PANELs + WORKSHOPS

Friday, September 27, 2024 | Prince George's Community College

10:00am - 11:15am | Take 3!: Learning The Techniques To Making A Film

A deep dive into how creatives create and produce film and television projects. 

Moderator: Harriette Cole, Esteemed Journalist and Mediamaker
Panelists: Bree & Chuck West, Producers - OCET Group ; Hans Charles DP, Producer & Professor ; Michael Swanson, Producer

11:45am - 1:00pm | Storytime: Bring Your Characters To Life!

From characters to plots, writers from different mediums educate and teach the techniques they use to tell a story. Dive into the minds of writers from your favorite shows and films on how to start writing and bringing your characters to life.

Moderator: Harriette Cole, Esteemed Journalist and Mediamaker
Panelists: Jimmie Jenkins, Writer ; Sean Murphy, Writer ; Nitin S. Adsul, Writer and Filmmaker ; Tamieka Briscoe, Writer/Producer/Director

1:30pm - 2:45pm | The Art of the Pitch: Pitch Perfect

Take your pitch to the next level by pitching in real time! Learn from industry professionals how to make a pitch, adjust your current pitch, and learn how to get your pitch in front of the right people. During the last few minutes, a few select attendees will have a chance to showcase their adjusted pitches!  

Moderator: Tressa Smallwood, Megamind Media
Panelists: Curtis Symonds, CEO - HBCUGoTV ; Devin Karambelas, VP Programming -WETA ; Austyn Biggers, Sr.VP Programming & Production

3:15pm - 4:30pm | Filming in the DMV: “How Can We Help You?”

Chat with the heads of local film offices as they share tips and tools on the growing local film industry and learn how to create a successful film in your very own hometown!

Moderator: Harriette Cole, Esteemed Journalist and Mediamaker
Panelists: Lakeisha Wells, Program Analyst - District of Columbia Film Office ; Donna Foster-Dotson - Prince George’s Film Office ; Robert Rouse - Arlington County Film Office ; Jack Gerbes - Maryland Film Office

5:00pm-6:15pm | Cross-Continental Connections: Filming Around The World

Discussion on forging production partnerships abroad and distributing your films internationally.

Moderator: Tarak "Terk" Stevens, CEO of Terk Entertainment
Panelists: Shauib Mitchell, CEO of African Diaspora Network ; Purna Baraili, Nepal America Film Society ; Rebekah Wingert-Jabi, George Mason University & Storycatcher Productions

Friday, September 27, 2024 | Arts’tination @ national Harbor

7:30pm-8:15pm | Behind the Seams: Fashion, Costume, and Identity in Film & Television

Discussion exploring the intricate and dynamic world of costume design & sustainable fashion within the film industry.

Moderators: Ashanti Brown-Daniels, Cynnik Events & Maggy Francois, Costumer Designer and Casting Director
Panelists: Fashion Designers Allison Elizabeth Brown, Ikonic Parlay, Nakya Duff, Carolyn Wilbourn and Cee Bleu

This panel is part of the "Reel Style: Sustainable Fashion In Cinema and Runway" event, taking place at Arts'tination from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM where we will be shining a spotlight on the unsung heroes of film—costume designers and stylists—who bring characters to life and craft visual narratives through their artful designs. We invite you to attend by registering below.

Saturday, September 28, 2024 | Bowie State University

9:00am - 12:00pm | Actors Study

This immersive three (3) hour course will help aspiring and established actors develop, maintain, and promote habits and techniques to assist them in becoming and staying professional actors. Character development, scene study, and acting exercises, with surprise guests, are all a part of the day as we navigate an actor's career.

Moderator: Mark McKinnon with a guest appearance by Victoria Rowell

10:00am - 11:30am | “Soul in Motion”

Creative voices in animation, technology, storytelling, and entrepreneurship talk about the animation industry, diversity, the future of animation, and more!

