Producing : AAFM Question by Eliza Agudelo

Eliza, I don't quite understand as what exactly you want to present yourself at the AFM. Your reel shows you as an actor, your profile says you were a producer and director. Then, AFM for me usually stands for the American Film Market - which is a wide, wide field. Hence, I'm asking myself what exactly you want to present to whom? If you meant your question that you would like to get hired as a producer, director or actor then simply look for such jobs at the relevant websites. You can find everything in the job section here at Stage32, but also on other websites, even at imdb. Work for free in the beginning just to really get jobs and learn from others. The more and diversified experiences you can offer (in each of your fields) the easier you'll find a paid job. So, good luck!

Hi Elisabeth. Thanks for replying. Sorry I didn't make myself clear enough. Yes I am an actress, that stuff is just my signature and has nothing to do with the AFM question. Yes I know AFM stands American Film Market. I am going, as most people, as a Producer and also writer, not to get hired but to network and try and get either a distribution company or production co/producer interested in my film. I was tring to get info from people who have gone before, cause they would know that when you purchase a badge, AFM is kind enough to help you prepare for the event, and sends you helpful steps before going. One of which is to make a list of about 30-50 companies from their catalogue who is attending, email those that fit your project and try and set up a meeting while at AFM. and that's where my question comes in, I dont want to sound like a novice in my email, by offering too much or too little or just wrong info when requesting this meeting.

Well, if you simply want to present your scripts you can pitch them with Happy Writers here directly to executives and start from there because by these pitches you will learn how it works to present your stuff. If you have a finished film you should send it to film festivals to get seen and get feedback. Distributors will be interested as soon as one of your movies won a competition. Producers will become interested as soon as a couple of your scripts already got produced or your screenplays won a competition or they read it when you post it online (simply scripts, script revolution, stage32 and many more) with a clear statement that you are looking for a producer or want to sell it. Query letters are not that successful as you never know who reads it first and whether they reach the hands of any producer or will be thrown away immediately by their secretaries and assistants.

Elizabeth is right. AFM is a cattle call for selling movies. The people who rent booths want to sell their movies; NOT looking to buy "business plan" projects. Ive attended AFM as a Seller; never a Buyer. Who knows. Hang out by the loews pool and mingle. Maybe you find some financier with his/her checkbook open. Good luck

If you have a project that has good commercial potential, you can contact companies beforehand and see if they will take a meeting with you. I have done this at several AFM's. Yes it is primarily set up as a Buyer/Seller market, but all types of business is transacted there. Make sure you have a good pitch packet with some good key-art to show people quickly. I have also gone door to door when I saw an opening and introduced myself and my project. You will have to have a floor pass to do this. I've met with and talked with many companies, sale agents and distributors at AFM and got a lot of good intel on the current state of the marketplace.