I do enjoy attending the American Film Market. Film making and distribution have changed dramatically - so - I ask you fellow creatives, is the AFM still relevant?
Filmmaking / Directing : AFM: Is it still relevant? by Cherelynn Baker
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Who said AFM is irrelevant?
Sales Agents & Distributors all travel together, market to market, country to country. They know who’s buying and what’s selling.
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I think it continues to be relevant today and I expect it to become more so as the Indie Filmmaker market grows,
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Is it still relevant? Very. Make a movie, sell a movie. Filmmaking hasn't changed - you still need a script, actors, cameras, editor, sound; distribution has added new avenues that all need content.
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Cherelynn...I’m sure I will get some flack on here for saying this, but AFM is a dinosaur. I’ve attended and had an office there for the last 5-6 years and I have been watching it decline, rapidly. I would be happy to chat with you over the phone sometime to explain more, if you’d like. You can DM me here, or email me at rynoryder@hotmail.com Looking forward to doing what I can to help you out. All the best!
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For someone who was planning to attend the expensive event for the first time this year, this question is very relevent to me. Ms. Baker have you attended it before? What were your experiences.
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Absolutely ... if you've got a film in the can, or mostly done, and need help either distributing or getting it across the line.
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Litho Freeman It's a fun party at the carousel cocktail meeting, my live pitch was horrifying and a great learning experience, I met nice people but it was very shallow and when I followed up with email/call a week after attending it was radio silence. The meetings that I had were of two type: one was straight up hell for a shoot down of my projects and the others were very kind and ready to help as soon as I had my financing and distribution in place ... so, I've gone twice, and had a lovely time, for about $5,000 per trip. Yes, it's a write off on taxes, and yes, I may go for one day this week, though for my time and effort, I did not get the results I was looking for and I totally agree with Ryan McCoy - in my personal experience, AFM has become a dinosaur and I paid a lot of money to look at a dying breed. Good luck to you Litho!
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Cherelynn Baker why would you say “AFM is a dinosaur?” What other film markets have you attended and cheaper cost? Check the prices in France attending MIP TV event. $$$$
do you have a completed film or uncompleted in the can?
AFM is not the place to sell ideas. It is a place for finished movies. The folks who sell “pre sales” distribution are big players.
Nobody there wants to read scripts from unknowns.
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You must show up at AFM with a FINISHED film - nothing less. It's the American Film Market - it's not the American script market or the American idea market. It still caters mostly to the big players but as they are gradually falling on hard times the AFM will have to evolve with the Indie market - or like the dinosaurs it will go extinct.
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Hei. I was also planning to go to AFM this year. I am from Europe and I am a screenwriter. I want to know if it is worth going? As a screenwriter trying to sell my scripts.
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Saku Kocen AFM is not the place to sell scripts. However you never know. If you can afford the cost, go. It’s worth walking the floor and seeing the business end.