An exciting line up of panels and workshops to appeal to both the general public and the industry technician is scheduled for the Annapolis Film Festival, March 30 to April 2. These events are being held in a number of locations on different days and times so please check the website at www.annapolisfilmfestival.com for information about times and purchasing tickets.
HOW TO MAKE A GREAT SHORT FILM
FRIDAY, 3/31 | O’CALLAGHAN | 10:30 AM–11:30 AM
There are more reasons than ever to make a short film — a calling card for an aspiring director, a proof-of-concept exercise for a creative team, an opportunity to build a team of like-minded creatives — but how can you build a foolproof story structure and immersive production values? Upon what merits will festivals, distributors, and investors appraise your film? What’s that critical step that takes a good short film to a great one? Find out more here.
MODERATOR: Mimi Edmunds | Producer, Former CBS Producer, Former Director of the Maine Workshops and Professor Emeritus at Emerson College
PANELISTS:
John Fortson | Director, RATED
Laura Seay | Director, SPEAK
Reed Van Dyk | Director, DEKALB ELEMENTARY
RELEASING YOUR FILM: DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION
FRIDAY, 3/31 | O’CALLAGHAN | 12:00 PM–1:00 PM
There’s no one model for the trajectory of a feature film’s release. In this age of Netflix , YouTube, and Vimeo, what’s the best marketing strategy to ensure a successful release? How can enterprising filmmakers get the edge on digital distribution by capitalizing on social media and search engine optimization? Find the best release strategy and marketing plans and why audience awards matter to distributors.
MODERATOR: EMIL GALLINA, Producer, Former Executive Producer at Discovery, WNAV Radio Host
PANELISTS:
Phil Hudson | Rook SEO
Missy Laney | Film Releasing Strategist
Zach Reeder | Electric Distribution, Domestic Distribution
THE NEW DOCUMENTARIANS
FRIDAY, 3/31 | O’CALLAGHAN | 1:30 PM–2:30 PM
Since the turn of the new millennium, the documentary has made a spectacular rise as an entertainment medium. As such, the very concept of what a documentary is, what it means, and what it promises to a viewing audience remains in constant flux. Cinematic storytelling techniques are being seen more and more in journalism, short films, and other media. How does this impact how the story is received? What gear and techniques are used to make the story vibrant, visual and compelling?
MODERATOR: MIMI EDMUNDS, Producer, Former CBS Producer, Former Director of the Maine Workshops and Professor Emeritus at Emerson College
MODERATOR:
Ashley Bloom Kenny | Senior Producer, The Atlantic
PANELISTS:
James Burns | Filmmaker, VICE Media
Dana Flor | Co-Director, CHECK IT
Hermann Vaske | Director, DENNIS HOPPER: UNEASY RIDER
Paul Wolansky | Producer, BREAKING POINT: THE BATTLE FOR DEMOCRACY IN UKRAINE
THE TRUTH ABOUT PRODUCERS & DIRECTORS
SATURDAY, 4/1 | ST. JOHN’S CONVERSATION ROOM| 10:30 AM–11:30 AM
As long as there has been a motion picture industry, there have been producers and directors collaborating — and clashing. When artistic vision meets the hard-and-fast reality of production, sparks are bound to fly. What defines their roles, their challenges and desires? This dance is often a love-hate relationship held together by money, passion, and mutual respect. When it works, it’s movie magic.
MODERATOR: JOE NEUMAIER, AFF Advisory Board, WOR Film Critic
PANEL:
Ruth Du | Producer, THE ARCHER
Jordan Roberts | Director, BURN YOUR MAPS
Wayne Rogers | Producer, WIND RIVER and AFF Advisory Board
Matt Spicer | Director, INGRID GOES WEST
Tim White | Producer, INGRID GOES WEST and LBJ
Trevor White | Producer, INGRID GOES WEST and LBJ
THE KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE
SATURDAY, 4/1 | ANNAPOLIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CAFETERIA| 10:30 AM-11:30 AM
Whether getting their big break in commercials, films, or theater, the youngest performers of the Annapolis Film Festival are making strides in the industry. How do these young actors balance their professional ambition with their personal growth? Does an on-set tutor compare to a homeroom teacher? Is it difficult to take direction from A-list filmmakers? Come get to know these performers as they make their mark on the big screen.
