Check out our 2020 events with industry professionals and creatives below…
FILM FUNDRAISING WORKSHOPS: What You Need to Know Today to Make Your Film Tomorrow
POSTPONED TO Saturday, May 16th
8:30am – 5:30pm
At Eaton Hotel
1201 K Street, NW
Getting Started in Your Media Career
Saturday, March 7th
1:45-3:00pm
At The Foundry Church
Tickets $5 at the door only, FREE if attending the high school film competition.
Join us for a fast-paced “speed-meeting” 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. Participants get to talk with a producer, director, actor, editor and cinematographer.
ENTERTAINMENT LAW 202 – The Law of Music for Film
Saturday, March 7th
12:30pm – 2:30pm
At Carnegie Institution for Science
Tickets $20 in advance here or at the door (Students/WIFV/TIVA $11)
Brian Frankel of WALA will moderate a discussion about legal issues that confront filmmakers, musicians, and sound professionals in the the business of film production as relate to music in films. Specific topics may include: copyright, fair use, licensing, music clearance, etc.
Brian A. Frankel is an attorney and producer who represents film & video producers, media distribution companies, screenwriters, Fortune 50 companies, technology startups, government contractors, online retailers, marketplaces, social media & marketing firms, a professional athletic team, consultants, freelancers, podcasters, live event producers and talent. He serves as the Chairman of the Education Committee for WALA, the Executive Director of D.C. Filmmakers & D.C Media Makers, and the Festival Director for the Wheaton Film Festival. Brian is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, Florida, and before the D.C. Federal Court.
Kenneth M. Kaufman is an attorney and composer whose clients have included television networks, film and video producers, international media companies, music publishers, photographers, Broadway theatre producers, digital media companies, private equity firms, authors, composers and recording artists. He has served as Senior Counsel of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips; as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Showtime Networks and of PolyGram Records; and as General Counsel of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In addition to his law practice, Ken has been an Advanced Leadership Fellow at Harvard University, has taught entertainment law and copyright at Yale and George Washington University Law Schools, and has composed music in several different genres. He is a member of WALA’s Board of Directors and is admitted to practice in New York, California and the District of Columbia.
MUSIC MAKES THE MOVIE: Collaboration with Musicians and Composers
Saturday, March 7th
2:30pm – 4:00pm
At The Carnegie Institution for Science
Tickets $15 in advance here or at the door (Students/WIFV/TiVA $11)
Take part in this discussion on how musicians and composers collaborate with directors behind-the-scenes to craft impactful film scores.
Linda Bloss-Baum, Moderator. Linda is the Senior Director for Artist and Industry Relations at SoundExchange. In that role, Linda drives awareness and visibility for SoundExchange across multiple channels related to performance and music entertainment. Before joining SoundExchange full time, she served as an independent consultant for SoundExchange and recording artists through her agency, LBB Creative Strategies. Prior to establishing LBB Creative Strategies, Linda ran the Warner Music Group office in Washington, D.C. for six years. She also served as Vice President, Public Policy/Government Relations at Universal Music Group/NBC Universal and Time Warner, Inc. She is an adjunct professor at the KOGOD School of Business at American University. Linda proudly serves on the Board of Directors for Leadership Music and the Gospel Music Association.
Liza Figueroa Kravinsky is an award winning music composer for films and other media. She is also the founder and music composer of the critically acclaimed GoGo Symphony, a classical orchestra playing party music over Washington DC’s gogo beat. Previously, she composed for, directed, and performed with “Robin Power and the Uptown Dames,” a Paisley Park project created by Prince. She also toured with Mowtown recording artist Stacy Lattisaw; TRJ, a faction of go-go band Trouble Funk, and go-go band Pleasure.
Elik Álvarez is a Venezuelan-born composer who has managed to capture his audience with his unique compositions for the screen. A dynamic artist molded by traditional concert music, modern styles, and Latin-inspired rhythms, he is committed to bring exciting innovations to each and every project he works on. Álvarez has composed music for more than 70 films, television series, and documentaries. Some of Elik’s recent film scores include the anime film YUGIOH!: THE DARK SIDE OF DIMENSIONS, both installments of PEANUTS AND CRACKERJACKS (PAPITA, MANI, TOSTON), the documentary feature LIFE IN THE DOGHOUSE, and the documentary feature HARRY & SNOWMAN.
