And...action! How to win Hollywood futures trading

As the film world convenes this week at the ShoWest convention in Las Vegas, one of the hot topics is sure to be the box-office futures market. Come April, after expected approval by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, industry and regular folks will be able to purchase futures derivatives from Cantor Fitzgerald that basically bet on or against the success of studio movies six months before they open.

The tally covers the first four weeks of domestic release. Shares will be worth a millionth of the film's expected total, so a predicted $100 million movie would offer $100 contracts. The minimum contract will be $50.

WalletPop wants kibitzers who fancy themselves Hollywood players to get a head-start, so we've enlisted an expert for tips on how to spot potential winners.