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Panels

Symposium

SHORT FILMS, BIG IDEAS: A Symposium on the Art & Commerce of Short Filmmaking

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MASTER CLASS: DIRECTOR-ACTOR RELATIONSHIPS
WITH ATOM EGOYAN & DEVON BOSTICK

Hosted by the CFC Actors Conservatory
Presented by Canwest and supported by the Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Join us for an inspiring Master Class with award-winning director Atom Egoyan (CHLOE, ADORATION, THE SWEET HEREAFTER) and actor Devon Bostick (DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, ADORATION, SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD) on the director/actor relationship. Using their film ADORATION and drawing on their other films, Atom & Devon will discuss their approaches to storytelling in an intimate conversation.

Known for directing and writing films with nuanced characters often in ethical dilemmas, Atom will give insights into how he works with actors and his considerations within this essential relationship. Devon will discuss his approach to dramatic character, how he prepared for his role, as well as how he works with other actors and directors. Focusing on achieving great performance, Atom and Devon will look at the collaborative nature of the director/actor relationship from the casting and audition process, rehearsals and how they prepare for the camera.

Using clips, they will look at specific scenes in ADORATION and talk about how they approached the scenes, how they evolved from script to screen and how communication and preparation can deliver a complex and thoughtful performance that conveys the overarching story.

SCRIPT 2 SCREEN: Working with a Story Editor
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
So you’ve got a script and want to make it screen-ready — who you gonna call? A story editor! This session will explore the creative and legal relationship between scriptwriter and story editor. Learn what a good story editor can do for you, and figure out how to find the right one for your project. Every good script needs a second pair of eyes.

Moderator: John Galway, President English-Language Program, The Harold Greenberg Fund

Panelists:  
Adam Garrett Jones, Writer/Director
Elke Town, Story Editor

MUSIC TO MY FILM
Presented by SOCAN and GCFC
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
The right music maketh the film. A panel of experienced composers discuss the process of making music for film.  Explore how the right relationship between a director and composer can result in the perfect marriage between sight and sound.  Brought to you by SOCAN and the GCFC (Guild of Canadian Film Composers).

Moderator: Adrian Ellis, Composer, POP. 6 BILLION
Featuring composers: Jim McGrath, Darren Fung and John Welsman

BIZ KNOW-HOW
Hosted by NSI (National Screen Institute)
10:30 AM – 11:15 AM: Focus on Directors (only $12)

Moderator: E. Jane Thompson Director, Cabiria Pictures Inc.

Panelists:
Ingrid Veninger, Director pUNK Films Inc.
Tina Horwitz - Owner-Agent, Vanguarde Artists Management
M. Michelle Nadon - President & CEO, mediaINTELLIGENCE.ca

11:15 AM – 12:00 PM: Focus on Writers (only $12)

Wondering how to move your career forward? Business affairs, deal-making and negotiating are cornerstones of a successful creative career – so are branding, strategic thinking and networking. This series of panels explores the business and marketing skills writers and directors need to manage your career so you can make a living doing what you do best: write and direct.

Moderator: Liz Janzen, Director of Programming, NSI

Panelist:
Victoria Hirst, Producer, Victorious Films
Will Pascoe, Writer/Director

Biz-Know How package: Attend the 2 sessions and save $4!

THE SMART PHONE
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
For years we’ve been hearing about the crossover between phones and films. With the recent introduction of iPhones and other smart devices, mobile technology is changing the way we interact with each other and the world. Not just for making calls anymore, mobile devices are now used in increasingly diverse ways and are at the centre of everything from activism to gaming. This panel explores how these shifts in mobile consumption can affect you – the emerging filmmaker!

Moderator: Anthea Foyer, Co-Founder & Director, The Labs

Panelists:
Janice Dawe, Vice President, White Pine Pictures & Executive Producer, City Sonic
Michele Perras, Mobile Experience Innovation Centre, OCAD
Christina Litz, Director, Business Development & Planning, Content, TELUS

3D: STRETCHING OUR IMAGINATION
Hosted by CFC MEDIA LAB
Sponsored by Panasonic

4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Throw away those red and blue glasses, because this ain’t your parents’ 3D! With the recent explosion in 3D filmmaking, everyone is talking about the possibilities it presents.
This session will explore what experts in this emerging field have to say about stereoscopic cinema technology and how it works, as well as how it will change creative expression and the film-going experience. The future is now!

