Watch Past Events Here!
Atlanta Chapter Kick Off Holiday Mixer

Join us for our 1st IN PERSON networking event in ATL! Meet local filmmakers who will help you create in the new year! Don’t miss out!
To learn more about Blackmagic Collective and everything we offer and to sign up for the chapter nearest you visit BlackmagicCollective.com.
There is never a fee to join, apply, or attend any of our programs or events.
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2297259097171796/
Presented by Blackmagic Design and Sigma.
Level Up Your Social Media Marketing Game

What kind of social media do you have? What do you post online? How often are you posting online? Is it only about you or are you also helping promote your fellow filmmakers’ projects and successes?
Learn the best ways to utilize social media to market yourself in the film and television industry to showcase who you are, what you do, and to look enticing to whoever might be taking a gander at your profile and comparing it to someone else’s when deciding who to hire for that job… and believe us, that happens – A LOT.
To learn more about Blackmagic Collective and everything we offer and to sign up for the chapter nearest you visit BlackmagicCollective.com.
There is never a fee to join, apply, or attend any of our programs or events.
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2297259097171796/
Presented by Blackmagic Design and Sigma.
DaVinci Resolve Fusion (Special Effects) for Beginners Workshop

Blackmagic Collective and Sigma presents:
Applications close Sunday, September 25th at 11:59pm PT.
Learn the basics of Fusion (Special Effects) in DaVinci Resolve (in person in Burbank, CA)!
Spots are limited – APPLY HERE!
The workshop is Saturday, October 8th at 10am PT. The class is two hours long and you must be present for entire class.
Must show proof of vaccination and booster. Masks are high encouraged, but not required.
You MUST bring your own laptop and charger on the day for the hands on training portion with the latest update of DaVinci Resolve (free) installed and working. We have a couple stations for those without laptops, so using those on a case by case basis (see application question).
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2297259097171796/
Presented by Blackmagic Design.
Getting Repped in Post-Production: Composers Edition

Speakers
- Arbel Bedak
Arbel Bedak (he/him) is the owner and creative agent at Spectra Creative Agency,
representing a diverse roster of media composers and music supervisors and a catalog
of music for licensing. He is a multi-faceted music creative who has worked across
many aspects of music in media over the past decade, from creative sync to publishing
to composer representation.A creative at heart, Arbel holds a Bachelor’s degree in composition from UC Davis and is passionate about helping composers at all stages develop their careers, taking a hands-on, collaborative approach to working with artists. He firmly believes in giving more opportunities to a more diverse pool of composers and is committed to raising up marginalized voices and promoting inclusion and diversity in the sync and scoring spaces. Arbel’s previous experience includes working as an agent at Evolution Music Partners and serving as Vice President of Sync A&R/Creative at Decca Publishing.
Through the course of his career, he’s had the pleasure of representing and collaborating with talents like Lesley Barber, Fil Eisler, Clint Mansell,
Max Richter, Alex Somers, and Kelly Lee Owens, to name a few. He is now excited to
be curating this new platform to develop emerging talent in the scoring and sync
spaces, representing composers and artists like Tangelene Bolton, Rebekka Karijord,
Cindy O’Connor, Julianna Barwick, Mary Lattimore, Brad Oberhofer, and EmmoLei
Sankofa. - Kevin Korn
Kevin Korn is a dynamic and accomplished agent who has spent over 10 years in the film music industry enriching the lives and careers of accomplished and budding forward-thinking artists and composers. Kevin is known globally for his ability to develop and nurture a new, diverse generation of film and television composers, many of whom are already destined to be Hollywood’s A-list composers of tomorrow.
Kevin’s passion for music started very young, when he played a variety of musical instruments including saxophone. He earned a degree in Music Composition from The University of the Arts, Philadelphia. Immediately upon graduation, he went on to work for the music-crossover department of the prestigious Creative Artists Agency, assisting pop musicians as they transitioned into film composition. While at CAA, Kevin, along with a few industry colleagues, started one of the leading networking groups for film and TV music called SYNCH THIS. The group now has over 1800+ members.
At the age of 25, Kevin became the industry’s youngest film music agent when he was hired by the prestigious Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency. Within his first two years at GSA, Kevin expanded the roster by developing such notable clients as the late Jóhann Jóhannsson (Theory of Everything, Sicario), Oscar winner Steven Price (Gravity, Suicide Squad), Sarah Schachner (Anthem, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare), Joseph Trapanese (Oblivion, Straight Outta Compton) Photek (How to Get Away with Murder, Station 19) Ryan Lott aka Son Lux (The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, Paper Towns), Alex Somers (Captain Fantastic, Honey Boy) Anthony Gonzalez of the band M83 (Oblivion), Eskmo (Billions, 13 Reasons Why), Amie Doherty (Undone, Jurassic Park: Battle at Little Rock and many of the next generation of diverse artists.
In 2013 at the age of 28, Kevin was recognized by Variety’s prestigious NEW HOLLYWOOD LEADERS annual list. Kevin’s passion is to educate the public about film and television music by finding ways to make composers and their scores more popular among wider audiences, and by helping to build bridges between film composers and contemporary recording artists. In October 2019, Kevin launched LIKE MINDED MANAGEMENT a creative management, consulting, and music media agency.
- Sarah Kovacs
Sarah Kovacs is an agent at Kraft-Engel Management—one of the world’s leading agencies specializing in representing composers, songwriters, music producers and music supervisors in film, theatre, television and video games.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Business Management from Berklee College of Music in 2008, Sarah found the perfect home at Kraft-Engel. As an integral part of KEM for over ten years now, she has built a career around her passion for discovering, cultivating, and championing unique and diverse voices in the music for visual media space. Sarah combines her love of music and storytelling, eagle-eyed business savvy, and curiosity for emerging media spaces into her work and is a dedicated advocate for her clients.
“Developing new and exciting talent is something that really drives me, especially right now,” she says. “The pathway to becoming a successful composer is no longer a singular road, and there are more opportunities than ever for new voices to be heard.”
When she’s not making deals and giving composer advice, Sarah enjoys spending time with her husband Alex and two young children, Everly and new baby Wilder.
In our on-going series about getting repped, for this event we are going to talk about getting as a composer.
How do composers for film and other media, and other below-the-line film crew, go about finding representation? When is it the right time in your career to seek out an agent and/or manager? How do you best position yourself to get effective representation? What sort of terms should you be willing to agree to? These and other questions will be answered by this panel of top-flight composer representatives!
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2297259097171796/
Presented by Blackmagic Design.
Acting Up in Atlanta

Speakers
- Banza Pandora J.
Banza Pandora J. has had a passion for everything art for as long as anyone can remember. She can be seen holding a camera, a microphone and a wig at the age of two! Aside from writing music, recording an album and other expressive arts, her passion and work has always been thrust into Acting, both Stage and Film. After obtaining her Business and Paralegal degrees she continued featuring in stage productions; portraying Ruth in A Raisin in the Sun, Gilda in For Colored Girls, and JoJo in Women Behind Bars. Her reputation among her peers and employers as being not only a dedicated and talented actress but also a joy to work with has landed her roles alongside Terry O’Quinn, Irma P Hall, Barry Corbin, and Bill Cobbs to start. Rhavynn Drummer also spoke of the actress in an interview saying she could portray almost any role. Banza not only works at mastering her craft in front of the camera and on stage but has worked behind the scenes on many Independent films directing and producing. Her momentum is only picking up!
IG: Mysstownsend
TW: @Mysstownsend
Youtube: Banza Pandora J
https://www.pandorajproductions.com/ - Lawrence Terrill
Lawrence Terrill is an American Actor, Screenwriter, Producer, Filmmaker, Digital Editor, Photographer, Spoken Word Poet, Author, Songwriter, Music Producer, Member of the International Society of Poets, Member of Veterans in Film and Television, Member of the Screen Actors Guild, and Veteran of the US Air Force. He grew up in Jackson, MS and he’s the second youngest of six siblings (all boys). Also, he is the proud father of a beautiful daughter, Lariah.
At the age of eleven, Lawrence started writing skits, songs and discovered a passion for poetry. In 1996, he graduated from Murrah High School, then enlisted in the US Air Force. After enlisting into the military, he renewed his love for writing and received several awards for his poetry from the International Society of Poets. Some of the works can be found on Poetry.com and his poetry book “I Have A Reason To Write” is available for purchase at bookstores around the world.
During his military tenure, Lawrence received several awards for his Outstanding Service, received a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Education Degree (BSOE) for Business Administration and Occupational Education from Wayland Baptist University and landed his first Guest Star role in the Golden Globe winning TV show “LOST”. After transitioning from the US Air Force, Lawrence decided to pursue his love for acting full-time and attended the New York Film Academy, in which he completed their Acting for Film program…graduating at the top of his class. Lawrence has trained with some of New York’s top actors/acting coaches like Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Phylicia Rashad, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Harry Lennix etc.
Lawrence furthered his knowledge in the entertainment industry by returning back to the New York Film Academy and studying Digital Editing, Screenwriting, Producing, Filmmaking, and Photography. He has shot over 20 films and acted in over 20 films, TV shows & commercials. Lawrence has won 11 awards for his films and has been nominated for several more.
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2082455/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Actor’s Access Resume: https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/1423471-4106510
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=lawrence+terrill
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/lawrenceterrill
Instagram: @thereallawrenceterrill - Rasheda Randle
Rasheda Randle comes from Indianapolis, Indiana by way of Evansville, Indiana. A Jane-of-all-trades; she is an award-winning actress and an accomplished filmmaker, writer, director/producer of TV, stage, and film, TV personality, and event/red carpet host.
Rasheda graduated from Indiana State University with a BS in Radio/TV/Film; she was among the first graduating class of the music video production program at the New York Film Academy, and received her MBA in Marketing and Human Resources from Indiana Institute of Technology.
Rasheda got her start in the industry as an intern for BET’s Rap City: The Basement, but eventually returned to Indiana to work in broadcast news at Indy’s local Fox station; and soon began freelancing as a production assistant for network reality TV shows and game shows. Realizing that acting is her true passion, Rasheda made the transition to stage, then to film, and later to TV as a host and reporter for Real Scene TV – an entertainment show that airs on Indy’s NBC affiliate.
To date, Rasheda has starred in more than two dozen films and stage plays; and has appeared in network TV shows such as, Fox’s “Shots Fired,” Hulu’s “The Act,” and most recently the award winning stage play, “Her Lies, His Secrets.” She was voted Best Actress at the TPN Film Fest (February and December 2016), was named Best Actress at the 2017 TPN Awards, and received the 2017 Artist of Influence award at the Peach Theatre Awards.
Rasheda is the creative visionary of Ivy League Productions LLC, and the creator of The Actor’s Roundtable – a workshop designed to share tools, resources, and knowledge about the business side of maintaining an acting career. Most recently, she has embarked on, yet another, goal-smashing journey, as the founder of the Circle City Film Festival.
Though her passion is acting, Rasheda’s ultimate goal is to build a brand known for providing opportunities for other artists through creative content and storytelling.
Instagram: @ShedaOnTV
What are the positives and negatives of acting in Atlanta? Is this the place to relocate to for your next big break? Find out here with a few Atlanta based actors!
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2297259097171796/
Presented by Blackmagic Design.
How To Navigate A Film Festival to Make The Most of Your Experience

