Wednesday, September 26

TF01 Financing Independent Film
The intersection of art and commerce is most apparent in the financing of a low to medium budget film. Whether in the selection of the cast or the very subject matter of the film itself, producers struggle with the balance between the art they want to create and the need to finance its creation. This panel of experts will look at the challenges that arise in the financing models for both art films and their more commercial kin. For both cases, the panel will discuss the state of current markets, including who the potential broadcasters and distributors are in the major territories, what banks and other financial partners are looking for, and what new vehicles (or refurbished versions of old ones) are on the horizon in order to address the ever changing landscape of film financing. 9:00 am to 10:45 am

Moderator
Andrew Atkins, President, Atkins & Company

Guest Speakers
Carrie Chase, Sr. Manager, Western Canada, CIBC Entertainment Financing
Brad Danks, Lawyer, Davis & Company
Micah Green, Producer's Representative, Cinetic Media
Steve Hegyes, Executive Producer, Last Wedding
Robert Vince, CEO, International Keystone Entertainment

TF02 Writing for Episodic Television
You dream of writing for episodic television but have no idea where to begin. You have a great idea for a series but don’t know what to do with it. Come prepared to learn the terminology, to find out how to choose a show to spec and what skills are needed to write for a franchise. Listen to writers discuss the process of creating and managing ideas, the creative negotiations involved and the methodology behind each show. Find out what readers look for in a television spec that will get your script past the first hurdle and into the hands of a showrunner. 11:00 am to 12:45 pm

Moderator
Ian Weir, Creator/Executive Producer, Edgemont

Guest Speakers
David Mills, Writer, ER
Raymond Storey, Writer, Road to Avonlea

TF03 Drawing Hollywood North
Vancouver's growing reputation as North America's hottest hunting ground for emerging talent is serving as a wake up call for Vancouver actors. LA casting directors now work closely with their Vancouver counterparts to cast roles that will shoot both in Vancouver and in the US. The old strategy of actors collecting a few credits, then moving to Hollywood, is over.
Exploring how to take advantage of this situation, re-plan an acting career, read for as many US casting directors as possible and save those super-saver flight coupons to LA makes this panel invaluable for any actor. We have assembled a panel of leading LA and Vancouver casting directors and agents to discuss new strategies for breaking into the LA market. 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Moderator
Bruce Marchfelder, Writer/Director, The Artist's Circle

Guest Speakers
Christian Kaplan, VP, Features Casting, Twentieth Century Fox Filmed Entertainment
Meg Liberman, Partner, Liberman/Patton Casting
Coreen Mayrs, Casting Director, Coreen Mayrs Casting Inc.
Russ Mortensen, President/Partner, Pacific Artists Management Inc.

TF04 Buffet Luncheon
12:45 pm to 2:15 pm

TF05 The Creative Independent: The Producer as Artist
In an industry where the feature film is increasingly treated as a commodity, certain independent producers have earned reputations for making films that are dramatically compelling, beautifully crafted and, not surprisingly, commercially viable.
The panel will discuss the process of identifying material and talent, securing production finance and arranging distribution deals that work to preserve the artistic integrity of the project. 2:15 pm to 3:50 pm

Moderator
Bruce Marchfelder, Writer/Director, The Artist's Circle

Guests Speakers
Chris Hanley, Producer,Virgin Suicides
Jim Stark, Producer, Night On Earth

TF06 Creating the Mood
Ninety-five per cent of a film’s look depends on the combined talents of the Production Designer and the Director of Photography. Production Designer Jan Roelfs and DP Ed Lachman have worked with such directors as Joel Schumacher, Andrew Niccol, Werner Herzog, Paul Schrader, Peter Greenaway, Robert Altman, Steven Soderbergh, Wim Wenders and Gillian Armstrong. They will share numerous tricks of the trade gained through their individual and collaborative work in North America and Europe. 4:15 pm to 5:55 pm

Moderator
David Hauka, Writer

Guest Speakers
Ed Lachman, DOP, Erin Brokovich
Jan Roelfs, Production Designer, Flawless