People 9-1-2003

Meetings & Conventions: People September 2003

People

By Terence Baker

Jonathan Wolf, CHME, is executive vice president of the American Film Marketing Association and managing director of the American Film Market, a trade show that brings the film industry together to develop and sell upcoming motion pictures. The annual show, which will next take place in November 2004, is held in Santa Monica, Calif., just outside of Hollywood. Wolf lives and works in Los Angeles.

How does the trade show work? It caters to the wholesale side of the motion-picture industry, and the exhibitors are production and distribution companies selling rights to everything from blockbusters to arts and genre films. Up to 7,000 attendees come to the show, which lasts eight days. We believe the show often allows films to be made that would not otherwise get made.

How do you coordinate concurrent screenings? We hold the show at the 340-room Loews Santa Monica. Exhibitors set up in individual hotel rooms, which also allows them to screen film trailers undisturbed. It takes us two days to move all the furniture out. We buy out the hotel for 15 days, and during that time no one sleeps there. We also take over all the city’s theaters to screen 400 or so films. If it were not a trade show, the event would be considered the largest film festival in the world.

How do you relax after the show? I love NASCAR, which comes to California twice a year. There are similarities between motor racing and film: They both need funding and sponsorship, and there is a lot of risk involved. My favorite driver is Mark Martin.

PLANNERS

Klein builds future at architects’ association
Christine Klein has joined the Washington, D.C.-based American Institute of Architects as managing director, meetings. Her chief role is to create a centralized meetings department at AIA. Formerly, Klein was director, publications sales and marketing, at the Alexandria, Va.-based Society for Human Resource Management.

Hidalgo heads up meetings for engineering council
Kenita D. Hidalgo, CMP, has been named director of meetings and conventions at the Washington, D.C.-based American Council of Engineering Companies. Previously, she served as director of meetings at Printing Industries of America in Alexandria, Va.