Speakers
- Andy VolkLead Programmer, Austin Film Festival
Andy Volk started his film career at Seattle International Film Festival while earning his B.A. in Film Studies from Seattle University. Between freelancing on projects for Steven Soderbergh, Discovery, Adidas, and dozens more, Andy directed music videos for local Seattle artists, and went on to crowdfund and produce his own films, including the award-winning documentaries Coffee & Sugar and Yes I Am: The Ric Weiland Story, featuring Zachary Quinto. He is the Lead Film Programmer at the Oscar-qualifying Austin Film Festival and is development on multiple projects.
- John BroadwayWriter/Actor/Producer
John Broadway is a script reader, screenwriter, actor, and producer. He is passionate about social justice which drove him to create his production company, Artivists United. Through their films, events, and merchandise they create opportunities for other Artivists to get involved in social justice campaigns.
- Lulu ValenciaWriter/Producer/Director
Lulu Valencia is an award-winning screenwriter, producer, and director whose projects have won awards in international film festivals in North America, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe.
Lulu made her directorial debut with “Top Notch”, a short film she also wrote and produced. Top
Notch won Best Comedy at Tokyo International Short Film Festival. Her humor is influenced by
In Living Color, MAD TV, and El Chavo del Ocho. When not writing comedy, she writes drama
screenplays and writes diverse characters to capture the voices and experiences of those who have been exploited and silenced. Her goal is to continue to write powerful stories that will impact others and bring messages of hope. - Steven DeBoseWriter/Producer/Actor
Steven DeBose is a writer, producer, and consultant with a focus on scripted content, screenwriting competitions and story development. He is known for writing on Sex With Paula (2018), producing and hosting the Token: Blacks In Cinema podcast (2020) and Directing the Script Competition at the Austin Film Festival. He is currently in pre-production on Wake Up and Create, a documentary series on creatives in Austin, NYC, and LA.
Blackmagic Collective and Sigma presents:
Film Festival season is here! You’ve got the tickets, you show up… now what? Learn the how, what, when, where and why’s of attending and networking at film festivals to have the best and most fulfilling experience possible!
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To learn more about Blackmagic Collective and everything we offer and to sign up for the chapter nearest you visit BlackmagicCollective.com .
There is never a fee to join, apply, or attend any of our programs or events.
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2297259097171796/
Presented by Blackmagic Design.
Working with Music Supervisors for Your Indie Film

Speaker
- Jennifer Smith
Jennifer Smith is a Los Angeles-based music supervisor who has worked in the film / tv / media industry for over a decade. She started her career as part of the music teams for major network shows such as Dancing With The Stars (ABC), The Ellen Degeneres Show (WB), and America’s Best Dance Crew (MTV). Her love of music and the exploding media landscape guided her to join the Kobalt Music synchronization team to creatively pitch and clear music with networks, studios, music supervisors, production companies, and new media companies. Her time at Kobalt gave her extensive and broad experience in the synchronization world, dealing with all stakeholders in the creative and business process including record labels, songwriters, producers, musicians, managers, and marketing teams. After seven years at Kobalt, Jennifer went back to her first love of content and storytelling and joined the music team on ABC’s reboot of American Idol. After that show’s first season, she was inspired in 2018 to launch her own music supervision company, “Rat Dance Party.” Rat Dance Party specializes in Film, TV (scripted and non-scripted), and new media (especially podcasts). With Rat Dance Party Jennifer has worked on projects produced by Showtime, Netflix, Viacom, Shorts TV, Amazon, Pluto TV, NBC, Voltage Pictures, Indican Productions, and many more. She recently worked on Season 2 of “Why Women Kill” (CBS), MTV Cribs (Paramount+), Netflix’s “Deadly Illusions” and is currently working on the documentary “Proud In A Pandemic,” “Behind The Music”, “Hollow’s Bend: The Radio Play” and many other upcoming projects. Recently elected to the Board of the Guild of Music Supervisors (GMS), Jennifer is also a member of the Television Academy, Women In Film, Women In Media, Women In Music, and the Recording Academy. She is also one of the organizing members of the union efforts.
Blackmagic Collective and Sigma presents:
What are Music Supervisors and how do you collaborate with them for your film? Find out at this live streamed event!
Guest:
Jennifer Smith, Music Supervisor
Show credits include shows on ABC, Showtime, Netflix, Viacom, and more!
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To learn more about Blackmagic Collective and everything we offer and to sign up for the chapter nearest you visit BlackmagicCollective.com .
There is never a fee to join, apply, or attend any of our programs or events.
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2297259097171796/
Presented by Blackmagic Design.
Production Design on a Limited Budget to Look Bigger Budget

Speaker
- Lynda Reiss
Lynda Reiss is an award winning shorts director who’s character driven films explore the darker parts of the human condition, but these stories are given a levity through the humor in her voice. Born in New York and raised in the UK, she has travelled the world, been a nanny for the super-rich, a Prop House owner, and a single mom, as well as having had an incredibly successful career as a Property Master on projects such as American Beauty, True Detective and Stranger Things. (Translated, that is 25 years in the most exclusive Film School Grad program ever.) She has also Production Designed several shorts, and been guest speaker on the topic of world building at FIDM, USC, LMU, and The Arts Center. When this work could no longer satisfy her creative soul she decided to follow her dream of directing, and made her first film. This short, Ready To Go won 27 awards on the festival circuit, and was Oscar qualified for 2020. Lynda is a fellow of the Sony Pictures Diverse Directors Program, and a 2019 fellow of the WIF mentorship program. She is in development on two feature films, and a limited series, which she has written. Her second short, Lancaster Park, a pilot, was made specifically to show the ability to direct television, and her third short, Perfect Match is on its festival run now. She is who you want to be working with when you are shooting in some grotty alley at three in the morning.
“The complexities of the worlds we create are largely the result of Lynda’s talents and her inherent, poetic understanding of story.”
Nic Pizzolatto – Creator – True Detective“She has an innate ability for storytelling”
Lynda Obst – Producer“Lynda has fantastic taste, and has the business savvy to be able to work at many budget levels. She can be amazingly creative with very little when she has to and can also use the money wisely when given more to work with. Every choice she makes goes on the screen and is crucial to the story.”
Aida Rodgers – EP – Barry, Perry Mason, True Detective
Blackmagic Collective and Sigma presents:
No more white walls! How can you level up the look of your film? Find out from Production Designer Lynda Reiss (STRANGER THINGS, TRUE DETECTIVE, DRUNK HISTORY, AMERICAN BEAUTY). Join us LIVE so you can get all your questions answered first hand!
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To learn more about Blackmagic Collective and everything we offer and to sign up for the chapter nearest you visit BlackmagicCollective.com .
There is never a fee to join, apply, or attend any of our programs or events.
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2297259097171796/
Presented by Blackmagic Design and Artlist.
DaVinci Resolve Color Grading for Beginners (IN PERSON)

Speaker
- Ryan McNealColorist
With a background in oil painting, drawing, photography, and design, Senior Colorist Ryan McNeal brings his knowledge of both modern and classical art into the color suite. Ryan’s true passion lies in narrative storytelling, he excels in using color to help tell the story and influence the viewer’s emotions, all while keeping in line with the vision of the project. Ryan has experience coloring a wide range of projects, from short films to features to music videos.
An international award winning colorist, Ryan has brought his eye for color to a number of film projects, from short film to documentary to full length features, and covering a range of genres. His color work on the horror anthology “The Mortuary Collection” won Best Color on a Feature Film in the 2020 Colorist Awards. His color work on music video “Braille” by Therese Curatolo, and animated film “The Carrier” are featured as Official Selections for the 2021 Colorist Awards, chosen among submissions from around the world. Most recently, Ryan’s eye for color can be seen in the Academy Award 2022 nominated short film “Please Hold”
Ryan’s talent for color can also be found in music videos- his clients include award winning artists such as Panic! at the Disco, Alicia Keys, Diplo, The Jonas Brothers, Steve Aoki, Fitz and the Tantrums, Lindsey Stirling, and more. His commercial color grading works include Viceland’s first scripted series “What Would Diplo Do” as well as working on campaigns for clients that include Casa Dragones, Hasbro, Nike, Nissan, Red Bull, and Lenovo.
Join us for the 2nd class of this DaVinci Resolve workshop series: Color Grading for Beginners! DaVinci Resolve is a free professional post-production software that allows you to edit, color, do FX, mix audio and more! There’s only 15 seats so don’t wait to apply! Applications close on July 31st at 9pm. Class is located in Burbank, CA. Must be fully vaccinated to attend!
Presented by Blackmagic Design and Key Code Education.
Email Marketing For Filmmakers

Speaker
- Kate E. HinshawDirector of Photography / BMC North Carolina Chapter Lead
Kate E. Hinshaw is a Director of Photography and tactile filmmaker who works with digital and film cameras alike.
Her films have screened at SXSW, Rooftop Films, New Orleans Film Festival, Denver Film Festival, and Indie Memphis. Her film Ten Leaves Dilated earned her the 2021 Southern Documentary Fund Filmmaker Award, won Best Experimental Film at Centre Film Festival and the Special Jury Award at IndieStreet Film Festival. Ten Leaves Dilated is currently streaming on Metrograph At Home.
An Atlanta native, Kate is currently based in Wilmington, NC, and available to travel to Atlanta, NYC, and LA for work as needed.
She is the Blackmagic Collective North Carolina Chapter Lead.
Why is it important for filmmakers to build an email list? What’s the best way to get people to open your newsletter and actually read it? How to use email marketing to grow your career? Those questions, your questions, and more will be answered during this live-streamed event!
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community here.
Presented by Blackmagic Design and Sigma.
Women Behind The Lens LA

Speakers
- Elle SchneiderCinematographer
Elle Schneider is a filmmaker from New York City. Her work has been featured in Vanity Fair, Maxim, The Hollywood Reporter, Wired, Rolling Stone, and MovieMaker. An avid cinephile with a passion for genre films, who cites Roger Corman, David Lean, Fritz Lang, and James Cameron as her biggest influences, Elle is the foremost expert on 1959 sci-fi melodrama TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE and industrial film studio CENTRON CORPORATION. She is an International Cinematographer’s Guild (Local 600) director of photography, writes about cinematography for ICG Magazine, and is a member of the International Collective of Female Cinematographers (ICFC).
Extensive work as cinematographer includes two seasons of History’s acclaimed docu-recre series THE FOOD THAT BUILT AMERICA, narrative features SIX LA LOVE STORIES and 18 1/2, numerous short films and music videos, and documentary THAT GUY DICK MILLER, which premiered at the SXSW Film Festival. 2nd Unit shoots as DP include GAMEMASTER (#1 Doc iTunes), I AM DIVINE (SXSW), HALF THE PICTURE (Sundance), FRAMING JOHN DELOREAN (Tribeca), ROBERT KLEIN STILL CAN’T STOP HIS LEG (SXSW), and WOODLANDS DARK AND DAYS BEWITCHED (SXSW).
Check out her website.
- Michelle LawlerCinematographer
Michelle Lawler is a Los Angeles-based cinematographer working in film and television. Michelle has shot several television shows including HBO’s Emmy award winning INSECURE (2020) and Lena Waithe’s TWENTIES” (2020). She recently finished shooting eight episodes of THE SHRINK NEXT DOOR for Apple TV based on the popular podcast. The show was directed by Michael Showalter and stars Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd and Kathryn Hahn. Currently, she is beginning photography on a new show for Hulu entitled THE DROPOUT (2022) based on Elizabeth Holmes story, the founder Theranos with Amanda Seyfried starring. In 2020 Michelle was included in Variety’s “10 Cinematographers to Watch.” She has an MFA in Cinematography from The American Film Institute (AFI) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Cinema from San Francisco State University where she was the departmental Honoree of her graduating class.
When Michelle is not shooting, she can be found teaching her dog Judy to be friendlier to squirrels while she fosters a newfound gardening habit.
- Polly MorganDirector of Photography, ASC, BSC
Polly Morgan was born in London and worked internationally as a camera assistant before attending the American Film Institute in 2010. Named an ASC Rising Star in 2012, Polly has since joined the BSC and was named one of Variety’s Ten Cinematographers to watch in 2016. In 2018, Polly was invited to join the ASC and in 2020 she has been nominated for an ASC award for Best Cinematography in Television for her work on LEGION.
She is based in Los Angeles, CA.
Watch the trailer to the film coming to theaters this month that she was the Director of Photography for, WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING.
Keynote speakers:
Polly Morgan (A Quiet Place 2, 6 Balloons, Lucy in the Sky)
Michelle Lawler (The Dropout, The Shrink Next Door, Insecure)
Elle Schneider (The Food That Built America)
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To learn more about Blackmagic Collective and everything we offer and to sign up for the chapter nearest you visit BlackmagicCollective.com.
Everything we offer, including membership, is completely free! 🙂 (film festival submission fee excluded – which is $5 to submit for members)
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2297259097171796/
Presented by Blackmagic Design and Sigma.
Atlanta… The New Hollywood | Are You Prepared for Success?

