Saturday, July 27, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Reception to follow
Little Haiti Cultural Center: Proscenium Theatre
212 NE 59th Terrace, Miami, FL
THE WORLD OF FILM DISTRIBUTION AND MARKETING IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING.
Whether you’re a first-time filmmaker or a veteran, we’re all on the same level when it comes to audience building. Join Sundance Institute’s Creative Distribution Initiative at this free event as we break down the latest in distribution and marketing trends into digestible pieces of advice for independent storytellers of all stripes.
Complimentary parking is available in the three surface lots surrounding the venue, as well as on the street.
SCHEDULE
9:15 a.m.
Registration
Complimentary light breakfast provided
10:00 a.m.
Program Begins
10:15 a.m.
Panel: From Financing to Distribution
A breakdown of how best to fundraise for a project to maximize your project’s distribution.
With panelists Rashaad Ernesto Green, Natalie Metzger, Eugene Sun Park, Liz Cook Mowe; moderated by Liz Manashil
11:15 a.m.
Break
11:30 a.m.
Panel: How To Find The Best Collaborator
Building a team is one of the most important aspects of getting a project off the ground. Hear the war stories and advice from our panelists on how to form successful collaborations.
With panelists Natalie Metzger, Eugene Sun Park, Rashaad Ernesto Green; moderated by Jess Fuselier
12:30 p.m.
Lunch
Complimentary food and beverages provided
1:30 p.m.
Panel: Career Sustainability
With the influx of content, making a career as an artist is extremely challenging. Learn more about diversifying your portfolio and how best to monetize your work.
With panelists Rashaad Ernesto Green, Natalie Metzger, Eugene Sun Park; moderated by Jess Fuselier
2:30 p.m.
Break
2:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions: Ask Me Anything
An open session with industry mentors and workshop guests.
Moderated by Eva Rinaldi
4:00 p.m.
Break
4:10 p.m.
Pitch Practice
Come prepared with a 90-second pitch and receive feedback from key decision makers! This can be for any type of independent content and medium. No materials required other than you and your compelling summary of what story you want to tell.
Feedback from Eugene Sun Park, Liz Cook Mowe; moderated by Liz Manashil
5:10 p.m.
Takeaways and Thank Yous
5:25 p.m.
Reception Begins
Complimentary food and beverages provided
6:30 p.m.
End Reception
PANELISTS AND SUNDANCE INSTITUTE STAFF
Rashaad Ernesto Green
Director
Graduate of Dartmouth College and the NYU Tisch School, Rashaad Ernesto Green’s first feature, Gun Hill Road, premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and received nationwide distribution. His second feature, Premature, premiered at the 2019 Festival and will be released this fall by IFC Films. He’s been supported by Cinereach, Sundance Institute, Tribeca Film Institute, IFP, HBO, NBC, Time Warner, and Warner Bros.
Eugene Sun Park
Producer
Eugene is the founder of Full Spectrum Features, a nonprofit committed to increasing diversity in the independent film industry. Eugene has produced multiple award-winning films and web series, including The T (Streamy Award for best indie series), Signature Move (Grand Jury Prize, Outfest), The Orange Story (Outstanding Public History Project, NCPH), and Freelancers Anonymous (ReFrame Stamp).
Natalie Metzger
Producer
Natalie Metzger is a Film Independent Spirit Award–nominated producer whose credits include Jim Cummings’s The Werewolf, Greener Grass (2019 Sundance Film Festival), Thunder Road (Grand Jury Award, 2018 SXSW Film Festival), The Robbery(2016 Sundance Film Festival), Matpat’s Game Lab (Streamy Award), and the video for Lil Dicky’s “Freaky Friday” (which has over 506 million views). Metzger holds an MFA from CalArts and graduated summa cum laude from Emory University.
Liz Cook
Director of Documentary Film, Kickstarter
Liz Cook Mowe is the director of documentary film at Kickstarter. Previously she has worked in France with the U.S. State Department, in India with composer and musician A.R. Rahman, and in NYC as the acquisitions manager for the digital distributor SnagFilms. She has spoken at a variety of film festivals, including the Sundance Film Festival, the SXSW Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival, the Tribeca Film Festival, the Cannes Film Festival, Sheffield Doc/Fest, Hot Docs, and the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.
Liz Manashil
Manager, Creative Distribution Initiative
Liz Manashil earned her BA in film and media studies at Washington University in St. Louis and her MFA from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Post graduation, Liz spent several years as a film critic for the PBS/Hulu series Just Seen It (which she also helped produce and direct). Overlapping this, Liz worked with distribution guru Peter Broderick. Her debut feature, Bread and Butter, was called “an absolute must-watch for women everywhere” by HelloGiggles. It was released by the Orchard and can be seen on VOD nearly everywhere. Liz is currently on the film festival circuit with her second feature, Speed of Life, and in development on her third, Lady Parts. She lives in Los Angeles with her dog, Laura Palmer; her partner, Sean Wright; and their new son, Colin Manashil Wright.
Jess Fuselier
Manager of Research and Education, Creative Distribution Initiative
Jess Fuselier is a community-outreach, marketing, and data specialist living in Los Angeles. As manager of research and education for Sundance Institute’s Creative Distribution Initiative, Jess is working to cultivate meaningful insights rooted in data transparency, in order to create resources that impact the sustainability of the independent film community at large. Originally a Texan with an early career as a professional ballet dancer, she concentrated her love of people, technology, and social purpose toward helping filmmakers target and engage their audiences. She pioneered a community-outreach program to connect film sets across the U.S. with the communities in which they operate and led efforts to support critical nonprofit community service providers. An experienced coder, she has worked for several early-stage companies in Austin and co-founded Young Women Who Code, teaching elementary-age girls the building blocks of STEM education.
Eva Rinaldi
Director of Operations, Artist Programs
Eva Rinaldi oversees the operational aspects of residency labs, workshops, and community screenings for programs such as Feature Film, Documentary Film, Film Music, and Theatre that span artistic activities including filming and editing, showcasing plays in progress, film scoring, and varied convenings. Eva has a master’s in community leadership from Westminster College in Utah with a focus on advocacy and the socioeconomic status of women. She represents her community by serving on local boards and is politically active.
Holden Payne
Technical Director, Exhibition and Production
Holden Payne has 30 years of cinema and production experience, including building permanent and temporary cinemas and theaters at festivals such as Palm Springs International ShortFest, the Seattle International Film Festival, and the Telluride Film Festival. A collector of graphic T-shirts and a lover of dachshunds, eclectic rock ’n’ roll music, and fine dining, Holden is a typical Capricorn who’s ready to bore anyone on the minute details of theatrical lighting and sound, the early work of the Archers of Loaf or Dinosaur Jr., and the future of digital cinema.
Shannon Gallagher
Community Outreach and Operations Coordinator, Artist Programs
Shannon Gallagher’s career in arts and event management began during her time as a student at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, where she earned a BFA in photography and studio for interrelated media. She managed and curated an experimental art space, the Godine Family Gallery, and had the opportunity to work in Dublin at the Temple Bar Gallery + Studios. After graduating she went on to work at the Telluride Film Festival and the Sundance Film Festival, and she recently programmed and coordinated her own women’s climbing event. Shannon has also spent many years working as a youth climbing coach and is passionate about traveling, climbing, and photography.
This program is presented in collaboration with FilmGate Miami and is made possible by generous support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.