By Jane Applegate
What’s not to love about attending the American Film Market? The weather and location is perfect: AFM is held in early November at several beachfront hotels in Santa Monica. So, if no one likes your films or the frenetic energy and hubbub inside the Loew’s hotel is too intense, you just step outside for a hit of sunshine and a sea breeze.
This year, I opted for a one-day pass ($250). It was perfect, especially since I’m focusing more on production consulting and only had one quirky film to sell. With a badge, you can make appointments in advance, or just wander up and down the halls to get a quick overview of what distributors are buying.
No surprise that horror films sales are stronger than ever. Anyone can make a great scary film on a low budget if you have a good script and a decent cast. Family friendly and kids’ films were also popular at the market this year.
The best part of AFM is meeting people from all over the world. The young and enthusiastic team from BarrLipp, based in Brisbane and Melbourne, Australia, shared their impressive slate of films over coffee on the deck of Le Merigot Hotel.
They have several films in production and were looking to meet more American filmmakers and distributors.
I attended a cool session where French book publishers pitched their books for film adaptations.
Always looking for great locations, I met with the lovely guys from the Malta Film Commission. Who knew Malta was so easy to get to, has fabulous and diverse locations and offers generous film incentives?
The United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade had a booth set up in the Location Expo area. Various film commissions in the UK are promoting production and post-production services to filmmakers from around the world. I also met with the Japanese film commission reps to learn about shooting in Japan.
A project from Blender (www.blender.org)
In the filmmakers’ lounge, I met a variety of people, including JT Nelson, a software developer who promotes Blender, an open source animation and VFX platform. He explained why Blender was kicking ass because big software companies were not responding to users requests for upgrades and improvements.
Roberto Capriotti, a first time attendee, had flown out from NYC to find backers for a feature film he’s making about competing biscotti bakers in Queens. His company, Brain Oven Entertainment, has a name that few will forget.
After learning about how to make a good biscotti from Roberto, I ended up at the evening cocktail party where I met Merja Ritola, the Finnish producer of the new documentary, War Peace, about the Weather Underground.
The film, produced by her Greenlit Productions, had just screened in New York City. She graciously shared a link so I could watch it. It is an important and thought-provoking film, especially in these unsettling times.
At the end of the day, I had no luck selling the film I came to peddle, but the contacts I made opened new doors and connected me with people I’m sure to keep in touch with.
janeapplegate
Related Posts
Cracking the Code on Film Fundraising: Insights from NYWIFT’s Winter Film Festival Panel
On a brisk February afternoon, I found the perfect escape from the cold—diving into an eye-opening discussion at the 2025 Winter Film Festival. One of the standout moments? Navigating Film Fundraising with NYWIFT, a must-attend panel for any filmmaker tackling the most daunting part of filmmaking: raising money. Leading the conversation were Easmanie Michel, NYWIFT’s Director of Artists Programs and Finance, and NYWIFT Member Joanna Rudolph, executive producer of Burning Annie and The Co-op: The Kids of Dorie Miller. Their wealth of knowledge made for a powerful session, packed with real-world success stories and actionable strategies. Marchelle Thurman summarized some key takeaways to help you fund your next film.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Melody Gilbert
Welcome to our new NYWIFT member, Melody Gilbert! Melody is an Emmy-nominated and Alfred I. duPont award-winning documentary filmmaker. Over the course of her career, Melody has directed and produced 20 documentaries that have been screened at several film festivals and distributed internationally. Melody is also an educator committed to teaching new and emerging filmmakers. She has been on the faculty at several universities (including the American University in Bulgaria), teaching documentary production, multimedia, and journalism. Currently, Melody is traveling the world and spreading her love for film by teaching pitch training workshops and conducting her “Documentary Boot Camp” while working on her new documentary about the scandalous topless monokini bathing suit in 1964. The most recent documentary she helped produce, Queendom, was shortlisted for an Oscar in the feature documentary category. In our interview, Melody discusses her move from chilly Minnesota to NYC, her unconventional documentary subjects, and key lessons she shares with film students.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Amanda Deering Jones
Welcome to NYWIFT, Amanda Deering Jones! Amanda Deering Jones is the director of the new short film Little Mother Lies. She is also the Producer of the Academy Award-nominated animated short film Borrowed Time. She has over 20 years of experience working with Dreamworks Animation and Blue Sky Studios and is currently at Pixar. Her career began in Cooperstown, NY, as House Manager at Glimmerglass Opera before transitioning to film. Amanda is a zero-waste advocate and a published writer for the Producer’s Guild Magazine. She is an active member of the Producers Guild of America, Women in Film, Women in Animation, a Governor of the Emmy’s Northwest Chapter Board, and now a NYWIFT member. Amanda discusses her theatrical roots, getting into animation (without drawing!), and how she creates work that elevates our thinking and highlights the complexities of being human!
READ MORENYWIFT Program Recap: “Daughters” at Hamptons Doc Fest
In December 2024, NYWIFT was proud to co-present a screening of the new documentary "Daughters" at Hamptons Doc Fest, followed by a Q&A with filmmakers Angela Patton and Natalie Rae moderated by NYWIFT CEO Cynthia Lopez. In this powerful documentary, four girls prepare to reunite with their fathers through a special dance at a DC jail in this moving documentary about the healing power of love. We offer a recap of the conversation plus a video of the Q&A to watch after you've seen the film, which is now available on Netflix.
READ MORE
