Panelists Announced for Film Independent's Fourth-Annual Filmmaker Forum: September 26-28, 2008

Panelists Announced for Film Independent's Fourth-Annual Filmmaker Forum: September 26-28, 2008

Panelists to Include Jay & Mark Duplass, Davis Guggenheim, Rena Ronson, John Sloss, and many more!

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Film Independent [FIND] announced today the panelists for the fourth-annual Filmmaker Forum, which will be held September 26-28 at the Directors Guild of America, Los Angeles. Film Independent's Filmmaker Forum is a widely attended event, giving attendees access to some of the most innovative names in indie filmmaking, as well as the most useful information available on how to get your movie made, bought, sold, and marketed in today's changing marketplace.

The 2008 Forum is sponsored by Kodak, SAGIndie, Sony Pictures Classics, Directors Guild of America, Deluxe Entertainment Services Group, and IMDb.com. As previously announced, producer Ted Hope (The Savages, American Splendor, 21 Grams) will deliver this year's keynote address.

Panelists for the 2008 Filmmaker Forum include:

Terra Abroms, post-production supervisor, Elegy
Sasha Alpert, Bunim/Murray Productions
Robert Bahar, producer, Made in LA
Amy Beecroft, GreeneStreet Films International
Ram Bergman, producer, The Brothers Bloom
Josh Braun, Submarine Entertainment
Peter Broderick, Paradigm Consulting
Effie T. Brown, producer, Rocket Science
Keith Calder, producer, The Wackness
Almudena Carracedo, producer/director, Made in LA
Howard Cohen, Roadside Attractions
Audrey Delaney, Media 8 Entertainment
Arthur Dong, producer/director, Hollywood Chinese
Jay Duplass, producer/director, Baghead
Mark Duplass, producer/director, Baghead
Chris Eska, writer/director, August Evening
Sacha Gervasi, director, Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Jackie Glover, HBO Documentary Films
Clark Gregg, director, Choke
Davis Guggenheim, producer/director, An Inconvenient Truth
Paul Hall, producer, Pride
Lynette Howell, Silverwood Films
Dawn Hudson, Executive Director, Film Independent
Azazel Jacobs, director, Momma's Man
Alex Johnson, digital strategist
Micki Krimmel, web consultant, Mickipedia
Michael Lawson, mPRm
Helen Lee Kim, Mandate Pictures
Freida Lee Mock, producer/director, Wrestling with Angels: Playwright Tony
Kushner
John Lightfoot, California Council for the Humanities
Julie Lynn, producer, Passengers
David Magdael, David Magdael & Associates
Cara Mertes, Sundance Institute
Randall Miller, producer/director, Bottle Shock
Joe Neurauter, Occupant Films
Sean McKittrick, Darko Entertainment
Alex Orlovsky, producer, Momma's Man
Brian Petersen, producer/director, Coyote
Richard Raddon, Los Angeles Film Festival
Michael Roiff, producer, American Son
Rena Ronson, WMA Independent
Richard Saiz, ITVS
Midge Sanford, Sanford/Pillsbury Productions
Jody Savin, writer/producer, Bottle Shock
Eddie Schmidt, Executive Director, IDA
Courtney Sexton, Participant Productions
John Sloss, Cinetic Media
Lance Weiler, filmmaker/founder, The Workbook Project
Jason Weiss, producer, Humboldt County
Mirjam Wertheim, Orange Entertainment
Brooke Wentz, music supervisor, The Rights Workshop
Richard Wong, director/producer, Colma: The Musical
Susan Wrubel, The Salt Co.
Ron Yerxa, Bona Fide Productions
Marina Zenovich, producer/director, Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired

This year's Filmmaker Forum kicks off at 7:00 pm on Friday, September 26, with a sneak preview of Summit Entertainment's The Brothers Bloom at the Directors Guild of America. Written and directed by Rian Johnson, The Brothers Bloom are Bloom (Academy Award(R) winner Adrien Brody) and Stephen (Mark Ruffalo) -- the best con men in the world, swindling millionaires with complex scenarios of lust, intrigue and the most complex literary-inspired setups imaginable. Now they've decided to take on one last job -- showing a beautiful and eccentric heiress named Penelope (Academy Award(R) winner Rachel Weisz) the time of her life with a romantic adventure that takes them around the world -- from New Jersey to Greece to Russia and Prague -- in pursuit of priceless artifacts wanted by some of their most unsavory competitors.

