IIFF/NY Townhall Meeting at School of Visual Arts –
Where Film & Finance Meet to Succeed Together
abstract | moderator | venue | schedule | program | bios | registration | help

*** Don't miss other upcoming film financing events in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York ***

Abstract:

The New York Metro chapter of the Institute for International Film Financing (IIFF) continues its successful series of monthly gatherings at the junction of film & finance with another special Townhall Meeting in New York City. Our friends at School of Visual Arts are again hosting us at their main building in the heart of Manhattan, conveniently located near the corner of 23rd St. & 3rd Ave.

This "grassroots" community get-together is designed to foster & inform productive relationships between attending professionals and to provide unbiased insight & education about the business of film (and film financing in particular). The event features a powerful roster of highly topical speakers from the filmmaking and financial industries. We are delighted to welcome real-world financiers among our guests for the evening!

IIFF's one-of-a-kind mission is to sustainably expand the scope & appeal of film financing, and to do so for the benefit of the public at large. True to our proven motto of "democratizing film financing," IIFF's regular Townhall Meetings bring together a wide array of professionals from relevant backgrounds in film, finance and beyond for a vibrant evening of insightful presentations and speeches, inspiring discussion and focused networking. Past meetings (e.g.: January '08 Bay Area Townhall in San Francisco, CA, January '08 Los Angeles Townhall in Venice, CA & January '08 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan | December '07 Bay Area Townhall in San Francisco, CA, December '07 Los Angeles Townhall in Santa Monica, CA, December '07 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan & December '07 New England Townhall in Providence, RI | November '07 Bay Area Townhall in San Francisco, CA & November '07 New England Townhall in Norwalk, CT | October '07 Los Angeles Townhall in Santa Monica, CA, October '07 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan & October '07 New England Townhall in Boston, MA | September '07 Los Angeles Townhall in Santa Monica, CA & September '07 New England Townhall in Norwalk, CT | August '07 Los Angeles Townhall in Santa Monica, CA & August '07 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan | July '07 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan & July '07 Los Angeles Townhall in Santa Monica, CA | June '07 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan | May '07 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan & May '07 Bay Area Townhall in Mountain View, CA | April '07 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan & April '07 Bay Area Townhall in San Francisco, CA | March '07 New England Townhall in Stowe, VT, March '07 Bay Area Townhall in San Rafael, CA & March '07 New York Metro Townhall in Manhattan | February '07 Townhall West in San Francisco, CA & February '07 Townhall East in New York City | January '07 Townhall in Santa Cruz, CA | December '06 Townhall East in New York City & December '06 Townhall West in San Francisco, CA | October '06 Townhall in New York City | September '06 Townhall in Oakland, CA | July '06 Townhall in Palo Alto, CA | June '06 Townhall in San Jose, CA | May '06 Townhall in San Francisco, CA | April '06 Townhall at Stanford business school) have reliably delivered useful insights into the business of film, provided valuable networking opportunities, and managed to draw large and enthusiastic crowds.

Who should attend? Entrepreneurs, technologists, attorneys, bankers, investment managers, venture capitalists and other non-film professionals are cordially invited to learn more about independent film. Are you considering taking an active role in film or would you like to expand your current involvement? Don't miss this opportunity to connect with the like-minded! Established and aspiring filmmakers are, naturally, more than welcome to join us as well!

The evening's five seven presentations plus panel discussion will address key issues relevant to filmmakers, financiers, and anyone interested in the economics, business mechanics, and financial dynamics of film. They will be followed by Q&A time. Attendees will also have ample opportunity to interact & network with our distinguished presenters and panelists and amongst themselves.

An informal apres-meeting celebration will take place at an area restaurant.

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Featured Moderator:

The event will be moderated by KAISER WAHAB (LinkedIn profile | brief bio), Attorney and Partner at Wahab & Medenica LLC. Kaiser regularly represents individual authors, filmmakers, and multi-billion dollar companies, helping manage their intellectual properties—from patents to copyrights to trademark properties. He has been a panelist for Broadcasting & Cable’s forum on Digital Rights Management (DRM), as well as a published author of journal articles related to legal matters in the entertainment industry. Don't hesitate to connect with him on LinkedIn or in person at this or another upcoming IIFF meeting.

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Meeting Venue:

School of Visual Arts (SVA)
Main Building – Film, Video & Animation Department
209 East 23rd Street (btw. 2nd & 3rd Avenue)
Amphitheater, 3rd floor
New York, NY 10010
(212) 592-2000

Map: See a map of 209 E 23rd St. at Ask, Google, MapQuest, Windows Live or Yahoo.

