Summary
9 Film Finance Experts. 3 FREE Panels. 1 Spectacular Day.
Discuss the State of The Film Finance Industry Exclusively Through Stage 32
One of the biggest pieces needed to put together your film always comes down to the financing. When the pandemic disrupted our industry, this piece became even more of a challenge…and a big question mark. Understanding how studios have found ways to shift the risk, the changes in budgets made to cover COVID-19 health and safety protocols, and how film funds have changed is important if you want to know how to finance your next project. While our industry took a big hit, it’s not dead—there are still lots of movies and series being made, and demand is high. So where does everything currently sit? How can you get your next film financed?
No need to speculate any longer! We're bringing in filmmakers and bona fide experts in the world of film finance to give you the lowdown as part of our FREE Film Finance Forum. Over one jam-packed morning, we're hosting three unique panels and Q&As where YOU can ask experts the questions you have on film finance and what directions the industry is taking right now.
And when we say experts, we mean experts. Our panelists have collectively put together countless high profile films including MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, GOOD WILL HUNTING, CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, THE CATCHER WAS A SPY, LOVING VINCENT, and CHICK FIGHT and continue to actively produce and finance new films as we move into this new era of our industry.
If you're feeling stuck, if your film project has been on hold for too long, if you want to find the way forward to get your film MADE, spend a few hours with us on Saturday the 28th. Hear directly from the source and learn the state of the industry so you can best navigate your own projects.
What You'll Learn
Panel 1: The State of the Industry: Producing Film in 2021 - 10am-11:15am PT
Putting together a project in 2021 presents new sets of challenges for producers. From covid regulations to fee structures changing, talent being in high demand and foreign sales not what it used to be, producers need to get creative. We've brought in expert producers to talk about the landscape today, what they've learned and how they are adapting.
- Chris Moore (Oscar-nominated Producer, GOOD WILL HUNTING, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, Founder of Producers Union)
- E. Brian Dobbins (Emmy-nominated Producer, BLACK-ISH, CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN / 20TH Century 2022)
- Tatiana Kelly (THE CATCHER WAS A SPY, CUTTHROAT CITY, LIFE OF A KING, WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY)
Panel 2: The State of the Industry: Financing Film in 2021 - 11:30am-12:45pm PT
Streaming content demand is at an all time high. ROI on high budget films has changed drastically and film investments need to scrutinized. Film budgets have shifted and now, due to different distribution outlets financiers need to be more aware of risk. We've brought in expert financiers to discuss what's happening in the finance landscape today, what financiers have learned and how they are adapting.
- Viviana Zarragoitia, Vice President of Three Point Capital
- Todd R. Steiner - Senior Vice President, Entertainment, Comerica Bank
- Casey Sunderland - Agent, Media Finance CAA (Creative Artists Agency)
Panel 3: The State of the Industry: Distributing Film in 2021 - 1pm-2:15pm PT
The race to streaming content has taken over by storm with key players like Netflix, Disney +, Hulu, HBO Max and Peacock making a mad dash to producer the most content for the worldwide viewing audience. Theaters have struggled due to the pandemic with some key closures that may impact the future of distribution forever. We've brought in distribution experts to discuss what's happening in the distribution landscape today, what distributors have learned and how they are adapting.
- Tiffany Boyle, President of Packaging & Sales at Ramo Law
- Kristin Harris, Vice President of Distribution and Acquisitions at Good Deed Entertainment (LOVING VINCENT, SUMMERTIME)
- Danielle Gasher, Director of International Sales at Voltage Pictures
Panelists subject to change
Who Should Attend
All levels of directors (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to learn how to produce and finance new films as we move into this new era of our industry.
All levels of writers (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to learn how to produce and finance new films as we move into this new era of our industry.
Producers looking to learn how to produce and finance new films as we move into this new era of our industry.
Actors looking to learn how to produce and finance new films as we move into this new era of our industry.
Executive
Producers
Chris Moore (Oscar-nominated Producer, GOOD WILL HUNTING, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, Founder of Producers Union)
Chris Moore is an Oscar-nominated producer responsible for such films as Good Will Hunting, Manchester By The Sea, American Pie and Television shows such as Project Greenlight, The Chair and much, much more. Chris also serves on the National Board of Directors for the Producers Guild of America.
