Chicago Film + Media Summit

DCASE Homepage  >  Chicago Film + Media Summit

A New Film Industry Conference

presented by the City of Chicago

PANELS | NETWORKING | FILMS

10am-6pm

Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.

FREE. Limited to the first 500 people who sign up.

Click here to register today.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Panels

Producers Series

The Producers Series was programmed by IFP Chicago with sponsorship from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Doc Trailers That Get You Funded!

First Floor Garland

10 am

Fernanda Rossi collaborates with filmmakers in all areas of storytelling, from development to fine cut. Author, international speaker and story analyst, she has doctored over 300 documentaries, scripts and fundraising trailers, including two nominated for Academy Awards. She will discuss how to take the guess work out of making the best trailer to get the funds you need to make your documentary.

Speaker: Fernanda Rossi, Author of Trailer Mechanics

Producing: The Chicago Way

Claudia Cassidy Theater

10:30 am

Everyone can agree: Chicago is a city that gets things done. It’s equal parts big talk and even harder work. It simply can’t take no for an answer. Chicago sounds an awful lot like a producer. In this panel, a diverse group of producers with ties to the city talk about what it takes to make a successful film and build a successful career, as well as what they like about “the city that works.ʺ

Panelists: Laurel Ward, Ice Harvest; Bob Teitel, Barbershop; Albert Berger; Nebraska, Little Miss Sunshine; Zak Piper, The Interrupters, Life Itself; Christina Varotsis, Money is Money, Division 19, How to Catch a Monster

Moderator: Steven A. Jones, The Harvest, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Mad Dog and Glory, Wild Things

Decoding Distribution: From VOD to DIY

Claudia Cassidy Theater

12 pm

FESTIVALS, THEATRICAL, VOD, DIY . . . remember when the goal was to get your film in theaters and your audience’s butts in seats? Those were the days. Or were they? A depressed economy, increased globalization and a studio system focused on blockbuster hits has all but strangled access to the traditional indie distribution pipeline. But emerging markets and technologies are giving filmmakers direct lines to their audiences. So how do you create a successful distribution plan when the options are all over the map? Moderator Milos Stehlik leads a group of theatrical distributors, sales agents, festival programmers and other experts as they dissect the dizzying new world of distribution.

Panelists: Andrew Carlin, Music Box Films; Luke Marchetti, FilmBuff; Ryan Werner, independent film and marketing consultant

Moderator: Milos Stehlik, Facets Multimedia

Financing Your Film in the Age of Celebrity Crowdfunding

Claudia Cassidy Theater

1:30 pm

Crowd sourcing or co-pro?  Pre-sales or private equity?  There have never been more options for financing your film. Join a panel of financiers, experienced filmmakers and crowd-funding experts as they discuss available options and potential funding pitfalls for independent filmmakers. This panel is a must for both narrative and documentary filmmakers who are searching for the magic mix of funding sources for their next project.

Panelists: Albert Berger, Nebraska, Little Miss Sunshine; John Bosher, Chicago Overcoat; Duncan Cork, CEO of Slated

Moderator: Carrie Holt de Lama, IFP Chicago

Case Study: The Harvest

Claudia Cassidy Theater

3 pm

In this fascinating case study, these long time collaborators will be joined by actor - and former Chicagoan - Michael Shannon, and first time writer, Stephen Lancellotti. The filmmaking team will dissect the perils of putting together a “low-budget” indie thriller in today’s fractured marketplace. From conception through the ongoing search for distribution, this frank conversation covers both the art and business of putting together this film, why they decided to shoot in New York instead of Chicago and how Hurricane Sandy almost ended it all. The Harvest will have its World Premiere Saturday, October 19, 2013 at the Chicago International Film Festival.

Panelists: Director: John McNaughton, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Mad Dog and Glory, Wild Things; Writer: Stephen Lancellotti, The Harvest; Producer: Steve Jones Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Mad Dog and Glory, Wild Things; Cinematographer: Rachel Morrison, Fruitvale Station, Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie, and, Any Day Now, Actor: Michael Shannon, Man of Steel, Take Shelter, Boardwalk Empire, Bug

Moderator: Tony Fitzpatrick, Chicago-based artist

Keynote:  Dick Wolf

Claudia Cassidy Theater

5 pm

One of the most successful and respected creators/producers of crime dramas, Dick Wolf is the man behind the “Law & Order” franchise as well as the current network series, “Chicago Fire,” filmed entirely in Chicago.  Mr. Wolf is a two-time Emmy® Award winner (Outstand Drama Series for “Law & Order”), a Grammy® Award-winning producer and a New York Time best-selling author for his debut novel, “The Intercept.”  “Law & Order” ran for 20 seasons, tying “Gunsmoke” as the longest-running drama on television and earning a record-tying 11 consecutive Outstanding Drama Series Emmy® nominations.   

Limited seating is available for this keynote address.

