Saturday, February 17
Workshop: Getting Started in a Media Career: Professional “Speed-Dating” with Emerging filmmakers
1:00 – 2:00pm / $5 at the door
Join us to have your questions answered on all things media and career in a workshop format where small groups have a chance to learn from the experts and each other. With:
- Emmy Award-Winning producer/cinematographer, and native Washingtonian Ed Baxter
- Actor / Director Milena Govich (Finding Carter, Law & Order)
- Producer David Melendez (One Penny)
Seminar: ENTERTAINMENT LAW 101 – Contracts, Intellectual
Property and Beyond
2:00 – 3:30pm $15 at the door (students/WIFV/TIVA $11)
Tickets in advance HERE.
Join Washington Area Lawyers For The Arts (WALA) attorneys for a macro level discussion about contracts, copyright, fair use, work for hire, licensing, registration, releases, trademarks, and other legal topics of importance for filmmakers and creative professionals. Moderated by John Mason, Copyright Counselors, WALA Board President.
John D. Mason of Copyright Counselors, LLC is an art, entertainment and intellectual property attorney, and literary agent. He is based in the Washington DC/Maryland area. His practice focuses on copyright and trademark transactional matters, litigation, publishing and media issues, contracts, and commercial matters. He works with writers, artists, filmmakers and people and companies in creative industries to protect, promote and exploit their work. In addition to his law practice, Mr. Mason is adjunct faculty teaching Entertainment Law at UDC Law School, past adjunct teaching Art and the Law at George Mason University, Board President of Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts, and past Advisory Board member of the Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington.
Intellectual Property Drop-In Clinic
3:30 – 5:00pm / Free, all welcome / Sign up for slots on arrival
Drop-in clinic on Intellectual Property with team of IP law students from the Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University. IP Law Students under the supervision of Sandra Aistars, Clinical Professor of Law, will conduct intake interviews to help filmmakers: (1) determine the scope and nature of legal help they might need; (2) determine if they might need a referral to an attorney within WALA’s system; and (3) explain qualifications for pro bono and low bono legal services from WALA.
Legal and Business Pitfalls: Screenplay through Distribution and Funding
5:00 – 6:30pm / $15 at the door (students/WIFV/TiVA $11)
Tickets in advance HERE.
Hal “Corky” Kessler has extensive entertainment law, corporate and worldwide entertainment industry experience and has authored a reference book covering federal and state tax incentives. The industry trades have written that what Corky has set up through Deutsch, Levy & Engel, Chartered is a “one stop shop” firm for the entertainment industry. In 2016, Corky was named the top entertainment lawyer in the United States. He has successfully worked with Governors and US Congressmen in several states to implement new laws and federal tax incentives for investment in qualifying film and television projects, which led to Section 181 and Section 199 of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004. Corky has also been actively involved in the application of the new incentives for film, television and theater which is part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that was signed into law December 2017 and becomes active in January 2018 for a five year period. Corky is active in establishing and advising various film funds and film funding sources in North America, and is expanding internationally. In October 2012, Corky signed a Memorandum of Understanding with private investors from China for a $200 million co-production deal with the US. Corky has represented several authors to negotiate publishing deals and has developed, packaged and executive produced numerous feature films, theater and television projects, including The Sum of Us starring Russell Crowe; Certifiably Jonathan, starring Jonathan Winters, Robin Williams, Howie Mandel, Rob Reiner, Jim Carrey, Sara Silverman and others; Finding North with Wendy McKenna, John Benjamin Hickey and Wild Things with Kevin Bacon, Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell.
Sunday, February 18th
Documentary Masterclass: Filming in Difficult and Conflict Conditions
2:30 – 4:00pm / $15 at the door (students/WIFV/TiVA $11)
Tickets in advance HERE.
What equipment do you take, what rules do you follow and which ones do you break to get the footage you need.