Speakers
- Brandon Lee MinorFilmmaker
Brandon Lee Minor is a writer, actor, voice actor, producer, and director and chief of operations at Solace Imagination Center of the Arts. He relocated to Atlanta the expand his career in the film industry. He’s actively involved in production Nationwide from voice actor roles like The Figure animated series or Sleep Center Hawaii commercial, to being a spokesman for Designer Fragrances Miniatures. Currently in talk with major film productions company to produce several film projects, in which, he created. Brandon has graced the stage and featured in films like Submerge: Blue Star set to be released later this year. An an action figure collectible was recently released for a character in which he portrays. The comic book is coming soon.
- Diana RhodesWriter
Diana Rhodes is an African-American playwright, screenwriter and author. She has written, directed and produced several Off-Broadway plays. Her first theatrical accomplishment occurred in June 2011. The play entitled, “Peace Be With Me,” was loosely based on her real life experience with domestic violence. In September 2013, Diana appeared on the Jeff Foxx Blog Talk Radio Show to promote her next endeavor which would be, “Troubled Little Angel”, a tribute to the life and legacy of R & B songstress Phyllis Hyman. The play debuted on August 14, 2014 at the Soho Playhouse in New York City to a sold out audience. For a short time afterward, Diana wrote and produced her own internet radio show for Streetz106.com ran by New York’s famous DJ Antoine Qua.
Diana moved to Atlanta in 2015 with the intent of writing for television. She became a member of W.I.F.T.A. (Women In Film and Television in Atlanta) She worked at People TV in Atlanta where she became a camera operator and novice television producer. While at People TV, she produced a pilot called, “Celebrity Cover Story” which aired on channel 24 in Atlanta during the summer of 2016. She continued her writing and was selected as one of the contributing playwrights in the annual production of 50In50 “Letters to Our Sons”. The original performance was slated to be at the Billie Holiday Theater in New York, but was conducted virtually due to Covid.
Seeking to further expand her knowledge of the business, Diana ventured into voice over work with ACX, podcasting and eventually teamed up with best selling author and CEO of Dream Empire Films, Joyce Licorish. Together they collaborated on the screenplay for “The Lost Locket”, a story about forbidden love during WWII.
Diana continued her writing endeavors with several short stories that have been published on the WRITEON PRESS platform and now adds the Undeniable Truth, her first fiction novel to her list of accomplishments.
- Joyce LicorishFilmmaker
Joyce Licorish is a Filmmaker, Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Singer, Voiceover Artist, and Coach, 5x Amazon Bestselling Author, CEO of DreamEmpire Films (www.DreamEmpireFilms.com), and Founder of the One Race Human Race Foundation and its associated film festival. Her background in musical theater behind the scenes as a director and on the stage as a performer led her to a love of film. She has Produced/Directed, acted as 1st AD, and/or starred in over 20 projects including her most recent stint as 1st AD to Robin Givens for the Horror Feature film – Haunted Trails set for an October Release. Joyce longs to make the films her heart desires to see. Films that MOVE, TOUCH, and INSPIRE people. Films that salute diversity.
- Lisa MaydwellWriter / Director
Lisa Maydwell is a writer and director from Fort Wayne, Indiana. She is a published author and award-winning filmmaker. Lisa graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in education. Lisa began writing at an early age, she says she comes from a family of writers. Ms. Maydwell has written over fifteen scripts for her company and her clients. Lisa was an elementary teacher in Decatur Township in Indianapolis, winning Teacher of the Year in 2015.
In 2019, she decided to pursue her filmmaking dreams and moved to Atlanta, Georgia to work in the industry. Lisa’s goal is to make movies that uplifting, powerful, and leaves her audience wanting more. She went to Lithuania in 2019 to attend a filmmaking camp with Summer Media Studio. Her script was selected to be produced, and her team won numerous awards including Best Film at the film festival.
As a screenwriter, Lisa has won awards for her work, and as a filmmaker she has won awards for her short film Broken Branches and Cooper’s Plantation. Both episodes are from her Trees Series. Lisa has also won awards for her screenplays Serenity Acres and 14 Storys.
Lisa is currently completing a documentary based on her book The Final Round-Round 16. The documentary includes several prominent boxers and judges. Lisa owns Maydwell Productions production company, and she works with Joyce Licorish at Dream Empire Films as a writer and editor.
Join us LIVE for our 1st Atlanta Chapter City online event! Find out what your first steps should be when you move to ATL for filmmaking!
You decided to make the move to Atlanta to pursue the next chapter of your filmmaking career; now what? Find out everything you need to know about how to plan for success and hit the ground running once you get there.
Hosted by BMC Atlanta Chapter.
Film Legalese

Speaker
- Chris Edgar
Chris Edgar is an attorney, film producer and composer based in Los Angeles. Previously at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, and now in his solo law practice, Chris has represented numerous entertainment clients in intellectual property, financing and commercial litigation matters. Chris is a graduate of Stanford University School of Law and served as a law clerk to now-Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. of the United States Supreme Court. On the music and production side of his odd double life, Chris has scored numerous films for which he won best film score awards, including “The Breakout: A Rock Opera,” “Ghost in the Gun,” and “Steve’s Quest: The Musical,” and toured as a drummer with signed recording artists.
What do you need to do, on the legal side, to make sure your film is ready for distribution? What do all those weird terms in the contracts for your film even mean? Entertainment attorney Chris Edgar will walk you through what you need to prepare before you ever step foot on set. Bring your questions!
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community here.
Presented by Blackmagic Design and Sigma.
Microbudget Series Pt. 4: Post Production

Speakers
- Jason SheedyFilmmaker/SFX
Jason Sheedy is an independent film director, screenwriter, and editor who has created award-winning films, as well as the horror feature, Patient, which went on to air with Showtime. His screenplays have landed him various placements with Killer Shorts, Screencraft, Stage 32, Film Empire, Scriptapalooza, Slamdance, and the Finish Line Script Competition. In addition to his film work, he is also the Senior Editor for Bark Bark, a full-service production company working with top brands and networks.
- Lex BenedictEditor
Lex Benedict is a Film Editor from Panama City, Florida who landed in Los Angeles in 2010.
Over the last decade, she’s edited a wide variety of projects including several narrative features,
documentaries and short films.Currently she is editing the feature film, Identity Crisis, written by the Boylan Sisters and directed by Shari Rigby, it follows a science wiz who learns how to clone herself. She’s also editing the 2022 Multicultural campaign “All for Building it” for Macy’s & Complex.
Notable editing work includes the film Alaska is a Drag distributed by Ava DuVernay’s company,
ARRAY for Netflix. The micro-budget thriller At Your Own Risk, now on Pureflix as well as the
teen comedy, Switched. Her eleventh feature film The Greatest Inheritance from Mustard Seed
Entertainment was just released in theaters and on VOD. It is Lex’s fourth film to be awarded
the IMDBPro “ReFrame Stamp” for gender-balanced productions. Her films have featured many
high-profile actors including Mena Suvari, Jaleel White, Chandra Wilson, Yvette Nicole Brown,
Jason Scott Lee, Margaret Cho, Denise Richards, Rob Huebel, Michaela Watkins and Maria
Canals-Barrera.Lex loves science-fiction, horror, fantasy and dark comedy. She collects vinyl records, dime
store sci-fi novels and vintage metal robots. She has an Australian Cattle Dog, Dash Render,
who is never far from her side and a blind tabby cat named Tango Foxtrot that keeps her on her
toes!
So you made it through production, but you are out of money, now what? Our filmmakers will talk about tips and tricks to get it done on a low budget but look high quality. From software to asking favors, we’ll cover it all.
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community here.
Presented by Blackmagic Design and Sigma.
Filming Your Feature in Under 15 Days

What are the most important things to consider to make a high quality film in a short time and on a limited budget? Our filmmakers have done it and will be sharing helpful insight. You don’t want to miss this!
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community here.
Presented by Blackmagic Design and Artlist.
Assistant Camera Workshop

Speakers
- Jason KinneySecond Assistant Camera
Jason Kinney is a 1st assistant cameraman and member of the International Cinematographer’s guild. Starting in the business at 19, Jason had no idea of the places and adventures that the motion picture industry would take him. Starting as a film loader, moving his way up to 2nd assistant and now up to a 1st assistant, Jason has worked on all kinds of projects from the small, independent productions to big budget movies. His over 25 years of experience have helped him navigate the industry from film to now the digital age. Never afraid to learn a new piece of equipment, he is excited to see what the future of motion pictures will look like in the future.
Recent Credits:
RUSH HOUR
MURDERVILLE
ALIENATED
REAGAN - Ryan PilonFirst Assistant Camera
Ryan Pilon was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. While attending Loyola High school he was an assistant to a director/writer and was able to work in production on development of scripts, working on sets as well as other traditional office duties. After attending Cal State Northridge’s Film Program he started his first union job in the camera department as a loader on the TV show “V.I.P.” 25 years later as a International Cinematographer Guild member and moving up in the camera department he has had the privilege of working on all forms of filmed entertainment, and many talented union members. Learning new technologies and equipment and meeting new people has been a driving factor to continuing to work in the industry.
Notable Projects
Music Videos:
AC/DC, N’YSYNC, METALLICA, BRITTNEY SPEARS, FAITH HILL, P DIDDY, J-LO, MISSY ELLIOT, MOBY, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKECommercials:
VISA, ATT, FORD, TEXACO, MERCEDES BENZ, BMW, COCA COLA, BUDWEISERFeature Films:
3000 MILES TO GRACELAND, DR. STRANGE, REAGAN, THE ITALIAN JOB, RUSH HOUR 2Television Series
C.S.I, BARRY, AMERICAN HORROR STORY, GREY’S ANATOMY, HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER, LUCIFER, AMERICAN CRIME STORY, RATCHED,
What is the A.C. Workshop?
The role of camera assistant is hard to pick up on your own. It takes experience, connections, and a good understanding of both the technical aspects of film but also set politics. Join us for a two-hour long in-person (and streamed online) workshop with professional camera assistants, Ryan Pilon (Dr. Strange, CSI, Barry, etc.) and Jason Kinney (Rush Hour, Murderville, Alienated, etc.) as they discuss the details you should know to level up your game. You will get hands on experience too!
Some of the things covered in class include:
-The basic elements of camera prep
-Techniques of focus pulling
-Know your tools: wireless setups, video assist & assistant tools
-Navigating common set issues
-Set politics and how to work with other departments
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community here.
Presented by Blackmagic Design and Sigma.
Crowdfunding

Speaker
- Leah Cevoli
Leah Cevoli is a crowdfunding and social media marketing professional who has successfully managed campaigns across all major crowdfunding platforms, raising millions of dollars in combined funding for independent filmmakers, musicians, authors, game developers and more. Clients include Sean Astin (Lord of The Rings, Goonies), Jim Beaver (Deadwood, Supernatural), Mark Marshall (Free Willy, Harry Potter), Jim Michaels (Supernatural) and many more.
As an actress she has appeared in dozens of popular television and film roles and is most recognized for having appeared on multiple seasons of the cartoon network hit, Robot Chicken.
You wrote your script, and it can totally be done on a microbudget, now what? Well, you have to raise some money for the basics like food, gear, and crew. If you don’t want to go the traditional route then Crowdfunding is a very viable option and we are going to chat with a top crowdfunding expert and the clients she’s helped successfully fund their films on crowdfunding platforms.
Come learn about best practices from her and the filmmakers she helped, and ask questions about your upcoming campaigns.
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community here.
Presented by Blackmagic Design and Sigma.
Screenwriting For Micro Budget Films

So you’ve decided you are going to shoot your first feature, or maybe you just want to shoot something that you can call your own beginning to end. The first thing you must consider is the script. How do you write a script you can do on a micro-budget? What are the must do’s and should do’s? How do even decide if your idea is doable for cheap? Join our New York City chapter leader Tim Lorge for his live Q&A session with David J. Greenberg, author of the new book “Screenwriting for Microbudget Films.”
We’ll give away a seat of Final Draft 11 to one of our live attendees. You must be a member to win (but its free to join).
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community here.
Presented by Blackmagic Design and Sigma.
Southern Women in Indie Film

Join us for a fun and informative panel on some amazing filmmakers in the south who are producing great projects!
We’ll give away a seat of DaVinci Resolve Studio (a $295 value!) to one of our live attendees. You must be a member to win (but its free to join).
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community here.
Presented by Blackmagic Design and Sigma.
Self-Taping For Actors (and the Filmmakers who help them)!