Michael Murphy is an award-winning Visual Storyteller, Producer and Director with over 30 years of film, video and digital media experience. His projects have been distributed theatrically, on network & public television, radio, DVD and online. His documentary, Clarence John Laughlin: An Artist With A Camera, was nominated for Best Documentary at the 2009 New Orleans Film Festival. Michael has also won numerous Telly Awards for his television and web based series. His television programming includes the 26 part “Live From House Blues Series” and numerous music-based programs and performance content from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, Sasquatch Festival and Sasebo and Kobe Jazz Festivals in Japan. Major broadcasters and online portals of his programs and clients include: Amazon, ABC, BBC Radio, BET, Bravo, MSN, PBS, RAI, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Starz, TBS, VH1 and ZDF.
HOW DOES YOUR FILM GET SOLD? Marketing Truths from Industry Professionals
Saturday, March 7th
4:00pm – 5:30pm
At The Carnegie Institution for Science
$15 in advance here or at the door (Students/WIFV/TiVA $11)
Presented with support from 1091 Media
Jacquelyn Jamjoom, Moderator. Jacquelyn is a film and television producer of internationally renowned TV series, feature films, music videos, digital and commercial content for brands such as McDonalds, Avocados from Mexico, Chase Sapphire, and more. Jacquelyn started her career producing content for some of the Muslim world’s most notable names. She produced two multi-lingual music videos for the international pop sensation Maher Zain, which have gained over 300 million views on YouTube, and seasons 3 and 4 of the hit Middle Eastern TV series “WaMahyaya”, streaming on Amazon Prime. Under her production company Proteá, Jacquelyn developed and produced a slate of web series, in partnership with Chicago Media Angels, that are currently running the festivals circuit. Jacquelyn’s diverse body of work is indicative of her goal to tell unique stories with unconventional perspectives and fresh faces.
When Jacquelyn isn’t on production she is dedicated to putting her skills and network to good use. She serves as Vice-Chair of Kaleidoscope’s Associate Board. She is also a founding member of Chicago Media Standards, an organization that creates policy for sexual harassment and discrimination in the independent and creative spaces.
Budapest native Sana Soni is an entertainment professional who has worked at multiple independents, agencies, and major studios in both Los Angeles and London. A graduate of UCLA, she now specializes in selling and distributing independent film at Signature Entertainment in London. Her multinational background ensures a very global approach to her work.
Meghan Wurtz, International Sales and Business Development, 1091. With a library of over 4000 titles, 1091’s films have amassed over 150 award nominations, including 2 Oscar nominations and 14 Independent Spirit nominations. 1091 distributes content in 95 countries through 120 partners in all formats and on all devices. Wurtz worked on international festival strategy for The Orchard film slate and developed global distribution strategy for the company’s catalogue of long form content. Film deals have been struck with all rights distributors, pay tv channels, OTT channels and airlines. Prior to 1091 & The Orchard, Wurtz was with N. American distributor Film Movement where she was involved in the acquisition and sales of close to 150+ independent and foreign films. Having held positions at companies including Peacefulfish, European Film Promotion (EFP) and Northstar Media, Meghan has extensive international experience and knowledge of the int’l film and television market.
Animation Roundtable: State of the Art and Community Resources
Saturday, March 7th
6:00pm-7:00pm
At The Carnegie Institution for Science
$6 for your first drink at the door/at the bar
Join animators who will share resources, communities and opportunities in this informal discussion at the bar. Open to all interested in the animation process and the art and craft behind phenomenal animated creativity. Moderated by Hannah Churn, art director and animator at The Duke & The Duck, telling stories through motion. She’s also an avid doodler of cats, comic maker and lover of bread.
Presented in association with DC in Motion
Quality Sound Design Workshop: Recording/Production/Mix
Sunday, March 8th
12:30pm – 2:00pm
At The Carnegie Institution for Science
$15 in advance here or at the door (students/WIFV/TiVA $11)
Come learn what to do and what not to do to make sure you get the best sound you can afford.
Amy Gerber-Stroh, Associate Professor and Chair of the Film Department at Hollins University. Gerber-Stroh also co-directs the Graduate Screenwriting and Film Studies program at Hollins. Amy has produced and directed independent films for over 20 years. She received her M.F.A. in Film/Video from the California Institute of the Arts and her films have won honors at numerous film festivals and professional venues. She also directed films for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art from 1993 to 1996. Gerber-Stroh has had significant professional film experience in Hollywood and New York, working on several movie features by Roger Corman as well as casting 12 major motion pictures including The Mask of Zorro (Columbia Pictures), Goldeneye (MGM), Afterglow (Sony Pictures Classics), Tank Girl (United Artists) and Angels In The Outfield (Disney). Her latest film, Do Cell Towers Dream of Morse Code (2018) has won honors at several film festivals this past year.
