Seattle Film Summit Week 3

November 15 - 22, 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

SUNDAY - NOVEMBER 15

10–11:30 aM

Low-Budget Filmmaking From Start To Finish

Presenter: Josh Stifter (Rebel Without a Crew: The Series)

Many filmmakers start their career with little more than what they have access to and the will to get a movie made. But where do you start and how do you see it through to completion? Listen to these tools, tips, and tricks to avoid unnecessary pain.

11:30–1:00 PM

PARALLEL - A NEW FEATURE FROM RUMBLE RIOT

Moderator: Ben Andrews

Panelists: Ann Zhang (Producer), Lei Zheng (Chinese Director/Writer), Jonathan Keasey (Writer/Producer), Sean Lydiard (Producer), Jaylen Moore (Producer)

Guest Appearances: Aldis Hodge (One Night in Miami, The Invisible Man), Edwin Hodge (Purge, The Tomorrow War)

From the producers of Cut Throat City comes the new feature Parallel. An international collaboration at its core. We’ll dissect the development process and discover what film ‘packaging’ and strategy looks like first hand.

THE BIGFOOT GREEN ROOM TABLE READS

The Bigfoot Green Room is a special, year long program designed to be a gauntlet for a select group of Northwest writers. Applications for 2021 will open in December.

Take a peek into the development process of Northwest writers. Each session will feature a selected Green Room Script and include a pitch by the Writer, a table read by top Northwest Actors, and feedback from Industry Professionals. One session will be chosen by your votes! To vote, click the link below to choose your favorite of 13 loglines!

Green Room Leads: Heather Pilder Olson, Arthur Rains-McNally

1-2:30 PM - SESSION ONE

Script: Last House in the Woods Moderator: Heather Pilder Olson Writer: Vincent Delaney Feedback By: Gary Glushon (Hancock, I Am Legend)

As Read By: Eryn Rea, Angela DiMarco, Aaron Blakely, and Ben Andrews

2:30-4 PM - SESSION TWO

Cast By: TCM Models & Talent

Script: The Next Day Moderator: Arthur Rains-McNally Writer: Kristin Raven Feedback By: Stacey Adams (VP of Current Programming at Disney ABC)

As Read By: Esha More, Ian Wells, Cheyenne Barton, Antonio Mitchell, Nick Bryant

4-5:30 PM - SESSION THREE

Cast By: Big Fish NW Talent

Script: Olympus Heights Moderator: Heather Pilder Olson Writer: Brad Wilke Feedback By: Stewart Lyons (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul)

As Read By: Heather Ward, Duncan Star-Boszko, Erik Franklin, Amanda Johnson, DJ Walker

5:30–7 PM Session four

Script: 38 Minutes Moderator: Arthur Rains-McNally Writer: Heather Pilder Olson Feedback By: Christopher Lockhart (Story Editor - WME)

As Read By: Angela DiMarco, David S Hogan, Christa Wells, Jason Connelly, Debra Pralle

7–9 PM

Finding Your Voice As a Creator

Moderator: Susan Ruth

Panelist: Jessica Walter, Christopher J Moore, John Penney, Russ Woody, Charles Papert
Every creative operates from a different base point. Writers. Actors. Designers. Directors. We all bring a lifetime of experiences, belief systems, opinions, and angles to the table. Learn how to corral and focus your creative voice and use it to your best advantage.

MONDAY - NOVEMBER 16

3–5:00 PM

How to get out of your own way and book the job

Sponsored by: Tom Todoroff Studio

Presenter: Tom Todoroff (Director, Producer, Acting Coach) acclaimed New York producer, director, actor and acting coach will lead a master class for actors and directors from all walks of life. Tom has acted opposite, directed and / or coached Peter O’Toole, Harrison Ford, Samuel L. Jackson, Liam Neeson, Sasha Alexander, Allison Janney, Tony Goldwyn and Claire Danes among many others!

The class will focus on acting and auditioning technique. Several actors will work on prepared pieces followed by personalized coaching from Tom.  Watch Tom in action and observe how this technique immediately creates dynamic, compelling performances every time.

Attendees will learn how to:

• Transform nervousness into intense excitement,

• be expressive rather than impressive,

• strengthen and find their true inner voice,

• identify the strongest choices in any script

• gain confidence with filming own on-camera video auditions

• to think like a producer

• and much more!

