PANEL DISCUSSIONS ORGANIZED BY NYWIFT ON FRIDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2008. 10 AM – 5 PM.
  
TICKETS: Attendance at the Panels is free, but Registration is essential.
https://www.123signup.com/register?id=zftjq
  
New York Women in Film & Television is the preeminent entertainment industry association for women in New York City.  Dedicated to helping women reach the highest levels of achievement in film, television and new media, and promoting equity for women in these industries, NYWIFT produces over fifty innovative programs and special events each year.  NYWIFT's 1800 members are part of a network of forty international women in film organizations, representing more than 10,000  members worldwide.
   
10:30 – 12:00   Financing and Acquisitions for Documentaries and Shorts
Financing and Acquisitions for Documentaries and Shorts: A panel of financing and acquisition executives from U.S. Public Television and major cable television outlets will discuss financing, co-production and acquisition opportunities for documentary and short films. Topics include: reaching theater and film festival audiences, securing broadcasts, and making home videos and educational sales.

Speakers
Nancy Abraham, Vice President of Documentary Programming for HBO
   
Adam Erlebacher is Co-Founder of PlaceVine, a web-based information service that facilitates brand integration transactions across film, television, and the web
   
Cynthia Lopez, Vice President of P.O.V. documentary series for PBS
  
Ann Rose, Executive Producer of Original Programming. Sundance Channel
  
Carol Dean, (moderator) Founder, Roy W. Dean Grant Foundation and author of The Art of Funding Your Film: Alternative Financing Concepts

1:00 - 2:30 Distribution in the 21st Century
Digital technology has transformed the traditional way of distributing all forms of programming. Technology affects filmmakers, distributors, and audiences in various and unique ways. The discussion will focus on traditional distribution methods as well as alternative methods of distribution. Also discussed with be methodology ranging from joining a distribution cooperative to using multiple distributors (targeted to different markets).

Speakers
Julie Fontaine, Vice President of Publicity at Miramax Films
   
Ingrid Kopp is Director of Shooting People in the US - an international networking community for independent filmmakers
  
Susan Margolin is co-founding Principal and Chief Operating Officer of New Video Group, a New York based home entertainment marketing sales company that specializes in DVD and digital distribution.
  
Paco de Onís producer, (On Our Own Terms with Bill Moyers, Secrets from the Grave, for National Geographic, and Police Force for New York Times Television.
  
Gauri Sathe heads the Marketing department at IndiePix, a NY based indie film distributor
  
Eileen Newman, (moderator) is the Deputy Director of the Tribeca Film Institute.

3:00 - 4:30 Opening Strategies for NYC: If you can make it here...
This panel will address the challenges of a opening foreign or independent film in New York City. The biggest market in the US, with the mist important critics and the newspaper of record, New York City also has the most competition for media attention and audience members. Winning strategies and pitfalls will be discussed from the point of view of exhibitors, distributors, publicists and producers.

Speakers
Karen Cooper, Director, Film Forum
   
Gitesh Pandya, producer and media consultant for Hollywood and Bollywood studios

Emily Russo, Co-founder and Co-president of the New York-based distribution company Zeitgeist Films
  
Derval Whelan, Vice President, Distribution at Fox Searchlight

MIchelle Materre, (moderator), Independent Media Consultant, faculty member, The New School