Saturday, January 6 Noon - 1:00 PM DH3: Session A: Revolution in Feature Film/Short Film Production and the Net From Sundance & Cannes to our own Digital Hollywood in Los Angeles, the past year will be remembered for one thing - the emergence of the dot-coms in film industry. If 1999 was the year the music industry was shaken by the arrival of MP3 and Napster, then this year will be the year the movie industry “Got Digital.” The merger of movies and the Internet is about two important ideas: the delivery of movies into the home via broadband and second, the ability of film makers to produce theatrical quality films (yes, just as good as 35mm) using digital cameras and digital desktop editing systems. Why should a feature film maker be boxed in by the constraints of huge budgets and the understandable demands of the traditional film industry when there is a ready alternative - low budget production with total creative freedom? And it goes double for innovative TV programming and animation. In the next twelve months, it is possible that 500 to 1000 quality shorts or features get produced, not only by students or fly-by-night production companies, but by experienced professionals. Digital Hollywood welcomes these newcomers to cross the digital divide. Curt Marvis, CEO, CinemaNow Robert Lazarus, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Flixer Robert Algeri, founder, Shortbuzz.com Allen DeBevoise, Chairman & CEO, Creative Planet iFilm, speaker to be announced Howard Rosenberg, CEO, ALWAYSi Olivier Zitoun, CEO, Eveo Dion Algeri, co-founder, Shortbuzz.com, Moderator Curt Marvis is CEO of CinemaNow, an interactive entertainment and community driven virtual film studio linking indie film watchers to indie filmmakers. Marvis takes the helm of CinemaNow after a diversified 20-year history of leadership in the television, music, multimedia and Internet arenas. Prior to joining CinemaNow, Marvis led publicly held 7th Level (now Learn2.com NASDAQ: LTWO) in its transformation from a game development company to a leader in web-based e-learning and communications services. After overseeing the complete restructuring of the company, Marvis led the successful merger activity between 7th Level and privately held Street Technologies resulting in the formation of Learn2.com (NASDAQ:LTWO). Previously he was co-founder and executive vice president of multi-media start-up Powerhouse Entertainment where he was instrumental in creating a new form of interactive entertainment called Moviegames. The new game genre, which integrated original film footage and breakthrough voice recognition technology, debuted in two live-action CD-ROM games base on the motion pictures -- "The Jungle Book" from Disney and "Pinocchio" from New Line Cinema. Before starting Powerhouse Entertainment, Marvis served as consultant to the IBM Multimedia Publishing Studio and Global Interactive Task Force where he helped create strategic plans for IBM in their development of CD-ROM and interactive software. Marvis initially made his mark in the entertainment industry as CEO of The Company, an award winning privately held LA based production company that produced and developed more than 200 music videos, concerts, home videos and commercials. During the 10 years he headed The Company, Marvis launched productions for rock luminaries from Pink Floyd and The Rolling Stones to Janet Jackson and Bon Jovi. He produced many of the most popular rock videos in the history of MTV and his work was honored during the Grammy’s, American Video Awards, Billboard Awards, MTV awards, and international competitions. The industry recognized him by awarding him the coveted MTV Video Vanguard Award in 1991. Early career work included a three-year stint with documentary and family programming production house Bill Burrud Productions and five years producing for a number of projects including the innovative comedy program Channel Zero as well as a diverse mix of reality and dramatic productions for United Artists, New World and Sunn Classics. At the age of 17, he filmed and produced a television documentary on California that was sold during Marche International Des Producteurs (MIP) in Cannes, where he was the youngest producer to participate in the selling of his own program. Marvis received his B.F.A. Summa Cum Laude from the UCLA Film School in 1980, after being one of the youngest documentarians to have a film acquired for distribution. Marvis’ position at CinemaNow.com marks the return to his true love, the world of film. He brings leadership and entrepreneurial vision in directing CinemaNow.com towards creating a world of free enterprise for independent cinema enthusiasts. Allen DeBevoise, Chairman & CEO, Creative Planet: Allen Debevoise is one of the founders of Creative Planet and has been the driving force behind the company since its inception. He brings more than 20 years’ experience in the multimedia and interactive business to Creative Planet. Before founding the company, DeBevoise was president and CEO of TCI Interactive, TCI’s interactive investment vehicle. While at TCI he executed investments in Sportsline, iVillage and Interzine. Prior to TCI, DeBevoise was president and CEO of AND Interactive Communications, an award-winning interactive design and production company, which he sold to TCI in 1994. DeBevoise’s experience also includes tenure at Robert & Associates, a visual effects firm, where he was technical director, then creative director. DeBevoise graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in mathematics and an MSE in computer science. Robert Lazarus, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Flixer, has over seventeen years of entertainment industry experience in successfully creating and managing both new domestic and international business units as well as building new revenue streams and driving growth. Most recently, Lazarus served as Chief Operating Officer of