Since my last blog post my sponsor
did his UK and US presentation at Cannes.
My sponsor is a film producer, but he also created software, Screen
Advantage, that helps film makers put together a list of their finances for
lawyers and production companies when filmmakers are trying to get their film
financed.
My job for these presentations was
to assist the set up, hand out flyers and answer simple questions to people if
they wandered into the presentation midway through. Even, though this seems like mundane work it
actually is slowly introducing me into what it takes to get a film
financed. People not in this industry do
not have a full understanding of how complicated it is to get a film financed
and get it released around the world. It
is actually an extremely long, complicated process. In film the best movie could not be created
because it could not receive proper funding.
What has surprised me the most about Cannes and the movie industry is that business is extremely important, but it is not always in a professional setting. Many companies utilize Cannes as a time to throw huge parties to promote their company or projects, which I find very interesting. Cannes seems like the film industry's ultimate networking event. Cannes is actually the fourth largest media event in the world (after the Olympics, the World Cup, and F1). It's hard to imagine that something that seems so glamorous is so important and serious, especially when Paris Hilton is walking the red carpet.
The next phase of my project is to
build Screen Advantage’s digital media presence i.e Facebook, Twitter, LinkdIn,
etc. As our time in Cannes is almost over
I have already started brainstorming some ideas with my sponsor as to what we
are going to do to improve Screen Advantages digital media presence because in
today’s world have a strong Twitter game is crucial.
Hi Christina-
ReplyDeleteYour project seems so interesting and I love reading about all of your activities. I think it's so cool that you get to go to a beautiful place like Cannes and you aren't writing about it like a vacation, but an actual job. I think that the whole media part of the industry is so cool because it seems really crucial to the success of any project. I’d love to hear more about how you’re helping forward the work in this aspect of the industry and what other new things you’ve learned through your amazing travels. I also can’t believe that the Cannes Film Festival is the fourth largest media event! It’s so cool that you get to be a part of the process. I also wonder how interacting with the people and visitors during the presentation was. I know that working with people for your job can sometimes be difficult so what kind of questions did you get? Were there any weird people or people with really cool questions? I think it is also really cool just reading about your sponsor’s role in the financial aspect of the film business. The software seems like it would super helpful for the companies that surround the business. I hope you’re having a great trip!
Elizabeth