Walk away with a deeper understanding of the art, the business and the spirituality of acting.

5–6:30 PM

Film Marketing and Publicity in the Age of Information Overload

Sponsored by Smarthouse Creative

Panelists: Ryan Davis, Amie Simon

This workshop will help demystify the role of the film publicist & digital marketing team, while offering tips, strategies and case studies to help you put your best foot forward regardless of your budget. Led by Smarthouse Creative's Ryan Davis and Amie Simon.

6:30–8 PM

The Music of Film

Moderator: BC Campbell (Personhood)

Panelists: Catherine Joy (The Parish, Capitol Hill), Ed Hartman (As The Earth Turns), John Neff (Mulholland Drive, The Straight Story), Tyler Rydosz (Wish Dragon, John Henry)

Music in film serves several functions. Among them, it helps shape emotional responses, creates a rhythm to scenes and segments, and comments on the action. Music is often crucial to the experience of a scene and, in some cases, becomes as iconic as the movies themselves.

8–10 PM

Documentary/International - Short FILM block

LA QUEENS (14:09) Carolina Cortella - This documentary film consists of a series of portraits of women living in Los Angeles during the Covid-19 pandemic. They write freely about how they have been feeling during the quarantine and how it has affected them. FUNNY AND FEARLESS: Chelsea Tolle (6:54) Filmmaker: Deborah Tahara - Comedian Chelsea Tolle tells her story of battling anorexia and addiction to chase her dream. AJE IJO SERIES (4th INSTALLMENT FINALE): IMMORTAL (14:00) Filmmaker: Kiana Harris - A short dance film series centering around humanity, resiliency, and vulnerability of black and African diasporic people. FRAGMENTS OF RED (8:43) Filmmaker: Arctic Qu - Desperation leads to betrayal, and then, a tragic death. LUST DAY (12:00) Filmmaker: Wei Shengyu - After withdrawing a large sum of money, destined for a certain cause a boy makes a choice that will alter his life. FEEL INDIA (11:22) Filmmaker: Ion Sova - The only people who see the whole picture are the ones who step out of the frame. - Salman Rushdie ONLINE SHOPPING (15:00) Filmmaker: Ghasideh Golmakani - A young Iranian girl is preparing his immigration for continuing her studies abroad. Before her travel, she tries sell her belongings online. One of the customer is a man who behaves strangely… LIMBO (15:00) Filmmaker: Ghasideh Golmakani - A former Iraqi sniper, takes refuge in Iran and began to tattoo the names of all the soldiers he had killed in the conflicts and wars in Iraq. The last name is tattooed by a young Iranian, who is asked a strange favor … ELEPHANTBIRD (15:00) Filmmaker: Masoud Soheili - A mini-bus goes on a journey across the mountains to Kabul. When the main road is blocked by insurgents, an alternative road is chosen. THE BLUE BED (14:10) Filmmaker: Alireza Kazemipour - A middle-aged woman who visits a temporary marriage agency and signs up to have a young working girl. The young girl who has never had a female client before, becomes suspicious of her employer's intent and sexual orientation.

*No Q&A for this film block

WEDNESDAY - NOVEMBER 18

5–6:30 PM

Brave New World of Film Festivals

Moderator: James Taylor (Seattle Wine and Film Festival)

Panelists: Janette Force (Port Townsend Film Festival), Steve Edmiston (Bracepoint Law), Neal Schindler (Spokane Jewish Cultural Film Festival)

We now live in a new world politically, socially, and technically. The film industry has changed, as has our beloved film festivals. We now face many new and unexpected challenges. The entire film industry must adjust accordingly to these new demands. This panel will address the business of festivals, the operation and survival of them in the future, and how best to operate a successful festival. Expectations and insights will be provided to film festival organizers, filmmakers, and funders in this new environment.

6:30–8 PM

PIVOTING YOUR BUSINESS MODEL - BE RELEVANT IN A DISRUPTED MARKET

Presenter: Diana Dotter, Lara Lavi

In this session, we discuss how the global content creation market has been disrupted in 2020 and how to pivot your business model to create new opportunities through innovative partnerships.