Daniel McCabe is a cinematographer, photographer and director based in New York and The Democratic Republic of Congo. His work has appeared in National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC, Al Jazeera and CNN among others. This Is Congo, screening at DCIFF 2018, is Daniel’s first feature-length documentary. “As a contemporary study of the violent struggle between the hamstrung Congolese national army and M23 rebel forces in the North Kivu region, the film is often blisteringly effective, venturing to the frontline in pursuit of raw war footage likely to open many an outside viewer’s eyes — or, at its harshest interludes, prompt them to squeeze tightly shut.” Hollywood Reporter
Eric Byler is an award-winning film director whose debut feature Charlotte Sometimes (2002) was nominated for 2 Spirit Awards and was hailed by Roger Ebert as a breakthrough for Asian American filmmakers. His subsequent film Americanese (2006) won an Audience Award and a Special Jury prize at South by Southwest. Eric’s films have won 16 film festival awards, been released theatrically, and aired on the MTV Network, PBS, Starz, and the Sundance Channel. His first documentary, 9500 Liberty (2010, co-directed with Annabel Park), was acquired by MTV and opened theatrically in 30 cities, helping to transform the national narrative on immigration and netroots empowerment. Their upcoming film will chronicle a two-year journey that has already produced the web series Story of America, best known for discovering North Carolina’s Moral Monday movement. He currently serves as a politics reporter for the The Young Turks.
Production Masterclass: Motion Picture Script Supervising
4:00 – 5:30pm / $15 at the door (students/WIFV/TiVA $11)
Tickets in advance HERE.
A script supervisor has numerous responsibilities before, during, and after a production; helping to ensure that the film has continuous verbal and visual integrity.
Jean-Paul Chreky graduated at the top of his class with an MFA in Motion Picture Production from the University of Miami. He has since collaborated in a variety of roles, most frequently as a script supervisor on several acclaimed film productions. These include Oscar nominated films, Loving and Hell or High Water as well as films such as Midnight Special, Louder Than Bombs, 5 Flights Up, She’s Funny That Way, Dark Skies, Mud, The Son of No One, and Take Shelter. Jean-Paul has also instructed film production classes at the University of Miami, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, American University, and the Jacobson Sinai Academy. Today, he continues to assist in the development of a multitude of productions by primarily working behind the scenes. Among many others he has worked on: Boy Erased directed by Joel Edgerton, The Only Living Boy in New York directed by Marc Webb, and Hell or High Water by David Mackenzie.
Bookends of Filmmaking: Funding & Distribution
5:30 – 7:00pm / $15 at the door (students/WIFV/TiVA $11)
Tickets in advance HERE.
Many filmmakers celebrate the expanding list of distribution outlets, such as streaming and VOD platforms. But it’s not always clear how independent creators can snag funding, distribution deals, or even get on decision makers’ radars. And there are no guarantees that viewers will stop their regularly-scheduled binge watching to try something new. Want to stand out from the crowd? Don’t miss this panel of industry experts, who will share timely advice about distribution, funding, and audience engagement.
Lana Link, the Moving Picture Institute’s vice president of talent development, recruits filmmakers into MPI’s grant programs and masterclasses, which she also produces. She also writes and produces original screenplays as a member of our creative team. She has years of experience mentoring filmmakers in their careers and during all stages of production, including marketing and distribution. Lana is a graduate of the University of Chicago and a former Fulbright grant recipient in Vienna, Austria. She earned her JD from Pepperdine University School of Law and her certificate in independent producing from UCLA Extension.
