Seattle Film Summit Week 1

November 1 - 7, 2020

*Panelists, panel descriptions, and schedule will be updated consistently from now to November. Please check back frequently.

Digital Program

You can download the digital program above.

Submissions for 2021 are now OPEN! - Film Freeway

THURSDAY - OCTOBER 29

6–7 PM

Filling the Void - red carpet preview

Grab a bottle of wine, make your favorite hors d’oeuvres, and join us for a virtual red-carpet launch. We’ll intersect with some of our fantastic guests, sponsors, partners, and maybe a summit surprise or two. The good news? You won’t have to wear anything designed by Oscar de la Renta or Christian Dior. Because, frankly, we won’t care if you’re dressed up, dressed down, or not at all. We’ll be virtual, remember?

SUNDAY - NOVEMBER 1

10–11 aM

RED CARPET moRning sit and repeat

Lounge in your pjs and sip that mimosa while you meet some of our most interesting and talented guests, sponsors, and partners before the big show begins. They will share what they have in store for us, while we relax and have a laugh or two.

Guest Interviewer: Rachelle Henry (Woodstock or Bust, My Summer as a Goth)

11 - 12 PM

OPENING CEREMONY - SCHEDULE OVERVIEW

1–2 PM

Keynote

Join our ‘fireside chat’ with Nike Imoru (British-Nigerian casting director, producer, actress of stage and screen) and Brian Dobbins (Talent and Literary Manager at Artists First) as they talk about the creative industry and Hollywood. They will explore questions like, how have things such as COVID, social issues and politics changed the creative direction of our nation? How are creative industries coping? What can we do as individuals to stay involved and effect positive change for our fellow filmmakers?

NORTHWEST SCREENWRITERS GUILD TABLE READS

Host: Kristin Raven (President - NWSG)

Scripts are more than just words on a page. They are the building blocks of every movie you watch, every show you binge. And table reads are a preview of coming attractions! Listen as Northwest actors bring four scripts to life during these moderated sessions.

 The four scripts are provided by members of the Northwest Screenwriters Guild, the go-to screenwriting community in the Pacific Northwest for all levels of writers.

 Feedback provided by fellows of the Bigfoot Green Room.

2–3:30 PM

SESSION 1

Script: Moody and The Ghost Moderator: Kristin Raven Writer: Kim Hornsby Feedback: James Dailey, Kate Dandel

As Read By: Dean Moody, Jenny Porter, Izabel Mar, Jon Meggison, Telisa Steen

3:30–5 PM

SESSION 2

Script: Fleet Moderator: Nicole Pouchet Writer: Ari Brown Feedback: Vincent Delany, Joey Johnson

As Read By: John Aaron, Jonathan Keyes, Abie Ekenezar, Princeton Nunnery, Lowell Deo,

5–6:30 PM

SESSION 3

Script: The Mighty Pick Moderator: Nicole Pouchet Writer: Bryan Howell Feedback: Anthony Marzano, Brad Wilke

As Ready By: Silas Lindenstein, Aaron Jin, Ian Lerch, Jayvon Davis, Rachelle Henry

6:30–8 PM

SESSION 4

Script: Tender Moderator: Kristin Raven Writer: Tandy Versyp Feedback: Chris Kirkmont, Heather Pilder Olson

As Read By: Michelle Lynn Conklin, Ben Leiataua, Ingrid Buron, Georgina Mercedes Black, Michael Crowley,

8–10 PM

FEATURE SCREENING: HOMA and SisTERS

Director: Homa Bazrafshan

Film Description: Homa is a depressed girl whose lonely life has left her mentally disturbed and confused. To escape her loneliness, she is living with the false memories that she has borrowed from her sisters' lives. Although this mind-boggling adventure is enjoyable at first, she gradually learns to live with a past that is as uncertain and ambiguous as her future. she can not tolerate it and decide to finish this mental adventure but this is not mental anymore.

MONDAY - NOVEMBER 2

5–6:30 PM

Seattle Film Commission!

Moderator: Beth Barrett (Artistic Director - SIFF)

Panelists: Cleven Ticeson (VP of Development 182nd North Films), Dave Drummond (Film Locations Manager), Virginia Bogert (President Emerita - Women in Film Seattle), Chris Swenson (Seattle Office of Film & Music), Vivian Hua (Executive Director Northwest Film Forum)

The Seattle Film Task Force is laying the ground work to implement Seattle's first Film Commission. Come learn why this might be important for local filmmakers.

6:30–8 PM

COVID-19 and the Film Industry

Sponsored by: Women in Film Seattle

Moderator: Jason Connelly (They Reach) Panelist: Melissa Purcell (IATSE Local 488), Susan LaSalle (Deadly Deception, Full Disclosure) , Tony Becerra (Assistant Director), Andrea Hays (Nurse, Covid Compliance Officer), Niall James (IATSE Best Boy Grip), Herman Esau (Z Nation, Man in the High Castle)

The pandemic has affected artists in EVERY creative silo. Join our panelists as we discuss the impact, evolution, and what this new reality holds for us in the field as crew.