Paramount-based Mutual Film Company, an independent feature film company uniquely engaged in all aspects of development, production, film finance and international distribution. As COO, Lazarus co-developed and executed the business plans and finance models for the co-financing of six feature films with budgets totaling over $285 million, including A Simple Plan, Primary Colors, and The Jackal. Films produced under Lazarus’ tenure with Mutual Film include Saving Private Ryan, Hard Rain, and Paulie. Lazarus also staffed and operated Mutual Film International, the international sales, marketing and distribution arm of the company, whose first year revenues were among the top 5 in the industry. Prior to his tenure at Mutual Films, Lazarus held the position of Executive Vice President and General Manager of Turner Broadcasting Systems’ Turner Pictures Worldwide Distribution, Inc. (TPWD). Here, Lazarus directed operations and planning for all aspects of TPWD including long term strategic planning and tactical functions such as sales, marketing, product acquisitions, business development, customer services, legal and business affairs, management, and financial functions. Among other accomplishments at Turner, including the creation of a strategy to maximize revenues and profits through direct distribution and licensing, Lazarus acquired distribution rights to independently produced feature films. Lazarus also served as President, Worldwide Marketing and Distribution for Vista Street Entertainment, a producer of independently financed feature films. At Vista Street Lazarus was responsible for worldwide sales and distribution in all media by establishing relationships with leading independent distributors in numerous markets. His efforts were focused on creating content to drive the explosion of the video business and using his foresight to help deliver product appropriate for that market. Lazarus began his entertainment career with the Walt Disney Company at The Disney Channel, where he was Western Regional Affiliate Sales and Marketing Manager for the premium pay cable service. At The Disney Channel he managed all consumer and trade sales and marketing activities for some of the company’s top penetrated markets and executed the first consumer price sensitivity tests used to determine optimal pricing strategy to maximize growth and profits. Lazarus holds a Bachel Robert Algeri – Co-Founder, Shortbuzz.com: Robert Algeri is a seven-year veteran of the entertainment industry and an online entertainment pioneer. Robert, and his brother Dion, founded Shortbuzz.com, a leading online entertainment company launched in July 1999. Shortbuzz was one of the first companies to successfully bring filmed entertainment to the web. In June 2000, Robert and Dion orchestrated the sale of Shortbuzz.com to leading Internet holding company, CMGI. Shortbuzz was subsequently folded into CMGI’s entertainment portal, iCast. The duo jointly led the film division of iCast. At Shortbuzz, Robert led all film acquisitions, business development and artist relations efforts. As a former producer and filmmaker, his insight on the business and creative disciplines of the filmmaking process helped make Shortbuzz one of the most popular sites among aspiring filmmakers and led to a highly successful content acquisition, promotion, and business development model. Prior to establishing Shortbuzz, Robert held production positions for numerous feature films, including projects at NBC and the digital effects giant, Digital Domain. Some of the film projects Robert worked on include, Michael Jackson’s film 2 Bad, the Warner Bros. comedy Addicted to Love, the Robert Redford production, Slums of Beverly Hills for Fox Searchlight, and Jodie Foster’s Home For The Holidays.Currently, Robert and Dion are online entertainment consultants and in the process of writing a book on their Internet entrepreneurial experiences. Howard Rosenberg, Chief Executive Officer, ALWAYSi: Immediately prior to joining ALWAYSi, Howard was president of Scott Street Ventures, an acquisition vehicle created to acquire and manage an existing business. Prior to Scott Street, Howard spent six years as a venture capitalist investing exclusively in consumer sector companies. His areas of focus included branded products, specialty retail, consumer and business services, restaurants and e-commerce, with particular focus on consumer businesses building strong specialty brands. Howard has been involved in the investment of approximately $70 million in multiple transactions in these areas. Prior to working as a venture capitalist, Howard worked as an investment banker with the Blackstone Group. He holds dual degrees with honors in Economics from The University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton School of Business and an MBA from the Harvard Business School. Olivier Zitoun, Co-founder, President and CEO Olivier Zitoun, founder and CEO of Eveo, brings over 15 years of experience in the high-tech and Internet industry through various executive positions in sales, marketing and product development. Prior to founding Eveo, Olivier Zitoun was CEO of Aplio, Inc. (San Bruno, CA), a leading provider of consumer Internet appliances. Before Aplio, Olivier was Senior Vice President and General Manager at Artisoft, Inc. (Tucson, AZ), a publicly traded company, leading provider of communication and Internet software. During his tenure, Zitoun was responsible for the P&L of the largest product group of the company (over 100 people/$40 M annual revenues) and launched a new line of Internet software products. Prior to his position in the US, Zitoun was based in France where he held various positions for Artisoft including Vice President Europe overseeing 5 branch offices. Prior joining Artisoft in 1991, he was the Marketing Director of Kortex, French leading modem manufacturer, a position he held for over 5 years in the company.