The 2026 AFM’s inaugural New Global Screen Economy Summit on November 10 will discuss the proposed US federal production incentive and the new IP value chain as part of the Los Angeles market’s (November 10-15) broader conference programming.
The half-day summit will explore the convergence of entertainment, technology, capital, creators and audiences and kick off with keynote address from Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA) president and CEO Jackie Brenneman, followed by a keynote from industry analyst Evan Shapiro.
SP Media Group chairman Steven Paul and president Scott Karol will join Josh Rogin, the Motion Picture Association’s SVP of federal affairs, in a session about the proposed US incentive legislation titled The New Federal Production Incentive: A Turning Point for U.S. Production.
Curry Barker’s literary agent Jordan Lonner will join Obsession producer-financier Christian Mercuri of Capstone Pictures and talent manager Brett Rosen in a session moderated by Screen called The New IP Value Chain: How Stories & Storytellers are Finding New Paths to the Screen.
Rounding out the summit are The New Studio System panel featuring Jared Geesey from Angel Studios, Popular Demand Studios founder Jon Leland, and director Wesly Wang; and Where the New Hits Begin: The New Rules of Discovery & Audience Building with creator attorney Tyler Chou, creator entrepreneur Aaron DeBevoise, digital media veteran David Freeman, and entrepreneur Joel Savitt.
The AFM Sessions running November 11–14 cover four days of discussions across two conference stages and explore finance and production, distribution, audience engagement, emerging technologies and new models. Among the speakers are AGC founder Stuart Ford, Artists Equity president of film and television Amy Baer, Legion M co-founder Paul Scanlan, Cory Lynch from Manifest Pictures, Jessica Lacy of Gersh, and Steven Schneider of Spooky Pictures.
The AFM House programming (November 11–14) brings conversations, presentations and live demonstrations exploring innovation and emerging technologies and is home to the expanded AFM Innovation Hub, presented with Marché du Film’s Cannes Next. The AFM House will also host the North American debut of the Cinemas Club, bringing together industry leaders to explore the future of theatrical exhibition and moviegoing.
Rentrak senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian, The Cinelytic Group CEO and co-founder Tobias Queisser, IFTA’s Brenneman, and Mitchel Berger from Crunchyroll are among the speakers.
“Our industry is undergoing a fundamental transformation, and while the pace of change can feel overwhelming, the opportunities are incredibly exciting,” Brenneman said, adding: “We’re expanding AFM to bring new voices and perspectives into the conversation alongside the industry leaders and innovators driving this change.
Additional speakers will be announced in the coming weeks. AFM takes place at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles, AMC Century City 15 and The Pavilion.
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