June 21-24, 2007
Founded by Stacy Spikes and in partnership with VIBE magazine, the Urbanworld VIBE Film Festival is an initiative of the Urbanworld Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to redefining the role of multicultural constituents in contemporary cinema by implementing programs and events that support the development and success of the urban filmmaking community.
Panels take place at The Westin Hotel on Friday, June 22, at 11-12:30pm (Film Finance) AND 3:30-5pm (New Media). The entry fee for these panels is $10 general admission & $7 student admission (with ID).
Panelist Information:
FILM FINANCE PANEL
Friday, June 22, 11:00am - 12:30pm
MONEY TALKS: NEW TRENDS IN FILM FINANCING - With the pervasiveness of studio and producer slate financing deals, coupled with increased capital available for independent film, it is critical that filmmakers understand the various financing options accessible. This new landscape has drawn incredible attention to film financing with a mix of institutions, film funds, and high net worth individuals actively participating in deals. To access this fresh pool of money, filmmakers must position themselves and their projects in compelling ways. This panel will tackle insights on "the new deal": What new money is available? How do filmmakers access institutional versus individual private equity? Is it necessary to have a distribution deal in place? What roles do attorneys and agents play? What foreign investment dollars are available? How can filmmakers leverage domestic and international tax incentives?
GEORGE ALEXANDER - Author, Journalist, & Screenwriter (MODERATOR) - Author, journalist and screenwriter George Alexander is the author of Why We Make Movies: Black Filmmakers Talk About the Magic of Cinema. George also wrote The Biography Channel's 2007 Oscar special Race to the Red Carpet. For VH1 he wrote the special series Black in the 80's. George also writes a weekly entertainment column for blackenterprise.com and has also written for Black Enterprise, Daily Variety, Essence, American Legacy and AOL. A frequent commentator on popular culture, George has appeared on VH1, AMC, BET and NPR, He is a graduate of Morehouse College and Columbia University Graduate School of Business.
LISA DAVIS - Partner, Frankfurt Kernit Kleie & Selz - Lisa E. Davis is a partner with Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz - a well-known media and entertainment law firm - where she practices entertainment law and advises on legal ethics. She represents celebrities and businesses in the motion picture, television, publishing, music, and media industries. She was recently named a 2007 New York-area "Super Lawyer" in the field of entertainment and sports by Law and Politics magazine. She was recognized by The Network Journal as one of the "25 Influential Black Women in Business" (March 2007). She has also spoken on "Ethics for Media Lawyers" at the Copyright Society (2004); on "Ethics in Entertainment Law and Intellectual Property" at the New York City Bar (2002 -3); and on film production, finance, and distribution at the Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television at NYU, the Urbanworld Film Festival, and other venues.
LISA CORTES - Producer / SVP Production Lee Daniels Entertainment - Lisa is responsible for finding and developing new projects and directors, as well as supervising all aspects of production. Lisa began her tenure with Lee Daniels during production of the Academy Award winning feature, Monster's Ball. Films she's produced include The Woodsman, Shadowboxer and the forthcoming Tennessee. Lisa also produced the 2004 Sundance selection, Prashant Bhargava's, Sangam. Her multifaceted career began as a member of the original team that founded Russell Simmons' Def Jam Records. Lisa soon became a prominent executive in the music industry. For a decade she served as Vice President of Artist and Repertoire for Mercury Records, where she signed the seminal rap group Black Sheep. During her tenure, she produced several Grammy-nominated albums and founded Loose Cannon Records. Lisa is a graduate of Yale University.
RICHARD McCUNE - SVP, Entertainment City National Bank - Richard McCune is senior vice president and Entertainment team manager for City National Bank's New York office. As team manager, Mr. McCune oversees a staff of colleagues who deliver complete financial solutions to entertainment clients, including those in media, film and entertainment law firms, as well as business managers and accountants. Mr. McCune has more than 25 years of banking experience. He joined City National as a senior relationship manager with its Entertainment Division in 1993, specializing in film and production lending. During his career, he has financed over 100 motion pictures including "I Think I Love My Wife," "The Namesake", "Borat", "The New World", "Family Man", "13 Days", "The Thin Red Line", "Melinda & Melinda" and the upcoming "The Savages" and "Cassandra's Dreams". Mr. McCune holds a bachelor's degree from California State University, Los Angeles.
