Kaiser Wahab to Speak on PPM's in Film on an Institute for International Film Financing (IIFF) Panel

Many apologies for the slow pace of entries. The end of the year has gripped all in the legal firmament of the city and I am struggling to free of myself of its many tendriled grasp. One bright spot, I will be giving a lecture on how Private Placement Memoranda work in the film industry. Info for the Institute for International Film Financing (IIFF) event is below. I promise to be blog more regularly soon.

Abstract:

Following a sold-out launch event at DCTV in October, the Institute for International Film Financing (IIFF) continues its successful series of Townhall Meetings in New York City.

This "grassroots" community event features a powerful roster of highly topical speakers from the worlds of film and finance. We are delighted to again welcome real-world financiers among our guests for the evening!

IIFF's one-of-a-kind mission is to sustainably expand the scope & appeal of film financing, and to do so for the benefit of the public at large. True to IIFF's proven motto, "democratizing film financing," our regular Townhall Meetings bring together a wide array of professionals from relevant backgrounds in film, finance and beyond for a vibrant evening of insightful presentations and speeches, inspiring discussion and focused networking. Past meetings (e.g.: December Townhall in San Francisco | October Townhall in New York City | September Townhall in Oakland, CA | July Townhall in Palo Alto, CA | June Townhall in San José, CA | May Townhall in San Francisco, CA | April Townhall at Stanford business school) have reliably delivered useful insights into the business of film, provided valuable networking opportunities, and managed to draw large and enthusiastic crowds.

Who should attend? Entrepreneurs, technologists, attorneys, bankers, investment managers, venture capitalists and other non-film professionals are cordially invited to learn more about independent film. Are you considering taking an active role in film or would you like to expand your current involvement? Don't miss this opportunity to connect with the like-minded... Established and aspiring filmmakers are, naturally, more than welcome to join us as well!

The evening's seven presentations & panel discussion will address key issues relevant to filmmakers, financiers, and anyone interested in the economics, business mechanics, and financial dynamics of film. They will be followed by Q&A time. Attendees will also have ample opportunity to interact & network with our distinguished presenters and panelists and amongst themselves.

An informal après-meeting celebration will take place at an area restaurant.

Featured Moderator:

The event will be moderated by Thomas Trenker who founded the nonprofit Institute for Int'l Film Financing and runs FilmAngels, the world's first professional angel investor organization for independent film. Besides that and organizing a variety of events and initiatives at the junction of filmmaking, entrepreneurship and venture capital, Thomas is always on the lookout for worthwhile and intruiging new indie film projects that are seeking investor financing. Don't hesitate to connect with Thomas via LinkedIn or in person at this or another upcoming IIFF meeting.

Meeting Venue:

School of Visual Arts
Main Building — Film, Video and Animation Department
209 East 23rd Street (btw 2nd & 3rd Avenue)
Amphitheater, 3rd floor New York, NY 10010
(212) 592-2000

Schedule:

6:00-6:30 pm ... Registration and introductions
6:30-7:30 pm ... Three featured presentations with Q&A (3x 20 min)
7:30-8:00 pm ... Networking break I (30 min)
8:00-9:00 pm ... Four featured presentations with Q&A (4x 15 min)
9:00-9:15 pm ... Networking break II (15 min)
9:15-10:00 pm ... Moderated panel discussion with Q&A (45 min)
10:00+ pm ... Community time at area restaurant

Program Details:

1) When Wall Street Meets Hollywood: Lessons from a Hedge Fund Manager Turned Film Producer

— by PETER STERLING, Hedge fund manager turned film financier/producer; Executive Producer of "Shooting Livien"; Partner at Velveteen Films

2) Film Funds & the New Rules of Film Financing: Guidelines for Film Entrepreneurs, Fund Managers & Private Equity Investors

— by TOM SELZ, Founding Partner at Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz; General Counsel at Independent Feature Project (IFP)

3) The Revolution Will Be Digitized: How the Internet Is Transforming Film & TV (And What It Means for Producers & Investors)

— by DAVID ROSEN, Author of "Off-Hollywood: The Making & Marketing of Independent Films"; Convener & Executive Producer at Digital Independence; Vice President of Corporate Development at ComCam

4) The Filmmaker as Entrepreneur: A New Paradigm for Success in Independent Film?

— by REEVES LEHMANN, Chairman of Film, Video & Animation at School of Visual Arts (SVA)

5) Screenwriting for Profitability: What Writers & Script Doctors Can & Can't Do for a Film's Financial Success

— by Prof. CAMPBELL DALGLISH, Professor of Screenwriting at City College/CUNY (MFA Film & Video program) and NYU; Founder & Writer-Director-Producer at D'Arc Productions

6) PPMs Demystified: Use, Usefulness & Value of an Often Misunderstood Yet Essential Tool for Filmmakers & Financiers

— by KAISER WAHAB, Partner at law firm Wahab & Medenica

7) Hollywood Profits: Quantitative Drivers of Motion Picture Profitability

— by THOMAS A. TRENKER, Founder & Chairman at Institute for International Film Financing (IIFF); Managing Director at FilmAngels Capital