Click on any of the 'Day Of' links below to get more information.
Day of Distribution | Sight, Sound & The Dollar Sign - Day One | Day of Writer | Sight, Sound & The Dollar Sign - Day Two
These not-to-miss presentations from industry leaders expose filmmakers and film fans to the people and technologies that aid the creation and delivery of Maverick, independent and international cinema. As Chris Gore, author of The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide has stated: ?This festival is one that sets the trends and is actually ahead of the trends. Other festivals are copying Cinequest; I see it all the time?You find the future of film at Cinequest.? Empower yourself via exposure to cutting-edge technologies as well as insight and how-to knowledge from leading film professionals.
Note: $15 Ticket price for each ?Day of? forum includes entrance into all of that day?s presentations / parts. Single presentation / part tickets may be purchased for $10 at the box office.
Day of Distribution ? Friday, February 29th - $15 
PART I: Bucking the Establishment ? Should Indie Films Forgo Traditional Media?
10:30am ? Noon ? San Jose Repertory Theatre
The media plays a powerful role in a filmmaker?s life ? not only to get the word out about a film in release but also to create buzz on product that has not yet been signed to a distributor. Due to an ever-changing media and distribution landscape, indie filmmakers are shifting focus away from traditional media outlets and are turning to new media. Are blogs beating the trades? Are high-profile reviews still necessary or are they dinosaurs compared to Internet social marketing? This fascinating panel of top media guests will offer a glimpse into a realm that is a confusing entity for many filmmakers to navigate. This is a great opportunity to learn how to stay ahead of the trend and use your PR dollars and time wisely.
Moderator: Jens Hussey: Jens is a PR specialist who has completed nine tours of duty as the Director of Public Relations for Cinequest. He also has experience in the publishing world where he worked in PR for Renaissance Media and St. Martin?s Press. He is a published writer and produced playwright.
Panelists include:
Marla Halperin, President of Publicity and Promotion of Magic Lamp Releasing. Marla supervises and coordinates all publicity for Magic Lamp Releasing. She has also done special screenings, events and publicity for clients at the Cannes, Sundance, Seattle and Palm Springs Film Festivals. She was a co-producer on ?Life After War,? a documentary which follows former National Public Radio war-correspondent Sarah Chayes? efforts to rebuild a village in Afghanistan. Marla also worked to coordinate publicity for the film and she was fortunate to attract the attention of Oprah Winfrey, who honored Sarah with a "Woman of Courage award." Most recently Marla has produced "White Shadows" a documentary about an exceptional man who lived with AIDS for over 18 years and even after passing continues to inspire all those who encounter him. Marla earned her MA at Loyola Marymount University in writing for film.
Elliot Kotek, Editor-in-Chief of Moving Pictures Magazine
Pat Saperstein, Senior Editor of Variety
Jim Dobson, Owner of Indie PR
J.D. Lasica, Co-Founder and Director of Our Media
PART II: How to Sell Your Movie
1:00 pm - 2:30pm ? San Jose Repertory Theatre
All bets seem to be off as traditional distribution is no longer the only game in town, and filmmakers have more options to get their films to fans than ever before. But the many new outlets such as Video on Demand (VOD) sites, handheld platforms and other in-home options make wading through the options a daunting process. This informative session will guide filmmakers through the benefits and disadvantages of each distribution choice and what each looks for in viable content. This dynamic, informative and diverse panel consists of industry leaders representing a variety of distribution formats from traditional Hollywood releases to new opportunities.
Moderator: Peter Belsito - Executive Vice President Film Finders.
Panelists include:
Marc Halperin, President of Magic Lamp Releasing. He creates release plans and strategies to successfully market films in theatres, television and video markets. Marc Halperin's 30 years of distribution experience as a senior executive with some of the top companies (Miramax, Fine Line, Universal) in the film industry has given him an unmatched understanding of what it takes to market movies as commercial, crossover or niche products. He has distributed the first films of directors Jim Sheridan( MY LEFT FOOT), Steven Soderberg (SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE), Khyentse Norbu (THE CUP), Nigel Cole(SAVING GRACE), Scott Hicks(SHINE), Giuseppe Tornatore(CINEMA PARADISO), Alex Cox(REPO-MAN) and Quentin Tarantino(RESERVOIR DOGS). Find out more at: www.magiclampreleasing.com
Nate Bolotin, Senior Executive/Lit Manger: Packaging/Financing and New Media of The Collective
Robert Yu, Vice President, Acquisitions of Porchlight Entertainment/Condor Releasing. Mr. Yu supervises all aspects of the feature film acquisitions division which also includes development and production. PorchLight Entertainment is recognized worldwide for their family oriented entertainment. They have produced over 50 TV movies and hundreds of hours of children?s programming which have been aired on Starz/Encore, Lifetime, HBO, Showtime, Disney, PBS, and USA. PorchLight has just announced 2 new labels to expand their feature films division: CONDOR RELEASING ? a commercial label dedicated to dramas and genre films and INSPIRE - a specialized label emphasizing faith based and inspirational films. PorchLight has newly acquired such films as THE ULTIMATE GIFT starring starring James Garner, Abigail Breslin & Brian Dennehy; AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE: THE MOVIE featuring the voices of Bruce Campbell, Chris Kattan & Tina Fey; NORMAL stars Carrie Anne Moss & Kevin Zegers.
