Making Sense of Distribution Today: Evaluating a Film’s Release Potential Across All Windows
Join industry leaders for a discussion on how to navigate today’s market and the evolving landscape of film sales and distribution with insights on evaluating release potential across all windows from Theatrical to Pay-One and beyond. Learn current strategies to maximize your project’s success in a competitive market.
Moderator
Brian Beckmann, Arclight Films
Panelists
Mirjam Wertheim, Orange Entertainment
David Hudakoc, Blue Fox Entertainment
Seth Needle, Blue Harbor Entertainment
Arianne Fraser, Highland Film Group
Yolanda Macias, Cineverse
Speakers
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Yolanda MacíasChief Content Officer, CineverseYolanda Macias joined Cineverse in 2013 and has been the Chief Content Officer of Cineverse Entertainment Group since December 2020. She is responsible for acquiring global content rights for all distribution and streaming platforms and oversees marketing. Through her leadership Ms. Macias has sourced and secured over 65,000 movies and series including Crown Media: Hallmark, NFL and Konami Cross. Ms. Macias has over 25 years of entertainment distribution experience, including executive positions at Vivendi/Universal from 2004 to 2012, DIRECTV from 1996 to 2003, and The Walt Disney Company from 1992 to 1995. Ms. Macias built sustainable and profitable subscription platforms at DIRECTV and Vivendi/Universal’s digital distribution services. In 2022 and 2023 Media Play News selected Macias as one of the 18 Captains of Industry driving and leading home entertainment. Macias serves as vice chair for C5LA a non-profit organization supporting under resourced and high potential teens, and is a board director for Skechers USA, Inc. Macías received her MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and her B.S. degree in Finance from California State University, Northridge.
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Arianne FraserCEO, Highland Film GroupArianne Fraser is the CEO and founding partner of Highland Film Group (HFG), an independent worldwide sales, film financing, production, and distribution company launched in 2010 alongside Delphine Perrier. HFG has had success across a wide range of film genres and platforms, building a reputation for handling high-octane films in the action/thriller/horror space, focusing on cast, director, and filmmaker driven content. Highland Film Group’s current slate of films includes Chuck Russell’s horror-thriller Witchboard; the action crime thriller Wardriver starring Dane DeHaan and Sasha Calle; John Stalberg, Jr.’s Muzzle: City of Wolves starring Aaron Eckhart; Allan Ungar’s action-comedy London Calling starring Josh Duhamel and Jeremy Ray Taylor; and Joe Carnahan’s survival thriller Not Without Hope starring Zachary Levi and Josh Duhamel.
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Dave HudakocPresident, Blue Fox Entertainment CanadaDave Hudakoc is a leading entertainment executive with a career that spans 20 years in distribution & production. In 2013 he co-founded indie distributor levelFILM and led the company for a decade, building it from fledgling distributor to one of the most respected labels in Canada. Under his leadership, the company executed the corporate acquisitions of Search Engine Films and doc label Kinosmith, and shepherded the releases of numerous independent breakout releases, including The Peanut Butter Falcon, The Last Blackman in San Francisco, Fahrenheit 11/9 along with stand out Canadian Films, Firecrackers, The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open and Scarborough. Prior to that, he has held executive posts at Alliance Films, Peace Arch Entertainment and THINKFilm. In 2024, Hudakoc, along with former eOne exec Ian Goggins, launched Blue Fox Entertainment Canada, the strategic Canadian arm of Blue Fox Entertainment.
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Seth NeedlePartner, Blue Harbor EntertainmentSeth is a leading content acquisition and creative executive, having previously served as the head of acquisitions and co-productions at Screen Media for 12+ years. During his tenure, he was responsible for high-profile acquisitions The Outpost, Terry Gilliam’s The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, Emmy® award-winning Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street, The Lifeguard and Stephen King’s A Good Marriage. He also established strategic business relationships with Focus Features, Starz, Roadside Attractions, and more. In addition, Needle oversaw all content licensing for the company’s streaming platforms that included Crackle, Popcornflix, and Redbox. Needle also served executive producer on Willy’s Wonderland, Maggie Moore(s), Fast Charlie, Girl, and several others. Previously, Needle worked in the acquisitions department at Lionsgate and in the research department at Marketcast.
