Dressing the Frame: Production Designers and Costume Designers

Join us as we dive into how these two departments collaborate to build a visual language, turning a script into an engaing and authentic visual. We’re discussing the intimate creative partnership between Production Designers and Costume Designers, and how they bring a story to life through textures and space. Whether you're a director, producer, or aspiring designer, learn the art of visual collaboration and how to treat every frame like a painting.

Featured Speakers: Caroline Eselin, Gabriel Duque

Moderator: Carolina Caruso

Room: The Lab

Limited seating. First come, first served.

The Making of Drifter

Get an exclusive inside look at the making of Drifter, the gritty new underdog story directed by and starring Sung Kang (best known as Han from the Fast & Furious franchise). Drifter follows a lonely custodian who finds unexpected purpose and a makeshift family within the high-octane world of competitive drift racing. Join director Sung Kang and producer Brian Yang as they break down their production process, discussing the challenges of independent filmmaking and their commitment to absolute authenticity, from shooting on location at live motorsport events to casting real heavyweights from the drifting world.

Featured Speakers: Sung Kang, Brian Yang, Lam Nguyen

Moderator: Ashley Rose

Room: The Studio

Limited seating. First come, first served.

labs, residencies, and fellowships

A prestigious lab or fellowship can be the catalyst that launches a career. Discover what selection committees are looking for beyond just a good script. This panel will break down the application process, offering concrete strategies on crafting personal statements that stand out, finding the right program for your specific niche, and using these opportunities to build a lifelong network. Get insight from creatives on what you can expect to learn at these labs, and how to leverage them for the next opportunity.

Featured Speakers: Noah Salzman, Robert Colom, Monica Sorelle, Edson Jean, Olivia Timmons

Moderator: Ronald Baez

Room: The Lab

Limited seating. First come, first served.

sag-AFTRA 101

Join us for a candid conversation with leadership from SAG-AFTRA designed to demystify the union’s role in an actor’s career. Moving beyond the basics, we will break down the vital differences between Union and Non-Union sets, and how the union is built to protect everyone on a project. Our guests will also tackle the urgent issues facing actors in 2026, including how to spot 'red flags' in contracts, the hidden costs of 'in perpetuity' clauses, and how AI language is quietly sneaking into agreements. Learn to read between the lines before you sign on the dotted line.

Featured Speaker: Michael Viera

Moderator: Christy Andreoni

Room: The Lab

Limited seating. First come, first served.

intimate workshop #4: on-set and post-production sound

Stop treating audio as an afterthought and start using it as a creative weapon. We will dive into capturing clean dialogue on a chaotic set, and designing a soundscape in post-production that turns raw sound into a cinematic experience. Get into the world of sound mixing and design in this hands on workshop.

Featured Speaker: Dan Abrusci

Room: The Workshop

Limited seating. First come, first served.

networking event brought to you by sag-aftra

Get to know other film creatives in a chill setting.

Room: The Common Room

SUSTAINABILITY BEFORE STARDOM

The journey to a breakout role is a marathon, not a sprint, and financial stability is the fuel that keeps you running. How do you build a life that supports your art without consuming it? This honest conversation explores the best "thrival" jobs for actors, financial planning for freelancers, and how to maintain creative energy while balancing the practical realities of making a living in the regional market.

Featured Speakers: Tim Davis, Diana Garle

Moderator: Kevin Ondarza

Room: The Lab

Limited seating. First come, first served.

shifting trends in the industry

The entertainment industry is undergoing a massive recalibration. While the public sees the finished product, the real decisions about what gets made, and who gets cast, are happening in rooms where commerce and culture collide. This panel pulls back the curtain on those private conversations. We’re exploring the "authenticity" wave of 2026, the financial impact of modern representation, and how global audience demands are reshaping the casting and production processes.

Featuring the distinct perspectives of producers and casting directors, this discussion aims to forecast where the industry is heading and how South Florida filmmakers can position themselves to find their space in the industry.

Featured Speakers: Marlis Pujol, Natalie Ballesteros, Jhane Myers, Tim Molloy

Moderator: Eddy Moon

Room: The Studio

Limited seating. First come, first served.

intimate workshop #5: horror vfx

In the age of digital CGI, the most visceral horror is still practical. Join local hero Eric "Hollywood" Corbin for a messy, hands-on deep dive into the art of bringing (practical) creatures to life. This isn't just about applying fake blood; it’s about the designing horror elements that sell the illusion of of the supernatural on the page, and reminds us of the magic of the golden age of Hollywood.

Featured Speaker: Eric “Hollywood” Corbin

Room: The Workshop

Limited seating. First come, first served.

film financing and global incentives

Film is an industry driven by numbers. Incentives, financing, budgets, and ticket sales. This session is a deep dive into how filmmakers use tax credits and rebates to de-risk investments and turn a creative vision into a profitable product. Join leaders in global tax incentives, and financing, as they discuss designing a project that qualifies for the best rebates, how to ensure your investors see a return, and why the most successful filmmakers are often the best mathematicians.

Featured Speakers: Daleen Buter, Joe Chianese, Leonidas Oxby, Max Geschwind

Moderator: Sandy Lighterman

Room: The Lab

Limited seating. First come, first served.

film and acting speed networking

This isn't your typical networking event, you’ll have 4 minutes to connect with a fellow filmmaker or actor, but there’s one rule: no talking about movies or moviemaking. Find your tribe. If you’re in this room, it’s because you want to meet people and you want people to meet you.

Come find your next collaborator by finding the human connection first.

Featured Speaker: Diana Garle

Room: The Studio

Limited seating. First come, first served.

intimate workshop #6: punching it up

Find the funny. Your script is functional, but is it fun? "Punching up" is the term for tightening rhythm, sharpening dialogue, and adding jokes to an existing draft. In this writers' room simulation, we will deconstruct the mechanics of humor, moving beyond a little funny, to understanding the structural design of a joke.

Featured Speaker: Peter Mir

Room: The Workshop

Limited seating. First come, first served.

sunday wrap party

That’s a wrap on the 2026 South Florida Film Forum! Celebrate with all the new friends you made along the way.

*And I’ve . . . had . . . the time of my life . . .*

Room: The Common Room