3rd edition 2014

3rd ANNUAL CONFERENCE – 12, 13 DECEMBER 2014 – MARRAKESH, MOROCCO
New dimension for International Distribution

« The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it »
Molière

New Platforms: Opportunities for Sales
The digital revolution is an opportunity to develop new platforms of films distribution. DirectAssets is a dedicated solution for movie sales agents to manage their servicing operations.
This web portal streamlines the relationship with the local distributors by allowing them to order online any kind of deliverable. Sales agents are easily creating movies and related products in the platform and will be able to customize the access of each distributor depending on the movies they have acquired. Following up on orders has never been so easy since creation of deliverables can be requested by a single mouse click in DirectAssets.
–        Christophe Lacroix (Chief Operating Officer, Ymagis)
–        Arnaud Denoual
(Post Production Sales Manager, Ymagis)

Sales & Exhibition
Besides, the digital is also opportunity to develop new ways of distribution directly with theaters and exhibitors, and thus to improve the circulation of European films.
Europa Cinemas (theaters and exhibitors network) and Smartjog Ymagis (content distribution network) is thinking to a new platform to allow cinema theaters to download directly the films, either for catalogue films or for films without distributors handling by the rights holders (sales agents and/or distributors) in 2 main target markets, the European Union and the United States, by developing digital and commercial services (DCP and KDM orders, online payment and programming contracts, availability of digital marketing) in addition to their delivery to cinema screens and laboratories via satellite, ADSL/fiber or physical media.
–        Fatima Djoumer (Europa Cinemas)
–        Jean Mizrahi (CEO, Ymagis)
–        Isabelle Nerin (Project Officer, Ymagis)

Digital vs Traditional: Selling films tomorrow
Can VoD and theatrical exhibition both benefit each other with a model where both can further film culture, audience development, and overall cinema appreciation? When audiences enjoy cinema in any form, they are far more apt to engage with more film soon after?  Is there a model that leads to a win/win for everyone? What VoD really means to the bottom lines of prestige films and independent films ?
Is it possible to use main cities’ theaters and screenings premiere as hosts for digital transactional premieres, to use the digital community to help proselytize the film, and then to bring back the film to traditional distribution and to the local art house armed with an engaged community of fans that will help make sure their friends prioritize the theatrical release on their busy schedules.
This dialogue follows the life cycle of the film, and how it moves from the festival circuit, to the theatrical circuit, to the ‘circuit’ itself on the digital platform. We will discuss the role of the festival and the physical theatre in the film community and how this is impacted by a digital existence.
–        Susan Wendt (Head of Sales, TrustNordisk)
–        Daniela Elstner (CEO, Doc & Film International)

Festivals: Tools & Strategy
Following last year Europa International work session to discuss common standards and best practices to optimize the key relationship between sales companies and festivals, the key backdrop is the exponential increase in the number of film festivals taking place around the world, and the main issues related to this change. First, there is a need to simplify the entry form, which becomes a full-time job for sales agents (around 5 potential films for 1 festival, around 50 festivals per year, around 10 pages for 1 entry form), by setting up a common entry form and a code of good conduct. Secondly, there is a request to getting feedbacks from festivals (local distributors invitations, publicity and press coverage, screening attendance reports, etc.).
In parallel to this discussion, the sales company Soul Food developed a project called FBO (Festival Box Office), an international platform collecting data from the festival (number of attendees, average ticket price, number of screenings, total % of sales ticket), which might serve the sales agents’ interests in the future and improve the relationships between festivals and sales agents.
–        Misa Mogorovic (CEO, Soul Food)
–       Jérôme Paillard (Executive Director, Marché de Cannes)

Coaching Session: Travel, Jet Lag & Family
Exploring ways to deal with stress and conflicting (work – home) values is the objective of this entertaining worksession. How to deal with guilt and frustration when family life and professional life are experienced as antagonistic? How to plan time and other practical keys to quieten these feelings? How to manage with the stress generated this way?
The psychologist and psychotherapist roles will mainly consist in facilitating discussion addressing the issue, sharing problems and experience, as well as providing practical tools and theoretical input as needed.
–        Hélène Gallez (Coach & Psychotherapist, Independant)
–        Joseph Drese (Psychologist, Université Catholique de Louvain)