Join us live for a conversation with casting directors on what makes a great self-tape and what gets a tape clicked off in a matter of moments. From lighting and sound to performance, this live event will cover it all. Bring your burning questions!
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community here.
Presented by Blackmagic Design and Sigma.
Your G&E Crew!

Speakers
- Jason Andrew
Jason grew up in the greater Los Angeles area, starting in the film business in 1994 after graduating from Pasadena City College with a degree in Communication Arts. While working as a production assistant on indie films, he started gravitating towards the grip department, and soon became a grip/electric swing. Jason joined local 80 In 1997, and by 2000 had started rigging on larger budget movies such as “Spider-man”, “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines”, and “Mr and Mrs Smith”.
Jason soon made the move to Best Boy Grip, and in 2009, while working on various TV projects, became a Key Grip. Most recently, Jason has been Key Grip on the last eight seasons of “Bosch” on Amazon Prime. During his hiatus periods he began to shoot various short films, movies and commercials, and recently had the opportunity to fill the role of cinematographer on an episode of the Bosch spin-off, titled “Bosch: Legacy”. He hopes to continue a move toward cinematography in the future.
- Steve Mathis
I grew up in a small town in Oklahoma and went to college at the University of Oklahoma majoring in History and Geography. I moved to LA right after college in 1977. After arriving on Friday I went to Disneyland on Saturday and started working on Monday. I knew two people in LA at that point. I worked as a best boy and lamp operator for eight years and started gaffing after I finished Back to The Future in 1985.
I managed to work on some interesting films. Halloween 1, 2, 3 (the originals) plus the Fog and Escape From NY with John Carpenter. The first major thing I was gaffer on was a miniseries about the Russian Takeover of the US in 1986. I worked on Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Glory, Mrs Doubtfire, Rocketeer and the Squeakquel.
In 1996 I got to travel to Mexico to do Romeo and Juliet with Baz Luhrmann and also did Moulin Rouge in Australia. Miami Vice with Michael Mann took me all over the world for nine months. Wolverine took me back to Oz in 2007. In 2010 I went to Canada to do Rise of the Planet of The Apes and also did the second one.
I moved back to Oklahoma in 2013 and did Terminator 5, Enders Game, Power Rangers, and Eve on location. Since 2019 I did Minari in Oklahoma, Wild Mountain Thyme in Ireland and Season One of Reservation Dogs in Oklahoma.
I have been teaching all opver since 2015 here in OK as time permits. I just finished a five week 200 hour class on “How not to look stupid on your first day on set” thru OCCC.
What exactly is the Grip & Electric Crew? Who makes up the team, how does each role come in to play on a set, and how can you help your team help you? Join us for a live discussion with G&E folks and get all your questions answered!
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community here.
Presented by Blackmagic Design and Sigma.
A Chat With Cinematographer Markus Forderer ASC

Speaker
- Markus Forderer ASC
Selected as one of Variety’s 10 Stars behind the Cameras, the German born cinematographer who graduated from University of Television and Film in Munich, has quickly developed an impressive resume of visually unique and critical acclaimed feature films.
HELL marked his feature film debut, earning him a number of awards, including the 2012 German Camera Award for Best Cinematography, the Best Cinematography Award at the 2011 Sitges Film Festival in Spain, and a nomination for Best Cinematography Debut at the world renowed Camerimage Festival in 2012.
Markus has since shot Mike Cahill‘s sci-fi drama, I ORIGINS, which was awarded at the 2014 Sundance Film Festval with the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize. He then followed with I REMEMBER which premiered at the 2015 Berlin Film Festival and won the 2016 German Camera Award for Best Cinematography. Markus collaborated with director Roland Emmerich on the landmark period drama STONEWALL, which premiered at the 2015 Toronto In- ternational Film Festival, and the Sci-Fi blockbuster from 20th Century Fox INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE. After shooting the pilot for NBC’s RISE, he shot the pilot for the sci-fi horror series NIGHTFLYERS, by GAME OF THRONES writer George R.R. Martin. Markus has since shot AMAZON STUDIOS’s highly acclaimed sci-fi drama BLISS, directed by Mike Cahill, and the post apocalyptic sci-fi feature TIDES, directed by Tim Fehlbaum. He has just wrapped RED NOTICE for NETFLIX, directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, starring Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot and Ryan Reynolds.
In 2019 Markus became the youngest active member of the American Society of Cinematographers.
For our 2022 Kickoff Event, we will chat with Markus Forderer ASC, who recently shot Red Notice on Netflix. He joins us for a conversation about film craft and visual design. We’ll chat everything from communicating with directors to covering action scenes, and more!
Don’t miss our first event of 2022!
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community here.
Presented by Blackmagic Design and Sigma.
The Future of Filming Outside Los Angeles

Speakers
- Alecia Orsini (NE)
Alecia Orsini is an award winning Producer, Director and multi-media professional with 15+ years experience working in the film industry. She has worked for GBH fundraising and marketing for local NPR stations, owned her own video production agency as well as advised productions as a consultant.
Alecia is a prominent voice in the region’s film community as President of Women in Film and Video of New England. She also devotes time to Save MA Film Jobs, working behind the scenes for the grassroots organization supporting the Film Tax Incentives in the state of Massachusetts. She’s a staunch advocate, utilizing her experience and platform to amplify the voices of the un-derserved within the film industry such as women of color and members of the LGBTQI+ com-munities. In 2012 she was named one of the Cape & Plymouth Business 40 Under 40 for her volunteer work & entrepreneurship and in 2019 she was named an Imagineer for her service to the film industry by Imagine Magazine. Alecia recently returned to the directors chair and com-pleted filming of the short drama “Late Fall”. Aside from her professional work Alecia is a lifetime member of the Girl Scouts, can drive a stick shift and is the proud mother of a rambunctious tod-dler. - Ebony Blanding (ATL)
EBONY BLANDING is an award-winning writer/director from Atlanta, Georgia whose work explores grounded fantasy and tells stories about Black girls and women coming-of-age on their own terms. Accepted into the 2021 Blackmagic Collective Future Directors of Studio Features Fellowship and repped by Grandview management, through narrative, experimental and documentary film, Blanding meditates on Black folks living in the south and the mythical figures that live within the yoke of physical and spiritual worlds.
- Maurice Moore (AUSTIN)
Maurice Moore is an Award-Winning filmmaker, producer and actor. He’s the Founder/CEO of Motivate Pictures, a diverse production company with a primary focus in film and television development located in Austin, Texas. Maurice is also an accomplished stage and film actor and “acting coach.” His “Breathe Acting Studio”, also located in Austin, TX is a training ground for aspiring artist mastering their craft and making a profound impact in the film industry. Maurice is a well-respected and accomplished screenwriter as well. He’s written a number of feature films for both independent production companies and major Hollywood studios producers alike. He’s been a ghost-writer and script doctor on several motion pictures.
- Tanya Perez (NYC)
Born in NYC, raised in the South, Tanya Perez is a Latinx, performer, writer & filmmaker specializing in short-form comedy. Perez has excelled as a creator on both stage and screen and her stand-out work has received many awards and mentions. She has appeared on several networks and streaming series like Orange Is the New Black & Jessica Jones. Her comedy short, Peep Show, was a finalist at the ‘Women in Comedy HBO Insider Competition.’ With over 22 screenings globally, her film, Veronica, won ‘Best Actress’ at Story Mode Shorts Festival, ‘Best Screenplay’ and ‘Best Actress’ at Outlanta Con, and ‘Best Latinx Short’ at IndieFest. Perez also received an ‘Audioverse Award’ nomination for her audio play, Rincon. She is a featured writer on the upcoming audio narrative The Light Ahead produced by Naomi McDougal Jones and is a member of Latinx Playwrights Circle & Brown Girls Doc Mafia.
It’s been a strange two years as we’ve tried to figure out how to work in a pandemic, but filmmakers are back to work. We’ll check in with filmmakers around the country to see how they have been pulling off productions in the time of Covid, and their hopes for the future.
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community here.
Presented by Blackmagic Design.
Making Scary Movies: Halloween Edition