An upbeat adventure featuring a renowned cast, this film is a whirlwind of action, intrigue, and romance with such scene-stealing supporting characters as Bang Bang (Academy Award(R) nominee Rinko Kikuchi), Diamond Dog (Maximilian Schell), and The Curator (Robbie Coltrane). The film will be released in North America on October 3.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with producer Ram Bergman and other members of the creative team. The Q&A will be followed by a reception in the DGA atrium.

From 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Saturday, September 27 and Sunday, September 28, an intensive line-up of panel discussions will take place at the Directors Guild of America. Topics include Finding the Financial Sweet Spot; What's Up Doc?; The Micro Budget Film As A Calling Card; New Tools for Audience Building; The Cost of Cutting Corners: Production Dos and Dont's; Keeping Your Documentary on Track; Is The Sky Really Falling For Independent Film?; Filmmakers Off-the-Record: Selling Your Movie; Filmmakers Off-the-Record: Rethinking Distribution; Your Audience Awaits; The International Marketplace for American Indies; See Your Distribution Future: A Presentation and Interactive Workshop; and The Festival Circuit 2008: A Year In Review and Looking Ahead.

This year's Forum will also feature a new documentary track, with special sessions devoted to the current documentary marketplace, the future of documentary film, budgeting a documentary, and more.

Simultaneous to the panel discussions, the Forum offers valuable daily networking opportunities for attendees to meet peers and industry leaders. Representatives from film commissions, film festivals, film markets, sales agents, and distributors will be available in the lobby each afternoon for informal discussions with Forum participants. Additionally, there will be opportunities on both days for Forum attendees to sit down for intimate, off-the-record talks over lunch with prominent indie film figures, as well as afternoon breaks to mingle with guest speakers and conference participants.

The Forum concludes on Sunday evening at 6:00 pm with the announcement of Film Independent's Sloan Producers Grant Award -- which carries an unrestricted cash price of $25,000 -- and a cocktail reception at the DGA. The grant is funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, which seeks to create and develop new scripts and films about science and technology and to see them into commercial production with national and international distribution. The first-ever Sloan Producers Grant was awarded to Monique Caulfield in 2007 for her film Basmati Blues.

Past Forum panelists include Richard Klubeck (United Talent Agency); Linda Lichter (Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler, and Goodman); Rena Ronson (William Morris Independent); John Sloss (Cinetic Media); Stephanie Allain (Producer, Hustle and Flow); Gina Kwon (Producer, Me and You and Everyone We Know); Rebecca Yeldham (Producer, The Kite Runner); Michael London (Producer, Sideways); Ted Sarandos (Chief Content Officer, Netflix); Howard Cohen (Roadside Attractions); and Nancy Utley (COO, Fox Searchlight).

Conference passes are $300 for Film Independent members and $350 for non-members. Single day passes are also available for $180 for Film Independent members and $200 for non-members. For more information about this year's Filmmaker Forum or to purchase a pass, visit FilmIndependent.org or call 310.432.1222.

ABOUT FILM INDEPENDENT

Film Independent is a non-profit membership organization that champions independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds the audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film industry. Anyone passionate about film can become a member, whether you are a filmmaker, film industry leader, or a film lover.

With over 250 annual screenings and events, Film Independent provides access to a network of like-minded artists who are driving creativity in the film industry. Film Independent also offers free Filmmaker Labs for selected writers, directors, and producers; provides cut-rate services for filmmakers; and presents year-round networking opportunities. Film Independent's mentorship and job placement program, Project:Involve, pairs emerging culturally diverse filmmakers with film industry professionals.

Film Independent produces the Los Angeles Film Festival, celebrating the best of American and international cinema, and the Spirit Awards, a celebration honoring films and filmmakers that embody independence and dare to challenge the status quo.

For more information or to become a member, visit FilmIndependent.org.

Source: Film Independent

CONTACT: Julie Siegel of Film Independent, +1-310-432-1287,
JSiegel@FilmIndependent.org

Web site: http://www.filmindependent.org/

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