First-Time Filmmaker Day: Overview

It’s your first try at making a film. A great start is crucial in order to finish strong. These experts will tell you what’s essential as you start down the road, and inform you of the pitfalls to avoid along the way.

Morning Manifesto 10:00 – 10:30am

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Kirby Dick (The Hunting Ground, The Invisible War) delivers a talk full of advice for first-time directors.

What’s Your Story? 10:30 – 11:40am

It’s important to have a great story to tell, but you also need to know how to make it come to life. Accomplished filmmakers Ursula Liang (9-Man), David Thorpe (Do I Sound Gay?) and Merete Mueller (Tiny) discuss their first films and lessons learned when telling a nonfiction story. Moderator: Caroline von Kuhn (Camden International Film Festival, Like The Water)

Funding Fundamentals 12:00 – 1:10pm

Once your story is ready to go, how do you get started? It can be overwhelming to put together a budget, strategize on grants and create a crowd-funding campaign. Hear from filmmakers Jessica Devaney and Avi Goldstein – the producers behind the DOC NYC selection Speed Sisters – along with Iyabo Boyd (Chicken & Egg Pictures) and Kristin Feeley (Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program) who provide a road map for getting your film financed. Moderator: Rose Vincelli Gustine (MFA Social Documentary Film at School of Visual Arts)

Post-ProductionSecrets 2:00 – 3:10pm

How much post-production can you afford and what is the best use of your time and budget? Ben Murray (VP, Creative Services) and Joe Beirne (CTO) from Technicolor-PostWorks NY along with filmmakers Laura Israel and Melinda Shopsin (Don’t Blink – Robert Frank) walk through scenarios for editorial, color, sound design and final delivery, and also discuss how to turn over new camera formats (4K, RAW) to post efficiently. Co-presented by Technicolor-PostWorks NY.

Get Your Gear 3:30 – 4:40pm

Getting the right equipment for your film is imperative. How and where is the best way to obtain affordable and portable gear? Sundance cinematography award-winners Matt Heineman (Cartel Land), Ross Kauffman and Rachel Beth Anderson (E-Team), along with Juan Martinez (Sony), evaluate the many options filmmakers have for choosing the gear that best suits their project.  Co-presented by Sony.

Attend this day’s events with an All Access Pass, DOC NYC PRO Pass or a First-Time Filmmaker Day Pass.