The conference Agenda
FestForward Convergence is a one-of-a-kind interactive conference and networking event for music, film, food + wine + beer festival organizers.
Addressing cutting-edge technology, sustainability, innovation, safety & collaboration, FestForward will close with "Best of the Fests," a festival award ceremony recognizing North America’s best festivals in game changing categories.
The Recipe: One part music + one part film + one part food & wine + one part technology. Stir it up for a fun-filled mentally invigorating three day professionally enhancing experience with hundreds of festivals & industry insiders attending.
BOOK with a 10% discount and a free 200$ campaign on filmfestivals.com (submission booster eBlast) using Bruno15 code
Sunday November 22
10:30-11:45 AM Registration & FestForward Convergence
Exhibition Center opens: Grab a Mimosa- compliments of OneHope Wines and a wristband from Blink FX and visit each vendor for prizes!
11:45 AM-Noon Fifteen Minutes of Game
FestForward Co-founders Laurie & Stuart break the ice on the conference so you can dive right in.
Main Session Room – Grand Ballroom
12:00 Noon - 12:50 PM
Opening Keynote
12:50 PM – 1:30 Lunch
Moderators
Robert Richards
Commercial Director, Glastonbury Festival
Speakers
David Alan Bernahl,II
CEO, CLM, Pebble Beach & Los Angeles Food & Wine Festivals
Mr. Bernahl is co-founding partner of Coastal Luxury Management, a company that focuses on acquiring and managing unique opportunities in the hospitality sector. The company’s first major project was Pebble Beach Food & Wine, a 4-day, annual event hosted at Pebble Beach Resorts that attracts nearly 5,000 people. Pebble Beach Food & Wine celebrates 60 celebrity chefs, 250 international wineries and provides cooking demos, wine... Read More →
Bruno Chatelin
COO, FilmFestivals.com
My background: Business School, Ad Agencies, Distributor, and digital pioneer and entrepreneur. | Founder of filmfestivals.com Major Buzz Factory (Film marketing consulting) and Emotion Film Factory (film production) Bruno Chatelin, french Business School HEC alumni, began his marketing career with the largest international Advertising Agencies: Publicis, DMM Masius and JWT, handling accounts such as Kellog’s, Unilever, Colgate... Read More →
Maureen Ford
President, Local Alliances at Live Nation
Ms. Ford is a 20 year music marketing veteran, having most recently served as Executive Vice President of Live Nation Alliances. Previously, as Vice President of National Music Sales, Ford led the music group's regional and national sales efforts including the renaming of five prominent Live Nation Amphitheatres such as the Tweeter Centers in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and West Palm, as well as creating and selling major music programs... Read More →
Kevan Wilkins
Production Manager, Goldenvoice
1:30 PM – 2:20 PM
The Future of Festivals
The last frontier of the “tribal gathering” according to Seth Godin is the festival. With expansion in every festival vertical under the sun, the death of the festival is greatly exaggerate. Let’s hear from our team of experts in food, wine, music & film about where we are heading in the industry.
Hosted by Laurie Kirby, AboutFest
Kevin Lyman, Vans Warped Tour
David Alan Bernahl II CLM, Pebble Beach & Los Angeles Food & Wine Festivals
Maureen Ford, Live Nation
John Boyle, Insomniac
Bruno Chatelin Filmfestivals.com
TIFF
2:30 PM – 3:20 PM:
NetGain: Networking With Purpose & Prizes
Review the feedback from any conference and you will consistently find that networking is the most important reason for attendance. So here's your chance! Bring your elevator pitch, business cards, and come ready to rumble.
Facilitated by Stuart MacNaught, AboutFest
3:30 PM – 3:45 PM Networking Break
3:45 PM – 5:00 PM
SponsorFest: Brought to you by Lesa Ukman and Delta Air Lines.
Delta will be awarding a sponsorship at FestForward valued at approximately $10,000. (value of travel certificates) to a festival or event that best embodies a strategic fit for Delta.