Christina Raia is an NYC-based writer and director, the Founder of CongestedCat Productions, and the Crowdfunding Director at Seed&Spark. Her work, a collection of short films, a web series, and two feature films, has gained a large online following through multiple crowdfunding campaigns. She has been covered by press outlets such as Indiewire, AfterEllen and BuzzFeed. She also turned her desire to foster collaboration and engagement in the local film community into IndieWorks, a monthly film screening series showcasing and supporting the work of other independent filmmakers in New York. Find Christina on social media: @craia9
Evan Flores has worked on marketing/impact/distribution campaigns for: Crown Heights (an Amazon film), Salam Neighbor, After Spring (Tribeca) and Tickling Giants (Tribeca). Evan graduated from Pepperdine University with a degree in political science, and spent a decade working at non-profit organizations in Washington, DC. where she was named one of CNN’s Young People Who Rock and her work has been featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, The LA Times, Time Magazine and CQ Roll Call. In 2015, Evan caught the film bug and helped start up the successful film marketing company Causeumentary. She served as Causeumentary’s Chief Marketing Officer and oversaw the company’s social impact campaigns and managed a film portfolio comprised of issues relating to poverty, free speech, refugees and sports. In 2017, New Balloon announced the acqui-hire of Causeumentary. Evan is currently New Balloon’s Director of Event Partnerships.
Monday, February 19
Seminar: Building Successful Web Series without Breaking the Bank
1:30 – 3:00pm / $15 at the door (students/WIFV/TiVA $11)
Tickets in advance HERE.
It seems possible to hatch a web series idea today and even to get the pilot made, but what does it take to build momentum and create a full series? Learn from filmmakers who have pulled this off.
Rahima Rice moderator, is Founder of The 4208 Group, a DC based arts & entertainment company focusing on the development, enrichment and promotion of artists. She holds a BA in Mass Media from the University of the District of Columbia, and is currently pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing for the Stage & Screen at Lesley University. In 2017 she wrote, produced and directed the seven episode web series, Room 513.
Charneice Fox is an award winning screenwriter, playwright, published poet and director of film and theater. She is co-founder and Creative Director of the multi-media organization, Straight, No Chaser Productions (SNC), whose mission is to create thought provoking media with youth. Her work has been featured on CNN, BBC, NBC, NPR, CBS and BET.
Pierrea Wallace; Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pierrea Wallace, is a second year law student at UDC David A. Clarke School of Law by day and an aspiring filmmaker by night. In 2016 she established R.I.P– Res Ipsa Productions and began writing and directing R.I.P’s first production, a web series entitled, In A Sense. In A Sense delves into the essence of black lesbian love in the DC area. Through her creative eye she will bring injustices, mental health issues, and black love to the forefront of entertainment.
Native Washingtonian Anthony Greene began his career in film with the guerilla documentary After the Storm in 2007 and has written and produced eight short films. He also created the IndieCapitol web series and entertainment hub. Anthony also programs and produces the Reel Independent Film Extravaganza.
Christina Raia is an NYC-based writer and director, the Founder of CongestedCat Productions where she produced the web series Kelsey in 2013. The series ran every two weeks on blip.tv and could then be watched on Amazon Prime and Section II. The 10 episode series had over 250,000 views and was a Critic’s Pick on Indiewire for 2013’s Best Comedy Web Series, & 18 More You Need to Watch Now! It was featured on BuzzFeed, AfterEllen, OML, SheWired and other press platforms.
Wil Lash is an Emmy nominated actor, producer, TV host, and former model. Wil stars along-side an Emmy Award winning cast in the very popular web series/DCTV drama series Anacostia, which is in its 5th season. He is the host of the entertainment show DC Hot Spots. Many may also recognize him as “Onix” from the hit VH1 Reality shows I Love New York (Season 1 – ’07) and I Love Money (Season 2 – ’09). Both shows pulled in some of the highest ratings in VH1 history.
Acting Masterclass: Conversation With with Stephen Bauer
3:00 – 4:30pm / $15 at the door (students/WIFV/TiVA $11)
Tickets in advance HERE.
Join Award-Winning Steven Bauer, known for his performances in Scarface, Breaking Bad, Primal, Fear and Traffic, as he talks about his experiences as a Cuban-American actor, his insights into acting and working with directors, and his advice to actors seeking to improve their craft. Steven will be in conversation with Nick Lean, a director and producer from the UK, and taking questions from the audience.
