Is This The 21st Century Media Conglomerate?
The studios have slowly but surely abandoned movie development, finance and production. Their physical plant is no longer necessary and the last bastion of their control over business - the collective monopoly on distribution - is rapidly evaporating. So, what does the future of content creation and delivery look like? What will fill the vacuum? Enter: Cinetic.
John Pierson moderates a freewheeling discussion with John Sloss and key members of Cinetic and its related companies about their nefarious plans for world domination.
Presenters
Janet Brown
CEO
FilmBuff
Founded in 2007, New York-based FilmBuff is the leading distributor of incomparable digital entertainment. The company draws upon its deep relationships within the film industry to curate content that consistently informs, entertains and inspires. FilmBuff designs innovative digital strategies to supply content to all on-demand outlets. Serving as a bridge between filmmakers and audiences, FilmBuff actively engages in conversations with fellow entertainment lovers through its exclusive access, original content and unique voice. Find FilmBuff content on all cable, satellite and telco services, game consoles, online retailers, wireless platforms and hardware manufacturers worldwide.
Janet has been overseeing the company’s operations since its inception as COO until October 2010, and as CEO since then. She came to FilmBuff with ten years of experience working in the media and entertainment industry in Asia, Europe and North America. Before FilmBuff, she worked in business strategy for Yahoo! Media Group in Los Angeles to define the company’s consumer media content offerings. She started her career as part of Accenture's media and entertainment strategy consulting practice in London where she worked with a variety of clients including News Corp, Warner Music, Film Four, Telewest and Granada.
Janet received her B.A. Joint Honours in Economics and Political Science from McGill University, and her MBA from Columbia University.
John Sloss
Founder of Cinetic, LawCo, FilmBuff
Cinetic Media
John Sloss is the founder of Cinetic Media and a co-founder of FilmBuff. He is the founder of and a partner in the entertainment law firm Sloss Eckhouse LawCo LLP. He co-founded Producers Distribution Agency, the theatrical distributor of Exit Through the Gift Shop, Senna, The Way, Brooklyn Castle and Escape From Tomorrow.
Through Cinetic Media, Sloss has facilitated the sale and/or financing of well over 400 films including Before Midnight, The Square, Prince Avalanche, Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry, Safety Not Guaranteed, Friends With Kids, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Red State, The Kids Are All Right, Precious, I’m Not There, Napoleon Dynamite, Little Miss Sunshine, and Super Size Me. Cinetic Media recently spearheaded the Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for Steve James’ documentary about Roger Ebert, Life Itself, which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. Sloss produced Richard Linklater’s cinematic masterpiece, Boyhood, and has executive produced over 60 films including Before Midnight, Bernie, and the Academy Award®-winning The Fog of War and Boys Don’t Cry. His clients include Killer Films, Richard Linklater, Kevin Smith, Bob Dylan, John Hamburg, Justin Lin, Jake Kasdan, and Big Beach Films.
Prior to founding Sloss Law Office in 1993, Sloss was a partner at the international law firm Morrison & Foerster. Sloss received his J.D. and B.A. from the University of Michigan. He lives in New York with his daughter Loulou and son Henry.
John Pierson
China Production Head
Perfect Storm Entertainment
After a quarter century of aiding and abetting independent filmmakers and a decade on the faculty of the UT/Austin film dept, John Pierson is currently running a new China film production initiative for Justin Lin and Perfect Storm Entertainment. Although it won't be available in Mandarin, his 1996 best seller Spike, Mike, Slackers & Dykes will be reissued by UT Press in print and digital editions in April 2014. Pierson has known John Sloss since 1978. They are exactly the same height.
Ross Fremer
Sr Exec
Cinetic Media
Ross Fremer is an executive at Cinetic Media, an entertainment and media advisory firm located in New York City, where he focuses on corporate advisory work, single picture film investment, as well as growth, venture, and business development initiatives across the company . Prior to joining Cinetic, Ross held analyst positions in Creative Artists Agency's Business Development and Corporate Finance groups. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California and holds a B.S. in Finance with a minor in Cinema-Television.
Ryan Werner
Sr Exec
Cinetic Media
Ryan Werner is a Senior Executive at Cinetic Media and Programmer-at-Large at BAMcinemtek. He previously held the title of Senior Vice President of Marketing and Publicity for IFC Entertainment for almost eight years. An industry veteran, Werner has also held positions at Wellspring Media, Palm Pictures, and Magnolia Pictures.
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