Lesa Ukman, Futures Director, ESP Properties and co-founder of IEG, Inc. will inform attendees at FestForward how to participate and help them understand the best practices in sponsorship proposals and the sponsor industry.
In addition, a Delta representative will speak to the audience about what they look for in a sponsorship proposal. Attendees will prepare a 3 page targeted sponsor proposal for Delta, with mentoring by Liana Bender, California Film Institute Development Director.
Contest: All FestForward attendees at SponsorFest (except for corporate sponsors) are eligible to win.
To enter: Attend FestForward and sign in at SponsorFest on Sunday November 22, 2015. Submit your 3-page proposal/deck by midnight November 22, 2015 to info@aboutfest.com. The Winner will be announced Tuesday morning before the Awards brunch.
Sunday Festival Industry Bootcamp
Festival Bootcamp - Reagan Room
12:00 PM – 12:50 PM
Turn Up the Heat: Food & Wine Festivals
Since you can’t go to school to be a festival organizer, how do you know if you are on the right track? What checklist will you need for your budget, logistics, production, talent and operations?
Learning from those that have already done the heavy lifting will help you understand the pitfalls, shortcuts, must-do’s and more to land a career or build a festival brand that will be successful for years to come! Come loaded with questions.
Hosted by David Alan Bernahl, II CLM, Pebble Beach & Los Angeles Food & Wine Festivals
Rebecca Robinson, Zinfandel Experience
1:00 PM – 1:50 PM
Music in Movies – And Now for Something Completely Different…
Explore the digital world of movies and music. Whether you are a professional in film or music (or aspire to be) – come learn about the magic behind the music in movies such as Crash, The Illusionist, Butter, The Iron Lady, Silver Linings Playbook, Begin Again, Fantastic Four, and hundreds more.
Hosted by Phil Gallo
Richard Glasser, Head of Music, The Weinstein Company
Andrea von Foerster, Music Supervisor, Firestarter Music
Aaron Zigman, Film Composer
2:00 PM – 2:50 PM
FestForward Tech Hackathon: Final Four Hackathon Teams Pitch to the Judges
The aim of the hackathon is to help shape the evolving festival industry by bringing business and tech talent together with festival producers, and through this brainstorming event, launch new ideas and solutions. The Hackathon which runs 24 hours – Saturday 11/21 11 AM thru 11/22 11 AM – will now have the “final four” teams present to the judges in order to win Delta tickets, Domino’s Pizza Gift cards and more!
After the four pitches, while the judges deliberate, we will hear from:
“CODE” Filmmaker Robin Reynolds on Females in
Technology and
Ralph “The Ethical Hacker” Echemendia on tech security
issues everyone needs to know
Award presented to winning team at conclusion of the session to the winning team.
3:00 PM – 3:50 PM
Now Screening - Film Festival Survival
Running a fIlm festival can be a beast. They are hard to start, run and sustain but the rewards outweigh the challenges so we’re here to help. Learning from those that have already done the heavy lifting will help you understand the best practices to ensure success for your festival. Want to start a career in festival management? You’ve come to the right place too.
Hosted by Stephen Nemeth, Rhino Films
Noah Cowan, San Francisco Film Society
Gary Meyer, Eat Drink Films
4:00 PM – 4:50 PM
Making Your Music Festival or Tour Sing
The road to success in the music industry can be long and winding, frought with setbacks and challenges. Hear firsthand accounts from our distinguished panel about the vision, ingenuity and determination it takes to build a lasting brand in the live music industry.
Hosted by Kevin Lyman, Vans Warped Tour
Disco Donnie Estopinal, Disco Donnie Presents
Chuck Randall, Tour Manager
Come Help Us Set The American Riviera Afire!
Plaza del Sol, Fess Parker Resort, Santa Barbara
5:00 - 7:00 PM Wine Tasting/Beer Tasting/Cocktail Reception & more…
6:00 - 7:00 PM Pasta & Salad Stations
7:00 - 8:00 PM Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam Comes To A Rockin’ Halt at FestForward!
