PURPOSE:

 The purpose of this item is to report the results from the 2003 Method Fest Film Festival held in Downtown Burbank, April 11-18, 2003.

BACKGROUND:

 In October 2002, the Burbank Redevelopment Agency was approached by Method Fest representatives, an independent film festival, to relocate their annual festival from Pasadena to Burbank. Method Fest is one of the only festivals that focus on the actor, honoring the work of new artists and future stars, as well as career-defining performances of established actors. In addition to film screenings, the festival offers panels and discussion groups, educational seminars and workshops and related parties and receptions.

On December 10, 2002, the Agency approved an agreement for a $25,000 grant for Method Fest. Staff was looking to this event to help with the branding of Downtown Burbank, continue to establish Burbank as the home to film and film production, and increase exposure of Downtown through advertising, media publicity, general attendance, street banners, and word-of-mouth.  

ANALYSIS & CONCLUSIONS:

The Method Fest Film Festival was held April 11-18, 2003 in the Media City Center at the AMC 6 with a week-long attendance of 12,462. Downtown Burbank was visited for the first time to many and 6,340 tickets were sold for the screenings at the AMC 6 Theater in the Media City Center. 

In addition to attendance, several special events highlighted the week. The Announcement Party naming which films were chosen for the festival was held at the Colony Theater with over 300 in attendance that night, emceed by past Mayor David Laurell and KNBC weatherman Fritz Coleman. The Gordon Biersch Filmmaker Reception started the festival that week with a standing-room only crowd. Other special events included a tribute to Lainie Kazan presented by Diane Ladd, a tribute to Director John Savage, and an Industry Achievement Award to Mark Rydell presented by Martin Landau.  The Closing Night Awards Gala, held at the Holiday Inn, highlighted the career works of Peter Faulk presented by Ed Begly, Jr. Exhibit A lists all of the events of the week.

Adding notoriety and special support to the festival, the following filmmakers, directors, �Hollywood� actors, noted Independent film actors and celebrities were in attendance: Peter Falk; Lainie Kazan; Agnieska Holland; Joe Mantegna; Joseph Bologna; Rene Taylor; Diane Ladd; Martin Landau; Fritz Coleman; John Savage; Mark Rydell; Ed Begley Jr.; Peter McNichol; Karen Black; Henry Jaglom; William Atherton; C. Thomas Howell; and Petra Wright.

The event received widespread media coverage in many publications including the   

following:

�        Los Angeles Times, L.A. Times Valley edition

�        Los Angeles Daily News

�        The Burbank Leader

�        KTLA news story

�        Daily Variety

�        Entertainment Today

�        LA Weekly 

�        Pasadena Weekly 

�        Pasadena Star News

�        Backstage West  

�        KNX Radio

�        KFWB Radio

�        KABC Radio

�        La Opinion  

The City of Burbank's contribution of $25,000 provided the foundation for start up costs for a new location for the fifth annual film festival. An additional $16,500 cash donations and in-kind donations of $85,450 in value were provided from several local businesses (Exhibit B).  This report will also include a brief video of the various events.

While it is difficult to measure the economic impacts of the week-long event, it appears that the impact to Downtown Burbank was positive, based on various anecdotal evidence. Not only did the local restaurants participate, their restaurants were filled at the receptions exposing new customers to their venue. Some of the comments from participants included:

Eric Mofford from the film �P Sound� said,

 �We could always find a place to park.  The support of the businesses was great.    

   The theatre was cooperative and helpful.  Although I and many of the festival   

   participants live in the LA area; we've never gotten to know Burbank and now  

   we do.�

Nick Saunders, from Media Consultant said,
�I live on the Westside and never came over to Burbank - it's really a special city -    

 I didn't know that.�

This is a short sampling of responses that portrayed Downtown Burbank in a positive way.

Finally, total attendance at receptions, seminars, workshops and panels was well over 3,000 and total attendance at the 52 festival screenings exceeded 9,000. Of that, 6,340 were sold tickets while 2,784 were provided free of charge to significant filmmakers, actors, sponsors, industry and media. Total festival attendance of all events reached nearly 12,500. This represents Method Fest�s highest attended festival, which should serve as a strong foundation for this event in the future.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The purpose of this report is to provide the results from the Method Fest Film Festival; there is no fiscal impact with this item.

RECOMMENDATION:

Note and file.

EXHIBITS:

A     Summary of Events

B     Sponsorships, Technical Assistance and Advertising Summary of Events

EXHIBIT B

Cash donations totaled $16,500 from local businesses listed below:

�         $10,000 from Media City Center

�         $3000 from Metro Link

�         $2000 from Gordon Biersch

�         $500 from Sag Indie

�         $500 from Urban Partners LLC (Del Mar Station),

�         $500 from Taxi (Pasadena)

In �kind donations such as donation of food by restaurants, print ad space in newspapers, and technical equipment contributions added up to $85, 450. These sponsors include the following:

�        Southwest Airlines donated tickets at  a $4,450 value

�        Foto Kem film processing and printing at a   $10,000 value

�        Sterling Vineyards donated wine for receptions at a $2,500 value

�        Wild Horse Winery donated wine for receptions at a $3,100 value

�        Foxen donated wine at a  $1,500 value

�        Firestone Walker Brewery donated product at a $500 value

�        Ice Age Water donated water at a  $600 value

�        Rodnik Vodka donated product at a    $2000 value

�        Pensa Azul Tequila donated product at a  $300 value

�        Krispy Creme Donuts donated product at a $1,000 value

�        The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf donated product at a $1,100 value

�        Warehouse Music & Records donated give-away items at a $600 value

�        Alex & Friends Salon  donated gift basket items at a  $1500 value

�        Holiday Inn waived rental fees for banquet facilities at a $8000 value

�        The Colony Theatre waived rental fees at a $1500 value

The following Burbank restaurants contributed (donation values shown):

�        Arnie Morton's                                    $2,000

�        Tony Roma�s                                        $3,000 

�        Mi Piace                                               $2,500

�        Burbank Bar & Grill                             $2,500

�        ES Wine Bar & Restaurant                   $1,500

�        Olives Bistro                                         $1,000

�        Picanha                                                $5,000

�        Barragan's                                            $1,000

�        Chevy's                                                $400

�        Smoke House Restaurant                 $2000

Technical assistance was provided by (values included):

�        Armadillo Productions $8000 worth of services; NEC projector

�        Christie Projector donated $7000 worth of services

�        Sony Digital/Rentals donated $5600 worth of services

�        SFS Transfers donated use of two decks, $5000 worth of services

�        Gosch Productions provided video/filming at all events, $10,000 value 

�        Tom Tangen provided video/filming at all events, $2500 value

Advertising and public relation assistance was provided by the following:

�        $132,000 in donated advertising from Charter Communications

�        $50,000 worth of commercials and print ads were donated by:

�         Entertainment Today     $5,000

�         Los Angeles Times      $17,000

�         Daily Variety                 $5,000

�         KRTH Radio                 $5,000

�         FilmFinders                   $5,000

�         Landmark Theatres        $7,500

�         AMC Theatres             $25,000                    

Paid advertising of $17,626 was spent at the following:

�        $5,000   LA Times

�        $3,750   Variety

�        $2,000   LA Weekly

        $1,500   Pasadena Weekly

�        $2,750   FilmMaker

�        $575      MovieMaker

�        $391      Independent Film & Video Monthly

�        $800      Backstage

�        $360      Film Festival Today

�        $500      FilmFestivals.com