Grant Bradley of Limelight International Media Entertainment attended AIMC, Gold Cost on 22 August 2011.

Those who have attended know that the Australian International Movie Convention (AIMC) is uniquely different to all the other sales agent driven markets like Berlin, Cannes, Toronto, AFM MIP and MIP-TV.  Firstly, whereas all the other markets lack programme structure and are all about networking and meetings, the Movie Convention is highly programmed with very little free time for meetings so the number of meetings possible in a single day are very limited other than over breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Secondly, attendees are mainly exhibitors and distributors with producer’s being in the minority, and scarce.  The convention is mainly about sitting in theatre and watching trailers and promo reels from the major studios and quite frankly, the experience for an independent producer can be quite depressing – a result of wondering how the majority of us can ever hope to compete for screen space against the giants of the industry and their seemingly bottomless pockets.

However, in the end one of the independents, Transmission, took the spotlight and few minutes there were films talked about that independents can relate to.  Fortunately that was the last of presentations and so, after sitting through two of the majors, it was a refreshing and encouraging conclusion to the day with a solid reminder that, in the end, it is about telling great stories – not huge budgets which often camouflage a weak script and pretty average directing.  

Market Trends

The only market trend that was clearly visible to me, anyway, was the gap between the majors and the independents seems to get wider.  The independent tentpole films dominate the screens to the exclusion of many genuinely creative films that the public may well respond to but simply get squeezed out of limited screen space.  Ocassionally one gets through, and it is tremendously encouraging to see the “Red Dog’s”.  But there are other Red Dog’s out there too, which never see the light of day or are gone in a flash.  Second guessing what the public will respond to remains as imponderable as ever! 

Benefits

A one day attendance has limited value but I was able to have several good meetings and, ultimately, was inspired by the Transmission presentation that there is still a place in the industry for independents.