8:00 - 10:00 PM FireChat After Party
Monday Track 1
Main Session: Grand Ballroom
9:00 AM – 9:50 AM
Advances in Festival Technology & Safety
Mobile Apps, wireless technology, “wearable” technology, RFID, and other festival technology impacts the safety of the event, experience of the fan, the crew, vendors and the artist. Our goal is to bring you the latest and greatest to make your festival a “techcess.”
Hosted by Ted Cohen, TAG Strategic &
FestForward Technology Chairman
Gillian Zettler, Charleston Wine + Food Festival
Christophe Daligault, FireChat
Steve Lemon, Event Safety Alliance
Jeff Kreinik, Ticketfly
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
SXSW's Past, Present and Future
2016 will mark 30 years of SXSW. In 1994 they broadened their focus from a strictly music industry event to include interactive technology and film. Other events have adopted various elements of that same convergence approach to conferences and festivals, probably due in part to what they experienced at SXSW.
Mike Shea, Executive Director of SXSW
Interviewed by Phil Gallo
10:50 AM - 11:50 AM
Convergence and Collaboration 2.0: Food, Wine, Film and Music
What happens when the arts come together?
How do festivals create an identity and an experience that can encompass the best of these disciplines? And how do they leverage their perceived value to maximize revenue? Where do we go from here?
Robert Richards, Glastonbury Festival
Gary Meyer, Eat Drink Films
Devonie Nicholas, South Beach Wine & Food Fest
Melissa Dickson, Fashion Meets Music Festival
SuperFly Presents (Invited)
12:00 PM – 12:45 PM
Social Media: Who’s Listening?
The goal of social media is to engage, listen, and convert with increased attendance, ticket sales and great fan experiences. Different tools serve different functions. Are you using them to their greatest advantage? Listen & learn!
Shana Fong, Eventbrite
Mike Wald, Storywall
Erika Williams, Life Is Beautiful
Hannah Houser, AC Entertainment
12:45 PM – 1:30 PM LUNCH
1:30 PM – 2:20 PM
That’s The Ticket – The Art & Science of Ticketing Your Festival
Ticketing can make or break your festival’s success. Pricing, delivery, authentication, access control and analytics are just a few of the considerations when selecting and working with a ticketing partner. Hear the latest in ticketing technology and preview the next generation of tools that will improve social chatter, increase revenues and streamline your event.
Keith Goldberg, Vendini
David Silbaugh, Summerfest
Ben Raffi, Universe
Jesse Lawrence, TiqIQ
SFX (Invited)
2:30 PM – 3:20 PM
Sustainability - It’s an Authentic Problem
Sustainability is the ability to sustain a behavior indefinitely. Our environment depends upon us to protect and preserve it for future generations. Let’s face it, festivals wreak environmental chaos. But it doesn’t need to be the case. Hear some case studies to prove just that.
Hosted by Eric Stevens, OTW Safety – Official FestForward Safety Sponsor
Kathleen Gasperini, Label Networks
Patrice Williams, Going Green Film Festival
3:30 PM – 4:20 PM
Working with Charities: The Festival As Change Agent
Organizers of film, music, food and wine festivals generally incorporate charities into their events in a variety of ways. The events are an organic environment to message audience with calls to action that effect change. Find out how these
leaders are creating a lasting impression beyond the festival walls.
Hosted by Andy Bernstein of HeadCount
Margaret Martin of Harmony Project
Justine Lucas, Global Citizen Festival
Monday track 2
Salon Series – Reagan Room
9:00 AM – 9:50 AM
Film Festival Technology
Festival technology for film festivals includes not only distribution and exhibition but methods for engaging new audiences. Our panel explores how to message in the digital world the ‘analogue” messaging that film festivals traditionally represent.
Benjamin Oberman, Mousetrap Films
Luke Archer, Cool Hand Look
Ralph Echemendia, Red-E Digital
Kimberley Browning, Hollywood Shorts Film Fest
10:00 AM – 10:45 AM
Issues Facing Food and Wine Festivals
With so many food and wine festivals exploding on the scene, the stakes are higher. Ticket pricing, the cost of celebrity chefs, staffing, logistics, audience development & creating a unique experience are top of mind for organizers. We will converge those that have created high profile festivals to understand their view of the industry.
