20/02/2003 - Four appointments to discuss distribution, Asian markets, indies and the relationship between media and finance

Since 1988 and by virtue of a work method that is based on the development of real projects, EAVE (European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs), has built up an important network of 650 European audiovisual producers and entrepreneurs.
The EAVE workshops consist of a total of three weeks of intensive and residential training that are spread over a twelve-month period and are held in different European countries. Furthermore, there is constant between-workshop monitoring which enables the contacts that were established during those workshops to be maintained.
The themes of the workshops (all of which are in English) are development, financing and distribution, market strategies, planning and management.
.The Forums, a new initiative that begins this year, are three-day events held by international experts. They give communications sector operators an opportunity to examine case studies, compare their respective experiences, discuss strategies and explore new ideas.
Four forums have been scheduled for 2003. The first will be held in Helsinki on 9/10 May (with a second part at the end of the year). The main issue under examination will be the relationship between finance and the media. This forum targets both public and private film finance operators, as well as TV and new media production sectors. During the forum the latest developments in European production will be analysed and new economic blueprints set down.
July’s forum will deal with distribution and developments in the European market. It will take into account the fall in film pre-sales, and the emergency that has arisen from the advent of new distribution formats like DVD.
A third forum about Asian markets and how European productions can outsource new partners in them will be held in Venice in July. Experts from China (Hong Kong), Thailand, France, Japan and Korea will be on-hand to help European industry operators improve their understanding of the Asian film industry and inform them about every aspect of what a truly global film distribution should be. They will also report on the variety of international co-productions that are currently available for exploitation.
Late in 2003, there will be a fourth forum about the development of independent production companies, outsourcing new financial partners and the creation of market strategies.

Ulterior information and entry forms can be downloaded from the official web site.

(Translated from Italian)