Finding the Dough: Navigating the Digital Market
Moderated by Richard Lorber, CEO & President of Kino Lorber, he will explain the fragmented digital landscape and talk about the platforms that deliver audiences and money. He will outline the challenges to entry, the changing opportunity, and the emerging leaders in the digital landscape. The panel will feature leading aggregators and reps from companies such as Warner Brothers Digital, Gravitas, Cinetic and Tribeca, who will talk about the different opportunities for filmmakers and distributors and how to best tap into the digital gold rush.
Presenters
Eric B. Stein is a leading industry professional in the new media distribution space, with over 13 years of proven success in licensing, programming, business development and strategy from both sides of the negotiation table. He has a broad, deep and relevant knowledge of new media distribution opportunities in the film, television, gaming and music space. Throughout his career Eric has worked with established content producers and distributors, playing an integral role in the transformation from traditional content distribution into the vast avenues of the new technology platforms.
Eric is currently at Warner Bros. as the Director of Programming and Acquisitions for Digital Distribution, responsible for the development of programming strategies for the ongoing management of WB owned content as well as the worldwide Third Party Acquisitions for VOD, EST, Wireless and Online Businesses. In his previous role at Warner Bros., Eric was responsible for business development, broadband client management and the licensing of digital rights for film, TV and most recently PC games In this role, Eric was instrumental in the initial development and contract negotiations of the emerging Manufacturing On Demand (MOD) and PC Downloadable Games businesses.
Prior to Warner Bros., Eric worked for Hewlett Packard in Digital Entertainment Services where he oversaw their content licensing strategy (research, negotiation, etc.) and business development for the Video Merchant Services project, which enabled traditional brick-and-mortar retailers to enter into New Media distribution by utilizing private label online stores and selling new media products to consumers online. Eric has been a consultant for numerous companies in New Media Distribution regarding licensing, business development and strategy.
Eric was an original founder of CinemaNow where he oversaw and developed all aspects of programming and content acquisition including the research and negotiation of libraries for the leading international online Video-On-Demand distribution service.
Eric has been a lecturer at USC and UCLA on the topics of Cinema, Entertainment Studies, and Performing Arts as well as guest speaker to the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA) New Technology Opportunities Committee. Eric is a Member of Coleman Research Group’s Elite Executive Forum on Entertainment Industry and New Media to aid institutional investors.
Eric is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh where he received his BA in Film Studies and attended the University of London/Imperial College, London, UK.
Nick is the Director, Film Acquisitions at Tribeca Film, a comprehensive distribution label dedicated to acquiring and marketing independent films across multiple platforms, including video-on-demand, theatrical, digital, home video and television. Tribeca Film is an initiative from Tribeca Enterprises, designed to provide new platforms for how film can be experienced, while supporting filmmakers and introducing audiences to films they might not otherwise see.
Current and upcoming Tribeca Film releases include the critically acclaimed Side by Side; Takashi Miike’s Hara-Kiri; The Comedy, directed by Rick Alverson and starring Tim Heidecker; Internet horror franchise sensation Grave Encounters 2; Toronto International Film Festival world premieres The Fitzgerald Family Christmas, directed by Edward Burns, and How to Make Money Selling Drugs; Struck By Lightning, directed by Brian Dannelly and written by/starring Chris Colfer; Greetings from Tim Buckley, starring Penn Badgley and Imogen Poots; Somebody Up There Likes Me, starring Nick Offerman; and the Academy Award ® nominated War Witch.
Monday, March 11