MODERATOR: Casey Baum | Student and Actor, CHEMISTRY 101 and META
PANELISTS:
Jillian Lebling | Actor, SLEEPTALKER, BRIDGE OF SPIES, THE BLACK LIST
Anthony Gonzalez | Actor, ICEBOX, COCO
Max Page | Actor, NO STRANGER PILGRIMS, THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS, SECRET SUMMER
WRITING THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE (ACROSS FILM, TELEVISION, AND NEW MEDIA)
Presented by WeScreenplay
SATURDAY, 4/1 | ST. JOHN’S CONVERSATION ROOM| 12:00 PM-1:30 PM
As a structural document, a script informs nearly every element of a film or television project — the performances, the production design, the scoring…That’s no small feat, given the sky-high stakes of the entertainment industry. But what of modern writers and the ever-present demand for truthful, dynamic onscreen representation? How can the complexities and conundrums of an individual existence be conveyed with authenticity on the page? What can be done to challenge conventions and avoid stagnant storytelling with the boom of scripted new media? Join us to delve into the act of committing character to paper — how are these creations inspired, shephered, and expanded over the course of production?
MODERATOR: Emily Dell | Screencraft
PANEL:
Melissa Carter | Executive Producer, QUEEN SUGAR
Jordan Roberts | Director and Writer, BURN YOUR MAPS
Tanya Saracho | Writer, HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER
Matt Spicer | Director and Writer, INGRID GOES WEST
FILM FATALES and WIFV present: VOICES AND VISION
Sunday, 4/2 | ST. JOHN’S CONVERSATION ROOM | 12:00 PM -1:30 PM
Always formidable, often overlooked, the behavior and cultural contributions of women have never been under more scrutiny. Bona fide “nasty women” and newly raised voices alike have an edge and authenticity in their storytelling and filmmaking that cannot be replaced or replicated. In 2017, how can we create a persistent, intersectional movement for change in the film industry?
MODERATOR: Melissa Houghton, Executive Director of WIFV DC
PANEL:
Melissa Carter | Executive Producer, QUEEN SUGAR
Ruth Du | Producer, THE ARCHER
Ferne Pearlstein | Director, THE LAST LAUGH
Tanya Saracho | Writer, HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER
TECH TALK | FUTURE TECH
Friday, 3/31 | Loews Annapolis Hotel, Powerhouse, Second Floor, 2:00-4:00 PM
Presented by Nimble Storage
Co-Sponsored by Alpha Engineering & Mindgrub
Explore and learn about new innovations in Virtual Reality, “self-driving” storage systems and how mass quantities of the 300 million social media data and messages created daily can enhance our American lives with important financial advantages, security, and breaking news alerts around the globe.
Hear new and innovative tech paradigms and new applications of social media content, virtual reality and its future, and storage and transmission of media content worldwide from research and actionable information and response gurus, storage experts, and VR professionals. Bill Heffelfinger, Senior Director of Technical Marketing Engineering for Nimble Storage, will speak about “self-driving” technology infrastructure.
Hang out for a lively keynote address from Peter Bailey, Chief Strategy Officer of Dataminr.
Dataminr transforms the Twitter stream and other public databases into actionable alerts, providing must-know information in real-time for clients in finance, the public sector, news, corporate security, and crisis management. Dataminr is recognized by CNBC as “one of the most disruptive private companies in the world.”
Tickets cost from $12.50 for a single screening or panel to $125.00 for a general festival pass. The pass includes the Opening Night Film and After Party and unlimited films and panels for four days. Student and senior tickets are $10.00. Day Passes are $40.00 each and Student Passes are $50.00 for all four days.
Passes and individual tickets can be obtained from www.annapolisfilmfestival.com. Check the website for times and locations of all events and screenings. Up-to-the minute changes in schedule can be followed on the AFF Facebook Fanpage and Twitter. Use the “Subscribe to Updates” button on the site to receive regular email updates.