10:45 AM - 12:15 PM
Session A:
Monetizing and Producing Movies for the Net - New Technologies Expand the Horizon
If the thesis, that one thousand new feature and short films are going to be produced in the coming year due to new, enhanced digital technology is true, two trends must be understood. First, what is it about the new digital technology which makes possible the $10,000-$100,000 produced feature? What is the production dynamic of low-budget film making all about? Secondly, it would be prudent if the industry also had a plan of how this product is going to find a commercial entry point. At this time, pay-per-view on the Internet is a far from proven method of distribution, but there are many new ideas in play for monetizing the new content. After samplings on the Internet, DVDs can be ordered and instantly pressed. Perhaps new monthly subscription fee based systems are the way. No one knows for sure because we are at the start of something brand new, but in this session, we will try out the new ideas on each other. The future is before us, and it should be fun.
Joel S. Roodman, Vice President Business Development, On2.com
Howard Rosenberg, CEO, ALWAYSI.COM
Aron Campisano, CEO and founder, FILMSPEED
Don Thompson, CEO, nextPix
Dave Gajda, CEO, Hollywood Software
Brad Goodman, Co-Founder of EXPEDITE.COM
Michael H. Klein, imix.com
Laura Betterly, co-founder, PC DJ, Principal, Multimedia Events and Technology, Moderator
Don Thompson, President and CEO, nextPix: Don Thompson has a diverse 15 year background in theater, film and technology. As a playwright, he was known through the 1980's and 90's for his socially-relevant plays, TIBET DOES NOT EXIST and L.A. BOOK OF THE DEAD. His first feature film, CLOUDS, was completed in 1999 and after a successful festival tour received several awards. CLOUDS is being distributed theatrically by IN Pictures in the fall of 2000. Prior to founding nextPix, Don was president of his own consulting firm, and worked as a technology strategist and systems integrator for some of the nation's top companies, including American Express, AT&T, Merrill Lynch, and SalomonSmithBarney. Don has also partnered with and helped develop multi-million dollar technology startups, including Stirling Systems LLC and Folded Space LLC. He is also a well-regarded technology author, having published books, articles and studies on all facets of the technology revolution. Don co-founded nextPix in 2000 with Diana Takata and technology entrepreneur Dr. E. Ted Prince with the goal of providing new technology and innovative production services to the traditional, independent and "desktop" film markets. Thompson graduated from UCLA's film school in the early 1980's with both graduate and undergraduate degrees.
Joel S. Roodman, Vice President Business Develoment, On2.com: Roodman joined On2.com in June 1999 from the senior ranks of Miramax Films (1991 to 1999). Roodman was an integral part of the company’s successful climb from small independent to mini-major and among his responsibilities he developed new business programs within the company’s marketing, merchandising, licensing and new media/on-line divisions. Roodman took a two year hiatus from Miramax (1995 to 1997) and produced two feature films; Goodbye, Lover, directed by Roland Joffe which was released by Warner Bros. in April 1999. He also produced The Blood Oranges which was distributed worldwide by Trimark in January 2000. Prior to 1991 Roodman attained a high level of marketing and business development success in Canada where he had been involved in film and television production services, distribution, co-production and co-financing, new product introduction, advertising, sales, marketing and promotion. At On2, Roodman is responsible for developing strategic relationships with content providers and producers worldwide. He is also instrumental in furthering the company's objectives in technology and distribution by working with both traditional and new media companies both domestically and internationally.
Howard Rosenberg, CEO, ALWAYSI.COM: Howard joined AlwaysI.com in December 1999.
