AMCUP & FOCAL to Host FootageFest 18 in LA

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This Fall, AMCUP will premiere FootageFest ’18.  Partnering in AMCUP’s inaugural event is its new transatlantic partner, The Federation of Commercial Audio-Visual Licensors (FOCAL International), who is coming to the newly-revitalized NoHo Arts District in the Heart of the City of Angels. 

The two-day festival will take place on September 22-23, 2018 at multiple locations in North Hollywood.

Whether you represent stock libraries, production companies, news agencies, viral videos or independent cameramen – you probably spend way too much time travelling to conventions with the promises of being connected to buyers….

And whether you are a researcher, clearance professional, archive producer, writer or director, you probably spend way too much time trying to find those unique pieces of footage that you haven’t been able to find at the larger corporate libraries – the clip that’s going to bring gold to your project.

Much ado is made about conferences that promise to bring buyers and sellers together, and often require pricey travel into snow-infested territories – on the hopes that buyers will meet more sellers, and vice-versa.

"Well, roll the dice no more," said Steve Kozak, AMCUPs founder and director. "The Association of Media Content Users and Providers includes both buyers and sellers among its members, so there’s no need for special events designed to bring people together….Every AMCUP event is, in and of itself, an ideal opportunity to meet the buying or selling partner you’ve been looking for."

"Although AMCUP’s diverse membership includes employees from large production companies and corporate stock houses, our key strength is the inclusion of freelance researchers and archival producers, as well as smaller niche stock houses," said Kozak. "It is these dynamic independents that make us so different, so unique and such an exciting and creatively-inspiring organization to be involved in."

"AMCUP also tears away at the false stereotypes of stock footage," said Kozak. "While we wholeheartedly embrace the historical content of yesteryear, AMCUP blazes a digital torrent into the viral community – as well as the technical ability to digitally-enhance our analog community.  With the addition of Jukin Media’s Founder Jon Skogmo as our Director of New Media, we have essentially partnered with the largest purveyor of viral video content in the industry." 

In just over two years, AMCUP has rapidly grown to 300+ members worldwide, bringing buyers and sellers, creators and consumers, or as AMCUP calls them -- users and providers --- together, and in the convenience of Hollywood, California. 

The time has come for Hollywood itself to host its own footage expo.

Highlights include:

  • 10+ Panels Across Every Aspect of our Industry.
  • 20+ Archives from US, UK, Middle East & Australasia.
  • The Real Thing: No Sponsored Panels!  No Sponsored Speakers!
  • Food, Fun, Footage, Drinks.
  • US & Brits Fight to the Bloody Death Over Footage Trivia.
  • A Night of Bad Footage That’s So Good at the HaHa Comedy Club with Special Surprise Guest!!!

Confirmed Panels to Address and Discuss the Following Issues:

  • Licensing Content FROM U.S. & U.K. Film & TV Studios - What are their policies?  Turnaround time for requests?  Pet Peeves?  What restrictions do they have as far as context?  Which studios need specific director / actor approvals? 
  • Licensing Content TO U.S. & U.K. Film & TV Studios - How can content owners license more of their material to today's top film and TV studios in the U.S., as well as in the UK?  How can one become a "preferred vendor" and how common is this practice among large corporations?  How do the UK tax laws affect US vendors, and vice-versa? 
  • Content & Recouping Fees for Unauthorized Uses - Someone has used your content without your permission....What recourse do you have?  How does the Lenz vs. Universal decision affect your aggressiveness in pursuing a copyright takedown? How is business affected by the alleged victim who -- some may say – has to decide whether to bite the hand that feeds them?
  • Researching & Licensing News Content - News stringers, assignment editors and producers offer the tricks of the trade – how to work with local markets, and the ups and downs of working with local, national and international news agencies.  
  • Researching & Licensing User-Generated Content - Viral video personalities, UGC agencies and producers discuss the ups and downs, and the potential dangers of using UGC across their platforms.
  • Researching & Licensing Sports Content - International sports agencies, specific sports leagues and producers discuss the challenges awaiting you as you begin your sports content-infused project.  
  • Meet the Diggers: Archive Producers from Top Docs of 2016-2018…Q & A with the Folks Behind these Recent Epics: Won’t You Be My Neighbor; Bobby Kennedy for President; 13th; My Generation; I Called Him Morgan; and The Jinx: The Lives & Deaths of Robert Durst.
  • Current Legal Claims, Cases, Verdicts & Decisions - A group of top I.P. attorneys in the entertainment industry fill us in on the most recent legal developments, as well as updates on recently filed cases and claims – and their potential effect on us.
  • Clip-Flip: Pitch Your Third-Party Content for Documentary or Non-Fiction Project - Archivists, researchers, stock reps and all attendees can hear from the Executive Producers and Showrunners that have “flipped” a small piece of third-party content by converting it into a long-form documentary.  Do you hold a similar piece of content in your library? Afterward, attendees can pitch their clip -- along with their idea – to one of our several showrunners and EPs and see if their content has the legs to go long-form.
  • Doc-Talk:  Screening (title and panelists TBA)  

Please click here to register for FootageFest 18.

Any questions?  Please contact FootageFest Co-Chairs:  Dominic Dare & Steve Kozak.