Speakers
- David F Sandberg
Born in 1981 in Jönköping, Sweden and raised on a steady diet of films I started borrowing my father’s VHSC camera to make my own films with friends and family until I broke the camera.
In 5th grade I transferred to a new school and met my future wife Lotta Losten. We dated for about six month (an eternity when you’re that young) before breaking up.
In my late teens I worked extra in a video store which served as both a kind of film school as well as a way for me to save up money and eventually I was able to buy my own camcorder. With digital editing now possible I could take my filmmaking to a whole new level.
Making short films that I submitted to film festival I came into contact with the local film center ‘Film i Jönköpings län’ run by film commissioner Svante Rosberg where I interned and eventually started working on various projects. Mostly short documentaries for clients such as the Swedish Inheritance Fund, documenting their various projects.
In 2006 I started making animated shorts and had a big hit with ‘Vad Tyst Det Blev’. I uploaded it to this new thing called YouTube and it went viral in Scandinavia. It also won all the big awards at the November Film Festival that same year.
Thanks to the success of ‘Vad Tyst Det Blev’ I got commissioned to make animated commercial and corporate films. I started my own company and did that for a few years. I was also briefly involved as a consultant for the Swedish animated TV show ‘Myggan’.
‘Vad Tyst Det Blev’ going viral also lead to Lotta Losten reconnecting with me. We started dating again (after 14 years) and in 2013 we got married.
For a while I combined my previous experiences of documentary and animation work and made animated documentaries with Swedish producer Claes Lundin. Our biggest project was the TV-show ‘Earth Savers’ about real life people working to save our planet in various ways.
In 2013 I felt that I had strayed too far from my original love, live action genre films. Now working together with my wife Lotta we started making horror shorts. Our second collaboration was the short film ‘Lights Out’, made for the Bloody Cuts Horror Challenge contest. A few months after uploading the short to YouTube it went viral. Big time. It caught the attention of Hollywood and suddenly I had managers, agents and a producer who wanted to make a feature film version.
In 2015 Lotta and I packed our bags and went to Hollywood. I was getting to direct a feature film version of ‘Lights Out’ made by New Line Cinema with James Wan on board as a producer and Eric Heisserer writing. The first day on set was the first time I’d ever been on a real film set. It was a very surreal experience and I had to learn a lot quickly. In the end it worked out great. The film was a hit and before the movie was released I was offered to direct another New Line Cinema movie with James Wan as producer, ‘Annabelle Creation’.
Since then Lotta and I haven’t been back to Sweden much. We’ve been too busy in Hollywood. After ‘Annabelle Creation’ I was offered to direct the movie ‘Shazam!’ based on the DC comics character and Lotta and I are developing projects together for both film and TV.
In summation, I got extremely lucky and to this day I still can’t believe that my distant dream of becoming a Hollywood director actually came true. Life is pretty awesome sometimes.
- Julian Terry
I was born in 1990 in Chicago, Illinois. Growing up, I would sneak downstairs to watch scary movies with my dad. One summer, I watched Jurassic Park and The Thing. I reenacted those movies with my sister whenever I could!
During high school/college I worked at the local YWCA and battered women’s shelter teaching kids how to swim. Through teaching I started to develop my own directing style. I shot my first two short films, Puppy Love and My Friend Socrates. Like most fathers, mine thought filmmaking should be a hobby. I went to Northern Illinois University to pursue Engineering till I convinced my parents to let me go to film school, Columbia College Chicago! I was pretty rebellious and ended up failing my intro to film class. I also learned that my family was weeks away from losing the house. (It was a tough time!) I decided to go back to teaching at the YWCA and the shelter.
I borrowed my friend’s film textbooks and kept writing scripts in my spare time. Everytime I would go out to see a movie I felt the urge to pack up my car and just go to LA. So after a crazy life threatening night, I packed up my car and drove across the county to LA. I had only $200 and a Canon T2i. Finding work was damn near impossible without family or contacts in the industry. I worked a lot of free gigs as a PA. I would get kicked off set often for not knowing how to wrangle cable and basic set work. After working numerous PA jobs I eventually found myself as an AC/Camera operator for Discovery Channel for an awful showl. Later I got into gaffing music videos.
In 2015 I became an intern at BuzzFeed Motion Pictures. Where I shot something new everyday (even weekends)! I even got drunk for a video. I began to develop a style at BuzzFeed that got me noticed. I became the first full-time staff cinematographer for BuzzFeed’s Branded department, working on brands such as Toyota, Acer, and Purina. I filmed sharks with the Try Guys, I got to shoot Dear Kitten and Puppyhood. It was wild!
Sadly, they ended up closing my department. I calculated it out how many shorts I ended up making there and it was close to 200 viral short films. I had been a cinematographer, 1st AD, one job I knew nothing about was VFX. I figured it could help me out when I direct big movies so I got an internship at the VFX house, Pixomondo.
In the summer of 2017, I decided to make my first horror short for the My Annabelle Creation Contest called The Nurse. I gathered my friends that I shot my BuzzFeed projects and we threw it together in a day. It was finished and turned in 3 days later. It won and was optioned by New Line Cinema! While we awaited our meeting with New Line we made a second horror short, Whisper. It was shot in my bedroom with very little money. The next short film was a proof of concept for a feature, They Hear It.
They Hear It was a hell of a production, the DP quit and it snowed on us. Crazy enough I was contacted by The Picture Company who loved Whisper. With them I pitched it to Legendary where we sold it. David Robert Mitchell (It Follows) came aboard to write it. Two months later, we pitched Whisper to Amblin and they loved it. I actually have a video of myself crying hearing the news that Steven Spielberg loved my short film! Now, I’m prepping to direct my first movie!
It’s that time of year, where we all look to get just a little frightened. But as filmmakers, what are the tricks to scare your audience? Join us for a conversation with acclaimed horror filmmakers David F. Sandberg (Annabelle: Creation) and Julian Terry (Don’t Peek) as we dissect (see what we did there?) what makes things scary!
Want to see more? Check out Lights Out and Don’t Peek before the show!
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2297259097171796/
Sponsored by Blackmagic Design
Composing For Film & TV

How Film & TV Composers Do Their Work
How does the process of scoring a film or TV episode work, from the moment the composer gets a cut of the video to the moment they send the final music files? What’s the best way for a composer to work with a director to ensure a smooth and effective partnership? How do filmmakers and composers go about finding each other? These and other burning film and TV music questions will be answered in this powerhouse composer panel.
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2297259097171796/
Sponsored by Blackmagic Design
Stabilize This!

COOL RIGS FOR YOUR CAMERA
featuring Tilta!
Shooting cool shots for your film can be challenging without the right gear, and so much of it is expensive and difficult to use! We want to breakdown some of today’s coolest tools to steady your camera, and show you how they can make your film even better… on a budget! Special thanks to Tilta.com, who makes some of the best, and most affordable solutions available!
Join us for this informative event, live-streamed with Tilta who makes some of the best, most affordable solutions available!
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2297259097171796/
Presented by Tilta.
Sponsored by Blackmagic Design
Foley & Sound Editors

How do you achieve high-quality post-production sound despite being on a limited budget? How collaborative is the process of shaping a film’s sound design, and what are the steps involved? When is it appropriate to use library sound effects as opposed to custom-recorded ones? In this panel, these and other questions will be answered by experienced post sound professionals.
You can also join our Facebook Group to join in on discussions and connect with our filmmaking community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2297259097171796/
Presented by Blackmagic Design
Short Film Distribution

Speakers
- Celine RoustanSenior Programmer
Céline Roustan is the industry relations manager, development associate and a senior programmer of the popular website Short of the Week. She is also a programmer for the Palm Springs ShortFest and the Dublin International Film Festival, an associate programmer at SXSW, a prescreener at TIFF and a programming consultant for Quebec City’s FCVQ. Recently, she started consulting on shorts release and sales strategy. She does find time to watch feature length films and serves as the Africa/Middle-East region programmer of the Palm Springs International Film Festival.
- Foster WilsonDirector
Foster Wilson is an award-winning director, filmmaker, and Emergence Award Recipient. She earned her BFA at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Her comedy short film Made Public, starring Jeanine Mason and Josh Zuckerman, has screened at over 40 festivals around the globe, and garnered a dozen awards. Other notable films include: Waffles, Platypus, Mía, Love Scenes LLC, and DAME.
Foster is an alumna of the Ryan Murphy HALF Initiative and the Alliance of Women Directors Short Film Initiative, co-founder of Something Wilde Productions, and member of the Los Angeles Women’s Film Collective. She is a recipient of the 2020 SHIFT Creative Fund and the Panavision New Filmmaker Grant for her next film, 5 Stages of Grief. Rep: Verve and Fourth Wall Management.
- Soma HelmiWriter / Director
Born to an Indonesian father and a Polish mother, the Bali native began her career as an art director for J. Walter Thompson in Jakarta and later worked as a creative assistant for Catherine Hardwicke. Soma directed all 20 episodes of Season 3 of Snapchat’s original series The Dead Girls Detective Agency, and her work has screened at Sundance, Outfest and Amazon’s New Voices Film Festival, among many others. Named one of the “eight directors to watch” by the Alliance of Women Directors, she was a participant in Blackmagic Collective’s Future Women of TV 2020 initiative before going on to create and become program director for Blackmagic’s Breakthrough Initiative for BIPOC TV writers and directors.
So, you made a short film, now what? Most filmmakers spend a hundred hours prepping, shooting, and editing their films only to just throw them up on YouTube and hope they get seen. There are so many more options at your disposal. Our panelists will give you ideas on how to not only get your film seen but use it as a way to get your next film made…and maybe even make some money along the way.
Virtual Production

It seems like everybody is talking about Virtual Production these days. It sounds like a magic bullet at times, and with shows like “The Mandalorian” and “Loki” (just to name a few) embracing this technology to create fantastic images, it’s hard to disagree. But how do we as filmmakers really use this new technology to our advantage? When is it the right time to consider virtual, and when is it a waste of money? Is it even possible to achieve quality virtual environments on a limited budget? What the heck IS Unreal Engine?!
Join us for this informative event, held live on ARwall & Soapbox Films‘ actual virtual stage, as we walk you through the specifics of how virtual production is done, and how it can help you with your films.
Filming Remotely

Speakers
- Ben Consoli
Storytelling through video production and podcasting is the best way to inform and engage an audience.
This has been Ben Consoli’s mantra. As Creative Director of BC Media Productions, Ben has been
responsible for award-winning commercials and videos for companies like Amazon, Nestle, and Honda.
And as host of the Go Creative Show podcast, Ben has interviewed hundreds of the top filmmakers in
the world.
Ben and his production company have traveled all over the world shooting, interviewing, and meeting
people from all walks of life. This life experience, along with an insatiable curiosity about people, has
created an open-minded and creative thinker who excels at taking a kernel of an idea and making it a
feast for the eyes and ears.
Along with directing a commercial for Nuance that aired during a Super Bowl, Ben has worked with
giants like Reebok, Panera, Dior and Indeed. But every client will tell you he makes them feel like they
are his most important. As a Creative Director, Ben pushes himself and his team to make videos that
touch the heart, challenge preconceived notions, and communicate ideas in a unique and engaging way. - Jason Liquori
Jason Liquori is the President and Head of Innovation at C Mount. In this role, he has successfully positioned C Mount as a leading custom gear solutions provider. Jason and his team have designed bespoke video installations across platforms, including The Late Late Show with James Corden, the 2020 Emmys, Ellen, Jimmy Kimmel and Apple Music’s Carpool Karaoke: The Series, Hermès, and Snapchat.
Prior to Jason’s joining C Mount, he had a rich career in film and television, working as a Director, DP, Technical Supervisor, Wireless Video Technician, POV rigger, Sound Mixer and Lighting Tech. - Michelle Stapleton
Michelle started her career in the advertising industry at the tender age of 17. Working with the infamous director Tony Kaye she worked her way up to producing from reception. She then joined Propaganda Films when they launched in London, working with the likes of Alex Proyas, David Fincher, Michael Bay, Mark Romanek.
At 26 years old she ventured out on her own starting up Brave Films which soon became one of London’s leading production companies earning Best Newcomer in it’s first year. Brave launched the careers of young film-makers such as Lucy Blakstad, Seb Edwards, Alex Winter (Bill and Ted fame) and Sara Dunlop. She also exec produced and produced Sara’s Soho Rushes Short Film Winner “Big” which ran at the Curzon Cinema for 9 weeks and was picked up as The Big Issues Sponsor Film. Along with “Juvenile” for China Moo-Young, credits of which are on her IMDb page.
During her time in the industry she has worked with an extensive range of advertising agencies and clients across a variety of sectors including automotive, beauty, retail, fashion and food. Michelle’s ability to work across different genres and produce for a range of directorial talent has won awards at D&AD, Campaign Circle, BTA, Rushes Short Film Awards.
In 2013, alongside producing high end TVC and Cinema commercials, she created an idea for a new TV sitcom, “The Plot”. Michelle not only Executive Produced The Plot, she developed the idea along with all the characters and collaborated with Jo Brand and Morwenna Banks who wrote the script and stared in the pilot along with Christopher Eccleston and Miriam Margoles amongst others. The Plot is currently in development.
Michelle’s passion for high standards of work is still as strong today as it has always been and in 2013 she teamed up with two likeminded business women Carly Stone and Pippa Bhatt to launch MADAM FILMS. In 2016 MADAM became a pure UK Service company bringing a wealth of experience, enthusiasm and creative problem solving allowing clients from all over the world to be able to shoot in the UK. Michelle’s passion for high standards of work is still as strong today as it has always been.
Madam Films continues to go from strength to strength.
The pandemic, and the cost of complying with on-set safety rules, has prompted many filmmakers to explore various strategies for remote production, from directing in another location all the way to remotely operating cameras and lights. In this panel, we’ll talk to filmmakers experienced in remote film and video production about the strategies and gear they use to achieve high production quality while keeping the number of people on set to a minimum.
Gimbal Class

Sometimes the handheld look is great for your film, but if you want to move your camera smoothly, you need the right tools. Gimbals have become a common discussion point with all shooters, regardless of the size or type of camera you shoot with. But how do you set up a gimbal, and what are the best ways to use it? Did you know you need to walk differently when operating a gimbal? Our Gimbal Class will answer these questions and many more, including questions from a select group of live audience members. The goal is to demystify the gimbal, and turn it into a valuable tool for your future projects.
Everything Cameras!

