Distribution : AFM Back To In-Person Event in 2022 by Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg

The comment above about Buyers isn't accurate. An AFM Buyer is a company that licenses films for distribution in their country or territory. We assist producers and sales companies at AFM by verifying in advance that all participating "Buyers" are actively engaged in distribution in their country, There are about 3,000 accredited buying companies worldwide.

The first step in verification is asking if the company has licensed films from members of the Independent Film & Television alliance, www.ifta–online.org. If they have, we verify that the transactions closed and then consider the company "accredited." If the company is new or hasn't yet engaged in import, we do further investigation to determine that they are an active distributor. Our goal, like Cannes and EFM who do the same, is to have as many Buyers present as possible.

For most reading this post, this process is irrelevant. Producers with packages or finished films at AFM should be seeking relationships with sales companies and global distributors, not trying to license their film territory by territory.

For more on both topics, see:

https://americanfilmmarket.com/how-to-work-the-afm/

https://americanfilmmarket.com/buyer-accreditation/

Jonathan Wolf

Managing Director | American Film Market

EVP | Independent Film & Television Alliance

Jonathan Wolf Do you know if AFM will permit buyers to make appointments to meet producers on site this year, if those producers are not paid attendees? This seems always to have been the case, but in the last year or two just before covid, they began to insist that a buyer would have to meet with people off site if those people did not purchase at least a day badge. It was very inconvenient for buyers and pretty expensive (this year $250 in advance/$295 on site) for producers who were there specifically with a prearranged appointment to meet a buyer.

Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg ,

First, you're using the term "Buyer" differently than those who participate at AFM, Cannes and EFM. As noted above, Buyers are companies that acquire films for distribution in their country or territory. They attend from 80+ countries and rarely meet with individual producers. They acquire from sales companies who know the values territory by territory, media by media, and are experienced in international delivery. Producers who seek to license directly to Buyers rarely have a positive outcome.

I believe you are referring to the companies with offices at AFM. These companies are all selling and most also produce and/or finance. Individual producers benefit from meeting with these companies as they are always looking for new content in all stages of development and production. For more see: https://americanfilmmarket.com/how-to-work-the-afm/

Most individual producers who participate at the AFM acquire their own credential so they can move freely throughout the market, schedule meetings, attend sessions and benefit from the serendipity of the event. For those who can't, companies with offices have transferable guest badges so a producer can come in for a single meeting with them.

Regarding cost, AFM credentials are about the same as EFM and Cannes, and significantly less expensive than MIPCOM. (No market has free access.) Additionally, 70% of our participants incur travel costs to Santa Monica - as they do for EFM and Canners. So those you are referring to are likely local benefit from being in LA. AFM 2022 badge options are at https://americanfilmmarket.com/badges-prices/

I hope this clarifies everything for those reading this thread.

Jonathan Wolf

Managing Director | American Film Market

EVP | Independent Film & Television Alliance

Jonathan Wolf Thank you, yes I am referring to "Buyers" who participate at AFM, and I know what a distributor is, thank you. I do meet with them. But like many, I do not wander about aimlessly at a festival or market, I only arrange meetings in advance to meet with people who will be in town, at mutually agreeable tmes. Once again, previously, they could bring anyone into their space for private meets, and as I mentioned, in the year or so before covid, AFM no longer permitted them to do so, unless those people also purchased at least a day pass for those days. They were also limiting what I think you refer to as "guest" badges, understandably so. However, typically the buyer would go a meet at Le Merigot next door. This was clearly also done by some of the other companies you mention. So if I understand your answer, any meetings with parties who are otherwise not attending AFM must be done off-campus.

Looks like we're gonna have to bring this discussion to a close. Buyers do not have space at AFM (or Cannes or EFM.) You are referring to sales/production companies. And companies with space the AFM can bring guests into their office with one of their guest credentials. That has never changed nor has the number of guest credentials they receive. Every person meeting in an office at AFM has always had a credential, either their own or as a guest of the exhibiting company. The only change that has occurred in 30 years is that the lobby was previously open to people without a credential. They still needed a badge to access office floors. As the market grew, there was no longer room in the lobby for people without credentials. Now they need to pick up their guest credential in front of the hotel. This is the same policy and practice as the Palais in Cannes and the MGB in Berlin. No one accesses any of these buildings without a credential.

All the best,

JW

Yes, thank you for clarifying. But for anyone who is reading the thread, to clarify further, you are not implying that buyers are not at AFM.

I don't think anyone reading this would come to that conclusion. There will be 1,400-1,500 territorial buyers from 80+ countries.

This thread is info packed - thanks for taking the time to dialogue!