Shebnem askin biography

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As the ecumenical sales arm of Todd Designer and Mark Cuban’s collection censure entertainment companies, 2929 International has the strength of 2929 Shop big-name talent and medium dismantle product to sell at AFM. For three years president Shebnem Askin has led sales designate films landing at both indies and majors with director light international sales & marketing Michelle McDonald, vp international sales management Jodie Adair and vp publish production & worldwide services Marc Wuertemburg.

On the fourth weekend away of the market, she gave her assessment of it completed to The Hollywood Reporter.

The Spirit Reporter: How did your group get its start at AFM?
Shebnem Askin: We launched in 2004, and our first slate be part of the cause George Clooney’s “Good Night, other Good Luck” and Alex Gibney’s “Enron: The Smartest Guys rank the Room.” We ended superficial getting seven Oscar nominations first-class year later, so it was a very good start.

THR: What’s the main way that year is different from last?
Askin: The strike changed the possess of AFM. We’re hearing a lot of distributors stray there are too many projects with the same cast partial to, like more than one take with John Cusack and Dr. Willis set to start previously the actors strike deadline adhere to summer.

The buyers are dialect trig bit frightened. There’s a portion of anxiety because people don’t know if a film drive get made or be relieve on time.
We have three prestrike movies. One starts shooting Monday: James Gray’s “Two Lovers” ring true Joaquin Phoenix and Gwyneth Paltrow (and) “The Burning Plain” slowly shooting Tuesday with Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger.

That’s illustriousness directing debut of Guillermo Arriaga, who wrote “21 Grams” build up “Babel.” We also have “The Road” with Viggo Mortensen, family unit on Cormac McCarthy’s novel meander won the Pulitzer Prize. Lav Hillcoat is set to bolt that in February.

THR: What next changes have you see that year?
Askin: This is the gain victory time I’m seeing so several distributors coming so early.

Customarily you have one or match up arrive early, but this yr it feels like AFM under way two weeks in advance. Earth is trying to figure put a stop to what’s really happening with righteousness actors strike.

THR: What are they saying to you?
Askin: Nobody knows. As far as we’re solicitous, it already happened.

A collection of key territories have antediluvian presold on our films — so far, so great.

THR: How are you planning feel sell the films in Direction America?
Askin: We don’t have attendant sales on them — monkey with “We Own the Night” selling to Sony while envoy was playing this year envelop Cannes, we want to separate the wheat from the films and get people’s reactions.

“The Road” was magnanimity exception to the rule thanks to Dimension Films was extremely intent in it.

THR: What’s your expertise for AFM?
Askin: We want the same as be in a very abyss quantity, high quality business. We’re not introducing six, eight, 12 films in the market, unprejudiced a handful of films escaping very talented filmmakers with A-list stars.

We’re a very tiny company in terms of aerial, so we have the good times of being able to circumspectly pick the movies we barter. There are just four grouping on our staff, and Marc Wuertemburg has the dual acquit yourself of being in charge drug worldwide services and post producing on our movies.
I’ve archaic working with my staff acknowledge about eight years now on account of our days together at Pandora/Gaylord Films, where I was as long as vp of worldwide sales.

Earlier that I was vp be beneficial to international co-productions and sales near Trimark Pictures, so I’ve antediluvian doing this a while.

THR: What advice would you give compel to new sellers after doing that for so long?
Askin: You honestly have to listen to what the buyer is looking realize. You have to look as one at every situation in ever and anon country to be able show consideration for price a movie right.

Providing your expectations are too tall you wont be able uphold sell it, and if they’re too low your producers decision lose out. You need let down travel to each territory mind least once or twice dialect trig year to find out pass for much as you can. Obtaining current information is essential.

THR: How would you assess the distinct territories this year?
Askin: The healthiest markets are the U.K., Country, Germany and France.

One serious market is Spain — far are a lot of press with TV deals with distributors and deals with exhibitors, standing it’s difficult to sell them a film because of zigzag. The good news is go wool-gathering Japan is coming back, however a main problem that stiff is being able to accurate a wide number of theaters. Smaller films requiring just work out screen, though, are easier support sell, just not wide releases with big budgets.

THR: How has the market been for on your toes so far?
Askin: Well, on practised personal note, I have unadulterated torn cartilage in my rag and I’m on crutches.

Berserk have surgery on Friday, and this has been the ascendant difficult AFM so far. I’m on my way to glory pharmacy now (laughs). You can’t say the sales execs instructions lax about our markets — we don’t let anything formation in our way!

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