Immediately prior to joining AIF, he was President of Scott Street Ventures, an acquisition vehicle he formed 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.Aron Campisano, CEO and founder, FILMSPEED: FILMSPEED is a centralized dist
ribution service for the wide-area syndication of broadcast-quality MPEG-4 home video on the broadband Internet. FILMSPEED serves thousands of consumer Web sites through its affiliate program and scales to millions of Internet devices, including PCs, DOCSIS-compliant set-top boxes, PDAs, and WAP cell phones. Aron's career in digital video entertainment includes producing credits from companies including Disney Interactive and CNET, where he developed his expertise in digital video development, optimization, compression, and delivery. He is a graduate of New York University's department of Film & Television.Brad Goodman, Co-Founder of EXPEDITE.COM: Brad Goodman has more than 15 years of experience in the entertainment industry. He comes to EXPEDITE.COM with a long li
st of film and television credits having collaborated with many of the industries most influential Producers and Directors. Most recently Mr. Goodman served as Post Production Supervisor on the Beacon Pictures produced End of Days (Peter Hyams) and The Last Days (James Moll), the 1998 Academy Award Winner for Best Feature Documentary. Prior to these films, Mr. Goodman was a Post Production Supervisor for DreamWorks SKG, where he oversaw post production on the feature films Small Soldiers (Joe Dante), Deep Impact (Mini Leder), Mousehunt (Gore Verbinski), and the studio’s first release, The Peacemaker. (Mini Leder), Mr. Goodman’s prior credits also include The Long Kiss Goodnight (Renny Harlin), Twister (Jan DeBont), Casino (Martin Scorsese), The Hunted (JF Lawton), Death Becomes Her (Robert Zemeckis) and Noises Off (Peter Bogdanovich). Television credits include Attack of the 50’ Woman (Christopher Guest) and Amazing Stories. From 1987 until 1992 Mr. Goodman served on the Post Production Staff for Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, part of a small staff at perhaps one of the most successful independent production companies in contemporary Hollywood. Mr. Goodman has worked with many studios including Universal, Warner Bros., New Line Cinema and HBO, as well as a consultant for DreamWorks, Universal Home Video, LucasFilm’s THX/TAP Division and various international distributors. Active within the industry, Mr. Goodman has supported numerous independent filmmakers and craftsman in their endeavors. Most recently he was a founding member of SPPS, the Society of Post Production Supervisors. Originally from New York, Mr. Goodman is a 1982 graduate of S.U.N.Y, College at Oswego with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies. Michael H. Klein, imix.com: Michael Klein has spent over 19 years specializing in the field of Pay-Per-View, Video-On-Demand and Pay Television. His expertise crosses over multiple levels of management, with particular emphasis in programming. He has been responsible for the development and implementation of the programming philosophy for the industry’s top companies in their respective fields. Mr. Klein runs his own consulting company for the entertainment industry called Next Step Entertainment, Inc. His current activities include assisting Columbia TriStar International Television in regard to their pay-per-view and video-on-demand licensing deals. Mr. Klein is also working with Sony and the Game Show Network on the creation and rollout of the new pay-per-view service SoapCity. Other clients include pay-per-view event promoters and a number of Internet companies who have hired his services to assist in content acquisition. Mr. Klein previously had spent the last five years in charge of all programming for the largest home pay-per-view network, iN Demand (formerly known as Viewer’s Choice). As Senior Vice President of Programming, Mr. Klein was responsible for bringing to pay-per-view the highest revenue grossing events of all time, such as Tyson-Holyfield I & II, De La Hoya-Trinidad, Wrestlemania XV and Woodstock ’99. Yearly gross revenue for events during Mr. Klein’s tenure achieved levels between $250M and $450M, with all time industry highs occurring during Mr. Klein’s tenure in 1997 and 1999. He was also responsible for developing events specifically for pay-per-view such as The Rolling Stones ’97 Concert and bringing in the pay-per-view element to events such as The 1999 Amnesty International Concert featuring Bruce Springsteen and Shania Twain. With Mr. Klein’s supervision, iN Demand grew from 5 pay-per-view channels to over 35 channels of near video-on-demand as well as the onset of video-on-demand roll-outs. iN Demand grew to become the market leader of pay-per-view television. Prior to iN Demand, Mr. Klein was in charge of all programming for the largest video-on-demand service for the hotel marketplace, On Command Video. The company grew from serving 2,000 hotel rooms to its present number of over 900,000 rooms and expanded into the overseas marketplace through its own venture as well as through a partnership with Pacific Pay Video for Mr. Klein’s services. While at On Command Video, Mr. Klein supervised all areas of operations, business affairs, marketing and promotions. He also was the entertainment adviser on the parent company’s acquisition of feature film production company Beacon Films ("Air Force One", "End of Days", "The Hurricane"). Mr. Klein was also in charge of all pay-per-view programming for what was at that time the largest hotel pay-per-view company, SpectraVision. Mr. Klein oversaw all areas of acquisitions, scheduling, development, marketing, promotions and business affairs. While at SpectraVision, Mr. Klein helped them expand to foreign territories and was instrumental in helping to finalize the acquisition of a Canadian hotel pay-per-view competitor company. He also served as Vice President of Film Acquisitions for Showtime Networks. Mr. Klein was one of the first executives hired for the launch of the Playboy Channel. He developed its programming strategy and was instrumental in the growth of the network to its stature of industry leader in adult pay television. He began his career at Rainbow Networks, creating on-air strategy for the Bravo and Escapade Networks (the latter being the precursor to the Playboy Channel). Mr. Klein has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Broadcasting and Film from Boston University’s College of Communications, with a minor in Sociology.