His impressive career spans decades on over 40 projects. As the co-creator of Project Greenlight with Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Sean Bailey. Chris began his career dedicating his life to creative pursuits and continues to do so to this day.
Moore graduated from Harvard University and began his career working at USA Network and as a talent agent.
E. Brian Dobbins (Emmy-nominated Producer, Black-Ish, Cheaper by the Dozen / 20th Century 2022)
For the past 21 years, E. Brian Dobbins has been a highly esteemed Talent/Literary Manager and Producer at Artists First, where he now serves as Co-President.
A native of Long Beach, CA, Dobbins graduated from UCLA with a B.A. Degree in English. With a longtime passion for and desire to be in the world of entertainment, he began his career at United Talent Agency and subsequently left to work in development at HBO Pictures. His experiences at UTA and HBO led him to discover the vital necessity of managers in relation to their clients, and decided to pursue a career in talent and literary management. After this realization, Dobbins then left HBO to join Interact Management, where he utilized his knowledge of development in order to build a client list consisting of young and exciting writers and directors. 18 months later, he began adding talent to his quickly-expanding client roster, and moved to Polestar Management. In 2000, he then joined Artists First, where he’s been ever since.
At Artists First, Dobbins has expanded his management career to also include producing. His television producing credits include ABC’s MIXED-ISH, Fox’s TV series DO NOT DISTURB, the Oxygen cable network series CAMPUS LADIES, and ABC and 20th Century Fox’s TV pilot ADOPTED. Some of his film producing credits include THE SEA OF TREES starring Matthew McConaughey and directed by Gus Van Sant, which premiered at Cannes Film Festival in 2015, and Netflix’s BEATS, directed by his client Chris Robinson and starring client Anthony Anderson. Dobbins currently serves as an Executive Producer on both the critically-acclaimed ABC series BLACK-ISH, created by client Kenya Barris and starring clients Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross, as well as its Freeform spinoff GROWN-ISH. BLACK-ISH has taken home numerous NAACP Image Awards, and both Anderson and Ross have been respectively nominated for multiple Emmys and Golden Globes throughout the show’s run (with Ross winning the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Series - Comedy or Musical in 2017 for her performance).
In addition to Barris, Anderson, Ross and Robinson, Dobbins’ ever-growing roster of A-list clients includes Martin Lawrence (the BAD BOYS franchise, MARTIN, BLUE STREAK, LIFE), Niecy Nash (CLAWS, SCREAM QUEENS, GETTING ON, WHEN THEY SEE US), Nicole Beharie (MISS JUNETEENTH, BLACK MIRROR, SLEEPY HOLLOW, the upcoming SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE), director Jon M. Chu (CRAZY RICH ASIANS, the upcoming IN THE HEIGHTS), director Gerard McMurray (THE FIRST PURGE, the upcoming THE FORMULA starring Robert De Niro and John Boyega), writer Nat Faxon (THE WAY WAY BACK, Oscar-winner for THE DESCENDANTS, FRIENDS FROM COLLEGE), writer/producer Tracy Oliver (GIRLS
TRIP, BARBERSHOP: THE NEXT CUT, FIRST WIVES CLUB), and writer/producer Stephanie Allain (DEAR WHITE PEOPLE, HUSTLE AND FLOW).
Dobbins is executive producing the upcoming CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN remake alongside Barris (who also co-wrote the script), which is currently in production. The film stars Zach Braff and Gabrielle Union (who is also serving as EP), and is being directed by Gail Lerner (a frequently recurring director on BLACK-ISH and MIXED-ISH). He also has multiple projects in development, including the films THE BLACKENING (co-written and co-produced by Tracy Oliver) and FOOTBALL OR ME (starring Anthony Anderson and co-written by client Robb Chavis), and the TV docuseries BLACK EXCELLENCE (of which Stephen A. Smith is also serving as Executive Producer).
