What’s Really Shaping Today’s Market?… Beyond Representation: The Business Case for LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Film… Producers Pitching Their Projects, powered by AI Forecast… The Climate Opportunity: Industry Momentum from Script to Screen. The last day for panels went out with a huge bang, and attendees sat through the panel’s Pitch Conference: Mastering the Art of Pitching: Live Pitches… Killing It at the Box Office: How Cineverse’s Horror Sensation Won Opening Weekend… Maximizing Impact: Crafting Powerful Films with Limited Budgets and learn even more information from industry professionals.
To summarize the entire event, an audience member asked a question during the Maximizing Impact panel, and Paul Bales, the Chief Operating Officer for the movie studio The Asylum, answered.
Q: What would you recommend to a friend wanting to break into the industry?
A: Don’t do it! (It garnered laughs around the room). In all seriousness, understand what you are
doing it for. Make movies because you have something to say.
What a great piece of advice! The last and final day was packing up and making any last-minute deals. AFM this year was undoubtedly new for everyone. No one knew what to expect. The glitz and glamour of Las Vegas, having everyone under one roof, did prove one thing: AFM in Las Vegas was a success. Early sign-ups surpassed previous years, and it was a sold-out event with exhibitors, so that has to account for something, right?
Overall, it was the best experience, and I want to attend every year. The unsolicited opportunities to finally get your movies financed or picked up are worth it alone. So, if you are looking for your next opportunity, I highly recommend attending the American Film Market in 2025. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year!
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