WENDELL PIERCE - Actor / Producer - Wendell Pierce is an actor best known for his role as Det. "Bunk" Moreland on the acclaimed HBO series THE WIRE. He has appeared in the movies RAY, THE FIGHTING TEMPTATIONS, WAITING TO EXHALE, GET ON THE BUS, MALCOLM X, IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU, and many others. He is currently shooting, BOLDEN, a film about the iconic jazz trumpeter of New Orleans. A New Orleanian himself, Mr. Pierce appeared in WHEN THE LEVEES BROKE, Spike Lee's award- winning documentary on HBO. As a producer, Wendell Pierce made his Broadway debut with the Tony nominated RADIO GOLF, the final play in August Wilson's historic 10 play cycle of the African- American experience in the 20th Century, currently running on Broadway. He also produced the world premiere of BIRO at the National Theater of Uganda. Off-Broadway, Mr. Pierce produced the musical FROM MY HOMETOWN and was associate producer of August Wilson's JITNEY at Second Stage. In film, Mr. Pierce was a producer of the short film, THE DATE (HBO), is a part of the investment team on DIRTY LAUNDRY (August 2007), and is developing the feature length version of the short film, PARIAH by Deandra Rees.
NEW MEDIA PANEL
Friday, June 22, 3:30pm - 5:00pm
MAKING MOVIES IN THE NEW MEDIA WORLD: HOW TO NAVIGATE THE SPACE - As the entertainment industry encounters the evolving presence and impact of new media platforms, filmmakers and studio/network executives are aggressively positioning themselves to leverage the opportunities for increased marketing exposure, new distribution models, and ultimately incremental profit potential. This ever-changing backdrop requires a savvy outlook on cutting edge technology, content, and business partnerships. Whether it's filmmaking for iPods, cell phones, next-generation multimedia phones, video casting, or direct- downloading experiences, content creators must educate themselves on the associated risks and rewards. This panel will discuss the current environment and trends, as well as address how filmmakers can best maximize the prospects that exist in today's marketplace: How are social networking sites like MySpace.com, along with online viral-video outposts such as Google Video and YouTube.com, changing the indie film game? What's the profile for current multi-platform content deals? What limitations do these new Internet and mobile driven platforms introduce? How do digital rights factor into content deals?
GEORGE ALEXANDER - (MODERATOR)
ANGELA NORTHINGTON - VP of Acquisitions, Development, & Licensing Codeblack Entertainment - Angela Northington is a seasoned executive in the urban film space, currently serving as VP of Acquisitions, Development and Licensing for the vertically integrated entertainment company, Codeblack Entertainment. Northington most recently worked as a consultant and producer's rep under her own Distribution Advisors Group banner, guiding independent filmmakers through all stages of production, as well as advising on distribution through home video, DVD, pay cable, pay-per-view and digital / emerging media markets. Prior to that, she served as Vice President of Acquisitions & Co- Productions at Simmons Lathan Media Group and prior to that, as Vice President of Acquisitions & Development at Urban Entertainment. Northington also sits on the board of the Rockstone Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping filmmakers of color. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California School of Cinema- Television.
STEVE PAMON - SVP, Digital Distribution & Strategic Partnerships, HBO - As the SVP of Digital Distribution & Strategic Partnerships for Home Box Office, Steve Pamon is responsible for the development and operations of new businesses that leverage HBO's programming assets across wireless and broadband platforms. Projects in this area include HBO Mobile and other distribution relationships via non-traditional partners, including AOL, Apple, Sony, Yahoo!, and Google / You Tube. Pamon came to HBO from Time Warner, where as Executive Director in the Corporate Strategic Planning Group from 2001 to 2005, he was responsible for leading teams in the facilitation of cross-divisional collaborations, the development of new products and services, and the investigation of emerging business opportunities. Steve holds a BA in Finance from Morehouse College, where he graduated cum laude, and an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, with a dual concentration in Marketing and Corporate Strategy.
MICHAEL A. PICKRUM - EVP & COO, BET Interactive, LLC - Michael Pickrum is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of BET Interactive, LLC, the online and cyber- business unit of Black Entertainment Television (BET). He is responsible for all operations and strategic initiatives for BET Interactive, including their flagship product BET.com. Prior to taking this position, Mr. Pickrum was Vice President of Business Development for BET Interactive, which first launched in 2000 as a joint venture between BET Holdings, Microsoft Corporation, Liberty Digital, LLC, News Corporation and Interactive Corp (formally USA Interactive). He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master's Degree in Engineering-Economic Systems from Stanford University. Mr. Pickrum also has an MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurial Management from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
DENMARK WEST - EVP, Chief Of Operations, Global Digital Media, MTV Networks - Denmark West is Executive Vice President, Chief of Operations, Global Digital Media, MTV Networks . - West works with the President of Global Digital Media to oversee digital operations, e-commerce and digital marketing across MTVN. Previously, West served as EVP, Strategy and Business Development, helping to drive MTVN's multiplatform strategy. Prior to joining MTVN, he was Chief of Staff for the Windows Client Division at Microsoft. West has also held positions at Goldman Sachs, Brenner Securities and Smith Barney. He holds an AB and MBA from Harvard University.
The Westin New York at Times Square is located at 270 West 43rd Street, corner of Eighth Avenue and 43rd Street.
For more information on festival registration, films, screening times, online movie ticket purchases, as well as panels and nightlife, visit www.urbanworld.org
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