FootageFest 2020 Cancelled, Footage Industry Webinars Scheduled

Although FootageFest '20 wasn't scheduled to come to L.A. until mid-September, the organizers have decided to cancel this year's conference, and will reschedule the three-day festival in the Fall of 2021.

Since its launch in 2018, FootageFest has rapidly grown to become L.A.'s premier event for third-party content professionals.  Over 200 attendees and two dozen vendors came to its 2018 debut at the Beverly Garland Hotel, and those numbers doubled at last year's festival at the Women's Club of Hollywood. 

The annual conference is produced by U.K.-based Dominic Dare and L.A.-based Steve Kozak -- founders of the Association of Media Content of Users & Providers (AMCUP), a non-profit trade body that recently reached 400 members since its 2014 launch.  Dare is the founder of LOLA Clips (who also gained international prominence after bringing U.K.'s ITN to the United States in the late 1990s). Kozak is Director of Research and Clearances for Jimmy Kimmel Live! 

Other media conferences scheduled for this Fall are still being heavily promoted, including events planned right in the epicenter of New York City. Although it is likely that Los Angeles will be back in business by FootageFest's original September 11-13th dates, Kozak and Dare felt it would be an "inappropriate time to celebrate."  

"Yes, the curve will likely have gone down by September," said Kozak, "but people will be still suffering, and dying this Fall. FootageFest is a fun and exciting place to reunite, meet new people and toast the great works of our peers. It would be inappropriate to host a celebration after a year filled with such tragedy. There will be more than enough time to celebrate next year, where we can travel safely, and also honor all of those we left behind."

In the meantime, Kozak and Dare have begun producing bi-weekly webinars focused on the challenges of working during this quarantine. Another AMCUP co-founder -- Jukin Media CEO Jon Skogmo (originally scheduled to deliver FootageFest's keynote address) produced last Thursday's debut. The viral video-focused webchat featured Jukin licensing rep Andrew Dignan, as well as reps from "Ridiculousness" and The Weather Channel. Nearly one hundred industry members participated in the hour-long webinar.

Next Thursday, April 30th, Dare will moderate AMCUP's second webinar from London, sponsored by LOLA Clips, focusing on how the European community is coping with the challenges of Coronavirus, featuring representatives from Fremantle Media, ITV, INA, Huntley Archives and top UK Archive Producer Kate Griffiths.  The hour-long webinar will begin at 6:30PM GMT - 10:30AM PST - 1:30PM EST.

To register for this webinar:

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIqc-CvqTgqE9Kf9rWdRSsgvLojupPxh1Ji

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

In the next several weeks, AMCUP is planning additional webinars on how specific areas of the industry are working through the quarantine:

Film and TV Licensing: Julie Heath (Warner Bros), Gloria Stabolito (ABC TV), Rick Sievers (Sony) and Archive Producer Adele Sparks ("Five Came Back"). 

News Archives: Bobby Dicks (CNN), and representatives from AFP, Reuters, NBC News and the Associated Press.