8 The overall view of the recently concluded American Film Market (AFM) in Santa Monica, California, was varied (the market ran fromNovember 6-13). Some participants, such asMulticom’s IrvHolender, said that theproximity to MIPCOM is actually useful as a follow-up to the Cannes market, since many of the same buyers are in attendance. Others, like Lightning’s Ken DuBow, said there is only a 20 percent overlap of buyers between AFM and MIPCOM. According to Tim Brown of Joker Films, “at AFM there are different buyers, perhaps fromthe same company, but different executives. For example, at MIPCOM I met with France 2 TV people and here in Santa Monica I’m meeting with their film counterpart.” Then there is the financial upside, as indicated by Sonar’s John Alexander: “AFM is relatively cheaper because it’s in Los Angeles.” The consensus is far from unanimous, but all reasons seem to contribute to making AFM an established appointment in the calendar year — and Santa Monica participants’ favorite venue. Former talks about moving the market east to downtown Los Angeles are now treated as amusing anecdotes, although there is still some residual resentment about increasing hotel costs, especially by the AFM’s main exhibition area, the Loews Hotel. However, even increasing costs are expected to be held at bay since by 2016 Santa Monica is going to have three additional hotels, each much larger than the existing ones. One project calls for a 21-story hotel on Ocean Avenue, not far from the Loews. Another hotel, designed by Frank Gehry, will have a tower near the beach. A third complex will feature three towers on the south side of town. This is in addition to the expansion of the Fairmont Hotel on Ocean Avenue. The expansion means that the AFM will not follow the path of NATPE Europe, which was “encouraged” to move from Budapest to Prague by the escalating costs of the Sofitel Hotel in the Hungarian capital. Nowadays most exhibitors at AFM are both TV and film companies. And this year’s AFM declared the DVD business basically dead, replaced by streaming. Coincidentally, on opening day, November 6, Blockbuster Video announced the closing of its remaining 300 home video stores in the U.S., to be replaced by the Blockbuster @Home streaming service through satellite TV service Dish Network. “Consumer demand is clearly moving to digital distribution,” said Joseph Clayton, CEO of Dish Network, Blockbuster’s parent company, in a release. Arrow’s Steve Arroyave also declared, “the DVD business is dead, but theatrical is picking up.” Even though DVD is fading out, a Hong Kongbased company, Prime Disc, was at AFM actively promoting DVD and Blu-ray duplication and replication, stating that in parts of the world, the disc business is still being done. Breakthrough’s Nat Abraham said that “AFM is good for film, especially to get that desirable ‘theatrical designation’ in order to get a larger license fee frommost outlets and in particular payTV inCanada. It’s expensive [thewaywe get it here at AFM], but it’s worthwhile. And it doesn’t matter how long [the films] have to be in theaters.” In terms of genres, Multicom’s Darrin Holender commented that at AFM, teen-familymovieswere in demand, an assessment that was seconded by Joker Films’ Brown, who added that family-teen movies work well in most territories. The AFMdrew357 exhibitors from33 countries. Of these, 16 were from Hong Kong, which explained the fourth annual Hong Kong Day, which was held on the second day of the market. The number of exhibition companies was exactly the same as last year, although this time multisuite offices rented by large exhibitors made for a seemingly fuller floor. Buying companies this year numbered 779, and there were 7,876 total participants. Prior to AFM, another Asian country “went Hollywood” when a large delegation from Thailand, led by Thai Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya, headed to Los Angeles to promote the country as a film location and organized a “Thai Night” party in Santa Monica. A final note: AFM has signed a four-year agreement with Focal Press, a 75-year-old book publisher with offices in both the U.S. and Europe, to collaborate on a series of books on the business of motion picture production and distribution. One Way or Another, Business Is Done December 2013 American Film Market Report Lightning Entertainment’s Ken DuBow, Alexandra Cocean Starz’s Todd Bartoo The market headquarters
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