Zac Reeder, Partner, Circus Road Films. Zac is former Head of Acquisitions at PorchLight Entertainment and MarVista Entertainment, where for the past ten years he has acquired distribution rights to over 150 films and television programs. Films acquired by Zac include the successful family film trilogy, Shiloh, the award-winning The Blue Butterfly starring William Hurt, The Kid & I directed by Penelope Spheeris and starring Tom Arnold, and The Sasquatch Dumpling Gang, which stars Justin Long and was produced by Kevin Spacey and the team behind Napoleon Dynamite. Zac holds a BA degree in Psychology from UCLA, where he was also a four-year letterman on the NCAA Division 1 baseball team.
Lawrence Silverstein, Managing Partner of Strategic Film Partners
Richard Gold, Warner Independent Pictures
PART III: A Conclave of Maverick Minds Present the ?New? TV
Presented by AlwaysOn
3:00pm ? 5:00pm ? San Jose Repertory Theatre
A dynamic visual presentation that explores the cutting-edge issues facing the transformation of traditional television to Internet-delivered TV and film programs will augment a lively discussion between a group of top leaders in the producing and distribution worlds. Topics will include: 1) the history of television and motion pictures and the convergence of both delivery strategies to instantaneous and diverse IP connected devices (home to mobile) 2) business models for monetizing programming 3) effects on artistic creativity 4) the new media and its integration in new delivery technologies (socialization from technology to media) and 5) empowering the Maverick by eliminating the traditional gatekeepers.
Moderator: Tony Perkins, founder and Editor-in-Chief of AlwaysOn and former creator and Editor-in-Chief of Red Herring.
Panelists include:
Jeff Karnes, Vice President of Marketing and Products for VoloMedia, Inc, the leading provider of advertising, metrics, and reporting solutions for downloadable media: both video and audio. Jeff is a digital media veteran having spent over 10 years delivering solutions within the enterprise and direct to consumer focusing on the emergence of online media. Jeff most recently held the position of Director for Multimedia Search and Products for Yahoo! where he led the company?s efforts in building their video portal while also responsible for video search, audio search, image search, and a podcasting directory. Jeff holds a BA in Economics and Sociology from Bucknell University and is a board member for the Cinequest Film Institute.
Donald J. MacDonald, Vice President of the Sales and Marketing Group and Director of Global Marketing at Intel. He is responsible for driving Intel's brand image, reputation and marketing worldwide. MacDonald has held a number of management positions since joining Intel in 1987. Most recently, he served as vice president and general manager of the Digital Home Group. Previously, MacDonald served as director of marketing for the Mobile Platforms Group, responsible for driving growth in the notebook computing segment and for defining and executing the marketing plan for Intel® Centrino® mobile technology. In addition, he has served as director of marketing for Intel Japan where he was responsible for marketing Intel® architecture products.MacDonald received his law degree from University of Lancaster, England in 1983. He is an Intel Achievement Award recipient.
Kathleen J. Powell, Vice President Worldwide Programming, Jaman a destination for people to discover, enjoy and review movies from around the world. As Vice President Worldwide Programming, Kathleen runs content acquisitions and programming capacities for Jaman. Kathleen?s technology background includes a 17 year track record at Hewlett-Packard and Agilent Technologies, where she served in a variety of management roles including R&D, Business Development and Quality Management. Her extensive experience in film includes producing/executive producing three feature films and co-founding Cinequest, a Silicon Valley institute that produces the 18 year old Cinequest Film Festival and is a recognized leader in fostering digital technologies and new distribution models that empower film artists. She currently chairs the Cinequest Board of Directors and manages all key technology partnerships. Kathleen holds a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Business Administration from Kansas State University.