RMOW Council Presenta3on Commi5ee of the Whole Mee3ng. Presented by Shauna Hardy Mishaw, Execu3ve Director. January 27, 2015

Transcription

1 RMOW Council Presenta3on Commi5ee of the Whole Mee3ng Presented by Shauna Hardy Mishaw, Execu3ve Director January 27, 2015

2 OUR STORY Best Arts & Cultural Event of 2013 & 2014 Pique Newsmagazine Whistler Film Fes3val Society: Whistler- based, charitable cultural organiza;on (est. 2001) 11- member Board of Directors 5 employees (2 seasonal) and 80 contractors 130 volunteers contribute over 1,600 hours annually 1,310 Alumni (filmmakers and industry) Mandate: To further the art of film by providing programs that focus on the discovery, development and promo;on of new talent and projects, culmina;ng with a must asend fes;val for ar;sts, the industry and audiences in Whistler Produces one of Canada s leading film fes;vals and Summits Plays a leadership role in offering project development programs for Canadian ar;sts: China Canada Gateway for Film Script Compe66on, Feature Project Lab, WFF Praxis Screenwriters Lab and Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship Produces screening series: WFF Adventure Film Series (GO FEST), Celes6al Cinema and Canadian Na6onal Film Day Hosts annual events: Oscar Party, Spring Fling A Taste of Whistler, Celebrate WFF Vancouver Benefit and Celebrity Challenge Ski Race

3 WHY WHISTLER? Whistler is the Canadian, if not the film with the most in the world. It is well run and well programmed. Luc Déry, Producer A film fes3val in Whistler makes sense: Global entertainment industry is a $1.6 trillion business Canada has a $5.2 billion film and television produc;on business, employing 128,000+ BC has a $1.4 billion film and television produc;on business, and $2.3 billion digital media industry, employing 73,000+ Vancouver is the 4th largest film produc3on centre in North America a^er Los Angeles, New York, and Toronto Vancouver is Canada s largest digital media centre and 3 rd largest produc3on centre for music Of the 2,000+ film fes;vals worldwide, the factors that all of the majors have in common include: Loca3on: Held in a desirable loca;on Timing: Well- situated on the interna;onal film fes;val calendar Programming: Present top films, talent and market ac;vity A5endees: ASract film lovers and industry * Sta6s6cs from Pricewaterhouse Coopers, CMPA and Crea6ve BC Reports

4 OUR FESTIVAL Whistler Film combines Star Power, Canadian Talent. The Hollywood Reporter 2014 Highlights: 11,273 asendees (13% increase) 356 filmmakers and industry guests (39% increase) 87 films from 18 countries (41 features and 46 shorts) 22 world premieres, 8 Canadian, 1 English Canadian, 33 Western Canadian, 11 Bri;sh Columbia and 10 Whistler 51% of feature films and 76% of short films Canadian 90 screenings on 6 theatre screens (including 29 repeat and 11 Press & Industry) $31,500 in cash awards and commissions awarded through six juried compe;;ons Signature Series Honourees: Kim CaSrall, Dean DeBlois, Sarah Gadon, Don Carmody and Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch Rising Stars: Sara Canning, Niall MaSer, Camille Sullivan and Dus;n Milligan

5 OUR FILMS Canadian filmmakers shine at Whistler The Province Cinema;c excellence and celebra;ng Canadian talent are at the heart of WFF s film programming. Compe33on Categories & Awards: Borsos Compe;;on for Best Canadian Feature with awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Screenplay World Documentary Compe;;on Mountain Culture Compe;;on Interna;onal ShortWork Compe;;on Canadian ShortWork Compe;;on Student ShortWork Compe;;on Audience Award Non- Compe33on Categories: Gala Presenta;ons Special Presenta;ons World Now Gen Next American Indies From the Vault Late Night Family

6 OUR SUMMIT Canadian Indies Embrace Whistler Fest s Impromtu Market Variety 2014 Highlights: 888 delegates; 2,231 asendees; 96% capacity 20 industry sessions, including panels and networking events 186 one- on- one mee;ngs facilitated 56 Canadian filmmakers selected to par;cipate in 7 project development programs 78% of delegates indicated they made useful business contacts WFF Music Café showcased five export ready BC ar;sts to five music supervisors MPPIA Short Film Pitch awarded $15,000 in cash and $100,000 in produc;on services to a BC filmmaker CBC Cinecoup Big Deal Pitch event awarded $500,000 in produc;on financing to produce a half- hour comedy special to be air on CBC Television in Fall 2015 WFF is becoming a gateway for developing co- produc;ons with China and India Over $150 million in revenue es;mated to date as a result of deals inked or ini;ated at the Whistler Summit

7 OUR AUDIENCE Stylish Partygoers at Whistler Film ELLECanada.com Fes;val- goers are mature, well- educated, cultural experience seekers with a high degree of disposable income for entertainment and travel, offering a valuable and influen;al audience. 56% female; 44% male 73% between age 25 to 54 (average 43) 52% household income above $75,000 (39% above $100,000) 83% of the visitors came from outside the Whistler area: 94% Canadian (74% from BC) 6% Interna;onal Des;na;on markets: Ontario (12%) & California (3%) 56% were repeat asendees 99% of visitors stayed overnight with 89% staying in paid accommoda;on (74% in hotels) for an average 3 nights 92% booked accommoda;on online; 19% booked through WFF 96% of guests were sa;sfied with their overall Fes;val experience and 87% indicated a posi;ve inten;on to asend WFF 2015 (Net Promoter Score: 60) * Demographics derived from Tourism Whistler which hosted an online survey to WFF14 atendees and from WFF s online survey to industry delegates.