WEDNESDAY - NOVEMBER 4

5–6:30 PM

Killing People For Fun and Profit: Writing the Quintessential Murder Mystery

Sponsored by: Allied Arts of Renton

Presenter: Lynn Bohart, FAHP

Writing a murder mystery isn't so easy. After all, you have to kill somebody. But why? And how? Where does the weapon come from? Where does it go? Who discovers the body? How do you lay a trail of clues for the audience to follow? And, most importantly, how do you hide the murderer until that perfect moment when you want them revealed? Learn how it's done from mystery author, Lynn Bohart, who has seven populuar mystery novels on Amazon and a following of loyal fans who wait impatiently for each book to make its debut.

6:30–8 PM

Overcoming the Hurdles of Getting Your Project Made!

Sponsored by: Magnussen Media Group

Moderator: Zubi Mohammed (Magnussen Media Group)

Panelist: Sarah Conradt(The 13 Steps, Mother’s Instinct), Steve Edmiston (Bracepoint Law), Aaron Wolf (Guest House, TAR), Justin McAleece (Brick MADNESS), Joleen Hughes (HMLG)

Learn what to expect from those who have been there. The Good. The Bad. And the Ugly.

8–10 PM

INTERNATIONAL - SHORT FILM BLOCK

FABRICATED (29:59) Filmmaker: Ali Katmiri - A paranoid criminal finds herself with a shifty drug addicted partner. She wakes up wth her hands and feet tied on a newly technogical dystopian island. THE OTHER (24:42) Filmmaker: Ako Zandkarimi, Saman Hosseinpour - A teenager lives with her dad in the small village of Kurdistan. After her mother dies, her father discovers secrets that change the way he looks at his daughter. SHARED DOCUMENT (12:00) Filmmaker: Jessica Fostekew - A brother and sister try to remotely complete a eulogy for their Dad's funeral unaware that an anonymous user is about to crash the document. ZUGZWANG (9:11) Filmmaker: Alireza Mohammadi - A man has planned a sinister plan to abuse his wife’s affection in order to get rid of her marriage portion. THE FATHER (3:31) Filmmaker: Yaghoub Jahanpour - A child looks at his father’s picture every day before starting work. Suddenly the picture changes. HAUNT (17:05) Filmmaker: Siamak Kashefazar - A young couple learns the dangers of gambling. House payments, bank installents, tragedy, and escape. MALICEYE (9:00) Filmmaker: Faramarz Ramezanian - Midnight hour. Darkness looms in. In an empty street somewhere in the city, two or perhaps three men argue over some one's death and survival. IDEA (3:13) Filmmaker: Olli Huttunen - How the ideas are born and how bumpy road they have to go through before they light up? The ideas are all around us but will we see them? Although we are constantly searching, will the idea and the seeker ever meet? This short animated film takes a straight downward glance at this paradox. It is a collection of aerial views and simple physics simulation. LULLABY (8:09) Filmmaker: Javid Sobhani - In the darkness of the night, someone's knocking at the door...

FRIDAY - NOVEMBER 6

5–6:30 PM

[CANCELLED] Native Voices in Story and Film

We’re sorry to report that due to some scheduling conflicts and unforeseen circumstances, the “Native Voices” panel scheduled for Friday, November 6th from 5-6:30 p.m. has been cancelled! Please stay turned for “Women in Film: Breaking Down Barriers and Kicking Ass” at 6:30 p.m.

6:30–8 PM

WOMEN IN FILM: Breaking Down Barriers and Kicking Ass

Sponsored by: Women in Film Seattle

Moderator: Nicole Pouchet (Retch, Such An Honor)

Panelist: Amanda Toney (Managing Director Stage 32), Breven Angaelica Warren (Founder - Angaelica), Jane Charles (Producer - SOLD), Robin McLain (Co-Founder 5x5 Productions), Sudeshna Sen (Mehndi, Julia’s Farm)

Back by popular demand! This incredible round table of persistent movers and shakers is ready for an Encore with Mimosas!   We've been waiting to get this panel back together for 1 whole  year!  Find out what is currently motivating them to keep their inspiration percolating and popping.

