Location and Economics of Production

Barry S. Babok represents financial institutions and financiers in film and television lending transactions. He also advises borrowers, distributors, studios and others involved in various aspects of the production, financing, and distribution of film and television projects. For over forty years he has counseled clients in numerous types of financing transactions, including negative pick-ups, lines of credit, and foreign tax and co-production arrangements in various countries throughout the world.

In addition, Mr. Babok has assisted in private and public offering of securities, both in and outside the entertainment industry.

Mr. Babok received his B.A. in history from the University of Michigan in 1979. He earned his J.D. in 1987 and an LL.M in Financial Services Law in 1993, both from Chicago – Kent College of Law.

Mr. Babok is admitted to practice law in California and Illinois and is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the California State Bar Association, the Beverly Hills Bar Association, and the American Bar Association.

Amy Baer is the President of Film & Television at Artists Equity. Amy Baer is an accomplished film producer and executive with over 35 years of experience in the entertainment industry. Throughout her career, she has supervised and produced films that have collectively grossed over $2 billion worldwide.

Baer is the founder of Gidden Media, launched in 2012 after raising a seven-figure development fund. She has produced – via that fund – several notable films including the 2017 IFC romantic drama “Mary Shelley” starring Elle Fanning, Bleecker Street’s inspirational true story “Brian Banks” starring Aldis Hodge and Greg Kinnear (which won the Audience Award at the 2018 Los Angeles Film Festival), and the upcoming 2024 drama “The Apprentice” starring Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong. Baer also produced the 2013 hit comedy “Last Vegas” starring Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline.

Baer was most recently the President of Landline Pictures, a film production label she launched in February 2020 in partnership with MRC Film (“American Fiction”), and focusing on producing films for 50+ audiences. Under Baer’s leadership, Landline Pictures produced the 2022 Paramount+ release “Jerry & Marge Go Large” starring Bryan Cranston and Annette Bening, and is set to produce the upcoming HBO Max romantic comedy “The Back Nine,” starring Renee Zellweger and to be directed by Michael Patrick King.

Before starting her own company, Baer served as President & CEO of CBS Films (2007-2011), launching the division for CBS Corp. She spent the previous 17 years at Sony Pictures Entertainment, where she oversaw such hit films as 1997’s “My Best Friend’s Wedding”, Oscar- nominated “Adaptation” (2001), “Something’s Gotta Give” (2003), “The Holiday” (2006) and the Oscar-nominated “Moneyball” (2011) She began her career at Creative Artists Agency in 1988 as an assistant to the late Jay Moloney.

Joseph D. Chianese is SVP & Production Incentives Practice Leader at Entertainment Partners. In his role at EP, Chianese provides production and legislative consulting, financial, tax, and administrative services for domestic and international production incentives.

Joe has over 30 years of accounting, government affairs, production and tax experience including positions at Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Walt Disney Company, the ABC Television Network, Paramount Pictures and Ernst & Young. Today, he is recognized as a leading expert on production incentives for the global film industry.

Joe is a CPA, earned his BBA in Accounting from the University of Connecticut, an MBT and MBA from Fordham University, and completed the UCLA Certificate Program in Film and Television.