Steven Bauer: Born Esteban Ernesto Echevarria in Havana, Cuba, the son of Lillian, a schoolteacher, and Esteban Echevarria, a pilot who worked for Cubana Airlines until the Cuban Revolution. Steven’s maternal grandfather was a Jewish refugee from Germany and his stage surname comes from that side of his family. Steven grew up in MIami and moved to New York City where he studied under famed acting guru Stella Adler in the 1980s. His film break came with the substantial role of Manolo Ribera in Brian de Palma’s Scarface (1983). His performance drew a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. His acting career has included numerous successful and critically acclaimed films. He stars in Andover, the closing night film at DCIFF on February 19 at 6:30pm, directed by Scott Perlmann.
Steven has said: “I really do like the independent way of working. You don’t get much studio intrusion compared to when you’re working on a big Hollywood film where there tends to always be loads of people interfering”.
Production Seminar: Creating The Best Light In Any Situation
4:30 – 6:00pm / $15 at the door (students/WIFV/TiVA $11)
Tickets in advance HERE.
Learn about lighting techniques and equipment from a panel of professional film and TV lighting experts. Have your questions answered with practical advice from Dennis Boni, Brad Minardi (Barbizon), Zeke Dowty and Ross Stasfield . Moderated by Todd Clark, President, Board of Directors, TIVA. Presented in association with TIVA: Television, Internet, Video Association.
Zeke Dowty has been working professionally as a Director of Photography and Gaffer for 15 years, working in independent film, corporate video and television. His experience has also extended to theatrical lighting design, event and performance lighting. He has worked alongside world class lighting designers and with Atmosphere Lighting, New York City Lights, Ferri Lighting Design & Associates. The skills developed over the years across several disciplines of lighting gives him the ability to find creative solutions to almost any problem found on location.
Ross Stansfield is an experienced stills photographer for commercial and fine art in film and digital capture. His client list includes Coca-Cola, Marriott, The Washington Post, Regardie’s Magazine, Scholastic Magazine, Apple Computer and many agencies and publications. Since 1990 he has worked in the motion field in film and video formats creating music videos, movie shorts (Omnifax won a Telly), promotional films and documentaries. He is currently working on films for Barbizon Lighting.
Dennis Boni is known for bringing his meticulous attention to composition and lighting to places as diverse as an aircraft carrier off the coast of Iraq and the temples of Angkor Wat. He brought this ethos to the award-winning series, Journey to Planet Earth for PBS, as well as numerous other documentaries for Network Television, National Geographic, Discovery, the History Channel and TLC. In 2008, he returned to China with Ted Koppel for the acclaimed Discovery Channel series, The People’s Republic of Capitalism. In addition to his extensive work for Lockheed Martin, Dennis has filmed for the Army, the Navy, General Dynamics, NASA and the U.S. Navy’s Explosives and Ordnance Disposal Division. Dennis has been a Steadicam Operator for more than 25 years, one of the few handpicked cinematographers trained by its inventor Garrett Brown. He was nominated for a National Emmy for his DP / Steadicam work on Remembering Vietnam: The Wall at 25 and in 2016 he was awarded an Emmy for Cinematography for the PBS documentary, Jeremiah, which was also honored with an additional three Emmys and garnered a prestigious Edward R. Murrow National Award for Best News Documentary.
Brad Minardi works with clients in the Theatrical, Film & TV, Special Events, Church, and Themed Entertainment Markets to provide personalized solutions for all of their entertainment lighting needs. Based out of Alexandria, VA his territory includes the states of VA, MD, DC, WV, DE, and PA. Brad holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Event Management from George Washington University and a Master of Fine Arts Degree (MFA) in Lighting Design & Technical Direction from Tulane University. Outside of Barbizon, he has designed the lights for several regional theatrical productions and frequently speaks at industry events and educational workshops about “Entertainment Lighting” and the “Business of the Arts”.