Speaker
- Sarah Phillips
Sarah Phillips is a cinematographer (and camera nerd) in Los Angeles.
She recently DPed a feature indie drama film in Los Angeles and Mexico called “IRL” about modern love and art (Best Cinematography Idyllwild Film Festival 2019, Best Cinematography Silicon Beach Film Festival 2019, RE-Frame Stamp 2018), a documentary in 360 in Bangladesh for The Gates Foundation and the Zuckerberg/Chan Initiative, a short drama “Lilac Ocean Pumpkin Pine” about a woman’s final wish (Founders Circle and Top Five Prize Louisiana Film Prize 2018, Gold Remi Best Drama Short Houston WorldFest 2019, Best Cinematography Circle City Film Fest 2019), a colonial New England proof of concept drama in Massachusetts “Land Of Light”, a thriller short “Man In The Corner,” a short Stephen King thriller in the Southern California desert “Beachworld,” and a SciFi short “Separation of Church and Livia” (Silver Remi Houston World Fest 2018, 2nd Place AT&T Shape Create-A-Thon 2017), a short scifi “Supplements” (SeriesFest 2020, Lousiana Film Prize 2019) as well as web series and music videos.
In addition she’s DPed a few documentaries that are works in progress, shot branded content for Google Pixel, Samsung, Bvlgari, The Grammys, Infiniti, PopSugar, TV show Pool Kings, LA Pride, as well as been in the camera dept for international commercials for brands like Greyhound, NBA 2K, Fitbit, and Sunmaid.
You bought a camera, you are ready to make something awesome, but you are a bit intimidated by settings and lenses and all that goes with it. Or maybe you don’t even know which camera to buy for your needs. Or maybe you are great with the camera but you want to take your skills further or even get experimental.
Join us for an ask me anything with cinematographer Sarah Phillips. She’s experienced with most cameras, camera rigs, drones, lenses, lighting, and beyond. Bring your burning questions and let’s talk camera!
Studio Diversity Program Interview Prep

Speaker
- Carole Kirschner
Carole started in Hollywood as a stand-up comic. She loved it but realized it wasn’t a gig for the long run. So she moved to the other side of the desk as an assistant and worked my way up to become a senior level creative television executive. Carole was at CBS Comedy and then hired as Vice President of Steven Spielberg’s first Amblin Television. During that time, she heard more than 3,000 pitches, bought hundreds of scripts, and was involved in developing dozens of television series. In all, she’s probably read about 5,000 scripts.
Any director or writer trying to break into television is painfully aware that one of the only ways to get in is through studio diversity programs. You spend hours (if not days) crafting the perfect application responses and most of the time you never even get the call. When you do get the call for an interview it’s like winning the lottery, so you better be prepared!
Carole Kirschner, CBS & WGA Program Director and a Career Coach, will conduct mock inter-views live for our members. She’ll give invaluable feedback that everyone who attends will benefit from. And of course, we’ll finish the hour off with a q&a so you can ask her all your burning questions.
All Chapters Face Off!

Speakers
- Alecia Orsini (NE)
Alecia Orsini is an award winning Producer, Director and multi-media professional with 15+ years experience working in the film industry. She has worked for GBH fundraising and marketing for local NPR stations, owned her own video production agency as well as advised productions as a consultant.
Alecia is a prominent voice in the region’s film community as President of Women in Film and Video of New England. She also devotes time to Save MA Film Jobs, working behind the scenes for the grassroots organization supporting the Film Tax Incentives in the state of Massachusetts. She’s a staunch advocate, utilizing her experience and platform to amplify the voices of the un-derserved within the film industry such as women of color and members of the LGBTQI+ com-munities. In 2012 she was named one of the Cape & Plymouth Business 40 Under 40 for her volunteer work & entrepreneurship and in 2019 she was named an Imagineer for her service to the film industry by Imagine Magazine. Alecia recently returned to the directors chair and com-pleted filming of the short drama “Late Fall”. Aside from her professional work Alecia is a lifetime member of the Girl Scouts, can drive a stick shift and is the proud mother of a rambunctious tod-dler. - Caytha Jentis (NYC)
Caytha is a successful independent 1ilmmaker who began making movies while driving carpools in suburban New Jersey. She currently resides in NYC. Pooling to Paradise is her most recent 1ilm that she wrote and produced and stars: Jonathan Lipnicki, Lynn Chen, Dreama Walker, Jordan Carlos and Taryn Manning. It will be released in the Spring.
Caytha’s other 1ilm credits include: The Other F Word, a short form comedic series that originally streamed on Amazon Video direct. It was one of their top series four months in a row. The cast in-cludes: Steve Guttenberg, Judy Gold, Alysia Reiner and Gilbert Gottfried.
Bad Parents, a comedy that she wrote/produced and directed was licensed to Cinedigm and Relata-tivity Media currently streams on HBO and Starz. The movie had previously streamed on Net1lix and made Redbox and iTunes top 20 comedy lists. The cast includes: Janeane Garofalo, Cheri Oteri, Christopher Titus and Kristen Johnston.
And Then Came Love, a romantic comedy feature, was licensed to Warner Brothers, reached net pro1its and played in heavy tv rotation. It now streams on Amazon. Its cast includes: Vanessa Wil-liams, Eartha Kitt, Anna Camp and Ben Vereen. Caytha also wrote/directed and produced The One, (2009) a feature 1ilm drama distributed by TLA Releasing and wrote the thriller feature 1ilm Ex-posed.
She began her career as a literary agent in New York. Caytha was pro1iled by the Writers Guild as well as Screenwriter Magazine. She is a member of the Writers Guild East, Film Fatales and the Pro-ducers Guild. - Jenn Khoe (LA)
Jennifer is an LA based Chinese American actress and producer who has created a career both in front of the camera and behind the lens. In 2017 she established her own production company and has line produced and cast indie films, music videos and commercials for a number of large advertising companies and international music labels including Beats Music, Google, X Factor, Intel, Universal Music, Interscope, and Sony Music Latin to name a few.
- Maurice Moore (AUSTIN)
Maurice Moore is an Award-Winning filmmaker, producer and actor. He’s the Founder/CEO of Motivate Pictures, a diverse production company with a primary focus in film and television development located in Austin, Texas. Maurice is also an accomplished stage and film actor and “acting coach.” His “Breathe Acting Studio”, also located in Austin, TX is a training ground for aspiring artist mastering their craft and making a profound impact in the film industry. Maurice is a well-respected and accomplished screenwriter as well. He’s written a number of feature films for both independent production companies and major Hollywood studios producers alike. He’s been a ghost-writer and script doctor on several motion pictures.
- T.C. Barrera (ATL)
T.C. Barrera is a writer and director originally from Los Angeles currently based in Atlanta. In 2016, he founded Big Pond Pictures, a company that works in creative development and is current-ly in development of its first independent feature, We’ll Be Okay, shooting later this year. He’s worked in every aspect of production; and, when he’s not directing, he works as an assistant direc-tor on projects ranging from massive triple-A, studio budgets to small micro budgets in feature films, commercials, and music videos. He’s had a passion for cultivating the next generation of filmmakers for years and loves the development of independent films. He likes long walks on the beach. He also prefers margaritas over pina coladas.
What is the best city to shoot in? Which are the worst? Join us for a fun and informative discussion with panelists from Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York, Austin and New England as they share their filming experience and knowledge for their areas and others as well! Learn about locations, permits, incentives, as well as how to find cast and crew, and ask about other places you want to shoot!
Game Streaming: Video & Role-Playing Live!

Speakers
- Becca Scott
Becca Scott is an actor, improviser, host, Twitch streamer, and YouTuber. She is best known as a host for Geek & Sundry on shows like How to Play, Game the Game, and TBD RPG, and as a correspondent for Magic: The Gathering, Games Workshop, Dell Alienware, and more. She also voiced Sophie Gray in South Park.
Becca is a co-owner of the YouTube channel, @GoodTimeSociety, where you’ll find her as the Keeper for the Call of Cthulhu Live Play RPG Show The Calyx, co-hosting the podcast To Boldly Watch, and talking board games on How to Game, Gameplay’d, and Good Lookin’ Kickstarters. She can be found streaming variety games, Magic: The Gathering, and digital tabletop games four times a week on her Twitch channels @thebeccascott, @goodtimesociety, and on @geekandsundry. She likes puppy dogs, fine scotch, supporting social justice, and getting shredded, bro.
- Diana DiMicco
Diana DiMicco is a storyteller, roleplayer, and business owner in the TTRPG and nerd spaces. In her day job at Die Hard Dice, she works to support content creators through the Dicefiliate program. After 5 PM you can find her sharing Dungeons & Dragons, Call of Cthulhu, Outbreak: Undead, and other TTRPGs both on her channel (Bard and Barbarian) as well as other streamers’ channels.
- Michael Martin
Michael Martin has been telling stories in tabletop RPGs for over two decades now, and in the past 5 years has taken that passion and love for the games and brought it online. Combining his love for RPGs and his profession for the past 10, podcasting and online entertainment, Mike has discovered a thirst for telling stories with other actors in this new and exciting medium.
The rise of Twitch, which has more than 140 million users per month, and similar streaming services, has made one thing very clear: people like to watch other people play games live, and interact with them while they do it. This is not only true for video games, but also for other types of games, such as role-playing and board games. How do gaming streamers make a career out of this? What type of equipment do they use to produce consistently high-quality streams? How can livestreaming games be used to advance a more conventional movie business career? These and other questions will be discussed by our panelists, who are well-known video and role-playing game streamers.
Coloring in Resolve – Live Class!

Speaker
- Josh MillerFounder/CEO - C&I Studios
Joshua O. Miller is the founder and Executive Director of C&I Studios. Starting as a small media company operating out of his apartment, he has grown C&I Studios to a nationwide media company, with headquarters in South Florida, and operating out of Washington DC, New York, and Los Angeles California.
Joshua has a wide range of media experience, working with companies big and small to communicate their messages to the world. Specializing in film, he has a knack for communicating stories in ways that stick with people.
Joshua has produced media for companies as large as Coca-Cola and as small as your neighborhood restaurant. Most importantly, Joshua provides a unique ability to take your company’s message and clearly communicate it with the world, in a way that excites and inspires.
In this live interactive class Joshua Miller (Founder and CEO- C&I Studios) will not only go through the basics of color matching and correcting, but also some advanced techniques. We will send the audience the same video that Josh will work on during the live stream so that you can work along side him and get your questions answered.
ABOUT C&I STUDIOS:
C&I Studios specializes in the production and distribution of creative content to solve complex marketing challenges. Their original and inventive solutions continually reshape professional frontiers and have remained an impactful asset for businesses and brands in over a dozen industries. Their remarkable craftsmanship in video production and photography and their uncanny ability to connect audiences with their work both digitally and in-person make them true thought leaders in their industry. With a full-service creative suite, a state-of-the-art pre and post-production studio, a diverse team of professional marketers and creatives, and an unwavering commitment to challenging traditional norms through art with purpose, there is nothing too brave or too extravagant for C&I Studios.
Since its inception, Founder and CEO Joshua Miller has been the guiding voice for C&I Studios. His vision for the company has expanded its primary services to include video and audio live streaming, photography, website design and development, audio engineering, brand management and more, which all play a pivotal role in their function as brand storytellers. He works directly with his teams in New York City, Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale, and Washington D.C. to help elevate the quality of their work beyond expectation. And continues to work behind the scenes as the director and visionary for every video production that is created by the studio.
Joshua Miller’s passion for creativity and pursuit of something greater was the catalyst for C&I Studios and also the impetus for its unstemmed expansion. Today, C&I Studios is the parent company to various auxiliary brands, which all come together to tell a single story of how art is the king of thoughtful change. Their nonprofit organization, C&I Reach, uses art to shed light on small organizations making impactful change in their communities; their cafe & bar, Next Door, invites the South Florida community to embrace the studio’s art and their passion for storytelling in-person via local outreach, underground events, live music, and more. Their lifestyle brand, Uncreative Shop, offers creatives, professionals, and entrepreneurs identity through fashion, uniting an entire generation under a single calling card.
Under current leadership, C&I Studios is investing more resources to finance, produce, and distribute original television and film productions of their own design through their company, C&I Films. Their expansion into this arena will add a new voice to the world of film and live streaming services and is surely an exciting development for anyone with a hunger for authentic content of exceptional quality.Visit them at https://c-istudios.com/
Crew UP! Cinematographers

