CHICAS PRODUCTIONS: IFTA

Friday, September 9, 2011

Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) Sets Up IFTA London...

Jim Sheridan, Ken Loach and Dearbhla Walsh attend soiree to herald fresh networking opportunities.

Comcast, NBC Uni sign deal with IFTA
The Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) is setting up IFTA London, aiming to birth a creative network between the Irish and U.K. film and television industries.

STORY: IFTA Unveils Production Conference Theme, Lineup

And to launch the fresh network, the Irish did what they do best: IFTA hosted an evening reception at the British Academy of Film And Television Arts' London HQ on Piccadilly.
IFTA Chief Executive Áine Moriarty told the gathered luminaries from both sides of the Irish Sea that there is "a great spirit of partnership, business and cultural links, between Ireland and the U.K." making the two "more than just neighbors."
STORY: Rachel Weisz, Jude Law and Anthony Hopkins ' '360' to Open London Film Festival
"The IFTA London initiative aims to help build a new network for the film & television communities," Moriarty said.

The IFTA London soiree had the backing of the Irish Film Board also whose chief executive James Hickey said the new umbrella network would be "a great opportunity for Irish talent to come together with key industry people from Ireland and the U.K. to network and develop strong working relationships."

Guests at the reception included directors Jim Sheridan, Ken Loach and Emmy winning Irish director Dearbhla Walsh.

As part of the IFTA London initiative, the Irish Academy also unveiled details of its planned roll-out of events in the British capital which will include a Jim Sheridan season to include a masterclass and retrospective of the Oscar nominated director's work.

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Thursday, September 1, 2011

American Film Market Considering Big Move From Santa Monica to Downtown L.A.

The move from the Loews hotel to the L.A. Live complex, which must be voted on by the IFTA board, would likely take place in 2013.

The annual American Film Market is exploring a move from Santa Monica to the L.A. Live complex in downtown Los Angeles, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The AFM, one of the world's largest film markets, is run by the Independent Film & Television Alliance. Its contract with the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, which has been headquarters for the market, conference and screenings since 1991, ends after the 2012 event. Apparently the Loews asked for an increase in the rates it charges, which is part of the reason the AFM started to look at other options.

Sources tell THR that Anschutz Entertainment Group, which manages the L.A. Live complex, has stepped in with an offer at a much lower cost than the Loews bid. Loews is said to have made a counteroffer earlier this week to try and retain the nearly two-week-long event, which each fall attracts more than 8,000 people involved in the independent production and distribution of movies from over 70 countries. IFTA estimates more than $800 million in transactions are done at the market on both competed films and pre-sales of movies in development.
A spokesman for IFTA and the AFM declined to comment.

This year's event, scheduled to run Nov. 2-9, would not be affected, nor would the 2012 AFM likely be impacted. The 2013 event would likely be the first to move downtown, though a deal could possibly be worked out to move the 2012 event as well.
The IFTA board must still approve any move. Sources say the board is expected to discuss the proposal on Tuesday during a conference call.
IFTA, the nonprofit that organizes and runs the AFM, reported 2009 income of about $11.5 million (of which $8.2 million came from running the market), and total assets of over $22.5 million, according to tax filings.

Founded in 1981, the AFM was first held at the Westwood Marquis Hotel, moved to the Hyatt on Sunset Strip, then shifted in 1986 to the Beverly Hilton. During the five years it was held in Beverly Hills, market screenings were mostly held at the Beverly Center.
When it moved to Santa Monica, the AFM helped launch the then-new Loews, as well as the city's Third Street Promenade, where last year nearly two dozen screens were used to show about 400 market movies at area theaters.

As it has grown over the years, some events have been farmed out to other hotels and restaurants in the area. In recent years, that has included the Le Merigot Beach Hotel, run by Marriott, which is next door to the Loews. Many of the conference events have been held at the nearby Fairmont Miramar Hotel. IFTA announced in June that the Miramar will be the site this fall for a new five-day AFM Conference Series (Nov. 4-8). It includes finance, production, marketing and distribution conferences, as well as an event where people pitch ideas for movies.
While the beachside Santa Monica location has strong appeal to international visitors, there are also issues of traffic, congestion and the high cost of retail and restaurants. Still, there is said to be some opposition to a move downtown from foreign participants who like the Westside location and are mostly unfamiliar with the urban areas of L.A.

In addition, since 2004, the AFM has had a relationship to the AFI Fest, put on by the American Film Institute. Most screenings for the festival are held at movie theaters in Hollywood, primarily those around the Hollywood & Highland complex, far away from the Santa Monica-based AFM. A move downtown would close the distance gap between AFM and AFI, which would be connected by L.A's subway system. The AFI Fest is not expected to move downtown, however.
AEG has been aggressive about trying to lure events to L.A. Live. The Independent Spirit Awards moved form their traditional Santa Monica beach location downtown for a year, but then moved back to the beach.
L.A. Live, which is adjacent to the Los Angeles Convention Center, has more than 5.6 million square feet of ballrooms, bars, restaurants, concert theaters, a condo tower and two large hotels in one tower. The sales suites could be in the hotels or they could be in the adjacent convention center.
There also is an 879-room JW Marriott Hotel on floors 4 through 21 and a 123-room Ritz Carlton Hotel on floors 22 through 26.
For screenings, the complex includes a multiplex operated by the Regal Entertainment Group. It has 14 screens and 3,772 seats and a three-story art deco style atrium. One theater, known as the Regal Premiere House, which has 806 seats, has been marketed for movie premieres but so far has had only limited success in attracting Hollywood downtown.
L.A. Live also includes the Nokia Theater (7,100 seats) and Club Nokia (2,300 seats), most often used as a venue for live music.
Most recently, AEG has been promoting plans to build a new stadium on the site to be called Farmers Field. It is intended to be home to a NFL football team. The LA City Council has tentatively approved the plan, but it has many hurdles ahead before it will actually be built, a process that could take years more.

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