Some of the topics to be covered:

• A 30,000 foot view of the industry in 2020

• Creating original content with brand sponsors and partners

• Cross collaboration within the greater creative economy

• Producing a simple series for global distribution

• Navigating legal - what is critical

8–10 PM

FEATURE SCREENING: THE DARK dance

FRIDAY - NOVEMBER 20

10–11:30 aM

INTERNATIONAL PANEL

Moderator: Erik Nachtrieb (Producer, 1iOpen Productions | CEO SetJetters)

Panelist: Elena Priovolou (GREECE: Argonauts), Sandra Lipski (SPAIN: Mallorca International Film Festival) Jules Jones (Planeta Singli, Mayday), Sam Akina (Bullets, Blood & a Fistful of Ca$h, Planet Singli)

We will visit with filmmakers and film leaders from across the world. Let's see what their film worlds look like and what the benefits are of creating international collaborations.

5–6:30 PM

Cross Regional CollaboratioN

Moderator: Ben Andrews

Panelist: Ivan Wiener (AFMX), Daniel Sol (HollyShorts), Richard Botto (Stage 32)

Let's visit with organizational leaders from around the country. What is their approach to opportunity? How has the pandemic affected them? And most importantly, how do we take this opportunity to build more effective partnerships?

6:30–8 PM

Master Marketing For Creatives

Sponsored by: Renton Municipal Arts Commission

Presenter: Matthew Bennett

Today’s technology has made it possible for almost anyone to write, shoot and edit their creative concept.  However, most independent filmmakers quickly discover the reality of how much easier it is to produce a film than to monetize one.  In our highly competitive world, content is no longer king, leaving marketing, distribution and execution to rule supreme. This prevailing environment demands filmmakers be armed with an array of highly effective tactics, habits, etc. to increase their likelihood of financial success.  These best practices include skills such as: reaching and influencing decision makers; clearly and concisely defining one’s “ask” and mission; overcoming obstacles; and selling without selling. 

This session provides students with a variety of specific proven marketing, distribution and execution strategies to increase the commercial viability/success of their projects.

SATURDAY - NOVEMBER 21

10–12 PM

SAG-AFTRA Forum

Moderator: Rik Deskin (SAG-AFTRA President - Local Seattle) Panelist: Michelle Damis (SAG-AFTRA President - Local Portland), Marc Comstock (SAG-AFTRA President - Local New Mexico), Zinnia Su (SAG-AFTRA Board Member - Local Seattle)

Why SAG-AFTRA is important? Why should actors join SAG-AFTRA? Why is being part of the Labor Movement is important? Union structure, opportunities, and more!

1–2:30 PM

Film Office Forum: A window into our Regional industries

Moderator: Peter Barnes (Formosa Group)

Panelists: Tim Williams (Oregon Film), Allison Whitmer (Montana Film Office), Elizabeth Florence (New Mexico Taxation and Revenue), Amy Lillard (Washington Filmworks)

We'll check in with film offices from across the region. Let's talk opportunities, challenges, and obstacles. In this hour, we'll get a unique opportunity to see what neighboring states and countries face in the incentive game.

2:30–4:30 PM

Documentary Filmmaking

Sponsored by Seattle Documentary Association

Moderator: Melissa Tumas (Seattle Documentary Association) Panelist: Elizabeth Yoffe (Filmworker), Derrick LaMere (Older Than The Crown), Misael Martinez (Raíces del Barrio)

Come learn about developing and producing documentaries in today's film landscape. We’ll cover topics ranging from development to distribution. Panelists will offer insight into the craft and business of documentary content.

5–7 PM

Meet the industry

Hopefully, you are feeling inspired and motivated at this point. But nothing happens alone, even in a pandemic. So, don’t miss your last opportunity to meet your incredible fellow attendees. You’ll come away from this session with dozens of new acquaintances and maybe even a few new friends. Polish off your elevator pitch and dust off your business cards...or maybe just grab a beer and come prepared to have some fun.

