AFMA’S NAME CHANGE TO INDEPENDENT FILM & TELEVISION ALLIANCE BECOMES OFFICIAL

(Originally appeared in the July 15, 2004 edition of the Century City News)

 Association Unveils New Logo

Los Angeles, CA, July 13, 2004 – Effective today, AFMA is now the Independent Film & Television Alliance, it was announced by Michael Ryan, Chairman and Jean Prewitt, President and CEO.  In addition, the organization unveiled the newly designed logo reflecting the name change. 

The change was initiated and approved through a vote of the association’s Board of Directors in response to the need for a name that more clearly identifies the members of their organization and what they do in the worldwide marketplace.  The Independent Film and Television Alliance represents the world’s producers and distributors of independent motion pictures and television programs.

“This is a significant year for us and it is important that our members are part of an organization with a name that reflects the global nature of our business today.” commented Michael Ryan.  “The acronym AFMA did not truly represent the mandate of our organization and its involvement in film and television. We believe the new name is more appropriate for our international membership and that it will have lasting qualities.”

“Our organization’s activities are diverse, including lobbying, arbitration, royalty collections, licensing support and market research, as well as producing the American Film Market – the name of which will remain unchanged,” added Prewitt.  “Our new name brings greater clarity to our role as the voice and advocate for the independent.  It also distinguishes us at a time when the role of the independent is growing in importance throughout the world.”

 

The organization’s annual premiere event, the American Film Market (AFM), will take place in Santa Monica 3 -10 November 2004, coinciding with the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival (AFI FEST), with whom they have entered into a strategic new relationship.  The largest motion picture tradeshow in the world, the upcoming market signifies the AFM’s 25^th anniversary.

Effective August 2, 2004, the Independent Film & Television Alliance’s website address will be www.ifta-online.org.

About the Independent Film & Television Alliance

The Independent Film & Television Alliance (formerly AFMA) is the global trade association of the independent motion picture and television programming industry.  Headquartered in Los Angeles, the organization represents and provides significant entertainment industry services to more than 150 member companies from 15 countries, consisting of independent production and

distribution companies, sales agents, television companies, studio-affiliated companies, and financial institutions engaged in film finance.  Forty percent of

the Independent Film & Television Alliance’s membership and thirty percent of the association’s board of directors are from outside the U.S. Collectively, the Independent Film & Television Alliance’s members produce more than 400 independent films and countless hours of television programming each year and generate more than $4 billion in distribution revenues annually.

TEN TIPS FOR PITCHING YOUR FILM SUCCESSFULLY

Are you ready to walk "into the room" and pitch to a decision-maker such as an agent, financier, producer, distributor or studio executive? 

Here are the top ten pitching tips to help you in a high-stakes situation.  There are 5 Do's and 5 Don'ts:

1.  Do prepare for the five stages of the meeting.  If you do not know what the five stages are, you can acquaint yourself here.

2.  Do not talk about who has been attached, was considering, or has been interested in the project.  This is equivalent to saying, "Here is a list of people who have already passed."

3.  Do not "get down to business."  Instead, take the time to make small-talk and get to know the decision-maker first.  Remember, business is personal.

4.  Do not "wing" your pitch.  Consider preparation techniques such as writing your pitch out by hand, pitching on video and then watching your performance, and taking a practice meeting with a friend.

5.  Do lead with genre.  Specifically, the first few words of your pitch should be something like, "This project is a (GENRE)…."

6.  Do not refer to more than three characters by name.  If other characters need to be mentioned, do so by how they relate to the main characters, e.g., Karin's best friend, Ryan's evil twin.

7.  Do prepare for likely questions.  Prepare answers for the most common questions in advance such as, "How did you come up with this idea?" and "What project is this most like?"

8.  Do not argue the point.  If you get a note you don't like from a decision-maker in an initial meeting, don't argue.  Instead, just say, "Thanks, let me think about that."

9.  Do write down the names of the decision-makers you meet.  That way, you won't suffer the fate of, "I had a great meeting, but I can't remember his or her name…."

10.  Do adapt to patterns of feedback.  Consider all of the notes you are receiving, look for patterns, and discover ways to improve your pitch, your project, or both.

Stephanie Palmer, a former MGM Pictures executive and best-selling author of Good in a Room, has been featured by NBC, ABC, CBS, Los Angeles Times, NPR, Variety and many more. You can meet Stephanieat the AFM 2014 Pitch Conference.  To connect with Stephanie: goodinaroom.com, @goodinaroom,facebook.com/goodinaroom

Plan now to learn more ideas to grow your business/career at AFM 2014, November 5 – 12, in Santa Monica… plus discover 2,000+ new films and projects. Register today for best rates.

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