Nearest subway station (ca. 0.2 miles walking distance): 6 Line station at 23rd St. & Park Ave.; all nearby subway stations can be found here.

Subway & walking directions: Take the 6 Line to 23rd St. and walk two and a half blocks East on 23rd St.; look for the entrance to SVA's Main Building on the left-hand side of 23rd St., on the block between 2nd & 3rd Ave., near the NE corner of 23rd St. & 3rd Ave.

Our Host:

This month's Townhall is graciously hosted by the prestigious School of Visual Arts (SVA), one of the nation's largest independent, regionally accredited art –and film– schools.

SVA, located in the heart of New York City, is an established leader and innovator in the education of artists, offering graduate, undergraduate and continuing-education classes. From its inception in 1947 as a trade school with three instructors and 35 students, SVA has grown into a dynamic, multidisciplinary institution with a faculty of more than 800 and a student body of almost 3,500. Along the way, SVA has instituted numerous educational innovations, including the selection of professionals working in the arts and art-related fields as instructors. SVA distinguishes itself by its extensive facilities, state-of-the-art equipment, unique program philosophies, and the size, breadth and professional standing of its faculty. Each faculty member is a practicing artist, filmmaker, designer, or photographer committed to the professional art world as well as to teaching the next generation of artists.

Very special thanks go to SVA's Film, Video and Animation Department and its Chairman, Reeves Lehmann. The members of the Film, Video and Animation Department are industry-renowned for turning ideas into cinematic works of art; the faculty even includes Oscar winners. SVA is one of the best-equipped film and animation schools in the country with industry-standard digital facilities that rival many professional studios.

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Schedule:

6:00-6:30 PM ... Registration, Sign-In & Networking (30 mins)
6:30-7:30 PM ... Four Featured Presentations with Q&A (4x 15 mins)
7:30-7:45 PM ... Networking Break (15 mins)
7:45-8:15 PM ... Three Featured Presentations with Q&A (3x 10 mins)
8:15-9:00 PM ... Moderated Panel Discussion with Q&A (45 mins)

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Program Details:

1) The Digital Media Revolution: Cross-Platform Content Strategies

- by DREW LIPSHER (bio), Partner at Greycroft Partners, fmr. Head of Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporate Development & Administration at Interscope, Geffen, A&M Records (Divisions of the Universal Music Group); held several high-level executive roles at News Corporation, BMG Entertainment & Warner Music Group; received MBA from Northwestern, etc ...  »

2) Private Investments Across The Whole Entertainment Industry: Why We Invest

- by JODI HANSELL (bio), Owner/Managing Director of Terem Advisors and Exec at DownEast Village Films, LLC; dynamic finance attorney with clients including Microsoft and Starbucks; More than 11 years of corporate and start up counsel experience with several of industry's most respected firms including Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP and Sadis & Goldberg LLC; etc ...  »

3) International Venture Capital For Digital/Online Media: The What, How & Why

  - by PETER RAJSINGH (bio), Partner at asset management firm Aquila Associates; Expert on hedge funds, real estate, and private equity; Professor at Reims Business School in Champagne, France, NYU Stern School of Business; fmr. exec at Morgan Stanley & fmr. VP at vFinance, the internet's top ranking venture capital go-to resource; serves on board of United Nations Association, New York, etc ...  »

4) If You're Going To Do It, Do It Right : Tips & Tricks From An Entertainment Attorney

- by KAISER WAHAB (bio), seasoned entertainment attorney; fmr. Exec. VP at Anywhere Road Entertainment ("Black Irish"); worked on "The Oh in Ohio," with Paul Rudd, & "Tara Rum Pum," and Sundance Grand Jury Prize nominee, "A Very British Gangster"; began his career at  Pryor Cashman & Sherman & Flynn; clerked at the United States Court of International Trade; as attorney, clients include Das Films ("Veronica Decides To Die"), Yash Raj Films, Andrew Paquin, older brother of Academy Award winner Anna Paquin & Faulkner Award-winning author Phillip Jennings; graduate of Cornell University and Columbia Law School, etc...  »

5) Lessons From A Seasoned Independent Producer: How To Just Get It Made

- by ISEN ROBBINS (bio), prolific independent film producer; founder of both Intrinsic Value Films and Red Giant Media; worked on, premiered six films at Sundance Film Festival, including "The Skeptic," with Zoe Saldana, "The Hebrew Hammer," with Judy Greer, "The Alphabet Killer," with Eliza Dushku & Cary Elwes, & "XX/XY," with Mark Ruffalo; films have received four Indie Spirit Awards nominations & Special Grand Jury Prize selection at Sundance; created Red Giant Media, company that options, develops, produces comic book and science fiction properties for studio distribution etc ...  »