One of our many missions at the Blackmagic Collective is to find ways to help you all make your projects, so we are introducing our newest initiative, CREW UP! The goal is to help you find great artists to work with, or find that awesome new project to jump on.
CREW UP! is designed for indie films, low and no budget projects where the filmmaker can’t pay a lot (or sometimes they can’t pay at all) but still hope to attract great team mates. If you make a great film, everybody wins! Each session will include short pitches and interviews with a specific crew position, and also with filmmakers who will pitch their films to you!
Music Supervision: Script to Screen

Speakers
- Charlene Huangmusic production executive
Born and raised in Colorado, Charlene Huang received her violin degree from Manhattan School of Music and moved to LA in 2004 to work in music production for world-renowned film composer Hans Zimmer. She considers herself to be a hybrid of studio musician and music executive in the entertainment business.
During her tenure as Director of Music at DreamWorks Animation, she worked on 19 films, including popular film franchises such as Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, and How to Train Your Dragon. Currently, she oversees music production for animated features and series at Netflix. The studio’s 3rd and latest animated feature, Over the Moon, launched this past October.As an artist, she is a studio violinist for film and television scores, has toured and performed in over 300 shows at major venues across the U.S., and has performed and recorded with notable artists such as Dr. Dre, Adele, Pharrell, Guster, Fun., WuTang Clan, and The Used. Over the years, mentoring has also been an important part of Charlene’s journey, sharing knowledge and insights from her various music industry experience with the next generation of emerging talent.
- Chris Tedescomusic contractor/trumpet player
Chris Tedesco has distinguished himself as a one of the top call Trumpet players on the music scene in Los Angeles since 1987. Equally at home performing Classical Trumpet or Jazz, Chamber music or Orchestral pieces, Chris’s sound has been heard on numerous recordings for Movies, TV shows, TV Commercials, CD recordings, and live dates with some of the biggest names in the industry. He is also a Music Contractor and studio owner recording remote Trumpet, Trombone and French Horn for 16 years. He is a graduate of the University of Miami in Florida, where he studied trumpet with Gil Johnson, former Principal Trumpet of the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy. Chris’s Jazz album titled Living the Dream made it to the number eight slot for two weeks and stayed in the top thirty for two months on jazz radio in 2010. Chris is a specialist in vintage swing music for over 20 years and leads his own groups under the Angel City Music name along with being Music Director of the Satin Dollz.
Some most recent credits include the newer TV shows American Horror Story, Feud, Timeless, Making History, The Quad, the Netflix series Jessica Jones, All Hail King Julien TV cartoon series, Miles from Tomorrowland, Sheriff Callie’s Wild West and Mickey and the Roadster Racers. Chris also served as the Musician Contractor and Trumpeter for the Dreamworks movie Need for Speed and his solo jazz trumpet can be heard on the theme to Showtime’s Homeland, in Christina Aguilera’s movie Burlesque, and the big band trumpet for Ironman I. During pro football season Chris can also be heard on the Monday Night Football theme.Other credits include the movie soundtracks to For Your Consideration, Finding Nemo, Best in Show, Batman Begins, The Mexican, Winchell, and Nixon. Television credits include American Idol, The Playboy Club, The Green Lantern cartoon series, Beware the Batman cartoon series, America’s Best Dance Crew, the El Tigre cartoon series, The Latin Grammys, The SAG Awards, the Star Trek TV series, The District, Chicago Hope and many more. He is the leader of the Angel City Horn section, which have recorded the hit tunes Don’t Cha Wish for the Pussy Cat Dolls, and Christina Aguilera’s Candyman and Nasty Naughty Boy.
- Gina Zimmittimusician contractor/coordinator
Gina Zimmitti is an L.A. native who loves hiking the Santa Monica Mountains and mastering the recipes of her Italo-Greek heritage. She’s mom to two amazing daughters and wife to drummer/designer Anthony.
For work, Gina hires the foremost Los Angeles musicians to record for film, television, & new media scores and to perform for live concerts. She coordinates scoring budgets and recording sessions on behalf of many of our field’s accomplished composers. Nearly two decades into her career, she still feels privileged to collaborate with talent old and new and to help shape the sound of the score by inviting the right people into the right rooms. She is thankful for the journey thus far, and is excited to continue investing in the longevity and vibrancy of film music in innovative ways.
Whether it’s underscore or songs, how does the music for a major movie or TV show take shape during the project’s journey from script to screen? How do music supervisors decide what music they want to use, and supervise the composition, recording and production of the music? How do you produce music with a high production value sound on a limited budget? If you want to work on some aspect of movie or TV music, whether it’s composition, performance, engineering, or something else, how do you break into it? Get the inside scoop on recording and producing film and TV music from folks who’ve worked on tons of well-known projects.
Scriptation Class Live!

Scriptation, the PDF annotation app for film, television, and video production, is the ground-breaking app for filmmakers that intelligently transfers your annotations, notes, and markups into new script revisions.
Whether you’re a filmmaker on a big budget feature or a student on your first production, Scriptation makes it easy to go paperless, increase your productivity, and save hours of time.
Scriptation makes your film life easier by transferring notes to updated scripts seamlessly, highlighting all lines for an actor with a single button, annotating notes (and much more) right on the script, and beyond.
Download the free version HERE
Presented by Scriptation
Making a Living As a Videographer

Speakers
- Armen Tahanianreal estate videography
Armen Tahanian is a Los Angeles based filmmaker with a background in sales and marketing. In 2015 he founded Falcon Media Solutions, a production company specializing in creating digital content for online marketing. While working within a variety of industries, Armen has found a niche within the real estate community creating real estate video tours and agent profile videos. In addition to filming real estate content, Armen also works as a DP on different film/commercial productions.
- Luisa Mendozacorporate videography
A graduate of both St. Louis University and The Art Institute of Dallas, Luisa Mendoza started her production career at AMS Pictures (Dallas, TX) in the late 90s where she worked hard to learn all aspects of production but found her calling behind the camera. During her time at AMS, her work won many Telly Awards with the company and her first documentary as Director of Photography, The Power of Harmony: The Story of the Turtle Creek Chorale won Best Documentary at the USA Film Festival in 2005.
She was Senior DP at AMS, working on high end corporate work, commercials and documentaries until going freelance in 2013. She has since built a successful business of her own shooting for corporate, broadcast and “reality” clients. Her work can be seen on channels such as HGTV, DIY, Discovery, ESPN and NFL Network and her corporate client list includes American Airlines, BSNF Railroads, Pepsi- co/Frito Lay, Toyota NA, AT&T and Yum!Brands. - Shyah Zarrabiwedding videography
With 6 years under his belt, Shyah Zarrabi understands that it’s hard to remember the details that happen at a wedding; from the hilarious speech of the Maid of Honour to the fun Uncle breaking it down on the dance floor. Whether he’s filming a wedding with 50 guests or 950 guests, he approaches videography with an aim that extracts genuine laughter and seeks fleeting candid moments – the wedding video is an actual reflection of who the couple is.
For commercial work, Shyah specializes in engaging, short-form video. His rigorous pre-production strategy may seem lengthy at the time, but his clients are always happy with the turnout of their video content
Join us for a panel discussion on how filmmakers have found ways to make a living in between the dream projects. From weddings to real estate and everything in between, learn how filmmakers got started, get clients, and thrive.
Tommy Lee + Streaming From Home

Speakers
- Christian Karasiewiczlive stream producer
Christian Karasiewicz is the Content Marketing Manager for StreamYard, Founder of Social Chefs, a digital agency for social media marketing professionals in the B2B and B2C space, host of the Amazon Live show, Business Essentials and Conversation (BEC) with Leticia Campbell, and host of the podcast, Launch Your Live with Jim Fuhs.
Christian has been live streaming since Google Hangouts for shows such as Plus Your Business. He has also produced live streams for IBM, the Chamber of Commerce, memorials, as well as for his own business, where he runs the longest live social media marketing talk show, Social Chatter. He also produces shows for StreamYard, including the show, Learn with StreamYard, along with Live Stream Reviews. - John L. Curtisactor/live streamer
John L. Curtis is a seasoned actor who has appeared in films, television and stage for over 20 years. Some of his work includes Without A Trace, CSI, Castle, and Ghost Whisperer. He’s appeared on stage in iconic characters such as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet for the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Picasso in Picasso at the Lapin Agile, and Joe Pitt in Angels in America. He has acted opposite the likes of Regina King, Luke Perry, and Tom Berengier. Most recently he starred across from Shannon Elizabeth in the feature film Playing with Beethoven that will release in theaters in 2021. He is also the co-host of Two Nerds in a Garage, a weekly live show all about nerd culture.
- Leticia CampbellStrategist/Live Stream Hos
Leticia Campbell is a Sales & Systems Strategist. She’s the CEO/Founder of the Campbell Success Network, LLC and has been featured on Fox, NBC, and CBS. She co-hosts a weekly show with Christian Karasiewicz called the Business Essentials and Conversations on Amazon Live and other platforms, as well as other live streams weekly.
- Tommy Leemusic producer/drummer
Having a serious conversation with Tommy Lee presents one of the biggest challenges a person can experience. His abject JOY in everything he does is infectious and you can’t help but come away with a grin and a more positive outlook.
The longtime Motley Crue drummer has just recorded a new solo record, Andro, that is about to challenge virtually everything you thought you knew about him and his musical proclivities. True, he hinted at some of the complexity behind the chaos, when he formed Methods of Mayhem , but holed up in his own basement studio for the better part of the last two years, Lee has finally emerged with a new set of tracks that seem to truly represent the music that’s he was meant to make – and that definitively reveals the depth and range of his musical fascinations.“It was me sitting around writing like a maniac,” he recalls. “I would just go down to the studio and tweak out – it would be like, ‘Whoa, he’s been down there for f**king days.’ But I would just be banging on the keyboard, and a sound would inspire me, or suddenly there would be this beat…and it all just followed.”
Headlining Guest: Tommy Lee
Tommy Lee may be famous as the singular drummer from classic rock band Motley Crue, but he is also an active music producer, writer and media producer. His home studio has evolved into an advanced system that allows him not only to provide high quality interviews for networks and outlets looking for his unique take on the world, but also helping him produce his newest album during Covid. We’ll talk to Tommy about how he stays active during the pandemic, and what that means to his work into the future.
Filmmaker Panel: Streaming From Home
Now more than ever before filmmakers are looking to find ways to not only stay creative, but reach a worldwide audience from home. In this round table interview we’ll chat with various streamers about their at home setups, the software they use to stream live, and how they keep it fresh to do weekly shows from home.
What Makes Austin a Filmmaker’s Dream Town?