Tatiana Kelly, Producer, Serena Films
Kelly’s first film “Wristcutters: A Love Story” starred Patrick Fugit, Shannyn Sossamon, Will Arnett, John Hawkes, Shea Whigham, and Tom Waits. It premiered at Sundance in 2006, was released by Lionsgate, earned two Independent Spirit Award nominations, was screened in over thirty film festivals, and was an eight-time Best Feature festival winner.
Other previous productions include “The Catcher Was a Spy” starring Paul Rudd, Sienna Miller, Guy Pearce, Jeff Daniels, Paul Giamatti, Tom Wilkinson and Mark Strong which premiered at Sundance, was directed by Ben Lewin (“The Sessions”), and written by Academy Award- nominee Robert Rodat (“Saving Private Ryan”), “Cut Throat City” directed by RZA from the Wu Tang Clan. “The Words,” which was the Closing Night film at Sundance starring Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Irons, Dennis Quaid, Zoë Saldana, and Olivia Wilde, “The Procession,” written and directed by Academy Award-nominee Robert Festinger (“In The Bedroom”), starring Lily Tomlin, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, “Sunset Stories,” which premiered at SXSW starring Monique Curnen, Sung Kang, Joshua Leonard, Zosia Mamet with cameos by Jim Parsons and Kevin Bacon, “Life of a King” starring Cuba Gooding Jr. which premiered at the LA Film Festival, “Happiness Runs” starring Rutger Hauer, Andie MacDowell, and Jesse Plemons, “Smother” starring Steven Bauer and Taryn Manning, “Dark Yellow,” starring Melora Walters and John Hawkes, “Amos’ Wake” starring Shiloh Fernandez and Keisha Castle-Hughes, “Reversion” starring Aja Naomi-King, Colm Feore, and Amanda Plummer and “Perfection,” based on the short film “Slice,” which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and was the winner of the Adrienne Shelly Female Directing Grant.
Kelly has also previously worked with Fluency Productions, a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, the Shareability Agency producing commercials for clients such as Nokia and Adobe, and she was head of production for Triple A Agency building partnerships between film/TV projects and consumer brand clients via the entertainment platform that monetizes sponsorship budgets showrunners Amy Lippman (“Masters of Sex,” “Party of Five”), Esta Spalding (“Masters of Sex”), and director, Silas Howard (“Transparent,” “This is Us), “Murder Room” with Legendary Entertainment, “Golden Misfits” written by Ryan Belenzon and Jeff Gelber with producer Mark Ciardi (“Miracle,” “Invincible”) for Amazon Studios, “Thor: The Dark World,” “Terminator Genisys”)
Kelly is currently in post-production on documentary, “The People Vs. Vegas Dave,” chronicling the enigmatic and outrageous sports bettor, David “Vegas Dave” Oancea. Other projects in development include “The Replacement Agency” with ABC and Sony Television with “The Calligrapher” based on the bestselling book of the same name and directed by P.J. Hogan (“Muriel’s Wedding,” “My Best Friend’s Wedding”), “Eleven Missing Days” co- produced with Justin Lin (“Fast and the Furious, Star Trek: Beyond”), “Paradise Lost” written by Salvador Paskowitz (“Age of Adaline”) with Amazon Studios, and “Layover,” based on the NY Times’ bestseller by Lisa Zeidner and directed by Toni Kalem.
Her work in television and other platforms include serving as a Supervising Producer on MTV’s “The Hills,” Executive Producer on the Lionsgate/CMT series, “Music City,” producing and line producing pilots for Bravo, E!, USA Networks, and showrunning “Let’s Go Atsuko!” on Quibi. Kelly previously worked as an account director at an advertising agency in NY handling clients such as ABC, and Showtime.
Kelly holds a Masterʼs degree from the London School of Economics and speaks five languages.