Moderator: Ana Serrano, Media Lab Director, CFC

Panelists:
Ali Kazimi, Filmmaker/Assistant Film Professor, York University and Future Cinema Lab
Laurie Wilcox, Associate Psychology Professor, York University and Centre for Vision Research
Michael Fukushima, Animation Producer, NFB
Peter Fannon, Vice President of Corporate & Government Affairs, Panasonic

FESTIVALS 101
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
You’ve just wrapped the best short film of your career and now you’re ready to take the global festival circuit by storm. Fame, fortune and international travel await you…if only you can figure out where to send your short. This panel will dig into the mysterious world of film festival strategy, give you the low-down on what festivals are looking for, answer some questions about online exhibition and tackle the dos and don’ts of being a festival guest. Take this opportunity to get inside the heads of those who call the festival shots.

Moderator: Michelle Latimer, Filmmaker/Programmer, imagineNATIVE

Panelists:
Tania B. Reilly, Programming Manager, WSFF
Suzy Starke-German, Program Manager, Lunafest
Sharon Badal, Tribeca Film Festival
Jon Korn, Shorts Programmer, Sundance Film Festival
Mark Montefiore, Producer, THE ARMOIRE

DISTRIBUTION 101
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Are you ready to distribute and monetize your film? Come and meet local and international distributors who want to assist you in getting your film into the marketplace. Learn
how you can best approach them, what they can do for you and what they are looking for. If you’re interested in selling your film, this is the place to start.

Moderator: Anneli Ekborn, Production Manager, CFC

Panelists:
Jessica Parkinson, OUAT Media
Sydney Neter, SND Films, Netherlands
Susan Petersen, Shorts International, USA
Millan Vazquez-Ortiz, Co-founder, FREAK Short Film Agency, Spain
Derry O’Brien, Managing Director, Network Ireland Television

WHO BUYS WHAT
3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Our most popular Symposium event, this highly-anticipated, fast-paced and informative panel is filled with national, international and multi-platform buyers and distributors. Our
goal is to help you figure out not just “who buys what,” but also what the terms of a sale are, how much you can expect to get for your film and how to get your project to the right people. Bring your notepad and loosen up that writing hand: the information comes fast and furious.

Moderator: Shane Smith, Director of Public Programmes, TIFF Bell Lightbox

Panelists:
Nick Solowski, Programming Manager, Spafax Canada Inc
Mary M. Lampe, Executive Director of Southwest Alternate Media Project (USA)
Candida Zelaya, Manager, Encore Avenue and the Sundance Channel, Corus Entertainment.
Ian Friedman, Manager of Content Development & Acquisitions, Atom.com
Anna Darrah, Director of Acquisitions, Spiritual Cinema Circle, USA
Linda Olszewski, Shorts International, USA
Sharon Stevens, GlassBOX Television
Anna Tsoulogiannis, Movieola
Aubie Greenberg, Astral Television Networks, TMN
Robin Neinstein, CBC
João Garção Borges, RTP2, Portugal
Nate Weinstein, YouTube, USA
Brent Hoff, Wholphin DVD, USA
Damon Smith, Babelgum, USA

Non Linear Storytelling: Designing Interactive Narratives
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
As the shift toward interactive screens continues, designing narratives for the digital landscape is a skill that’s increasingly in demand. This master class session will bust creative thinking out of old models and introduce you to multi-plot structures, current forms of transmedia and interactive digital narratives.

Moderator: Siobhan O’Flynn, Transmedia Storytelling Consultant

Shifting Landscapes: Successful Transmedia & Multiplatform Projects
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Through examining a variety of case studies, this panel will explore how approaches to content delivery and use of technology relate to audience consumption habits, and fan participation. Discussion will highlight the realities of how these trends are causing shifts in the way audiences, creators and funders are approaching media.

Moderator: Anthea Foyer, Co-Founder & Director, The Labs

Panelists:
Alex Mayhew, Trans-media Creative Consultant
Howard Rosen, Business Affairs Manager, Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund.
Victoria Ha, Partner, Stitch Media