Industry

Doc Roundtables

Now in its fourth year, Doc Roundtables create a rare chance for filmmakers to meet with industry leaders for an informal networking session. This year, industry participants include representatives from Sony Pictures Classics, HBO, Films Transit, Submarine Entertainment, SnagFilms, Zeitgeist Films, IFC Films, Emerging Pictures, Oscilloscope Laboratories, Lorber Media, and more.

Date: Monday, September 14, 2009 through to Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Time: Twice daily sessions from 2:00pm to 3:00pm and 3:30pm to 4:30pm
Location: Match Club (5th Elementt Restaurant, 1033 Bay Street)

Doc Roundtables Schedule:

• Monday, September 14 – 2:00pm
• Eileen Newman, Tribeca Film Institute
• Dan Satorius, Lommen Abdo Law Film
• Clemence Taillandier, Zeitgeist Films Ltd.

• Monday, September 14 – 3:30pm
• Ira Deutchman, Emerging Pictures
• Andrew Mer, SnapFilms
• Molly Thompson, A&E

• Tuesday, September 15 – 2:00pm
• Lisa Callif, Donaldson and Callif
• David Fenkel, Oscilloscope
• Richard Lorber, Lorber Media
• Liz Ogilvie, B-Side

• Tuesday, September 15 – 3:30pm
• Ian Bricke, Sundance Channel
• Peter Broderick, President of Paradigm Consulting
• Jan Rofekamp, Films Transit
• Janet Pierson, SXSW

• Wednesday, September 16 – 2:00pm
• Josh Braun, Submarine
• Dylan Leiner, Sony Pictures
• Dustin Smith, Roadside Attractions

• Wednesday, September 16 – 3:30pm
• Mark Lipsky, Gigantic Digital Releasing
• Dana O’Keefe, Cinetic Media
• David Wilson, True/False

Industry Participants include:

Nancy Abraham
On acquisitions for HBO/Cinemax

Josh Braun
On working as a sales agent
Josh Braun runs Submarine Entertainment, a hybrid sales and production company, consulting and strategizing on the sale, distribution and development of documentaries and television properties.  Some of the films represented by Submarine include: Valentino: The Last Emperor, Food, Inc., Soul Power, Encounters at the End of the World, My Kid Could Paint That.

Ian Bricke
On acquisitions for Sundance Channel and IFC tv
Ian Bricke is Senior Director, Acquisitions for IFC tv and Sundance Channel. Before joining Sundance Channel in 2000, Ian worked at Killer Films, Pipedream Productions, and the Independent Feature Project/New York. He has served on juries at the Edinburgh, Austin, Florida and Gen Art film festivals. 

Peter Broderick
Paradigm Consulting
Peter Broderick is president of Paradigm Consulting, which helps filmmakers and media companies develop strategies to maximize distribution, audiences, and revenues. Paradigm Consulting specializes in state-of-the-art distribution techniques, including innovative theatrical service deals, hybrid video strategies and new approaches to global distribution. In 1999, Broderick founded Next Wave Films and established their "Agenda 2000", the world's first entity devoted to financing digital features.

Lisa Callif
On fair use law
Lisa Callif is a partner in the law firm Donaldson and Callif. The practice represents independent filmmakers in all aspects of moviemaking, including securing E&O insurance for films when using materials pursuant to the fair use doctrine. Lisa has worked on This Film is Not Yet Rated, Haskell Wexler’s Who Needs Sleep and I.O.U.S.A. She is currently working with Oliver Stone, Davis Guggenheim/Lesley Chilcott and Lawrence Bender on their documentary projects. 

Ira Deutchman
On acquisitions for Emerging Pictures
Ira Deutchman is President and CEO of Emerging Pictures, a New York-based film distribution and digital exhibition company and has been making, marketing and distributing films for 34 years. He was one of the founders of Cinecom and later created Fine Line Features. He has acquired and released over 60 films at Fine Line, including the award-winning Hoop Dreams, as well as work by Jane Campion, Jim Jarmusch and Robert Altman.

David Fenkel
On acquisitions for Oscilloscope Laboratories
David Fenkel is a founder and partner of Oscilloscope Laboratories, Adam Yauch's film production and distribution company. Documentaries recently released include Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father, FLOW: For Love of Water, Oscar-nominated The Garden, Treeless Mountain, Burma VJ and Unmistaken Child. 

