The Family Entertainment and Faith-Based Summit

The Family Entertainment and Faith-Based Summit produced by Variety in association with Rogers & Cowan will look at the business of television and film product that is created for families and faith-based audiences. The Summit will explore the development, production and marketing of this content and look into the future of these markets.   (FROM June 21, 2012)

 

8:30 – 9:30am   Check-In/Welcome Remarks/Morning Networking

9:30 – 10:00am Research/Case Studies
9:30 a.m. to 9:40 a.m. Rentrak ResearchPresented by Bruce Goerlich, Chief Research Officer, Rentrak
9:40 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. Dove Study on Family Film ProfitabilityPresented by Dick Rolfe, Co-Founder & CEO, The Dove Foundation
9:50 to 10:00 a.m. Study on the Evangelical Community "Evangelicals: Research on 100 million media consumers who are diverse, traditional, and not so..."
Presented by Larry W. Poland, PH.D., Chairman and CEO of Mastermedia International

10:00 – 10:30am Keynote Conversation with Ben Simon, Director, Walmart & Co-Chair, ANA Alliance for Family Entertainment
Interviewed by Cynthia Littleton, Deputy Editor, Variety

10:30 – 10:40am Mark Burnett - To Talk About His New Bible Series For History

10:40 – 11:20am State of Family and Faith-based EntertainmentAs audiences are increasingly divided across growing media options, family entertainment like The Blind Side, Narnia, Courageous and October Baby has the power to unify and attract massive audiences worldwide. At the same time, successful outreach to the faith-based communities can mean a measurable boost in box office and ratings for family entertainment. Top studio and TV chiefs will discuss the key ingredients to building these cross-over hits.
*What are critical story elements to rally family audiences and entice major studios to handle these projects? What is the right balance between a compelling plotline and content that fits into audience values?
*What are the marketing models for film and TV – is it easier to strike important co-promotional relationships with brands on family projects?
*Historically, home entertainment has been a strong sector for family and faith-based titles. How have changes to this industry impacted the family and faith-based genre?
*What are exciting projects on the horizon that may boost this entertainment category, such as high-profile directors Darren Aronofsky and Steven Spielberg attached to Noah and Moses respectively?
Moderated by Cynthia Littleton, Deputy Editor, Variety
Confirmed Speakers:
Ben Howard, Co-Founder, Provident Films
Simon Swart, EVP & GM, Fox Home Entertainment
Darren Melameth, VP, Program Planning & Scheduling, Crown Media Family Networks(Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movie Channel)
Brad Siegel, Vice Chairman, GMC TV
Dale Ardizzone, COO, The Inspiration Networks

11:20 – 11:30am Networking Break

11:30 – 12:15am Reaching Family and Faith-Based Audiences: Launching and Marketing Films to Create Universal Hits The family and faith-based audiences do share some similarities in content choices, such as demand for projects that are safe for kids to watch. Studios hope to reach both in launching their films and TV series to maximize their potential – but what is the best way to pitch a mainstream family film to the faith-based segment to ensure you gain fans and don’t alienate anyone along the way? And vice versa, how do you promote projects with spiritual and religious content for mainstream success, such as profitable bonanza Soul Surfer? Top marketers and their partners will analyze what it means to pitch movies and TV projects to different audience groups for an overall impactful and cohesive campaign.
*What were the results of recent pitching broadly-targeted non-religious themed projects to the faith-based demographic – i.e. Relativity’s Act of Valor, TLC’s Sarah Palin’s Alaska, Alcon’s Dolphin Tale; Sony’s The Vow? What works in these sorts of campaigns?
*What elements of certain broad films are necessary to cross over between larger family audiences and the faith-based demographic?
*What were the secret ingredients of the Soul Surfer campaign getting out to mainstream audiences?
*What partnerships are critical in campaigns – aligning with which family-friendly organizations, church groups and pastors, bloggers, etc.?
Moderated by Dan Merrell, President, CEO & Founder, PROPELLER
Confirmed Speakers:
Richard Ingber, President, Worldwide Marketing, Alcon Entertainment
Greg Liberman, President & CEO, Spark Networks
Rio Cyrus, SVP, Marketing, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Jason Jones, Founder, Movie to Movement
Kim Dorr-Tilley, Co-Owner & Founder, Defining Artists Agency & Associate Pastor, Entertainment Ministries, Bel Air Presbyterian Church
Arleen Lopez, Project Manager, Faith Marketing (Gril in Progress), Pantelion Films