8–10 PM

Post Halloween - HORROR/SCI-FI SHORT FILM BLOCK

ROAM (18:27) Filmmaker: David Jung - In a world where the wealthy can go for joyrides or outright steal the bodies of the young, one former victim, a young woman, raises an underground resistance to fight back. THE COVID GHOST (6:28) Filmmaker: Eric L Thomas - Young Sonia takes a house sitting job where mysterious forces control her future. (Filmed in Quarantine with only family) RUBBER AND GLUE (13:43) Filmmaker: Cat Dale - A teen must undergo treatment to rid herself of the thing that makes us most human. Empathy. BLIND VENGEANCE (14:14) Filmmaker: Carter Johnson - Blind Vengeance is a short film that explores the consequences and collateral damage of blind retribution. For whatever a man soweth that shall he also reap. THE INFILTRATION (14:59) Filmmaker: Flynn Falcone - A professional cult infiltrator is hired to penetrate a mysterious group and extract his client's mind-controlled daughter. He quickly discovers that the undercover job is much more dark and dangerous than he originally bargained for... HATCHLINGS (12:39) Filmmaker: Catharine E. Jones - Mary Burch is in the fantasy business. Mary's customers soon learn that at nights end desires only grow stronger and before long they are sacrificing their souls to stay. MR. DARK FIELD OF SCREAMS (6:01) Filmmaker: Jesse James Hennessy - Frost and Riley (super secret ghost hunting demon slaying agents of the night) investigate a farmstead and discover some strange things are happening to the country folk who reside there. ALVIN (14:53) Filmmaker: Christy Anna Wu - Depressed and in poor physical health, a man receives free healthcare at the expense of his freedom. OUR TROLL (12:00) Filmmaker: DJ Walker - A dinner goes awry when a Troll with an agenda of his own arrives. LILY (8:31) Filmmaker: Christopher Wyatt - Lily is a seemingly normal little girl with one dark secret... a secret her new babysitter is going to discover.

*No Q&A for this film block

SATURDAY - NOVEMBER 7

10–11:30 AM

Women Warriors of Film: What Drives and Inspires Us to Create  

LIVE ONLY - NO REPLAY AVAILABLE

Sponsored by: Women in Film Seattle

Moderator: Lisa Hammond (President - Women in Film Seattle)

Panelist: Angela DiMarco (Mighty Tripod Studios), Colleen Butler (Mutiny Pictures), Rebecca Cook (IATSE Local 488), Lulu Gargiulo (The Most Dangerous Year), Mar Sue Calleros (SeaDoc Vice President)

We're strong. Resilient. And competitive. Join us for a discussion exploring how we can creatively recognize our strengths to build relationships amongst our female filmmaker community.

1–2 PM

Writing Engaging & Believable Female Characters

Sponsored by: Roadmap Writers

Introduction: Joey Tuccio (Roadmap Writers) Moderator: Kristin Raven (Northwest Screenwriters Guild)

Panelist: Catherine Jones (The Night Shift, Messiah), Omaira Galarza (Station 19, East Los High), Rose Mc Aleese (The Quad, Sneakerheads) Maria Gargiulo (The Collectors, Got 2 Come Up: A Day in the Life of a Young Man)

The female gender is beautiful, complex, and intriguing. Learn how to capture just the right mix when you're creating engaging female characters.

2–3:30 PM

Film Freeway Table Read 1

Sponsored by: Roadmap Writers

Script: The Strange Affair of the Elevator Introduction: Eva Contis Moderator: Arthur Rains-McNally Writer: Katy Regnery Guest Producer: Leslie Bland

AS READ BY: Nicole Moriarty, Tony Doupe, Tom Brophy, Christina Williams

New York City, 1895: In a time of strict morals and manners, a writer married to an abusive man and a publisher married to a dying woman are trapped in an elevator together for a weekend, a circumstance which changes both of their lives forever.

3:30–5 PM

Film Freeway Table Read 2

Script: Sugar & Spies Moderator: Heather Pilder Olson Writer: Pat White Guest Producer: Ben Yennie

AS READ BY: Wanda Moats, Weetus Cren, Elizabeth Sotelo, Buddy Todd, Taylor Edwards

While on disciplinary leave, a British spy finds out that running his grandmother’s tea shop in rural Washington State comes with more bad guys than biscuits.

5–6:30 PM

Film Freeway Table Read 3

Script: I Don’t Know Moderator: Abie Ekenezar Writer: Arthur Tiersky Guest Producer: Jason Connelly (They Reach)

AS READ BY: Dean Moody, Trevor Lewis, Samantha Rund, Brian Carlin, Nicole Spry

An initially conventional romantic comedy is disrupted by the presence of the screenwriter himself, who seems to be a better match than his leading man for his leading lady.

6:30–8 PM

The Cocktail napkin network

Do you miss the casual bouncing back and forth of ideas that happens at conference after-parties? The ability to network through creative brainstorming with drinks in-hand instead of boasting about credentials? Then this session is for you. Bring a challenge you’re facing or a project idea you’re excited about but need help with. If you don’t have one, just come prepared to help other people walk through their challenges. 

8–10 PM

FEATURE SCREENING: MURDER BURY WIN