They say in Vegas, “The bigger the risk the bigger the payout.” This year’s iteration of the 45th American Film Market (“AFM”) exemplified this spirit and was no exception to this rule. Held in the Palms Hotel and Casino, sales agents, distributors, producers, filmmakers, and innovators all came together for a gathering of film-centric individuals to sell movies, package concepts for upcoming projects, and gamble in both exhibition rooms and the casino floor. The addition of the Location Expo that showcased film commissions both nationally and overseas in addition to the “AFM Sessions” meant to educate the entertainment industry on a variety of topics brought depth and substance to the market with panel titles including “Unlocking Latino Representation: Tapping into Billions in Untapped Revenue,” “Producing and Financing Films for Social Impact,” “Focus on Italy: Why Filming in Italy is Now More Convenient Than Ever,” “Financing Independent Films,” “Cracking the Formula: Independent Film Financing in Today’s Financial Landscape,” and “Spanish Producers Showcase” (which was outstanding).
Paul Belsito, an independent producer/filmmaker and attendee from British Columbia, Canada, states,
“I came here from Vancouver to create some buzz for my project ‘Live from the Nosebleeds.’ It’s the story of an aging heavy metal rockstar coming to terms with his lifestyle through evolving relationships that include his African-American District Attorney daughter and his son who is a nihilistic hooligan drifter who has committed an unforgivable crime.”
“My expectations coming to AFM were to come here to make valuable connections and create relationships to get the project created and sold. It doesn’t have to happen today! I came with an open-mind, realistic expectations, and a passion to not only share my projects with others but also a desire to hear about their projects. In the end, we are better for sharing and connecting.”
“I am really excited to have acclaimed British actor Ralph Ineson (“Game of Thrones,” “The Office (BBC),” “Harry Potter”) to play the lead. He is currently in London playing the role of Galactus in the upcoming “Fantastic Four: First Steps” movie. This is a passion project for Mr. Ineson and I wanted to share it with high-caliber executives. I knew AFM would deliver those connections which it did as this was a well-executed event. The market created an ideal space for like-minded people to connect and create momentum to get projects moving.”
Started by filmmakers in 1999 (and exhibiting every year at the American Film Market and the Cannes Marché du Film ), Indie Rights was founded by Michael Madison and former investment banker Linda Nelson because they believed that the future was bright for independent artists and that there was a better way to produce and distribute movies. They have been in business since 2000 when they produced their first film, “NSYNC: Bigger Than Live,” that played to sold out crowds worldwide. Partnerships were forged early on with the leading digital platforms including Amazon, Google, AppleTV, TubiTV, and others that insure the company can offer the very best audience opportunities for their own films (as well as the more than 800 other filmmakers they work with). Delivering content to over 100 territories worldwide, the company currently has a catalogue of 1500+ titles that they distribute and their content now lives in the cloud which they are able to easily deliver to buyers in minutes rather than days. Regarding this year’s market, exhibitor Linda Nelson comments,
“The market was good for us. We did deals with new streamers, new platforms, and new business models. We are working with a tech company that provides tablets to the incarcerated, and they are going to license appropriate films from us to be on those tablets. Artificial Intelligence is also creating potential new revenue streams for the company. AI-generated dubbing and subtitling is yet another way to expand our titles to a much broader territory, and some of these companies can actually clone the voices of actors for the dubbing. Another new revenue stream for us is licensing content to companies to train their AI software.
These companies are interested in enhancing their software to read and expand facial expressions as well as emotional responses.”
“AFM 2024 was great because all exhibitors were housed in the same location, the Fantasy Tower of the Palms Hotel. The facilities including the theaters and the offices as well as the conference facilities were all top-notch. The services provided by the hotel including the catering was excellent and there was a broad selection of restaurants to choose from. The cons were that all needs of exhibitors had to be met exclusively by the hotel including the rental of coffee machines, mini-bar, water cooler, and television services (which required re-wiring to showcase the company’s movie trailers). All food and alcohol had to also be exclusively provided by the hotel. The exhibitor offices were also spread over 9 floors which precipitated long lines for the elevators.”
