1. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
SXSW Film Conference and Festival
Phone: 512-467-7979 | Fax: 512-451-0754
www.sxsw.com/film
SXSW Film Conference Announces Graphic Novel Panel
Executives from IDW, Top Cow and Radical Comics Among Key Panelists at 2010
Event
February 16, 2010 (Austin, TX) – The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and
Festival is thrilled to announce a new panel entitled “Creating a Graphic Novel Hollywood Will
Buy,” which will take place Monday, March 15 in Austin, Texas.
The panel will feature a dynamic group of high-level comic book professionals including Ted
Adams (CEO of IDW Publishing), Matt Hawkins (President of Top Cow), David Wohl (editor in
chief of Radical Comics), and Martin Shapiro (Creator of Chopper). Ean Mering (Web Producer
at Pomegranate) will serve as moderator for the panel.
What do the movies 300, Sin City, Road to Perdition, Hellboy and Kick-Ass all have in common?
Each started out as a comic book. Graphic novels and comic books are red hot in Hollywood
now. With its combination of words and visuals in one attractive package, a comic book can be a
great sales tool when pitching your project to studios because it’s easier for busy executives to
see beforehand what the movie will look like.
In this seminar, industry pros will teach you how to make a graphic novel that will attract the
attention of movie producers. Using a creator-owned graphic novel as a case study, the panelists
will discuss the tools and skills necessary to create strong, cinematic artwork that brings the
script to life. They will also discuss the potential pitfalls faced by beginners that can severely
hamper a project. There will be a Q&A at the end of the session to allow the audience to ask
questions and address issues that pertain to their specific situations.
SXSW is a huge event that attracts industry heavyweights in web technology, film, and music.
The festival offers fantastic networking opportunities and immersion into the art and business of
the rapidly evolving world of web media and independent film.
At the 5-day Film Conference, world-class speakers and creative minds tackle the latest
filmmaking trends amidst the unmatched social atmosphere of the SXSW experience. The event
has become an important platform for exposure, buzz generation and even finding a distributor.
It has also become a place for emerging filmmakers to connect with one another.
Simultaneously, the SXSW Interactive Festival brings together the world’s best web developers,
designers, bloggers, wireless innovators, content producers, and new media entrepreneurs.
Keynote presentations and panel sessions provide hands-on training as well as big-picture
analysis of the future of technology.

2. ABOUT Ted Adams – Ted Adams is the co-founder/CEO of IDW Publishing, the fourth largest
comic book publisher in the US. IDW publishes a wide range of comic books including licensed
titles such as Angel, GI Joe, and Transformers. Creator-driven titles include Locke & Key, Wake
the Dead, and Aleister Arcane, all of which have been sold to movie producers. Their most
successful comic book series, 30 Days of Night, started a seven-figure bidding war between
several movie studios. The film was released in 2007 by Sony Pictures and was the #1 movie its
opening weekend. Website: www.idwpublishing.com
ABOUT Matt Hawkins – Matt Hawkins is President of Top Cow Productions (publisher of
Witchblade, The Darkness, Tomb Raider, and Cyberforce). Top Cow was founded by superstar
artist Marc Silvestri and is one of the four studios that comprise Image Comics. In the fiercely
competitive world of comic books where major, long-lived companies like Marvel and DC
dominated over 70% of the market share, Image Comics became a major player overnight and
soon grew to be the third largest comic book publisher in the world. A large part of this success
was due to Top Cow’s prolific output of popular, long-running titles. Website: www.topcow.com
ABOUT David Wohl – David Wohl is Editor-In-Chief of Radical Comics (publisher of Caliber,
Hercules, and Freedom Formula). Previously, he was the Editor-In-Chief and President of Top
Cow Productions. With over twenty years of experience in the industry, he was responsible for
bringing numerous Top Cow titles to the shelves, co-creating and writing The Darkness,
Aphrodite IX, and the Witchblade franchise, even serving as the producer of the Witchblade TV
series. Radical Publishing won the 2008 Gem Award for “Best New Publisher of the Year” from
Diamond Comic Distributors. The fast-growing company currently has production deals with
Universal Studios for Hercules, New Regency and director Bryan Singer for Freedom Formula,
and Johnny Depp's Infinitum Nihil for Caliber. Website: www.radicalcomics.com
ABOUT Martin Shapiro – Martin Shapiro is an award-winning WGA screenwriter and producer.
He wrote the horror comic book series Chopper, published by Night Owl Comics, an imprint of
Asylum Press. His movie screenplay Lair of the Fox was sold to Ilya Salkind (Producer of
Superman). Mr. Shapiro received his Master’s Degree in Screenwriting from UCLA. Website:
www.nightowlcomics.net
ABOUT Ean Mering – Ean Mering is a Web Producer at Pomegranate, an interactive agency
where he applies his expertise in graphic design and digital media to marketing campaigns for
world-class clients like Google, Pepsi, Scion, Kraft, Canon, Nestle, and many more. Website:
www.seedingideas.com
ABOUT SXSW – The annual SXSW Film Conference and Festival in Austin, Texas is a
uniquely creative environment featuring the dynamic convergence of talent, smart audiences and
industry heavyweights. A hotbed of discovery, the event offers lucrative networking
opportunities, informative panel sessions, and immersion into the art and business of the rapidly
evolving world of independent film. The Film Festival showcases a truly diverse program of
films ranging from documentaries to comedies. For more information, visit www.sxsw.com/film.
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Contact:
Rebecca Feferman
filmpress@sxsw.com Phone: 512-467-7979 x236