12:15 – 1:00pm The Opportunity in Faith-Friendly and Faith-Based Content: What is Success Today?
There is tremendous opportunity in backing faith-centered projects. The faith-based audience is underserved as they seem to crave the relatively few films released in this genre, and are large enough in number to impact box office – such as with Facing the Giants and Courageous. However, not every faith-based project has broken through and found an audience –as people are spread across so many entertainment choices and platforms, the faith-based included. Top distributors, creators and marketers of faith-based content will explore what it means to thrive in this space.
* What is the opportunity for production companies and distributors to enter this business?
* What is the status of TV and delivering faith-based content? The genre seems to skew heavier on the theatrical and DVD side, but it seems like cable/satellite/broadband channels, and their ability to support niche interests can be a viable delivery tool?
* What is necessary to know about the faith-based market to spark their interest for projects?
* What are budget considerations when filming within this niche – is it tricky to attract big name production and acting talent to faith-based projects? Is being labeled a ‘religious’ director/actor/producer controversial in Hollywood?
Moderated by Paul Lauer, Founder & CEO, Motive Marketing
Confirmed Speakers:
Brian Bird, Partner, Believe Pictures
John Shepherd, President, Mpower Pictures
Ted Baehr, Founder and Publisher, Movieguide
Michael Van Dyck, Agent, Paradigm Talent Agency
Rich Peluso, VP, Affirm Films, Sony Pictures Entertainment
John Kilkullen, President, Bible 360, Hearst Corporation

1:00 – 2:00pm Lunch

2:00 – 2:30pm Afternoon Keynote Conversation with Michael Flaherty, Co-Founder, Walden MediaInterviewed by Peter Debruge, Senior Film Critic, Variety

2:30 – 3:15pm Harnessing Digital Media for Family and Faith-Based Entertainment The growth of digital technology has been a boon for niche content producers, in that they don’t have to rely on mainstream-skewing studios/networks to release or market their product. This translates within digital theaters and their alternative programming campaigns; in the home with video-on-demand and streaming; and through digital gaming and apps. Can digital distribution and social media open critical doors for different niches to reach audiences? Top faith-based and family distributors and technology partners will talk about how digital media is advancing their business.
*What content distributors are succeeding in expanding audiences through digital platforms? What is the best strategy given so much choice in how new technologies can deliver content?
*What is the impact of Web communities, apps and other interactive entertainment geared towards family and faith-based audiences? Examples include Jesus Daily on Facebook and the Journey of Moses App.
Moderated by Andrew Wallenstein, TV Editor, Variety
Confirmed Speakers:
Michael Jay Solomon, CEO & President, Truli Media Group & Co-Founder, Telepictures
Jonathan Yang, VP, Sales, Salem Web Networks
Maura Dunbar, EVP & Chief Content Officer, Odyssey Networks
Susan Jackson, CEO, Freestyle Digital Media
Dean Waters, CEO, Mark Burnett Productions' Vimby

3:15 – 4:00pm What’s Next in Family Entertainment?
Within the family and faith-based genres – there is much diversity in the types of content that can fall under these labels. How has the launch of Hub, DisneyXD and other kids-centric channels impacted the business? Can popular faith-based comics, such as Shonda Pierce, break into mainstream with her PG-rated and safe-for-families comedy? Pioneers of these family and faith-based categories and their partners will talk about the significance of these sub-genres.
Moderated by Kirstin Wilder, VP & Managing Editor, Variety
Confirmed Speakers:
Jon Erwin, Director, October Baby
Kenn Viselmann, Founder, Itsy Bitsy Entertainment Company & Producer/Creator, The Oogieloves
Charlie Ebersol, Co-Founder, The Hochberg Ebersol Company (THE Company)/Executive Producer, The Moment on USA Network
James Ackerman, President & CEO, The Documentary Channel
Brian Wells, Co-Founder, Flashlight Entertainment

4:00 – 4:15pm Networking Break

4:15 – 5:00pm Film Finance and Production for Family and Faith-based Entertainment Brands and advertisers have long pleaded with Hollywood to create more family content in which their products can safely and positively be integrated. Walmart and Proctor & Gamble have famously been huge family entertainment advocates, having funded movies that are distributed on the major broadcast networks and promoted in stores. Investment angels, family-advocacy organizations and churches want to support this content as well. Leading financing entities and their production partners will discuss the marketplace for funding family and faith-based entertainment.
Moderated by Mark Joseph, Producer (Doonby, Reagan) and Founder, MJM Entertainment Group
Confirmed Speakers:
George Taweel, Founder, George Taweel Productions
Cindy Bond, Co-Founder & President, Mission Pictures International
Lance McAlindon, Chief Research Officer, Front Porch Research
Deborah Giarratana, Producer, Machine Gun Preacher& Founder, GG Filmz
Dave Johnson, Executive Producer, October Baby

5:00 – 5:45pm Creative Masters in Family and Faith-Based Entertainment Top directors, producers and writers of hit family and faith-based projects will talk about what is driving their storytelling.
*What plotlines and characters are attracting audiences – is it important to look for cross-over potential between faith-based audience and general family viewers?
*With faith-based projects, is there concern of being pigeonholed into only being successful in that category?
*What are dream projects that leading directors, producers and writers would like to make in the future?
Moderated by Brian Lowry, Senior Columnist, Variety
Confirmed Speakers:
Ralph Winter, Producer, X-Men:Wolverine, X-Men: The Last Stand
Corbin Bernsen, Actor/Producer (Psych, The Big Year)
Dean Batali, Producer & Writer, That 70's Show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Chonda Pierce's This Ain't Prettyville)
Lori McCreary, Producer (Invictus, The Magic of Belle Island)
Jason Carbone, Executive Producer (Tia and Tamera, Beverly's Full House)

5:45pm Networking Reception