The Art and Science of Independent Film Finance

As the entertainment ecosystem shifts and new platforms and finance models emerge, what are the implications for independent filmmakers and production companies? How do producers stay relevant and build relationships with new investors to secure financing? As distribution windows change and digital platforms evolve, audience data is becoming more important. There is money in the data, so how does a producer mine it to attract funding and build revenue?

The panel will present an overview of the evolving state of independent film financing in a data driven distribution world — and explore trends and the online marketplace, Slated. To round it out, these insiders will talk about the potential of The Transparency Project, which empowers filmmakers by creating tools to analyze independent films’ financial data. 

Panelists

Anne Carey 
is President of Production at Archer Gray, a media production, finance and venture investment company. As an independent producer, Carey has worked with filmmakers such as Ang Lee, Anton Corbijn, Bill Condon, Greg Mottola and Liz Garbus among others. Carey’s films have been distributed through Fox Searchlight, Universal, Sony Picture Classics, Focus Features, Miramax and HBO. Her films have played and premiered at all major domestic and international film festivals. Carey began her career at the William Morris Agency as the Director of Development. Carey is also an active adjunct professor at Columbia University Graduate Film School.


Caroline Kaplan is Head of Creative Initiatives at Cinereach. Her role is to develop strategies for how Cinereach can effectively strengthen the filmmaking community and the independent film landscape. She was the Head of Production, Acquisitions and Original Programming at IFC and IFC Films, and a founding member of InDigEnt, where she oversaw films and programs including A Decade Under the InfluenceMy Best FiendWaking LifeMonsoon WeddingTadpole, and Personal Velocity. She is also an independent producer whose recent films include Oren Moverman’s Time Out of Mindstarring Richard Gere and Gary Winick’s Letters to Juliet.


Shrihari Sathe
 is an independent filmmaker and producer. He produced Jaron Henrie-McCrea’s Pervertigo (2012), Eliza Hittman’s It Felt Like Love (2013) and Elisabeth Subrin’s A Woman, A Part (2016) and co-produced Partho Sen-Gupta’s Arunoday (2014) and Afia Nathaniel’s Dukhtar (2014). His feature directorial debut 1000 Rupee Note has won over 40 awards. Sathe is a Sundance Institute Creative Producing Fellow and Trans Atlantic Partners fellow. He has received fellowships from the HFPA, PGA, IFP, Film Independent, to name a few. He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Columbia University’s School of the Arts and a member of the PGA, IMPPA and Slated.

Mickey Slevin is the Chief Operating Officer of FilmBuff, a leading curator of digital entertainment. Slevin oversees FilmBuff’s finances, which he has done since being named head of finance in 2011. His duties also include oversight of all of the company’s operations. Slevin began his career at FilmBuff in 2010. Previous industry experience includes Viacom and CESD talent agency. He previously served on the board of Arts to Grow, a nonprofit organization.


Colin Brown 
(Moderator) is the editorial director for the online film marketplace Slated, as well as a managing partner in the pan-Arab film distribution company, MAD Solutions (organizers of the Arab Cinema Center at the Cannes and Berlin film festivals). He is the author of the widely circulated Filmonomics essays about cinema economics. An adjunct professor at New York University, where he teaches film and business students about the future of the film industry, Brown also advises NYU’s Cinema Research Institute. An award-winning business journalist by background, Colin was the longtime editor-in-chief of Screen International. As a film critic, Colin has been invited on numerous film juries including the Sundance Film Festival.

 

Produced by Maura Kelly

March 15 @ 6:30pm
6:30 pm — 8:30 pm (2h)

Tribeca Film Center
375 Greenwich Street
(Between N. Moore and Franklin)

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NYWIFT programs, screenings and events are supported, in part, by grants from New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.

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