As the landscape for film, TV and commercials expands well beyond Hollywood, the Assn. of Film Commissioners International is appropriately opening its doors wider than ever before. In 2024, the organization has expanded its annual AFCI Week conference to invite a broad range of industry executives, producers, location managers and government decision makers.
“This year’s AFCI Week promises to break all records for global attendance and geographical diversity,” says Jaclyn Philpott, AFCI’s executive director. By opening AFCI Week to non-members, she hopes a more inclusive approach will help bring the industry together, adding that the turnout “underscores a strong commitment to face-to-face engagement and collaboration.” Held from Aug.
25-28 at UCLA’s Meyer & Renee Luskin Conference Center, the event will feature more than 142 film commissions from all over the globe as it seeks to enhance connections between the commissioners and key players in content production. “AFCI Week offers a unique platform to connect, collaborate and innovate for the future at this crucial time,” says Marnie Gee, British Columbia film commissioner and director of production services. Philpott indicates that the event’s interconnected programming will champion workforce development, the importance of building infrastructure and a focus on adapting to recent disruptions, be they driven by the pandemic, industry strikes or new technologies.
One new event is the Film Industry Challenge, an interactive workshop that will gather data from the audience about zeitgeist-y topics like AI software, workforce development and community and government collaboration. This year also marks the organization’s inaugural collaboration on the Variety 10: Leaders and Innovators in Physical Production, which honors well-established high achievers in television and film. Additionally, more than 60 location managers will attend a reception for film commissioners and location managers across the entertainment industry.
To assess the global landscape, the “Beyond Hollywood” panel will seek insights from senior studio executives about the challenges and benefits of worldwide production infrastructure, including Walt Disney production and investment planning VP MaryAnn Hughes, HBO/MAX/WBD global incentives and production planning senior VP Jay Roewe, and Amazon MGM Studios head of film production Peter Oillataguerre. “The Rise of Unscripted” panel will encourage film commissions to consider unscripted and reality productions, with panelists including Cyprus Film Commission head Lefteris Eleftheriou and RTR Media Canada senior production accountant Jaimie Falconer. “The Independent Perspective” panel brings together commercial producers and game producers to discuss how film commissioners can work collaboratively to give their vision life.
Panelists include Shayne Fiske Goldner, Annapurna’s exec VP of production, Erika Ewing, director of interactive ventures and games for Lionsgate and David Michael Gonzales, director of government relations for the Assn. of Independent Commercial Producers. They will examine the value independent productions bring to a territory, especially underrepresented offerings like commercials and gaming.
Opening keynote speaker, MPA chief Charles Rivkin, says it’s important to recognize how the process of creating memorable content at studios, independents and around the world exerts a much greater impact than just producing a few hours of entertainment. “My hope is to shine a spotlight on why moviemaking matters to folks in the room and to families, workforces and businesses the world over: their ability to spur economies, create jobs, enrich cultures, enlighten, educate and amaze audiences,” he says. Observing that he is particularly excited about AFCI “expanding its reaching and uniting the same partners and parties that the MPA works with every day,” Rivkin emphasizes that great work cannot happen without AFCI and its members.
“AFCI is always a vital venue for collaboration in the film industry,” he says, because creators “depend on strong and effective film commissions in markets around the world.”.
