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From the "People" Archives: Buyer Profile: David Koh, Palm Pictures
David Koh BACKGROUND: Producer for artist Nam June Paik, curator, editor of film culture magazine. Studied for PhD in Philosophy of Art at the New School for Social Research in NYC. Grew up in Los Angeles. Former artistic director of Santa Fe Film Festival and currently artistic director of the Goldeneye Film Festival, launching next December. In his 30s. MOST IMPORTANT FILM FESTIVALS: Toronto, Sundance, Berlin, Cannes. Best selection of movies to watch and to buy. Everyone is there. FAVORITE FILMS OF THE LAST THREE YEARS: "Raising Victor Vargas," "City of God," "Y Tu Mama Tambien," "Amores Perros," "Sex and Lucia," "Dark Days," "American Splendor," "Dogtown and Z-Boys," "Minority Report," Kieslowksi's "Trois Couleurs" trilogy. RECENT FILMS INVOLVED WITH ACQUIRING: "Noi Albinoi," "Tom Dowd & The Language of Music," Matthew Barney's "Cremaster Cycle," "Demonlover," "Reconstruction," "How to Draw a Bunny," "Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator," "Flower of Evil," "Housekeeper," "Sex and Lucia," "Scratch," "Dark Days," "Morvern Callar" TYPES OF FILMS COMPANY LOOKS FOR: American independent, documentaries, foreign-language films, and genre films. We are very director-driven in our choices and a very artist driven company because of Chris Blackwell's philosophy and approach to film and music. As Chris said, we follow our hearts and are very irrational sometimes and buy what we love. HOW TO GET THE ATTENTION OF BUYERS: Make a good movie and a good impression because we will work with you on a day-to-day basis. The material, the film, the property, the project and idea of it will speak for itself and the personality of the maker as well. Sometimes people are so talented and sensitive and kind and they stick out like a sore thumb in the crowd. WRONG WAY TO GET ATTENTION: Constantly calling on a daily basis, dropping by the office, pitching 10 things at once. We try to watch everything. GENERAL THOUGHTS: It's a very competitive business and if you make bad decisions you can be in trouble...but specialized films can now also consistently make a lot of money so its more crowded now because on the independent level its the easiest threshold to get into the business. But there are less stronger companies now it seems than there used to be and less variety of movies. People and buyers are more cautious but every year and a half something breaks out huge and gives us all hope and gets us excited because of the power of movies and art to transform. | |
