The Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) announced the election of a new Chairman and four officers to its board of directors at its annual board meeting hosted by AFCI Member, Film LA.
Kevin Jennings, Executive Manager of Film Otago Southland (New Zealand) was elected AFCI Chairman.
Jennings’ leadership of the Otago Southland film office has allowed the region to enjoy a boost in economic development amassing a track record of big-budget feature film productions – serving as the backdrop to The Hobbit trilogy, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, 10,000 BC, The Lord of the Rings, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, Vertical Limit, and Sundance Channel’s “Top of the Lake.”
Statistics New Zealand reports that film production brings $20 million annually into the local economy.
Joining Jennings in new officer appointments on AFCI’s Board of Directors include: First Vice-Chairman, Nick Maniatis, Director of the New Mexico Film Office; Second Vice-Chairman, Sigmund Elias Holm, Western Norway Film Commissioner; Treasurer, Walea Contantinau, Film Commissioner for the Honolulu Film Office; and Pam Haynes, Director of West Virginia Film Office is Secretary.
The appointed officers join other board members: Silvia Echeverri, Colombian Film Commission; Denny Staggs, Montana Film Office; Marijana Stoisits, Vienna Film Commission; Karen Carberry Warhola, Maine Film Office; and Jeanne Corcoran, Sarasota Film and Entertainment Office in the leadership of the AFCI.
“It’s an honor to be in a position of servant leadership with AFCI and to continue serving the ever changing needs of the TV and Film industry on-location internationally as we have for the past 40 years,” said Chairman Jennings. “As the leading resource on the planet for location shooting, our members represent the best of the best in trained and knowledgeable film commission professionals around the world.”
Chairman Jennings also announced the new date and venue for AFCI’s annual Locations & Global Finance Show scheduled for Thursday, April 21 – Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Marriott Burbank (Los Angeles).
“Our Locations Show event has been around for more than 30 years and it’s an opportunity for our members to exhibit their locations, promote their infrastructure and the billions of dollars incentives that are available to the TV and film production industry,” said Jennings.
For 2016, AFCI is further enhancing the tradeshow with the inclusion of its Global Finance Conference.
With the addition of the global film finance conference, AFCI will present international industry leaders to meet with media producers and financers interested in investing in foreign markets. The conference will complement AFCI Member’s offerings with national film funds and private capital from both the financial and media production community.
The Locations & Global Finance Show is the industry’s only show pairing locations and film finance.
AFCI will release additional information regarding the tradeshow conference’s presenters, speakers and topics in the coming weeks and publish updates on its websites: AFCI.org and AFCILocationsShow.com
About the AFCI
Founded in 1975, The Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) is the official professional organization for film commissioners who assist film, television and video production throughout the world. AFCI Members are comprised of more than 300 film commissions in 45 countries on six continents; it is the leading resource on the planet for location shooting. AFCI Members are devoted to providing infrastructure and incentive support resources to the film and television industry that attribute to billions of dollars annually across the globe. AFCI.org