6) A New Age In Producing: Playing All Angles To Your Advantage

- by TOM WOODROW (bio), Founder of Furnace Films and Producer for Woodrow, LLC; produced "Shadows," a $4.6M, five-country co-production with participation from Italy, Germany, Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Spain, directed by acclaimed director Milcho Manchevski & premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (2007); worked on MTV's  "Made" & produced cutting edge commercials for world-class ad agency JWT; exclusive distribution deal with New Video; twice received the Wasserman Award in Producing; graduate of Yale University, etc  ...  »

7) Successfully Financing Feature Films: Practical Advice From A Leading Independent Producer

- by STEVEN HAFT (bio), Founder & Producer at Haft Entertainment and Chair of All Screen at Burson-Marsteller; prolific independent producer of award-winning feature films (e.g., Oscar-winners "Dead Poets Society" & "Emma") & TV programming (e.g., "Pirates of Silicon Valley", "Rear Window", "MAD TV"); Creates exclusive branded content for one of world's largest public communications firms, Burson-Marsteller; fmr. Chief Strategy Officer of AOL's Interactive Marketing Group; Board Member at Sundance Institute; etc...  »

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Speaker Bios:

– DREW LIPSHER (topic): A true media finance expert, Drew Lipsher is a partner at venture capital powerhouse Greycroft Partners, and former Head of Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporate Development, and Administration for Interscope, Geffen, and A&M Records (Divisions of the Universal Music Group). Throughout over 14 years of hands on media finance experience, Drew has been involved in all aspects of strategic planning and business practices including private investments, mergers & acquisitions, start-up business development, and restructurings. Drew cultivated this wide range of experience through several high-level executive roles at some of the world’s most prominent media companies, such as News Corporation, BMG Entertainment, and Warner Music Group. He has also led investments in Palomar Pictures, Musicbank, and Accolade (sold to Atari), and publicly-traded companies like ARTISTdirect, Listen.com, and Channel V. He was also Founder and Managing Partner of Little Rose Partners, providing business clients strategic consulting, management consulting, and investment advisory services. Drew received his BA in History from Yale University, and his MBA from Northwestern. »

– JODI HANSELL (topic): Jodi Hansell is a veteran finance and corporate attorney with over 11 years of corporate counsel experience. Her clients have included large multi-national corporations, like Starbucks and Microsoft, mutual and hedge funds, and start-up companies in the life science, internet, video game, music, and film industries. She also has worked with early stage companies seeking seed investment, which she has a specialty in. Recently, she has served as the Founder and Managing Director of Terem Capital Advisors, a consulting service dedicated to the support of Terem Capital, an early stage seed capital firm, helmed by partner Steve Herczeg. Jodi has a burgeoning interest in film, and is also an exec at DownEast Village Films. Prior to Terem, Jodi served as counsel to Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP and Sadis & Goldberg, LLP, two top flite law firms. Jodi received her JD from the Seattle School of Law in 1996. »

– PETER RAJSINGH (topic): A bonafide expert in everything "finance", Peter Rajsingh is a partner at asset management firm Aquila Associates, focusing on hedge funds, real estate, and private equity. He is also an adjunct professor at Reims Business School in Champagne, France, the NYU Stern School of Business, and the NYU College of Arts and Sciences, where he is the four-time recipient of the NYU Distinguished Teaching Award. Prior to his professorship at NYU, Peter had stints working for financial giant Morgan Stanley, and vFinance, where he held the executive vice president post. He now serves on the board of several provide companies and charitable organizations, including the United Nations Association of New York, and the London-based Loomba Foundation. He has subsequently leveraged these experiences into his curriculum at NYU, teaching courses on finance and social theory, business ethics and professional responsibility, US constitutional law, and social and political philosophy, while also lending his expertise to various industry panels through the years. Peter received his BA with honors from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, and his Ph.D from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. »

