AFM Hits Town

By Ed Moosbrugger

Feb. 11 -- A major film industry trade show that pumps millions of dollars into Santa Monica's economy will be back in town this month for the 13th consecutive year.

But whether the city will continue to host the American Film Market, which draws about 7,000 people from some 70 countries, remains unanswered.

Billed as the world's largest motion picture market, the AFM, which will run February 19 to 26, converts the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel into an international marketplace for the independent film industry.

AFM uses Santa Monica's movie theaters for hundreds of world premieres for the industry. Early returns indicate that AFM attendance this year will be about the same as in 2002.

"This year seems to be running even with last year," said Jonathan Wolf, managing director of the AFM and executive vice president of AFMA, the trade group that puts on the event.

AFM brings a lot of business for Santa Monica, with much of the action centered Downtown.

"Millions of dollars are spent in our local economy during the eight-day event," said Misti Kerns, Executive Director of the Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau. "The AFM room block is nearly 12,000 hotel rooms and ensures an estimated $250,000 to $300,000 in TOT (transient occupancy tax) to the City general fund."

The AFM will return to Santa Monica in 2004, but has not yet decided if it will continue to use the beach town as its home. AFM hopes to extend its run in Santa Monica and will hold serious discussions in the spring, Wolf said.

"We would like to be in Santa Monica, because it has been a good home for us," he said.

Much will depend on AFM's relationship with the hotels in Santa Monica. Hotels are a big expense for many AFM delegates, and a variety of things have driven up hotel rates in Santa Monica over the years, Wolf said.

"The one issue constantly raised by attendees is the cost of hotels in Santa Monica," he said. On the plus side, Santa Monica hotels get good marks on quality of stay.

A majority of hotels kept 2002 rates for AFM the same this year and some lowered rates a bit, Wolf said. "We need to make sure that spirit remains," he said.

At the convention bureau, Kerns said "we remain very optimistic" about AFM staying in Santa Monica beyond 2004.

AFM officials like the fact that most of the movie screens they utilize are within one and two blocks of each other Downtown, which makes it convenient for people attending the screenings.

"From our standpoint, Santa Monica is perfect," Wolf said. The movie theaters are well managed and suitable for AFM. And although some consultants question whether Santa Monica's theaters need to be modernized, issues such as stadium seating aren't important to AFM.

The average AFM screening probably draws no more than 60 people, so everyone can have an aisle seat if they want, Wolf noted.

"If we have a preference, it would be more screens," Wolf said. "If there were about four more screens in the Promenade area, that would be grand."