8–10 PM

DRAMA/ROMANCE - SHORT FILM BLOCK

THE CHASE (14:00) Filmmaker: Ryan Horner - The Chase is a short film from a larger story that deals with relationships and what a variant of people from different backgrounds go through to make a relationship work. A CRACK IN THE DOOR (15:32) Filmmaker: David S. Hogan, Tony Tibbetts - Determined to keep herself shut away from the world, a lonely widow is challenged to confront her connection to others when an innocent neighbor intrudes. GIVE IT BACK! (14:14) Filmmaker: Ruchama Ehrenhalt - Olivia just moved to Israel from New York. Throughout her first day of school in the 6th grade she tries to survive, navigating through the new country she just landed in, her new school, and new peers, unsure where she will end up at the end of the day. ANAGNORISIS (15:00) Filmmaker: Arturo Dueñas Herrero - A new doctor has just arrived at a nursing home, where he meets a patient tormented by a past which he cannot remember. This doctor will help him do it, without anticipating the consequences. THEY SAY (2:27) Filmmaker: FUBO - "Where are we going in 3030? We use the phone to shoot miniature landscape to seek the answer within 1㎡ microcosm" BALANCE (3:00) Filmmaker: Barzan Rostami - It’s a story about the soldiers who are sacrificing their lives and resist in order to the people of the city and future generations live in peace… SATURED BLACK (7:30) Filmmaker: Simone Baseggio - Ophelia, a 10-year-old girl, wonders about the death during the funeral of a neighbor. The answers will come from his affectionate puppet that, through a brief journey into the imaginary of the little girl, will explain her that the death must be considered as a companion and a friend of every person, like a puppet for a child, and that the awareness that everything that ends is actually the beginning of something else, makes the death more acceptable. PURPLE DICTATORSHIP (23:00) Filmmaker: Matheus Moura - Yeda, the green-faced woman, sells homemade bread and cookies to support the house where she lives with her sick husband. Through the context of green-faced people, we know the reality of those who live on the fringes of a purple-faced society. IDDA (14:00) Filmmaker: Salvatore Sclafani - A month before her wedding, Lucia and her fiancé travel to southern Italy to set the last details for the event. After reconnecting with her cousin in her childhood home tough, she will start to question her life choices in sight of new unexpected temptations. INTO LIGHT (10:00) Filmmaker: Jessica Graham - On this 100th anniversary of women's suffrage in the United States, our timely short film, Into Light, highlights the power of our hard-won right to vote, by bringing to life suffragist Inez Milholland's inspiring final speech. In the current social and political climate, Into Light reminds us that we must never forget the women and men who fought for equal rights - and to carry forth their legacy by voting and taking positive action for equality.

*No Q&A for this film block

SUNDAY - NOVEMBER 22

10–12 PM

Closing Keynote

Guest Interviewer: Rose Mc Aleese (The Quad, Sneakerheads)

FELICIA D. HENDERSON

Felicia D. Henderson is the creator of Showtime’s Emmy Award nominated series “Soul Food”, television’s first multi-season, successful drama to feature an African American cast. In 2018, through her production company, WaterWalk Entertainment, Inc., she signed a development deal with 20th Century Fox to write, produce and direct television dramas and comedies. She recently completed consulting producer duties on “Next”, an “FBI” cyber-crime drama premiering on Fox. Currently, she is the showrunner on Netflix’s first season of “First Kill” and is developing a series for MGM and 20th  TV. Felicia co-created and executive produced “The Quad”, a one-hour drama for BET Networks which starred Tony Award-winners Anika Noni Rose and Ruben Santiago-Hudson. The series was named one of the “Top 15 Shows to Watch” by The New York Times in 2017. She also co- executive produced the Netflix adaptation of Marvel’s “The Punisher”, which debuted in Fall 2017. The successful writer-director-producer also executive produced “Single Ladies” and “Reed Between the Lines” for BET Networks. She has written and co-executive produced such high- profile shows as “Gossip Girl”, “Fringe” and “Everybody Hates Chris”. Additional credits include, “Sister Sister”, “Moesha”, “Family Matters”, and “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air”.

Continually in pursuit of knowledge, after earning B.A. and M.F.A. degrees from UCLA, she recently earned a Ph.D. in Cinema and Media Studies at UCLA. Her research interests include culture, class, race, and gender issues in television writers’ rooms, political economics of the 2007 WGA strike, and the “othering” of single women in the media. She has been published in some of the most prestigious academic journals in her field.

Although Felicia’s roots are Mississippi southern, she was born and raised in Pasadena, CA, where she currently resides with Muffin, her four-legged human.

1–2:30 PM

Pitch Panel Finals

Sponsored by Northwest Screenwriters Guild the go-to screenwriting community in the Pacific Northwest for all levels of writers.

Host: Kristin Raven Celebrity Panelists: Stacey Adams (Disney ABC), Stewart Lyons (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul), Christopher Lockhart (Story Editor WME), Gary Glushon (I Am Legend, Hancock)

This exciting and competitive event has become a yearly tradition at SFS! Watch participants pitch their projects for a chance at money, prizes, and industry attention! Hear producers’ immediate responses.

• 7 contestants

• 5 minutes

• 1 shot with Hollywood producers

 Think you got what it takes? Check here for more details on how you can compete!

2:30–4:30 PM

AWARDS CEREMONY

4:30–5:30 PM

Closing RED CARPET

Welcome to the Virtual Red Carpet at the Seattle Film Summit! Or as we like to call it, “Our Sit N Repeat”.

Come talk about your summit experiences and where you’re going next. We’d love to say our goodbyes on the Red Carpet!

Once confirmed we will send you our ‘virtual background’ for zoom. Simply upload the background before the episode. You be an assigned timeslot. Once you’re live you’ll speak to your company, services, panel, or any other work you wish to promote.

7:00 - 9:00 PM

BONUS: CLOSING NIGHT SHORT FILM BLOCK

SCREEN GIRL (11:55) Filmmaker: J.D. MacNutt - Lyle is trapped and isolated in his house due to COVID until he meets a online streamer named Vanessa. He falls in love with her the more they connect until Lyle finds out that she is already in a relationship with another. Heartbroken, he sets out to re-evaluate himself and transform for the better. HARDOUT (6:00) Filmmaker: Ben Leiataua, Brett Benson, Trina Griffin - A production crew is shooting a beer commercial in an open bar, but when drunk patrons interrupt filming, the film crew and bar regulars decide to settle their differences with their fists in an epic bar fight. F*CKING GHOSTS (3:00) Filmmaker: Jason Cook - A parody film trailer about a family that buys a new home that is haunted by horny ghosts. GREG AND THE TREE (12:14) Filmmaker: Diana Lanham - Just a guy trying to get his Christmas tree on the bus. THE GARLIC BULB CHALLENGE (5:53) Filmmaker: Brian Carlin - Mark Harris is an intrepid journalist for Vampire News Tonight! on Cascadia Valley Public Access TV. His latest investigation into vampire teens engaging in dangerous challenges will yield some fascinating insights! TESS TETLEY - GIRL BRAND MANAGER (7:35) Filmmaker: Andrea Hays - The Spppprrrroooooonnnnnggggg Rubber Band Company has a new secret formula for synthetic rubber! Can our girl, Tess Tetley, get it to the lab before villainous foes like Big Adhesive get to her first? Tune in and SEE!!! BUZZ VS SCOOTY (16:00) Filmmaker: Margaux Towne - Men will be boys. Two grown men argue about whose dad is tougher. They arrange for their elderly fathers to meet in the ring for a testosterone filled, epic battle. NOW YOU SEE US (11:00) Filmmaker: Romina Schwedler - "A COMING OF a certain AGE STORY! Two actresses "of a certain age" compete fiercely for a role in a TV commercial, but as their audition approaches, the lifelong rivals discover that they are in the presence of a much larger threat: A society that finds them invisible." BETTER THAN NEIL ARMSTRONG (20:00) Filmmaker: Alireza Ghasemi - Four kids start their journey to the moon with the mission of finding a mysterious place called The Redland but the gates of Redland are being guarded by a mischievous snake. DESERT ISLAND SECRET SANTA (13:30) Filmmaker: Pearce Hoskinson - Have you ever received a terrible Secret Santa gift? Or worse, given one, then spent the rest of your life fearing you'll be found out? This film is for you. SMILING SKELETONS (10:30) Filmmaker: Eryn Rea - Rising from the ashes of an ugly divorce, a woman returns to her former house for a few last things and brings along her new boyfriend for help. They unknowingly interrupt her ex with his new love interest, their realtor, and the four confront each other unleashing the skeletons in their closet. CLEATS (13:23) Filmmaker: Abdullah Şahin - Close friends try to support each other. Watch as a series of circumstances culminates into a surprise ending.

*No Q&A for this film block