WELCOME EVENT HOSTED BY: FILM LAUDERDALE

Be there at 11 am to kick off the weekend with us, and discover everything we’ve prepared for you.

Room: The Common Room

commercial break

For many South Florida filmmakers, the commercial world is the financial backbone of a sustainable career. But landing spots requires more than just a flashy reel, it requires mastering the agency and creative game. Join top commercial directors and producers as they dissect the art of the treatment, how to build relationships with ad agencies, and how to balance client demands while maintaining your unique visual signature.

Featured Speakers: Carlos Gutierrez, Ale Maria Odriozola, Debi Rubbiani

Moderator: Carolina Caruso

Room: The Lab

Limited seating. First come, first served.

creating sustainable films with tight budgets

They say "limitations breed creativity." We're breaking down how companies are designing projects to fit a budget that will lead to a return on investment. Join our panelists as they discuss why staying small might be the best way to grow. A deep dive into keeping productions budget friendly during the developement and pre-production process.

Featured Speakers: Lisa Niedenthal, Leah Sokolowsky, Chris Stinson, Mollye Asher

Moderator: Ronald Baez

Room: The Studio

Limited seating. First come, first served.

television: the future of the small screen

Audiences are spending more time on smaller screens. Consuming media on their televisions, tablets and phones. Not only are audience viewing habits changing, but so is the process of how shows are made. The days of the TV pilot are behind us, and platforms are now finding new ways to find their next big hit. Join experienced TV producers as they discuss what gets greenlit in theses uncertain times, and how the projects being made are finding their audiences.

Featured Speakers: Eric Gaunaurd, Marlis Pujol, Joe Chianese, Daleen Buter

Moderator: Sandy Lighterman

Room: The Lab

Limited seating. First come, first served.

the creative process

Join acclaimed writer/director, and producer Shih-Ching Tsou for an intimate exploration into the creative process. This panel breaks down the journey of a story from its initial inception to its final visual manifestation. From sourcing inspiration from the real world, to workshopping ideas, and translating raw emotion into striking visual imagery. Audiences can expect practical strategies for mastering story beats, refining narrative arcs, and developing an effective collaborative language with your actors to bring the vision to life.

Whether you’re refining a screenplay or preparing to direct a film, this discussion offers a deep dive into the discipline and intuition required to master the creative process of independent cinema.

Featured Sponsors: Shih-Ching Tsou

Moderator: Carolina Caruso

Room: The Studio

Limited seating. First come, first served.

intimate WORKSHoP #1: distressing wardrobe

Make it look like you’ve lived in it. Fresh-off-the-rack clothing kills authenticity on camera. In this tactile workshop, you will learn the destructive art of "aging and distressing," transforming new fabrics into garments with history and character. Guided by a professional costume designer, you’ll get your hands dirty using industry tricks that go far beyond a pair of scissors.

Featured Speaker: Logan Moises

Room: The Workshop

Limited seating. First come, first served.

INDUSTRY MIXER BROUGHT TO YOU BY FILM FLORIDA

The party before the party. Come hang with other film lovers just like you.

Room: The Common Room

depth of feel: turning emotions into images

Cinematography is the unspoken language of film, defining tone and emotion before a word is spoken. Accomplished DPs discuss the philosophies they use to turn lighting and composition into an emotional image with depth. As well as exploring how cinematographers effectively communicate with directors to ensure the technical choices always serve the emotional core of the story.

Featured Speakers: Ivan Meza, Kevin Berriz

Moderator: Ronald Baez

Room: The Lab

Limited seating. First come, first served.

The Actor's Toolkit: Marketable and Bookable

Master the art of getting cast. A breakdown of the major casting platforms, and how to use them effectively. How to build a brand that finds the sweet spot between typecast and bookable. Learn how to control your narrative and make it easy for casting directors to say "yes."

Featured Speakers: Natalie Ballesteros, Jason Canela, Kelly Paige

Moderator: Diana Garle

Room: The Studio

Limited seating. First come, first served.

workshop #2: Acting for directors

Too often there is a gap between a director’s vision and an actor’s performance. This workshop flips the script, placing directors in the actor’s shoes to demystify the process. A first-hand experience of being on the other side of the camera. You will learn the specific vocabulary that unlocks great performances and how to avoid directions that fail to hit the emotional beats you're looking for.

Featured Speaker: Vivian Rubio

Room: The Workshop

Limited seating. First come, first served.

between the lines: anatomy of a character

How does an experienced actor take text on a page and turn it into a memorable performance? Dive into the preperation that goes into a role, such as layering subtext, body language, bold or subtle delivery choices, and how these ideas help create three-dimensional characters. A deep dive into the techniques actors use to bring a character to life.

Featured Speakers: Natalie Morales, Shannon Gisela

Moderator: Diana Garle

Room: The Lab

Limited seating. First come, first served.

Shifting Screens: Distribution in a Digital Age

The rules of distribution are being rewritten in real-time. This panel explores the explosion of alternative distribution models, from the rapid rise of vertical storytelling to the dominance of streaming platforms like Tubi. We are bringing together executives from FOX, who are pioneering high-value vertical content, and Sunshine Films, a local production comapny, who is proving you can produce locally and chart globally, to share how these leaders are taking on distribution in a digital age, and why there has never been a better time to be an independent creator.

Featured Speakers: Tamanna Shah, Princess Carroll, Damian Romay

Moderator: Kevin Ondarza

Room: The Studio

Limited seating. First come, first served.

WORKSHoP #3: line producing - scheduling

A movie is made in the writing, but it is saved in the scheduling. A script is a dream, but a schedule is the battle plan. Veteran line producer Andy Shefter (whose credits include Empire and Bully) pulls back the curtain on the invisible art of production logistics. This workshop treats the schedule not as a spreadsheet, but as a logic puzzle where time, money, and actor availability collide. You will learn how to maximize every dollar by manipulating your most important asset: time.

Featured Speaker: Andy Schefter

Room: The Workshop

Limited seating. First come, first served.