  – KAISER WAHAB (topic): An attorney to creative people of all sorts, Kaiser Wahab, Esq. is a partner at the law firm Wahab & Medenica, LLC. Kaiser regularly represents individual authors, filmmakers, and multi-billion dollar companies, helping manage their intellectual properties—from patents to copyrights to trademark properties. He has extensive experience advising creative entrepreneurs as they take their ideas to the next level. He began his career working at the prestigious Pryor Cashman, Sherman & Flynn law firm in New York, and later clerked at the United States Court of International Trade. He harnessed this valuable experience into a successful practice specializing in various aspects of entertainment law, including business contracts, licensing, and building legal structures for the purposes of financing features. On the production side of the movie business, Kaiser he has provided legal services for production clients such as Das Films, Andrew Paquin (brother of Academy Award winner Anna Paquin), and Faulkner Award-winning author Phillip Jennings, in their efforts to clear, finance, and distribute their films. He has been a panelist for Broadcasting & Cable’s forum on Digital Rights Management (DRM), as well as a published author of journal articles related to legal matters in the entertainment industry. Kaiser is a graduate of Cornell University, and Columbia Law School. »

– ISEN ROBBINS (topic): A film producer’s producer, Isen Robbins is founder of both Intrinsic Value Films and Red Giant Media. Isen’s Intrinsic Value Films brand is a wildly active production company, responsible for the production of over 20 feature films. These films have garnered Isen four Indie Spirit Awards nominations and a Special Grand Jury Prize selection at the Sundance Film Festival. The Sundance Film Festival is no stranger to Intrinsic Value Films, as it has premiered six of Isen’s films, including "The Hebrew Hammer," "The Alphabet Killer," and "XX/XY." Isen parlayed this success into the creation of Red Giant Media, a company that options, develops, and produces comic book and science fiction properties for studio distribution. Prior to the founding of his own production companies, Isen worked as a consultant for film distribution and production company, New Films International. There, he focused on the development, production, and sales of independent films. He also oversaw financing through private equity and bank scenarios, while also being involved in the acquisitions of completed films. Isen received his BA in Film Production from NYU, and his MS in Cinema Theory from the City University of New York—College of Staten Island. »

– TOM WOODROW (topic): An accomplished young producer who forged his own path in the entertainment industry, Tom Woodrow is the Founder of Furnace Films and Producer for Woodrow, LLC. Tom's first professional foray into the world of film came when he produced his first feature, "Shadows," a five country (Germany, Italy, Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Spain), $4.6M co-production, which began a worldwide release with a premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2007. Tom diversified his experiences in the industry with television credits ranging from Mtv's "Made" to commercials for elite advertising agency, J. Walter Thompson. His most recent success is the debut of his most recent project, a film entitled "Bass Ackwards." In an unprecedented move, the movie both premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was distributed by New Video, simultaneously. He currently has several movies in the pipeline, and his production company is seeking to produce more in the near future. Tom twice received the Wasserman Award in Producing, and was the 2009-2010 Sundance Producing Fellow. He received his BA in Humanities from Yale, and an MFA in Fine Arts from NYU. »

– STEVEN HAFT (topic): Steven is the Founder & Producer at Haft Entertainment, where he has had productions nominated for 7 Oscars & 8 Emmys and won Oscars for Best Screenplay & Musical Score; Among his many worldwide theatrical releases include Peter Weir's "Dead Poets Society" (starring Robin Williams), "The Singing Detective" (Robert Downey Jr.), Joel Schumacher's "Tigerland" (Colin Farrell), "Jakob the Liar" (Robin Williams), "Emma" (Gwyneth Paltrow), "Last Dance" (Sharon Stone), "Hocus Pocus" (Bette Midler), "Mr. North" (Anjelica Huston) & Robert Altman's "Beyond Therapy" (Jeff Goldblum). He has also Executive Produced made-for-TV movies such as "Strange Justice" (Delroy Lindo), "Pirates of Silicon Valley" (Anthony Michael Hall) & "Rear Window" (Christopher Reeve). Beginning in 1995, and ending in 2008, Steve was also a former Executive Producer of smash hit comedy TV show "MAD TV." More recently, Steve signed an exclusive deal between his company and one of world's largest public communications firms, Burson-Marsteller, where he specializes in creative branding content. Steve is also the former Chief Strategy Officer of AOL's Interactive Marketing Group.  »

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Registration:

Online registration is available at http://nym.filmfinancing.org/052610

** NOTE: For users without Paypal, simply select "Google Checkout" to proceed, which is the same as a credit card checkout. **

Early bird registration (ends 2 weeks before event):
IIFF Member ... $25
Non-member ... $45

Regular registration (ends 1 week before event)
IIFF Member ... $35
Non-member ... $55

Last minute registration (ends 1 day before event)
IIFF Member ... $45
Non-member ... $65

On-site registration (at the door):
IIFF Member ... $55
Non-member ... $75