Dylan Leiner
On acquisitions for Sony Pictures Classics
Dylan Leiner is Sony Pictures Classics’ Executive Vice President, Acquisitions & Production and has been involved with the acquisition and production of a broad range of films including the documentaries Dogtown and Z-Boys and Waltz With Bashir.

Mark Lipsky
On new distribution portal Gigantic Digital Releasing
Mark Lipsky is the President of New York-based Gigantic Digital Releasing, the first true online exhibition venue that changes the paradigm of independent film exhibition portal. Gigantic made film-industry history in February with Must Read After My Death, which opened in New York City and Los Angeles, and also received a day-and-date national release over the internet. Upcoming releases include the award-winning documentary Motherland.

Richard Lorber
On acquisitions for Lorber Films
Richard Lorber is the President and CEO of Lorber HT Digital. The company distributes critically acclaimed narrative films, documentary features and classics under its Lorber Films banner and “transformative” documentaries in areas of new consciousness and cultural change through its Alive Mind label. Documentary releases include The Gates, Nollywood, Babylon and Gogol Bordello Non-Stop. A third label, Knitting Factory Entertainment, for music based documentaries and performance films, will be launched by Lorber HT Digital later this year.

Andrew Mer
On acquisitions for SnagFilms
Andrew Mer is VP of Content Parterships for SnagFilms and has been instrumental in building the SnagFilms library of over 850 award winning documentary films consisting of single titles from individual filmmakers to multiple titles from the most widely known and respected distributors, aggregators, and broadcasters including Sundance Channel, E1 Entertainment, Alive Mind, Cactus Three, PBS and ITVS.

Eileen Newman
On services of Tribeca Film Institute
Eileen Newman is the Managing Director of the Tribeca Film Institute. Previously she was the Executive Director of the National Board of Review, Senior Director of Programming at the Independent Feature Project and served as Executive Director of Film/Video Arts. Active in the New York film community, she is on the boards of New York Production Alliance, Manhattan Neighborhood Network (Board Chair) and New York Women in Film and Television.

Liz Ogilvie
On acquisitions for B-Side

Dana O’Keefe
On working with a sales agent
Dana O'Keefe is a senior executive in the sales, financing and management divisions of Cinetic Media. During his tenure, the company facilitated the sale and financing of a diverse slate of films including I’m Not There, We Own the Night and Taxi to the Dark Side. Dana currently works as a talent manager in the company's newly created management division, where he oversees the careers of a roster of directors.

Janet Pierson
On submitting to SXSW
Janet Pierson, the new Producer of the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival, has spent over 25 years championing independent films and filmmakers, in a variety of roles including distributor, exhibitor, producer’s rep, investor, workshop producer, executive producer, documentary subject, and as co-creator and segment director of the IFC cable TV series Split Screen. She remains co-president of Grainy Pictures and the Vice-President of the Austin Film Society.

Jan Rofekamp
On working with a sales agent

Dan Satorius
On structuring finance deals
Dan Satorius is the vice-president of Lommen Abdo Law Firm and co-chair of the Entertainment Law Department. He has produced award-winning films and has practised entertainment law for over twenty-five years. Dan's practice focuses on transactions, intellectual property, financing and the representation of businesses and individuals. His clients include Academy, Emmy, Grammy and Peabody Award winning independent producers, writers and broadcasters in the film and television industry.

Dustin Smith
On acquisitions for Roadside Attractions
Dustin Smith is the Head of Acquisitions and Business Affairs for Roadside Attractions, the US distributor of such films as Super Size Me, The Fall, Ladies in Lavendar and Amazing Grace. Dustin has been involved in the acquisition and release of such films as Goodbye Solo, Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic, The Puffy Chair and The Road to Guantanamo. Before joining Roadside, Dustin worked as both a theater programmer and film critic.

Clemence Taillandier
On acquisitions for Zeitgeist Films
Clemence Taillandier is the head of theatrical sales for Zeitgeist Films, a US film distribution company with a diverse catalogue of foreign, documentary and art-house titles. Before handling theatrical sales, she worked as non-theatrical booker also for Zeitgeist. After studying business and working in various film festivals in France , she moved to New York 10 years ago.

David Wilson
On submitting to True/False
David Wilson partnered with Paul Sturtz to found the Ragtag Film Society in 1998, the Ragtag Cinema in 2000, and the True/False Film Fest in 2004. As well, Wilson is a programming associate for the Sundance Film Festival and has done hard time on juries at the Denver International Film Festival, Silverdocs, Slamdance, and the Third Coast Audio Festival.