Hosted By Philip Dobard, SoFab Institute
David Alan Bernahl, II, CLM, Pebble Beach and Los
Angeles Food & Wine Festivals
Devonie Nicholas, South Beach Wine & Food Fest
Austin Food & Wine (Invited)
11:00 AM – 11:50 AM
Issues Facing Film Festivals
Programming, sponsorship, staffing, audience and community awareness and festival logistics make the work of running a film festival an incredible, but rewarding challenge. Maintaining relevancy in a world where films are discovered in a multitude of ways and on many devices, as well as managing and planning for a long-term future in the ever changing landscape will be the focus of this panel.
Hosted by Gary Rubin, Cohen Media Group
Noah Cowan, San Francisco Film Society
Liana Bender, California Film Institute
Michal Wiesbrock, Santa Barbara Int’l FIlm Fest
12:00 Noon – 12:45 PM
Issues Facing Music Festivals
With massive rollups, media attention on drug use, overpriced talent & recent high profile festival failures, the challenges for festival promoters has never been greater. However, the discovery of music and fan experiences make festivals the most coveted and memorable way for audiences to consume music. These experts have experienced the ups and downs of
the industry and will share where we are headed.
David Silbaugh, Summerfest
Elliott Lefko, Goldenvoice,
Dave Norman, Tour Manager
Maureen Ford, Live Nation
Disco Donnie Estopinal, Disco Donnie Presents
12:45 PM – 1:30 PM LUNCH
1:30 PM – 2:20 PM
Marketing to Millennials
The conventional wisdom is that the holy grail is millennials, with buying power and influence for the next few decades. They are looking for authentic relationships with properties and brands. But what exactly does that mean?
Amanda Slavin, CatalystCreativ
Erika Williams, Life Is Beautiful
Jacob Tell, Oniracom
2:30 PM – 3:20 PM
Activating Sponsorships at a Festival
When negotiating a sponsorship, all brands recognize the value of activation across many platforms. Festivals need to remain authentic while brands want to be heard. A marriage of convenience must exist for the success of the relationship. What steps must the festival take to ensure success? Our experts will provide some key takeaways.
Hosted by David Hazan, DLH Consulting
Sam Elkin, C3 Presents
Elana Leaf, Insomniac
Robert Richards, Glastonbury Festival
Midori Connolly, AVGirl Productions
3:30 PM – 4:20 PM
Maintaining Your Food & Wine Festival’s Identity
With the rise of VIP ticket prices, celebrity chefs and the epicurean experience, food and wine festivals are feeling the pressure to succeed in a fiercely competitive space. That said, these leaders understand their market and work hard to provide the experience that keeps their loyal fans coming back
while they build a new group of attendees to sustain their festivals.
Gillian Zettler, Charleston Wine + Food Festival
Rebecca Robinson, Zinfandel Experience
Main Session Room – Grand Ballroom
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Wine, Women & Song – Stepping out from Behind the Camera
From icons as the beauty in The Woman in Red, the hilarious Sweeney Sister on SNL, and Fame’s talented triple threat Nicole Chapman, these women have worked in front of the camera for most of their lives. They are now focused on owning their careers on what matters most to them. Hear why Kelly wants us back in the kitchen, Nia has developed a holistic approach to life and Nora can’t stop making us laugh. Also hear from Academy Award Nominated Director Amy Berg (Deliver Us from Evil, West of Memphis, Every Secret Thing with Diane Lane) whose latest film project shines a light on the legendary Janis Joplin.
Hosted by Jennice Fuentes, CEO Fuentes Strategies
Kelly LeBrock, Actor
Nia Peeples, Actor
Nora Dunn, Actor
Amy Berg, Filmmaker
5:30 -6:30 PM
Cocktail Reception in the Exhibit Hall
Last chance to visit the Exhibit Hall and experience the latest and greatest.
Evening on your own! Discover Santa Barbara – The American Riviera
