AFCI News Releases

AFCI Global Initiatives to be Launched at LTS 2007
The 22nd annual AFCI Locations Trade Show 2007 will be held Thursday, April 12th through Saturday, April 14th at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, featuring 260 exhibitors representing more than 30 countries spanning six continents.   The international trade show and seminar series, which is produced by the Association of Film Commissioners International, is North America’s longest running entertainment industry trade show.

More than 300 film commissions and industry company exhibitors from around the world and an estimated 4,000 film industry professionals will converge in Santa Monica, California to market global production services and opportunities, including the latest incentives available to film, television and commercial production companies.  

Four seminars, co-produced with the AFCI and the Association of Independent Commercial Producers, the Producers Guild of America, the Location Managers Guild of America and Loyola Law School, are a part of the 2007 event.  Details about the event, seminars and registration are available at the AFCI website, http://www.afci.org

New this year, the AFCI will be unveiling its slate of AFCI Global Initiatives that includes a worldwide educational program that covers the breadth of the film commission profession, easy access to the most current information available on worldwide incentives, and an effective and efficient way to make confidential location inquiries to one or multiple AFCI member commissions.

“These are exciting times for the film industry globally with a whole range of new opportunities for production emerging rapidly,” says AFCI Board President, Robin James.  “The AFCI initiatives will contribute greatly to that process through boosting the standards and capability of film commissions while delivering improved services to the film industry.”

AFCI CERTIFIED FILM COMMISSIONER PROGRAM

The AFCI is the worldwide leader in film commission education and training.  As part of the AFCI Global Initiatives, the AFCI is proud to announce a dramatic expansion of its training portfolio – the Certified Film Commissioner Program.  

“Our enhanced, global training program is a comprehensive, tiered offering that covers the breadth of the complex profession of film commissioning,” says Jenny Williams, AFCI board Vice President of Education.  “The program establishes international standards for film commissions and the vital services they provide to studios, producers, writers, directors, location managers and other industry professionals that engage in the work of on-location filming.”

To enable the widest possible participation, the starter course, Film Commission Fundamentals, is designed for all office staff to be able to take 24/7.  “It is a completely online course that can be taken by anyone at any time around the world,” says Williams.

The five Master Class offerings in the Certified Commissioners Program are built on core competencies across six disciplines.  They are:  

•  Understanding the entertainment industry, production and the film commissioner’s role
•  Marketing and communication techniques
•  Film office operations
•  Business management and economic development
•  Building alliances and partnerships
•  Leadership skills and ethics

To start, the Master Classes will be delivered at AFCI’s two main industry events: the Locations Trade Show, and Cineposium, the annual education conference.  

The five Master Classes are:

•  Film Commission Professional
•  Marketing for Film Commissions
•  The Film Commissioner as Economic Developer
•  Advanced Studies in Filmmaking
•  Business and Leadership for Film Commissions

AFCI GLOBAL INITIATIVES – TOOLS FOR THE INDUSTRY

As part of the AFCI Global Initiatives, the AFCI also has designed two effective and efficient tools for film professionals who need to find incentive and location information in a precise and concise manner. The AFCI website serves as the one-stop site for accessing the most up-to-date information about local, regional and national incentives and easily posting location inquiries to one or multiple member commissions.

Dynamic Incentive Tool (AFCI-DIT)

For the first time, studios and filmmakers will be able to access information on financial and tax incentives dynamically on a global basis through the online tools offered by the AFCI at http://www.afci.org/incentives.htm

“The AFCI’s information on incentives is not a static document posted on the web – the Dynamic Incentive Tool compiles the information, on-the-fly so to speak, at the time it is requested,” says Walea Constantinau, AFCI board Vice President of Marketing.  “Members, who are usually at the forefront of getting legislation passed, can enter new information to the website 24/7.  Once that information is entered, it is available seconds later to anyone making an inquiry.”

Locations Inquiry Service Tool (AFCI-LIST)

The AFCI Location Inquiry Service Tool is designed to streamline requests for information made to AFCI member film commissions.  By filling out and submitting a Location Inquiry Service form, the studio and/or production executive/professional can request specific location and/or production resource information from as many or as few AFCI members as desired, whether it is the city next door or a continent away. The LIST is online at:  http://www.afci.org/login_location_request.php

“The AFCI-LIST really takes advantage of how we communicate today.  It is a powerful tool for location professionals to reach AFCI members,” says Warner Bros. Worldwide Locations Executive Bill Bowling.  “It’s a great time saver…a very efficient method of communicating with any number of film commissions.”


INDUSTRY SEMINARS AT LOCATIONS TRADE SHOW 2007:

Keeping with its AFCI Global Initiatives approach, the AFCI presents at this year’s Location Trade Show an impressive series of seminars focused on key aspects and topics of international significance and interest to the industry, partnering with the Association of Independent Commercial Producers, the Producers Guild of America, the Location Managers Guild of America and Loyola Law School.  To register for these seminars, go to http://www.afci.org

This year’s seminar line-up includes:

•  “Incentives on the Spot” – Thursday, April 12 from 1:00-3:00pm at the Sheraton Delfina Hotel in Santa Monica.  Sponsored by AFCI, the Association of Independent Commercial Producers and the Loyola Law School.  Experts in the field will present scenarios and case studies on what type of incentives are available for commercial spot production and how these incentives in the USA and abroad can influence decisions on shooting location choices.  Cost: $50 for non-members; AFCI/AICP members $25.

•  “Soft Money 3: Financing Independent Film Today & Accessing Film & TV Production Incentives Worldwide” – Friday, April 13 11:30 am – 2:30 pm. At the Loyola Law School.  Sponsored by AFCI and Loyola Law School.  In this popular third annual examination of film and video incentives worldwide, entertainment attorneys, production executives and film commissioners discuss in-depth trends in production incentives.  Cost:  $50 for members and non-members.

•  “Film Commissioners and Production Service Companies:  Keys to Successful Partnerships” – Friday, April 15 from 1:00-3:00pm at the Sheraton Delfina Hotel.  Sponsored by AFCI, the Location Managers Guild of America and Loyola Law School.    This seminar will explore how film commissions and production service companies can form effective partnerships to create an effective and dynamic team for visiting productions. Cost: $50 for non-members; AFCI/LMGA members $25.

•  “New Media Perspectives” – Saturday, April 14 from 1:00-3:00pm at the Sheraton Delfina Hotel.  Sponsored by the AFCI, Producers Guild of America and Loyola Law School.  Film commissioners all over the world are vital channels for discovering stories and identifying financing for new media productions.  This seminar will explore how stories told through new media differ from traditional media and how producers and film commissioners can collaborate to find and finance stories best told through new media. Cost: $50 for non-members; AFCI/PGA members $25.


The Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) is the global professional organization whose members are film commissioners that assist film, television and video production throughout the world.  It is a non-profit educational association whose members serve as city, county, state, regional, provincial or national film commissioners for their respective governmental jurisdictions.  Website: http://www.afci.org