Wrapbook’s Jeff Caruso previews American Film Market 2025’s film finance panel, where innovation meets investment from Hollywood to Las Vegas.
After the 2024 American Film Market in Las Vegas, this year the entertainment industry decided to move back to Los Angeles.
As the AFM 2025 film finance panel approaches, the world’s entertainment power players are heading to Los Angeles — and many are making the drive (or quick Southwest hop) from Las Vegas, where showmanship and dealmaking are a way of life.
At this year’s American Film Market, Jeff Caruso, Senior Vice President of Sales and Success at Wrapbook, will moderate the highly anticipated “Finance I – From Packaging to Payback: Investment, Incentives & International Markets” discussion.
Caruso sums up the excitement perfectly: “This is the place where capital meets commerce.” In a year when both Hollywood and Vegas are reinventing themselves with tech and talent, that’s more than a slogan — it’s strategy.
Where Hollywood Glamour Meets Vegas Grit
Caruso sees AFM 2025 as a convergence point for the industry’s most influential minds. “The conversations this year are driven by technology — not just how content’s made, but what’s getting made.”
From the sunlit streets of Century City to the neon glow of the Las Vegas Strip, film financing is shifting from spreadsheets and handshakes to smart tech and scalable systems.
Caruso adds, “The companies that can get out ahead of that, that can use [technology] in a responsible way, are the ones that could very well set the stage for entertainment in the years to come.”
It’s the kind of forward-thinking perspective you’d overhear over an espresso at The Beverly Hills Hotel — or, let’s be real, a martini at The Wynn.
When Innovation Rolls the Dice
Caruso knows a good bet when he sees one. After 13 years at Cast & Crew, he joined Wrapbook, drawn by what he calls “next-generation technology that cuts through outdated manual processes.”
His philosophy? Efficiency is the new luxury.
At Wrapbook, AI helps producers and accountants save precious time, answering questions like “What qualifies for the California incentive?” in seconds. “Imagine what you can do if you have all of this at your fingertips,” Caruso says. “It’s about saving people time. AI isn’t the job — it’s the tool for the job.”
And while Las Vegas thrives on risk, Wrapbook’s approach is about reducing risk — automating payroll, auditing expenses, and managing incentives so producers can focus on what matters: the story, the art, and maybe a little bit of flavor and fun-loving chaos that makes this business addictive.
A Power Panel Ready to Deal
The AFM 2025 film finance panel, kicking off November 12, is stacked with names any investor or indie producer will recognize:
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Sam Pressman, CEO of Pressman Film, carrying a Hollywood legacy that helped shape the careers of Terrence Malick, Oliver Stone, and Catherine Bigelow.
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Josh of Waypoint Entertainment, whose projects span Charlie Kaufman to Boots Riley.
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Jeremy Ross of Black Rabbits, producer of more than 36 films.
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Janine Davey, who has safeguarded “literally billions, that’s billions with a B,” in tax incentives for giants like PWC, Netflix, and 20th Century Fox.
Caruso’s grin says it all: “Our panel just lights out.”
Expect insight, candor, and the kind of financial wisdom you’d want before walking into any high-stakes table — whether in a studio boardroom or a Vegas casino.
Film Finance as a Force Multiplier
Caruso calls Wrapbook “a force multiplier” for a reason. It’s a tool designed for line producers, financiers, and accountants — the unsung heroes behind every deal memo and pay stub.
For new investors and first-time producers, Wrapbook’s site offers an AI-powered Rate Finder, an interactive incentives database, and a growing library of guides that help you work smarter, not harder.
“This is all about the possibility of what can be done,” Caruso says. “When you have a group of people like we have at Wrapbook — intelligent, positive, energized — we’re unstoppable.”
Possibility — that’s what both Hollywood and Vegas sell best. It’s also what keeps both cities buzzing at 3 a.m., when someone somewhere is storyboarding the next big hit.
Mini FAQ: AFM 2025 Film Finance Panel
Q: When and where is the AFM 2025 Film Finance Panel?
A: The panel, “Finance I – From Packaging to Payback: Investment, Incentives & International Markets,” takes place November 12, 2025, in Century City — Day One of AFM.
Q: What will be discussed?
A: Expect conversations on AI in film finance, global incentives, risk mitigation, and how investors can find value in today’s hybrid theatrical-digital landscape.
Q: Who should attend?
A: Producers, financiers, and investors — especially those balancing creative risk and financial return. Or anyone who loves the flavor of storytelling with the thrill of smart business.
The Smart Money’s on Innovation
From Hollywood to Las Vegas, entertainment is in the middle of a transformation — powered by data, driven by creativity, and defined by those who know how to blend both.
As Caruso says, “We should not settle for outdated processes. We can not just be a provider — we can actually help you make things better.”
At AFM 2025, that’s not just talk. It’s the next big move on the industry’s table.
Learn more about Wrapbook’s tools and AI-driven resources at Wrapbook’s official site
Wrapbook’s Jeff Caruso previews AFM 2025’s film finance panel, where innovation meets investment from Hollywood to Las Vegas.
