The Circuit

The unfortunately scheduled American Film Market, running alongside the AFI FEST, announced their panels today.  Shuttle buses creep between the two LA events, but as it takes four days to get to Santa Monica from the Arc Light, one event is bound to lose out depending on the day, particularly where festival programmers are concerned. 

The AFM has a strong lineup of conferences, though.  Full list is here.  Some highlights:

U.S. Theatrical Distribution: The Producer's Holy Grail
Moderator: John Alan Simon, Producer, The Getaway, former staff writer New Orleans Times-Picayune
Panelists:
Phil Alberstat - Agent, William Morris Independent; author, The Insider's Guide to Film Finance
Peter Block - President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions, Lionsgate
Seth Willenson - Marketing and Distributing Consultant
Daniel Myrick - Co-writer/Director, The Blair Witch Project, President of Gearhead Pictures

Artful Movies on a Limited Budget
ASC Cinematographers discuss how new film, digital and hybrid tools are affecting the Art and Craft of Cinematography.
Moderators:
George Spiro Dibie, ASC; Chair, ASC PR Committee; Member, Board of Governors
Richard Crudo, ASC, American Pie, Down to Earth, American Buffalo
Panelists:
Daryn Okada, ASC, Just Like Heaven, Mean Girls, Cradle 2 the Grave
Michael Goi, ASC, Invasion, The Kids Who Saved Summer, Judas
Bill Bennett, ASC, Waiting to Exhale, Bugsy, Dante's Peak
Daniel Pearl, ASC, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem
Christian Sebaldt, ASC, Desperation, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, FeardotCom
James Chressanthis, ASC, The Music Man, The Ghost Whisperer
Stephen Lighthill, ASC, Nash Bridges, Coming out Under Fire, Open Season
Isidore Mankofsky, ASC, Love Lies & Murder, Polly, The Muppet Movie
Billy Fraker, ASC, Rosemary's Baby, Tombstone, Rules of Engagement
Caleb Deshanel, ASC, Anna and the King, The Passion of the Christ
Rodney Taylor, ASC, Home of Freedom, Wired to Win, Home of the Giants

What's So Fair About Fair Use?
A panel of experts will answer all your questions about what you can and cannot use in your film without getting permission.
Moderator: Michael Donaldson, Author, Clearance and Copyright
Panelists:
Christi Deardoff, Media Professional Insurance
Kirby Dick, Director, This Film is Not Yet Rated
Winnie Wong, DeWitt Stern Group

Keeping Writers Onboard: The Business Case
How the writer's inclusion in the filmmaking process can enhance feature film projects for everyone.
Moderator: Howard A. Rodman, Writer, Joe Gould's Secret, Savage Grace, August
Panelists:
Miguel Arteta, Writer/ Director, Star Maps, Director, The Good Girl, Chuck and Buck, Ugly Betty, The Office, Six Feet Under, Freaks and Geeks
Andrea Berloff, Writer, World Trade Center
Nick Kazan, Writer, At Close Range, Reversal of Fortune, Fallen, Bicentennial Man, Co-Writer, Frances, Matilda
Jack Epps, Jr., Co-Writer, Top Gun, Dick Tracy, The Secret of My Success

Risky Business: DIY Distribution in the Digital Age
New business models in indie distribution.
Moderator: Bobby Roth, Member, Independent Director's Committee, DGA, Berkeley
Panelists:
Rob Nilsson, Director/Producer, Pan
Kelly Sanders, Executive Director, Truly Indie
David Straus, Co-founder, CEO, Withoutabox
Angela Wilson Gyetvan, VP, Marketing and Content, Revver