Expo Panels

“I Gotta See That!” – Feature Trailers That Bring Them In

First Floor Garland

11:30 am

Dan Asma, owner of the prominent Hollywood feature film trailer house, Buddha Jones, works with major film studios, as well as indie clients. His work leaves an indelible impression and includes such memorable campaigns as No Country for Old Men, The Hangover, and Inglorious Bastards, among many others. Dan's trailers are designed to excite, provoke and ultimately compel the viewer to see the actual movie ...  and they do just that.
In his presentation, Dan pulls you into his world and performs an autopsy, exposing the inner workings behind his powerful trailers.

Speaker: Dan Asma, Buddha Jones

Talent Casting for Producers and Directors

First Floor Garland

12:45 pm

Learn how to find talent for your film project. Grace McPhillips of The Chicago Acting in Film Meetup moderates this panel covering the casting process for filmmakers, including online casting services, working with a casting director, casting name talent, rising Chicago talent, and diversity casting. Filmmakers will also learn about casting from the actor's point-of-view and good contract etiquette.

Panelists: Jason Teresi, Breakdown Services; Mickie Paskal and Jennifer Rudnicke, PR Casting, Public Enemies, Stranger Than Fiction, Sirens; Paul Fleschner, The Origins of Wit and Humor and The Drunk; Juan Ramirez, writer/director of Israel in Exile and actor in Missing Persons

Moderator: Grace McPhillips, Chicago Acting in Film Meetup

Building Storyworlds Through Transmedia: A look into a writer’s room built for the 21st Century

First Floor Garland

2 pm

Designing immersive projects that mix storytelling, play, and technology require new kinds of processes and creative teams. Attempting to balance story development and software development can be a challenge. Meanwhile, shifts in media consumption and the democratization of technology have turned those formerly known as the audience into their own media companies, able to push buttons and publish for the world to see. Join Lance Weiler as he pulls back the curtain on two of his latest projects in an effort to share their development process. Launching later this fall, Body/Mind/Change (bodymindchange.ca) a collaboration with David Cronenberg, TIFF and the CFC media lab, explores biotech implants and artificial intelligence while enabling participants to step into a storyworld where science fiction becomes science fact. The second project, entitled Lyka's Adventure (http://connectedsparks.com), tells the story of a robot scientist from another planet stranded on Earth who is powered around the world by the imaginations of students prior to being launched into space by NASA.

Lance Weiler: Writer, Director, Experience Designer

Exploring the Opportunities of the Exploding Web Series Format

First Floor Garland

4 pm

The web series has lowered the cost of entry into the entertainment world. Opportunities abound to create, promote, and sell your work, but with so much content out there how do you make the most of this fantastic new format?

Panelist: Katie Thomas, Teachers; Brett Blake, The Onion; Scilla Andreen, IndieFlix; Chef Homaro Cantu, Cooking Under Pressure; Naomi Lennon, web rep at Naomi Lennon Management; Brendan McMorrow, Above Average; Ed Amaya, Graveyard

Moderator: Mike McNamara, Midwest Independent Film Festival

Building Audience and Creating Impact through Documentaries (and how to raise the funds to do it)

Garland Gallery

4 pm

To maximize your impact as a documentary filmmaker, it's important to build relationships with broadcasters, funders, community organizations, and other constituents as early as possible. Join industry leaders for a frank discussion about how to create partnerships, navigate relationships, and raise funds in today's complicated world to maximize the impact of your film.

Panelists:  Cynthia Kane, Al Jazeera America; Emily Verellen, The Fledgling Fund; Lois Vossen, ITVS/Independent Lens

Moderator: Justine Nagan, Kartemquin Films

Planning committee: Nicole Bernardi-Reis – IFP Chicago; John Bosher – Beverly Ridge Pictures; ; Reid Brody – Filmwork; Carmine Cervi –CIMMfest/BulletProof ; Ilko Davidov –CIMMfest/BulletProof; Tom Fletcher – Fletcher Chicago; Stan Glapa – Fletcher Chicago; Katia Gomez – Chicago Acting in Film Meetup Group; Carrie Holt de Lama – IFP Chicago; Gary Kuzminski – CIMMfest; Mike McNamara – Midwest Independent Film Festival; Grace McPhillips - Chicago Acting in Film Meetup Group; Daniel Moore – Directors Guild of America; Dave Moore – CIMMfest; Justine Nagan – Kartemquin Films; Alex Pissios – Cinespace Film Studios Chicago; Mimi Plauche – Chicago International Film Festival; Bill Ryan – 2DS Productions; Steve Scholz - Chicago Acting in Film Meetup Group; Betsey Steinberg – Illinois Film Office; Jill Thiel - Chicago Acting in Film Meetup Group; Pam Tierney - Chicago Acting in Film Meetup Group; Laurel Ward – Ocean Pictures

The Chicago Film and Media Summit is presented by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and co-organized by 2DS Productions, Beverly Ridge Pictures, Chicago Acting in Film Meet-up Group, Chicago Film Office, Chicago International Film Festival, CIMMfest, Cinespace Film Studios Chicago, Filmworkers, Fletcher Chicago, IFP Chicago, Illinois Film Office, Kartemquin Films, Midwest Independent Film Festival and Ocean Pictures.