The second stage of the Australian Feature Film Summit will take place in-person in May, coinciding with the Australian International Movie Convention.

8.30 am   Arrival Coffee

9.00 am  Welcome and Introduction

9.15 am Capturing the audience

How can we ask better questions, capture better data and aggregate anonymized data so that it benefits all parties along the value chain and results in greater connections between films and audiences. What are we not capturing? How can producers access and work with data?

10.15 am Building Audience

Audience development at every stage of the value chain. From strategic unit publicity, social media campaigns, film festivals through to distribution and exhibition strategies. What can we do better to grow Australian audiences over time? How can we incentivize exhibitors to better support local films to give them time to find their audience?

11.00 am  Morning tea

11.30 am Incentivising Success

How can we leverage investment in Australian films, significantly increase marketing spend, offset producer and distributor risk, incentivize streamers to support theatrical windows and deliver a risk/reward ratio in the waterfall that works for all parties along the value chain.

1.00 pm LUNCH

1.45 pm Case Study – The Drover’s Wife

What makes an idea cinematic? The creative process and how it informed the business strategy. Transforming the film into a screen experience that engages audience on a culturally significant work. An opportunity for exhibitors to see up close how a production comes together and for producers to see an entrepreneurial business approach.

Moderator: Sandy George

Speakers; Leah Purcell, Bain Stewart

3.00 pm – ROAD TEST THE IDEA – PITCH FORUM  (1.5 hours)

An exhibitor panel comprising both majors and independents/mini-majors.

Ten producers will be given 3-4 minutes each to test a feature concept with this panel. The purpose is to determine if there is an audience for the idea and answer, “Would you play this film at your cinema? If so, why? If not, why not?”

The exhibitor panel will give 5 minutes in-session feedback on each pitch. All AIMC delegates present will also be invited to complete an online survey on each pitch. All feedback will be collated, ranked and made privately to filmmakers.

Moderator: David Court – Founder, Compton School

Exhibitor Panel:

Alex Moir – Head of Marketing at Palace Cinemas

Claire Gandy – General Manager of Content at Event Cinemas

Ingrid Van Den Berghe – Managing Director of Luna Palace Cinemas

Sasha Close – Program Manager at Brisbane & Gold Coast International Film Festivals

Kieren Dell – Chief Executive of Majestic Cinemas Qld & NSW

Michelle Gator – General Manager Programming at HOYTS Group

5.00 pm Networking Drinks (Sponsored by Coca Cola)

6.00 pm Finish