AFM happens mainly in the Loews Santa Monica Beach hotel – rooms are turned into offices and all general premises work as meeting places all the way to the pool area outside. Badge is your ticket and only way to the places where the business really happens – better not loose it!
TomCat Films’ office was located this year in the third floor in room 333 a.k.a. a half a devil’s room! Maybe next year upgrade to couple floors up to the real deal..!
Room #333 is the place where Emma spent most of the time during the market – calendar was quite fully booked with sales and acquisitions meetings (oh the pleasure of watching deal closing handshakes after successful meetings!) and in between the social media and other marketing channels had to be kept in flames – in a good way of course!
TomCat Films shared the office with Don Coscarelli, the man behind the legendary Phantasm films! If you’re a fan you get what’s in the picture below..! Wonderful to see how even professionals are like kids in a candy store when they see their favourite film represented at the market! Numerous people came in everyday just to meet Don in person – after Emma the crowd controller had let them in…
Every morning started with a very important appointment in Buyers Lounge – a rendez-vous with the coffee station! Gladly exhibitor badge allowed access to this vital, hidden source of energy. But only early birds got to enjoy of this luxury, after 9:30 there was only quite pricey (FIVE DOLLAR) coffee available down in the lobby. No better motivator for Emma to get up in the morning!
Besides helping out TomCat Films/Summer Hill Films and a little bit Starway International’s Don Coscarelli, Emma also had time to go around the market and represent Blockbusters Gang. After Emma’s pitch (or more like paasaus as we say in Finnish) the filmmakers seemed to realise the power and importance of marketing and social media. Hopefully many of these new contacts are successful pushing their productions further and remember who they gonna call..!
It was also wonderful to see one of our recent projects represented at the market – the Little Wing movie! Emma found Media Luna New Film’s, their sales agent’s, booth in the 6th floor with some nice marketing materials – and couldn’t help but promote the film just a little bit! People seemed to be very supportive towards the film and women’s position in the industry. Little Wing movie is indeed pretty exceptional film with a woman Director and also two women in the leading roles. To support a more equal and diverse film industry the Little Wing team is taking the film towards Golden Globes with their crowdfunding campaign, now live on Indiegogo. Emma was happy to help prepping the campaign and to help growing the community through Twitter – and to spread the word in the market too!
The hectic days at the market were pretty long and demanding – but there’s always time for mingling and late night events if you ask Emma. Something about those in the next #AFM2016 blog post..!
Best,
Emma
CEO, Head of Marketing
FI: +358 40 5542086 / US: +1 480 465 6630
emma(a)blockbustersgang.com