8 OUR EXPOSURE Filmmakers flock to Whistler for 'coolest in Canada. The Province Media: The strong quality of coverage and increase in Top- Tier media asending in 2014 are posi;ve signs of WFF s increasing pres;ge and popularity 2014 media coverage was the most extensive to date genera;ng over $11 million in PR value (equivalent to $1.85 million in ad rate value) The high caliber of outlets that covered WFF resulted in an increase of $2.27 million dollars or 25% in PR value with the largest increases from online (+326.4%) and radio (+$35.6%) Received 42 more media hits over 2013 Con;nues to asract a loyal media following and the number of top ;er media keeps increasing with 54 media represen;ng 50 different media outlets in asendance Marke3ng: WFF s 2014 combined adver;sing and marke;ng campaign generated over 37.5 million worldwide impressions (100% increase) valued at over $549,271

9 OUR IMPACT Whistler is earning a rep as the place to be, to meet and to deal. Playback WFF s impact to date has been significant for Whistler, for Bri;sh Columbia s film industry, and for Canada s interna;onal reputa;on in this important art form. Economic Impact: WFF generates over $5.1 million in economic ac3vity for the Province of which $2.8 million occurs in Whistler Over $1.1 million in tax revenues are produced by WFF Spending associated with WFF supports over $1.8 million in wages and salaries in the Province through the support of 37 jobs of which 21 jobs were supported in Whistler Value Proposi3on: $16.65 million total annual value proposi3on (includes economic impact, publicity and marke;ng values) 11 x return on investment * Economic Impact Assessment conducted by Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance of WFF 2011.

10 FINANCIAL MODEL Go sell it on the mountain: Whistler s film fest finds its niche as Sundance North for edgy Canadian indies Na;onal Post WFFS is incorporated under the BC Society Act and has also been granted charitable status by the Canada Revenue Agency. $13.35 million raised to date 58% cash and 42% VIK $1.5 million annual budget 55% cash and 45% VIK 134 Sponsors including 45 from Whistler (34%): 3 stakeholder, 19 accommoda;on, 14 restaurant/bar and 9 suppliers RMOW FE&A Investment is 5% of public funding

11 FUTURE IN FOCUS A lot of it is the magic of the loca@on. Sundance really took off because of Park City. Everyone wanted to be there. Whistler has the same opportunity. Norman Jewison Our vision for Whistler is to be: A pre- eminent des;na;on that connects the art and business of film Home to one of the top film fes;vals in the world: Rated one of top 30 film fests in world by Variety - the premiere source of entertainment news An epicentre for screen- based ar;sts and project development opportuni;es Equipped with digitally advanced theatres: Rainbow Theatre refurbishment and WFFS digital cinema installa;on were completed in 2014

12 15 YEARS & ROLLING There s nothing stopping Whistler from becoming one of the top summits of the world fes@val circuit. Macleans.ca Goals for 2015: Complete 3 year Strategic Plan ( ) Launch 15 th Anniversary Campaign to provide stability for exis;ng programs and seed the launch of new ini;a;ves Improve organiza;onal infrastructure Enhance programming capacity U;lize our digital cinema system in Rainbow Theatre Work towards founding our Ins;tute Make WFF 2015 the best fest ever!

13 RMOW INVESTMENT RMOW Investment: Whistler aims for the stars as annual film takes centre stage. TravelandTourWorld.com $790,964 invested between 2005 and 2014 represen;ng 6% of total funding raised to date Fes;val, Events & Anima;on (FE&A) Investment: 2014 (ARA): $79, Award Season Premieres (up to 3) 2. Talent Tributes (up to 3) 2015 (ARA): $100,000 Requested (RFP) 1. Award Season Premieres (up to 5) 2. Talent Tributes (up to 5) th Anniversary Celebra;on & 15 Alumni to Watch Spotlight; includes 15 th anniversary video to be distributed widely leading up to and during WFF Other 2015 FE&A Considera;ons (ARA and Anima;on): 1. WFF Adventure Film Series (GO FEST / CEI) 2. Rainbow Theatre film and speaker series (seasonal) 3. Celes;al Cinema outdoor film series (July)

14 ALIGNED WITH WHISTLER RMOW Investment: Film is the literature of and the vision for the Whistler Film as an event that connects the art of cinema and the business of film, showcases Canadian film, provides advanced training for film professionals, and places the at the forefront of cinema s dawning digital age warrants Whistler s support. Whistler s Cultural Tourism Development Strategy (2011) WFFS vision and programs align with Whistler s cultural, economic and educa;onal priori;es and plans: Whistler 2020 s Arts, Culture & Heritage Strategy: Descrip;on of Success: Whistler will be renowned for world- class arts, cultural and heritage opportuni;es. Economic Partnership Ini;a;ve (EPI) key strategic focus areas Fes;val, Events & Anima;on (FE&A) program goals Whistler s Community Cultural Plan Learning & Educa;on Task Force Final Report

15 QUESTIONS? Any like Whistler s that showcases Canadian talent and Canadian films is incredibly important and something that needs to be supported. Jason Priestley, WFF Honourary Ambassador