Industry Insights: Alex Cohen on the Current State of Financing, Production and Distribution

Join us for a special FilmGate Miami masterclass that pulls back the curtain on today’s rapidly evolving film industry. This talk is free and open to the public, designed to kick off our 2026 Feature Film Fellowship year with clarity, momentum, and real-world insight.

From script development to securing financing, from avoiding costly on-set mistakes to navigating distribution across domestic and international territories, this session provide provides an essential roadmap for filmmakers at any stage. Whether you're a writer, director, producer, or emerging creative, you’ll gain practical strategies that demystify how films move from idea to international marketplace. SYLLABUS / TOPICS COVERED:

• Picking up a script from the perspective of financiers and distributors

• The most common early production mistakes—and how to avoid them

• Delivery requirements: how to properly prepare your film's assets to secure distribution and avoid costly fees.

• Finding the right distributor in the US and internationally