Speakers
- Ashlyn EvansActress
Ashlyn Evans is an actress based in Austin, TX. She has her Masters degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch and has been acting for five years. Past projects have included the tv series Unlocking the Truth on MTV, commercials for Burger King, GVTC, Frog Scooters, and TABC, plus starring in several music videos.
Her modeling experience is extensive as well with seven years under her belt working with brands like Hu Chocolate, Texas Health, William and Everett, and Quility Blankets. Though formerly signed, Ashlyn has been able to book steady work throughout her time in Austin without an agent. - Christy Carlson Romanoproducer/actor
Chrisy Carlson Romano has had a long relationship with Disney ABC Television Group by starring in hit series and movies for the Disney Channel and ABC Family including: Cadet Kelly, The Even Stevens franchise, Campus Confidential, Taking Five, The Cutting Edge 2: Going for the Gold, and The Cutting Edge 3: Chasing the Dream. Romano became the first person to act in three Disney Channel projects simultaneously. Various other TV appearances include MTV’s Kaya, NBC’S Joan of Arcadia, CW’s Summerland, and TNT’s HawthoRNe.
At twelve, she made her feature film debut in Woody Allen’s Everyone Says I Love You. She continued acting in independent films with famed directors Hal Hartley in Henry Fool and Martin Davidson in Looking for an Echo. Amongst her many Film & TV titles, Christy recently completed 3 features including a cameo in the live-action Kim Possible movie (2019). - Olexiy Kryvychdirector/writer/actor
Olexiy Kryvych is a director, writer and actor based out of Austin, TX, specializing in narrative-driven commercial work.
Kryvych received a degree in Theatre from Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan. He continued expanding his skills by studying at The Second City in Chicago, and landed several roles in both film and theatre productions, including Uncle Vanya of Goodman Theatre.Olexiy builds his projects on the power of empathy and exposes raw and authentic human emotions through his work. He is currently in the development of his first feature film, The Leap.
- Robert Paschall Jr.producer/director
Robert Paschall Jr. was born on January 31, 1978 in Washington, Pennsylvania, USA as Robert Gene Paschall. He is a producer and director, known for Segfault (2018), Chloe’s Hope (2015) and Bruised (2001).
Austin filmmakers and actors share their experiences filming in Austin, and talk about why it’s a creative hub for the industry.
Special Guest Christy Carlson Romano (Kim Possible, Big Hero 6: The Series, Celebrity Kitchen) joins us for a live Q&A; followed by local Austin filmmakers Ashley Evans, Olexiy Kryvych and Robert Paschall, Jr.
Building the Right Community – A Discussion on the Atlanta Indie Community

Speakers
- Jenna Kanelldirector/writer
Jenna Kanell delivered a TEDx Talk on her experience writing and directing alongside her differently-abled brother. She later wrote and directed Max & The Monster, which premiered on the opening night of the Austin Film Festival and went on to win two awards, and is now available through A Voice For The Innocent, a resource for survivors of domestic abuse. She directed other award-winning short films including #Slut and more recently Bliss Is Orange, which premiered at OutFest and is now available on Omeleto.
She’s first assistant directed features and pilots, and just produced a feature documentary on addiction recovery. Jenna is also a union actor and stunt performer who stars in Abducted, nominated for Best Narrative Short at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, and appears in television shows and films, including The Front Runner and TERRIFIER. She is proudest of teaching her cat to high five. - Ryan Dennett-Smithproducer
As a producer of 25+ films Ryan Dennett-Smith’s philosophy is to create quality teams that act as family on sets, whether they are in front of the camera or behind the scenes. Using quality teams, Ryan is also known for bringing in productions in on time and on budget.
Before the film industry, Ryan started in the entertainment industry at 15 years old. He was a recording artist and drummer while in high school and soon transitioned into tour and band management.
In 2013, Ryan began his career in the film industry. Since then he has acquired credits on national and international shows in various production roles such as: Lone Star Law, North Woods Law, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, and Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet. His passion is to create a long-term, sustainable film community in Georgia. As such, Ryan is an active committee member and speaker for the Atlanta Film Society and Georgia Production Partnership.Ryan served as the production manager for Only (with Freida Pinto and Leslie Odom, Jr.), Paula Peril and the Serpent Cult (Atlantis Studios), Paula Peril and The Hidden City (Impressive Numbers), Whitney (Light Box Entertainment), and Let’s Make It (Pitch n’ Out Theater Fizz City Films).
In his spare time, Ryan produces impactful short films on topics of social justice, political statements, and social commentary. These shorts include 83 Days, Dandelions, and American Dream which won four awards: official selections for the Atlanta Underground Festival in 2017, The 6th Annual Georgia Latino Film Festival, Guest Juror Pick 2017 for the Generally Local Mostly Independent Film Series, and the 2018 Latino Law Conference. American Dream is now available on Amazon.
- T.C. Barrerawriter/director
T.C. Barrera is a writer and director originally from Los Angeles currently based in Atlanta. In 2016, he founded Big Pond Pictures, a company that works in creative development and is currently in development of its first independent feature, We’ll Be Okay, shooting later this year. He’s worked in every aspect of production; and, when he’s not directing, he works as an assistant director on projects ranging from massive triple-A, studio budgets to small micro budgets in feature films, commercials, and music videos.
T.C. has had a passion for cultivating the next generation of filmmakers for years and loves the development of independent films. He likes long walks on the beach. He also prefers margaritas over pina coladas. - Walker Whitededitor/drone operator
Walker Whited is a writer/director in Atlanta, GA. In 2019 he wrote and directed his debut feature film “By Night’s End” which released in domestically in October 2020 to VOD platforms and is currently rolling out world wide. He has directed numerous spec commercials, digital series, and award-winning short films. His short “Codes Abided” was turned into a well-received digital series and is now being developed into a feature film. When not directing or writing, Walker focuses on editing and other post production services with his team at W Squared Media. They are currently in post on two features films set to release late 2021.
How the community you find yourself in directly affects your career and the work you do, told from the perspective of Atlanta filmmakers that have worked at every level of production in Atlanta, GA.
Filming in New England in Today’s New World

Speakers
- Charlie Nortoncinematographer/director/editor
Charlie Norton is a cinematographer, director and editor based out of the New York Tri-State and New England areas. He is originally from Bridgewater, MA and is the creative director of Flying Card Productions. Charlie currently studies at Hofstra University pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree for film studies and production.
Charlie has a wide-range of knowledge in film and television production that is way beyond his years. He has worked on several projects, corporate, independent and self made, fulfilling multiple positions on crew above and below the production line. On set, Charlie is an effective asset in the Camera Department as a director of photography, first or second assistant camera. He also has experience in the grip & electric and production assistant departments.When Charlie is not on the field, he is usually at the books focusing on his education or hard at work writing and editing his next project. Charlie is also an active judge at the Boston Screaming Ostrich Film Festival and a former member of the Rhode Island International Film Festival youth jury committee. In his spare time, Charlie plays sports like ice hockey and track and keeps his mind active listening to music and meditating. Charlie is a passionate filmmaker who wants to find balance. With his open minded communication skills and ability to work with diverse groups of people, his work ethic is the drive that leads those to success alongside him.
- Faith BrennanHost/Moderator
Faith Brennan is a second year university student at King’s College London but is currently based in Massachusetts, of which she is a lifelong resident. While studying for her BA in Film Studies, Faith has interned at the Boston Film Festival and has enjoyed working on her own short films. She is now in the process of co-producing a podcast with fellow classmates to discuss all the film and television topics that interest them.
Post graduation, Faith hopes to go on to earn an MA in Producing and help create a limited series based on her friend’s novel. - Louise Nessrallawriter/director
Louise Nessralla is a writer and director based in Boston who seeks to tell stories with women of color at the forefront of the screen as well as behind the camera. She first broke into the New England film scene as a production assistant on a Quibi series directed by Mary Harron.
Louise is interested in telling quirky meaningful stories that explore identity, culture, and relationship. She believes that creating an inclusive and collaborative environment on set is essential to the integrity of both the narrative being told and of the people who are telling it. Some of Louise’s movie adventures include filming a short documentary in the south of France, working at the Cannes Film Festival, and pulling an overnight shoot in a potentially haunted donut shop. - Rachel S. Thomas-Medwidscreenwriter/filmmaker
Rachel S. Thomas-Medwid is an award-winning screenwriter, director, and independent filmmaker. Some of her recent awards include making the ISA’s Top 25 Screenwriters to Watch in 2021 list, winning the 2020 Grand Prize Shoot Your Short Contest, the Female Filmmaker Award at the Lonely Seal International Film Festival, New England Film Star Awards Finalist, Best First Time Director in the New York Movie Awards, and Best Narrative Short Film Director at the Mystic Film Festival.
Her film The Squirrels in the Attic, based on her award-winning screenplay, has been recognized in over 14 film festivals and won six awards to date. In the Company of Crows, written and directed by Rachel, is scheduled for release in early 2021, along with a film based on her multi-award-winning screenplay, The Influencer, which will be premiering at Hollyshorts Film Festival.
What keeps drawing filmmakers back to New England? Perhaps it’s the historic cities and tranquil countryside. Or maybe the winding coastline and dense forests. Whatever it is, the tight knit community of filmmakers in New England is enough to inspire anyone to film here.
New England is sure to offer many unique possibilities for filmmakers of any level. However due to the current pandemic and the restrictions it poses, production is guaranteed to look much different.
Join us at the launch for the New England BMC Chapter to discuss what makes filming in the area advantageous and the ways in which set has changed to adapt to today’s new world.
Hosted by New England Chapter lead Faith Brennan
Unique Jobs in Film (you probably didn’t know about)

Speakers
- Grace NovakHost/Moderator
As a child, Grace reportedly wanted to be a “barber”, but has dared to dream bigger. Since very young, she was hooked on the magic of the camera. A native Virginian, Grace moved up to Brooklyn, NY after graduating with a Communications degree to earn her MFA from the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema where she studied film editing. Currently she works as a staff assistant at Big Sky Edit where she handles clients like Nationwide, Disney, and Nespresso. When she’s not pulling selects, she’s usually cozying up with a good book, playing video games, drafting her fantasy novel or co-producing her video game podcast.
- Jerome TheliaPost-Production Supervisor/Colorist
Jerome Thelia has been working in film for 25 years. Throughout that time he’s been both a generalist and specialist, working as a 3D animator, visual effects artist, editor, post-production supervisor, colorist, director and producer. Over the years he’s worked with a motley assortment of directors that include Dario Argento, Prince, Steven Soderbergh, Richard Mosse, Shawn Christensen, Terrence Malick and Ben Stiller.
- Karl CoynerVisual Effects Supervisor
Karl Coyner has been working in various sectors of the Visual Effects industry for over 20 years. Starting in video games at Square USA as an environment artist on Final Fantasy IX, he’s continued to work on an animated feature (Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within), various commercials, more games and now focusing on supervising film and television projects. Most recently he’s supervised “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” (Netflix), “Joker” (Warner Bros.), “Homeland” Season 2 (Amazon) and “Servant” Season 2 (AppleTV). He’s currently working for PowerHouse VFX, supervising “The Second Wave” (CBS).
- Lily KleinmanHost/Moderator
Lily Kleinman is a video editor and assistant editor based in New York City. She has been fortunate to work on a wide variety of projects from dark comedy shorts to feature documentaries. Lily once spent a year living and teaching media arts in Barcelona, and while she sadly did not become fluent in Spanish, she has perfected other important skills like pogo-sticking with no hands and various board games.
She’s currently living in the world of commercials working with clients like Visa, IBM, Mercedes Benz, Ford, Buffalo Wild Wings, Maybelline, and many more.
In the post process from start to finish, there’s more than just the edit, the mix and the color grade. You know what an editor does, but what about a VFX editor or a post supervisor? Who’s at the start of the dailies process, who’s there in between to manage the media, who’s responsible for finishing and who supervises it all?
There are so many jobs in post production that you might not know about, and since jobs like these can often be done remotely, some are skills that are more valuable than ever.
Join our brand new New York City BMC Chapter to talk about some of these lesser known positions.
Hosted by NYC Chapter leads: Lily Kleinman & Grace Novak