By Cristiane RogetThe 25th annual American Film Market (AFM), which concluded in Santa Monica Nov. 10, was a landmark event. It combined a newly conceived parent organization (the renamed Independent Film & Television Alliance, or IFTA, which replaces AFMA), with a new fall time slot for the show, plus it added a newly forged alliance with the American Film Institute (AFI).To the 7,000 show-goers converging for eight days of screenings, seminars and exhibits, AFM also provided creative and financial opportunities for the below-the-line community. Crewmembers and indie producers alike worked the event, a hotbed of deal-making and job solicitation.The horror genre was a big theme this year. Said Robert Dudelson, whose family-owned Taurus Entertainment premiered Day of the Dead: Contagium and announced pre-production of the third installment of the Creepshow franchise, “Horror has found fertile ground… We are living in horrific times with the specter of war and mayhem around every corner.”Ana Clavell, who moved up from production supervisor to Taurus VP, and who wrote and co-directed Contagium, said, “the sheer creative use of horror allows beginning filmmakers to tackle big subjects without being dogmatic or preachy.” That, combined with the genre’s commercial viability and relatively small budgets, makes it a common outlet for first film outings.Celia Fox, president of Café Entertainment Studios, said she added three horror/thriller projects to the company’s 2005 production slate. Plus, she is bringing on as DP up-and-comer Joe Rubenstein (Curse of the Mayan, A Funny Thing Happened at the Quick Mart, Souvenir). “It is an exciting time for the horror genre,” she said. “These types of films can be shot on a relatively low budget and both the box office and DVD/video returns on many have been extremely lucrative.”According to Regent Entertainment partner Paul Colichman, “Filmmakers and their crews need to fasten their seat belts as the production business is changing every day. They hold the reins of the new and emerging technologies. They are positioned to receive a massive windfall from the independent production sector… Seizing control of the means of production is empowering and more prevalent than ever before.”
Written by Cristiane Roget
