Produced By Conference

Produced By Conference
Name	Produced By Conference
Established	2009
Frequency	Annual
Location	Los Angeles, California
Founder	Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers; Producers Guild of America

Produced By Conference

Produced By Conference is an annual industry summit that convenes film and television producers, studio executives, showrunners, financiers, agents, and guild representatives to discuss production strategy, distribution, financing, and creative leadership. The conference brings together leaders from Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Netflix, Amazon Studios, HBO, and independent production companies alongside representatives from Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Directors Guild of America, and Writers Guild of America. Programming emphasizes panels, masterclasses, case studies, and networking sessions designed for mid- to senior-level producers, executives from Creative Artists Agency, William Morris Endeavor, and representatives of major festivals such as Sundance Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, and Toronto International Film Festival.

Overview

The conference functions as a professional development and industry-policy forum, pairing practical workshops with high-level conversations that include participants from Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures, Lionsgate, BBC Studios, Apple TV+, and independent financiers like Guggenheim Partners. Panels often address topics tied to rights negotiations with companies like IMDbPro sublicensing, production workflows influenced by vendors such as Industrial Light & Magic and Weta Workshop, and revenue models highlighted by case studies involving The Walt Disney Company franchises and Marvel Studios releases. Speakers commonly include producers associated with landmark works such as The Godfather, The Lord of the Rings, Breaking Bad, The Crown, and Mad Max: Fury Road.

History and Founding

Launched in 2009 amid shifts triggered by digital distribution and the global rise of streaming platforms, the conference was created by leaders affiliated with the Producers Guild of America and allied industry organizations to respond to changing production economics and rights frameworks. Early iterations featured keynote dialogues with executives from Netflix during its expansion phase and with studio chiefs from Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. confronting challenges posed by the 2007–2008 financial environment. Over time the event has intersected with major industry milestones such as the expansion of Amazon Studios, the emergence of YouTube Originals, and labor negotiations involving the Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

Programming and Panels

Program tracks are structured around core competencies: development, financing, production management, distribution, and marketing. Session topics have included case studies of franchise management from Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm, international co-production frameworks involving partners in BBC Studios and StudioCanal, tax-incentive strategies referencing jurisdictions like New Zealand and Georgia (U.S. state), and technology-driven production workflows featuring companies such as ARRI and Red Digital Cinema. Regular panels convene studio executives from Universal Pictures and streaming chiefs from Hulu and Apple TV+, finance discussions with representatives from Goldman Sachs and Rabobank film divisions, and legal roundtables involving counsel from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and entertainment law firms advising on rights for adaptations of works such as Harry Potter and The Hunger Games.

Awards and Recognitions

The conference presents honors recognizing producing achievement, innovation in production practice, and emerging-producer fellowships. Award recipients have included producers associated with acclaimed projects honored at Academy Awards, Primetime Emmy Awards, BAFTA Film Awards, and Cannes Film Festival juried selections. Industry-recognition sessions have featured retrospectives on films like Schindler's List and series like The Sopranos, and highlighted programs for diversity and inclusion aligned with initiatives supported by organizations such as the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and the NAACP.

Notable Speakers and Alumni

Notable speakers and alumni have included producers and executives who have led productions for Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy-led projects at Lucasfilm, showrunners associated with Vince Gilligan-era dramas, and studio chiefs from Paramount Pictures and Walt Disney Studios. Past panels have hosted leaders from agencies like Creative Artists Agency and United Talent Agency, financiers tied to boutique firms and institutional lenders such as Deutsche Bank film finance desks, and festival directors from Sundance Institute, Telluride Film Festival, and SXSW.

Impact on the Production Industry

The conference has influenced best practices in production management, deal structuring, and creative leadership by fostering cross-sector dialogue between studios, streamers, guilds, and financiers. It has served as an incubator for co-production relationships connecting producers with international partners in markets such as India's Hindi film industry, Australia's production community, and the European centers of production in France and Germany. Policy discussions at the conference have informed bargaining positions during negotiations with guilds like the Writers Guild of America and Directors Guild of America, and have spotlighted technological shifts promoted by companies such as Epic Games and Unity Technologies.

Organization and Governance

The conference is governed by a steering committee composed of representatives from producer organizations, trade associations including the Producers Guild of America, and partner studios. Programming decisions involve collaborations with institutions like the Film Independent and educational partners such as USC School of Cinematic Arts and New York University Tisch School of the Arts. Sponsorships typically come from major studios, agencies, post-production vendors, and financial institutions active in film and television financing.

Category:Film and television conferences