Moderator: Tewodross M. Williams, Professor, Dept. Chair & Animator/Filmmaker - DFPA | VCDMA | Bowie State University
Panelists: Keith White, Co-Founder and Head of Partnerships - AfroAnimation Inc. ; Tiffany Thomas, Writer - The Proud Family ; Trevor Pryce, Creator, Producer, of Kulipari: An Army of Frogs, The Outlook Company ; Ferdy Adimefe, Founder/CEO - Magic Carpet Labs Group ; Yaba Baker, Executive Producer and Creator - Super CJ Animated Series | Founder & President - Just Like Me, Inc. ; Kecy Salangad, Animator - Laika

11:15am - 12:30pm | Funding Your Vision: “Show Me the Money”

It takes money to bring any creative idea to a finished product. This discussion will focus on innovative ways to raise funding, find funding sources, and what to do when you get the money.

Moderator: Tressa Smallwood, Megamind Media
Panelists: Chris Godfrey, Business Development Officer - FSC First ; Stefanie Frederic, CEO & Chief Content Officer - FGW Productions ; Vanzil Burke, CEO - Burke Entertainment

11:45am - 12:15pm | XR presentation with GRX Immersive Labs

An immersive experience and sample of the project POV: Points of View

Moderator: Alton Glass, CEO - GRX Immersive

1:00pm - 2:15pm | And Beyond: “Immersive Media, VR, AI, Cinema and Tech”

In this in-depth discussion, we will take a look at how technology is changing the production landscape and its impact on the creative process as well as the creators. We will look at all sides of digital technology and how the new normal will impact the future of production.

Moderator: Tewodross M. Williams, Professor, Dept. Chair & Animator/Filmmaker - DFPA | VCDMA | Bowie State University
Panelists: Alton Glass, CEO - GRX Immersive ; Maxie Collier, Founder & CEO - Latimer Labs LLC ; Audrea Topps Harjo, Producer/Founder - InclusionFX

1:00pm - 2:15pm | Entertainment Business 101: Legal Protection and Benefits Safeguarding Film Projects in Age of Streaming and AI

  • Talent contracts and licensing

  • Streaming 

  • AI (how to safeguard your project)

Moderator: Anthony Greene, Filmmaker  
Panelists: Samantha Levin, Streaming & AI ; Angel Nwachukwa, Contracts & Licensing ; Zhibo Lai, Independent Filmmaker and Post-Production Innovator

Sponsored by Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts (WALA)

2:45pm - 4:00pm | Breaking Into the Business: “Getting Your Foot In the Door”

A lively discussion with production professionals on their careers and how they began.

Moderator: Arnicia Arrington, EVP People, Orientation & Culture - Ebony/Jet
Panelists: Stacy Milner, EICOP and HBCU in LA ; Pat Stevens, Talent Logistics & Line Producer ; Lynette Blackwell, Casting ; Tam Hush Lee, Costume Designer ; Chan Claggette, Locations Manager, Scout & Production Manager ; Alan Adeleke, Camera Op ; Larry Law, Editor

2:45pm - 5:45pm | Home Grown Screenings

Join us in viewing the very best features and shorts from Prince George’s County and the DMV’s finest filmmakers.

Moderator: Harriette Cole, Esteemed Journalist and Mediamaker
Panelists: Abdul T Sesay, Writer/Producer/Director - Sa-Loan Productions ; Howard Gibson, Producer/Director - Dem Gibsons

4:30pm - 5:45pm | Must Be the Music: What’s A Movie Without Music?

A look at the business of securing music for your film and the art of making the music. 

Moderator: Charles Garris, Music Producer & Composer
Panelists: Nicole Sanzio, Music Supervisor & Owner - Indigi Music ; JP Wogaman II, Music Composer - Wogaman Music ; Christopher Stevens, Musician & Composer ; Carter Mangan Jr , Music Composer & Sound Engineer

sTILL TRYING TO DECIDE?

Check out what last year’s attendees have to say about PGFF!