Video: See What You Missed at This Year’s Forum
Last month we held our annual Film Independent Forum at the DGA complex here in LA. