2019 Film Festival Workshops
Our popular “Filmmaker Conversations” Workshop Series returns to our NEW venue: Steakhouse 89. Each is designed to give attendees insight into the various aspects of filmmaking. Workshops and discussions are presented by industry experts with vast knowledge and personal experience in the featured subject. Topics covered will be: Perfecting the Pitch, Desperately Seeking … Representation, Documentaries from A to Z, I Got the Music in Me, and Producing/Directing.
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FREE WORKSHOP
Tuesday, Feb. 26 • 10:00 a.m.
Perfecting the Pitch
At Steakhouse 89 (2620 W. State Route 89A, West Sedona)
Ann Lewis Roberts, former head of ABC Television Daytime and President of Roberts Media discusses how to prepare for a successful pitch meeting from critical attachments to finance partners. This program is designed to give film and visual arts novices insights on how to get your ideas heard and seen. Ann is highly-respected executive and content creator, having successfully developed for cable, network, syndication and digital platforms and has worked on both sides of the industry as a buyer and a seller. Currently head of her own production company, Roberts Media, she has created, developed, sold and launched content on multiple platforms. Before launching Roberts Media, Roberts served as head of Disney-ABC’s unscripted studio and SVP of daytime & syndication programming.
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FREE WORKSHOP
Wednesday, Feb. 27 • 10:00 a.m.
Desperately Seeking … Representation
At Steakhouse 89 (2620 W. State Route 89A, West Sedona)
Bill Stankey, Managing Partner Westport Entertainment Associates discusses the various types of representation filmmakers are most interested in. From publicists to managers to agents to lawyers how do you break through to put together the right team.
Bill has worked as an agent manager and producer for over 40 years. He produced the indie cult favorite “Roadside Prophets” in 1991. He is the founder of Westport Entertainment and has managed the of careers Joy Behar, Ty Pennington, Chip and Joanna Gaines, Andrea Canning and many others. This May, Bill will be inducted into the Personal Managers Hall of Fame.
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FREE WORKSHOP
Thursday, Feb. 28 • 10:00 a.m.
Documentaries from A to Z
At Steakhouse 89 (2620 W. State Route 89A, West Sedona)
Lisa Erspamer — Executive Producer of the critically-acclaimed, Grammy-nominated 2018 documentary “Whitney” and “Running from Crazy” — will provide insight into how to build a successful documentary from finance to distribution. She is a three-time Emmy-nominated producer; New York Times best-selling author; Executive Producer and creator of Emmy-nominated “Pickler & Ben,” now in its second season; and co-founder of Happy Street Entertainment. Lisa is a 19-year Oprah veteran, previously serving as Chief Creative Officer and Executive-VP of Programming and Development for OWN, as well as co-executive producer of The Oprah Winfrey Show.
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FREE WORKSHOP
Friday, March 1 • 10:00 a.m.
I Got the Music in Me
At Steakhouse 89 (2620 W. State Route 89A, West Sedona)
Barry Coffing, Founder of MusicSupervisor.com, is a Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter and leading authority on finding and securing music for independent film. Coffing has been involved in almost every facet of the music business and worked with many of the major companies. As an artist, he was signed to Warner Brothers Records. As a songwriter, he secured publishing deals with Universal Music Publishing and EMI. He owned his own record label with distribution through Sony RED. He represents over 16,000 record labels and publishers for film and TV licensing. His company places hundreds of songs each year in Films, TV, and Advertising. Every major Film Company and TV network uses their software and services. He is in demand as a guest lecturer, speaker, and moderator.
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FREE WORKSHOP
Saturday, March 2 • 10:00 a.m.
Producing and Directing
At Steakhouse 89 (2620 W. State Route 89A, West Sedona)
Join award-winning director and producer Gary Fleder (“Runaway Jury”, “Homefront”, “Don’t Say a Word”) in a workshop designed to be an open exchange of ideas, dialogue and advice for producers and directors. He will offer helpful information for both first timer Producter/Directors and seasoned veterans. Festival attendees will enjoy this ‘behind the scenes’ discussion about the challenges that are faced by modern filmmakers. How do you get a project off the ground and onto the big screen? How do you assemble your crew, team and cast? Learn from a pro who has been in the trenches, making movies and making a difference. Whether a big blockbuster or an indie arthouse success, Fleder has done it all.
A graduate of Boston University and the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Fleder began his television career in 1993 with an award-winning episode of Tales from the Crypt (“Forever Ambergris”, starring Steve Buscemi and Roger Daltrey). Since then, he has directed pilots and episodes of more than a dozen television series, including L.A. Doctors, Blind Justice, The Evidence, The Shield, Life on Mars, Happy Town, Star-Crossed, Turn: Washington’s Spies and Kingdom. He was an executive producer and frequent director of October Road, Life Unexpected, and The Art of More.
“Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead”, Fleder’s feature film debut, premiered at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival. Since then, Fleder has directed a series of thrillers, including “Kiss the Girls” (1997), starring Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman; “Don’t Say a Word” (2001), featuring Brittany Murphy and Michael Douglas; “Impostor” (2002), a sci-fi thriller based on a Philip K. Dick short story, starring Gary Sinise, Madeleine Stowe, and Vincent D’Onofrio; and “Runaway Jury” (2003), starring John Cusack and Academy Award winners Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman, and based on the novel by John Grisham.