Varietyís Showbiz Expo Los Angeles Looks At The Challenges Of Keeping Entertainment Jobs At Home Featured Moderators And Speakers To Include Leaders From Industry And Government
As scores of film, television and videos once shot in the Unites States now get produces in places like Vancouver, New Zealand, and Toronto, the American entertainment professional sees opportunities and jobs slip to global competition. As the statistics readily point out, Hollywood is slowly being challenged as the entertainment capital of the world. By creating a forum to examine this issue, Varietyís ShowBiz Expo, the premiere conference and trade show for the entertainment production industry, takes a hard look at the many political and economic factors that contribute to flight of jobs outside the U.S. borders. On Friday, June 25, 1999, 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm, this yearís Varietyës ShowBiz Expo Los Angeles keynote panel brings together some of the top figures in the entertainment industry in a meaningful forum to discuss keeping the United States a competitive, driving force in the industry. The panel, entitled, ""The American Film Industry: Competing In The New Millennium,"" will attempt to answer specific questions including: How much business is the American film market losing, to whom and why? How will technology change the business as we know it today? What is the role of labor unions, guilds, and associations? What is the role of city, state, and federal government? And, how can the American film production industry compete in the global marketplace? The keynote panel is open to all ShowBiz Expo registered attendees. The distinguished panel includes moderators, Barry Gordon, Esq., the longest serving President of the Screen Actors Guild and the 1998 candidate for Congress in the 27th Congressional District and Academy AwardÆ winning sound designer Stephen Katz. Other panelists include industry leaders form labor unions, guilds, associations, city, state, and federal government. The current roster of speakers are (subject to change): -Congressman Howard L. Berman, California 26th Congressional District -Scott Wildman, California State Assemblymember, 43rd Assembly District -Mike Frischkorn, President, The American Film Marketing Association -Michael J. Wolf, Founder, Senior Partner, Media & Entertainment, Booz, Allen & Hamilton -Cody Cluff, President, EIDC, Entertainment Industry Development Corporation -Bruce Doering, National Executive Director, International Photographers Guild, Local 600 -Jack DeGovia, Chairman, FTAC, Film & Television Action Committee -Stephen Katz, Stephen Katz & Associates -Rob Hummel, Executive Vice President of Digital Technology Development, Technicolor and formerly of DreamWorks -Robert Coleman, Vice President, Sony Electronicsí Broadcast and Professional Group -Michael Klein, Director, Colorado Motion Picture and Television Commission -Judy Frank, Principal, Asset Strategies ""To compete successfully and efficiently in the new millennium the American film production industry, like all industries, must redefine and reinvent itself. To achieve this goal will require the involvement of technology, government, and most importantly, the industry needs a determined clarification of the objectives within itself,"" notes Stephen Katz, speaker and keynote panel moderator. In addition to the keynote panel, ShowBiz Expo Los Angeles offers three days of extensive seminar programs produced by the Visual Effects Society, and the exhibition of products and services from over 500 entertainment production suppliers. Varietyís ShowBiz Expo events attract professionals from the feature film, television, cable advertising, video and interactive media production communities. ShowBiz Expo will serve the east coast entertainment production community when it returns to New Yorkís Jacob K. Javits Center September 16-18, 1999. For more information on exhibiting at ShowBiz Expo, contact 203 840 5669; on attending call 203 840 5688 or visit the ShowBiz Expo web site at http://showbizexpo.reedexpo.com.