Heidi Gerber-Salins has worked in the audio production field since 1990, while also serving as an audio production educator at a variety of institutions including Howard University, The Levine School of Music, Howard Community College, American University, and Morgan State University. Her professional specialization is in acoustic audio engineering and production, with an emphasis on microphone theory and technique. Ms. Gerber-Salins holds an M.A. in Communication from Johns Hopkins University, and is a published scholar and experienced writer. She has owned and operated All Access Audio, a recording studio and communications firm since 2001, building on her work as an audio engineer and producer at Bias Studios in Springfield, Virginia, from 1991-2001. Her work has earned GRAMMY© award nominations, New York Festival Radio Awards, an iParenting Best Products Media Award,© two Parents’ Choice Awards© for work with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and multiple Washington Area Music Association Award nominations.
Presented with support from All Access Audio, Silver Spring, Md.
“Based on a True Story:” What it Takes to Fictionalize Someone’s Life
Sunday, March 8th
2:00pm – 3:30pm
At The Carnegie Institution for Science
$15 in advance here or at the door (students/WIFV/TiVA $11)
With: Moderator, Sam Hampton, documentary filmmaker and co-founder of Docs in Progress and feature film directors Elissa Leonard (Sally Pacholok), Wahid Haroon Khan (Soumaya) and Macherie Ekwa (Sema). Lessons learned, things that worked and advice to share.
DOCUMENTARY ROUNDTABLE: New Ways of Reaching Your Audiences
Sunday, March 8th
3:30pm – 4:00pm
At The Carnegie Institution for Science
$6 for your first drink at the door/at the bar
Presented in association with Docs In Progress
Led by Sam Hampton who co-founded Docs In Progress as a nonprofit organization in 2008 and served on its founding staff from 2009-2012. Sam Hampton has experimented with new ways of reaching and engaging audiences online. Most recently, Sam’s documentary, Change in the Family, DCIFF Best of DC 2018, was featured on OVEE, a shared media viewing experience created by ITVS and PBS. OVEE combines quality HD media and livestream content with the community-building conversation of social media in a single-screen experience.
An award-winning filmmaker, Sam co-founded and serves on the Board of Docs in Progress, a community education nonprofit organization for documentary filmmakers. Sam also teaches the Introduction to Documentary Production course at Docs In Progress. Sam holds a PhD in Urban Education from Cleveland State University, undertaking research at The Ohio State University. Sam is a past selection committee member of the American Film Institute’s Documentary Film Festival.
THE ART AND PROCESS OF FILM SCORING, DECONSTRUCTED: A Masterclass with Composer Elik Alvarez
Sunday, March 8th
3:00pm – 5:00pm
At The Carnegie Institution for Science
$18 in advance here or at the door (Students/WIFV/TiVA $14)
Join composer Elik Álvarez as he pulls the curtain behind film scoring, and talks about his process for developing the music for DCIFF’s feature film selection El Baile.
ELIK ÁLVAREZ is a Venezuelan-born composer and a dynamic artist molded by traditional concert music, modern styles, and Latin-inspired rhythms who has composed music for more than 70 films, television series and documentaries. Elik has scored several of the latest of Sir DAVID ATTENBOROUGH’s groundbreaking mini-series, including the LUMIERE Award winner and BAFTA nominated CONQUEST OF THE SKIES 3D, IMAX GALAPAGOS: Nature’s Wonderland, MICRO MONSTRES 3D and KINGDOM OF PLANTS 3D, which won Best Documentary Score at the 2013 INTERNATIONAL FILM MUSIC FESTIVAL PROVINCIA DE CORDOVA.
Some of Elik’s recent film scores include the anime film YUGIOH!: THE DARK SIDE OF DIMENSIONS, both installments of PEANUTS AND CRACKERJACKS (PAPITA, MANI, TOSTON), the documentary feature LIFE IN THE DOGHOUSE, and the documentary feature HARRY & SNOWMAN.
Elik is also the co-founder and lead composer of MUSICMIND TRACKS, a fast growing music licensing company with clients that include: NBC UNIVERSAL, TLC, BRAVO, E!, SY-FY Channel, Original Media, Pink Sneakers, Bundesliga, Travel Channel, among many others. Elik attended Boston’s Berklee College of Music where he received several scholarships and awards, including the Georges Delerue Award.