MYC Agnew, a producer and attendee as well as owner of Liquid LYT Productions/MYC Consulting shares,
“The first AFM in Vegas was like an experience never before seen because it’s the entertainment capital of the world. I think AFM has found its home and being in Las Vegas brings a fuel that backs up your motivations. If you weren’t cutting deals or chasing dreams, you could always go see one of the great shows in the world and it makes leaving Santa Monica feel like not such a sad song as Vegas has the energy that Hollywood has lost.”
“If you want to go to where the up-and-comers are meeting the higher ups, make sure you come to the AFM wrap party in 2025. For this year’s festivities, I had 20 partners and 3 film funds (through the Dyer Management company he is developing). We don’t charge. It derived from the Metropolitan Society that was established in NYC in 1998 which was a film/fashion/music mixer.”
Michael Richard Greene, a producer and attendee from Austin shares similar sentiments and was happy to get exposure for a project for which Agnew was a co-producer,
“2023 in Santa Monica was my first AFM and I didn’t know what I was doing last year. I think we came into to this one with a much better plan as this year we met the right people and made the right connections that point toward a promising future.”
“As filmmakers, we wanted to get buyers and creatives in the same room but in an informal setting. An app called RecDek was used to facilitate a gathering for our movie “Punk Rock Lottery” screened at the get-together for people who were not ready for the AFM experience to end. I am looking forward to future AFMs with new projects.”
For exhibitor Milena Rimassa, owner of sales/finance/distribution company Iris Indie International, the packaging, production and distribution of prestige projects for independents is more plausible today with international co-productions and expanding, sophisticated international audiences,
“For indie filmmakers, aligning quality scripts with territory-specific genre preferences positions their work effectively for streaming and VOD (and what’s left of free and pay television) bypassing the traditional box office and capitalizing on the global appetite for diverse, compelling stories (designed to attract talent and gain critical recognition.)”
“Today, we’re witnessing a transformative trend in film production, where independent studios are increasingly partnering across borders—not just between the U.S. and Europe but among a truly global range of collaborators. By pooling resources, studios reduce financial risk, broaden reach, and bring culturally resonant stories to the international stage. For example, ‘Lotus Flower’, a new Italian-English drama from Iris Indie Global, captures this shift. Directed by an Italian surgeon-turned-novelist (Giovanni Ambrosino), the film explores the intertwining lives of two women, Sara and Carla, who face deeply personal battles and find resilience and self-discovery together. ‘Lotus Flower’ exemplifies how culturally rich narratives can be built for global audiences with the right combination of creative and financial strategy.”
“In financing terms, ‘Lotus Flower’ showcases how European subsidies and soft money are critical for making ambitious independent films possible. About 55% of the film’s $4.2 million budget comes from Italian soft money, tax rebates, and regional contributions.”
“Italian subsidies have provided foundational support, while Kino Studio has secured a Minimum Guarantee (MG) for the film’s Live Video on Demand (LVOD) rights, adding a revenue baseline. Gap financing from 120dB, based on Iris Indie’s projected territorial revenues, rounds out the package, securing financial viability without the need for big-budget backing. As advanced production and post-production technologies become more affordable, high-quality filmmaking is now within reach of smaller studios. Many American and global films are being produced deliberately on smaller budgets, with a focus on intelligent casting, strategic preproduction, and an expanding range of financing partners. With an efficiently structured financing model and a focus on resonant storytelling, independent films are reaching a new level of global success, marking a shift towards a more democratized, borderless film industry.”
According to a “Variety Magazine” article dated July 7, 2023, Stage 32 recently passed 1,000,000 members. Stage 32 Founder/CEO and “AFM Sessions” panelist Richard Botto surmised the following thoughts after the enlightening “Crafting Powerful Films with Limited Budgets” group discussion he participated in,
“This was the 10th year Stage 32 has been the education partner of AFM and the 11th straight year I’ve had the honor of speaking on the AFM stage. Every year brings with it its own vibe. I thought the energy this time around was high and progressive. Given the challenges of the last few years, from COVID to the strikes, the overwhelming feeling was that we’re beginning to shake things off and that the pendulum isn’t just swinging back, it very well might snap back. And as a writer and producer myself, it was encouraging to hear a mostly positive response from the buyers and sellers alike. The general thought is that the domestic market is starting to open while international continues to rage. All in all, with few exceptions, optimism ruled the day.”