Financiers
Viviana Zarragoitia, Vice President of Three Point Capital
Viviana Zarragoitia is the Vice President of Three Point Capital, one of the entertainment industry's top financiers that specializes in senior lending on film and television projects. Through Three Point, Viviana closes the financing on every film that the company is involved in. She has been involved in the financing of over 100 independent films, and worked with such producers as Cassian Elwes (DALLAS BUYERS CLUB), Rob Barnum (MARGIN CALL), Anthony Bregman (ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND), James Schamus (BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN), Aaron Gilbert (JOKER), Kimberly Steward (MANCHESTER BY THE SEA), Nicolas Chartier (THE HURT LOCKER) and Kevin Frakes (HEREDITARY), among others. Before Three Point Capital, Viviana worked in accounting at Millennium Films and Bold Films, as well as in the finance division of Lionsgate, where she oversaw the preparation of multi-million dollar film and television distribution deals. Viviana has seen it all when it comes to film financing and knows intimately well how films find success at all budget levels.
Todd R. Steiner - Senior Vice President, Entertainment, Comerica Bank
As an officer in the Entertainment Group at Comerica Bank, Steiner analyzes and structures financing packages for clients including film and TV producers, independent studios, and private investors. After a deal is approved by the Bank’s credit department, he works with, among others, sales agents, distributors, and additional financiers as he oversees and manages Comerica’s commitment. Steiner graduated this year with an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Prior to business school, he worked on the creative side of the entertainment industry while serving in various production capacities and as the Director of Development at The Shooting Gallery (Sling Blade, The Minus Man, You Can Count on Me). Steiner is a graduate of Dartmouth College.
Casey Sunderland - Agent, Media Finance CAA (Creative Artists Agency)
Casey Sunderland is an Agent in the Media Finance department at leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Sunderland works in the Los Angeles office and specializes in packaging, sourcing financing for, and/or selling the distribution rights to independently financed films. Sunderland joined CAA in 2015. Sunderland graduated from Colgate University with a degree in Economics and Film & Media Studies.
Distributors
Tiffany Boyle, President of Packaging & Sales at Ramo Law
Tiffany Boyle is the President of Packaging and Sales for Ramo Law. Tiffany has helped hundreds of films, TV shows and documentaries come to fruition. Tiffany served as a Co-Executive Producer and brought in financing for films SOMETHING ELSE (Tribeca 2019) and ARKANSAS starring Liam Hemsworth and Vince Vaughn. She led the sales and packaging for TRAGEDY GIRLS (SXSW 2017) and FREAKS (Toronto IFF 2018), she brought foreign financing to ASHES IN THE SNOW (Los Angeles FF 2018) starring Bel Powley, and she sold an autobiography to Hulu for development into a limited television series.
Kristin Harris, Vice President of Distribution and Acquisitions at Good Deed Entertainment (LOVING VINCENT, SUMMERTIME)
Kristin Harris is a seasoned entertainment executive who has spent the past 15 years in the independent distribution space. She has held key acquisition, development, and production roles at Starz Media, Overture Films, and Cinedigm Entertainment Group. Kristin currently serves as VP, Distribution and Acquisitions at Good Deed Entertainment, where she oversees all aspects of the company's distribution arm and manages the release slate, which includes EXTRA ORDINARY, JOURNEY’S END, Spirit Award Nominee, TO DUST, and the Academy Award nominated LOVING VINCENT. Kristin has been at the forefront of distribution as it continues to evolve and is bringing her experience to the Stage 32 community.
Danielle Gasher, Director of International Sales at Voltage Pictures
Danielle Gasher formally worked as the sales manager for production & sales company Double Dutch International (DDI), where she worked across various territories and sold titles such as The Doorman starring Ruby Rose and Jean Reno, The Virtuoso with Anthony Hopkins, Ansel Mount and Abbie Cornish, Think Like A Dog starring Megan Fox and Josh Duhamel, and Sometimes Always Never with Bill Nighy, Sam Riley and Alice Lowe. As Director of International Sales at Voltage, Danielle works with the rest of the sales team to sell Voltage’s expansive slate of new and library titles across various territories. Voltage Pictures’ current slate includes After We Fell starring Josephine Langford and Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Per Tutta La Vita (For All Life) from the producers of the box-office hit Perfect Strangers, Time Is Up starring Bella Thorne and Benjamin Mascolo and Finding You with Katherine McNamara, Jedidiah Goodacre.
Credits
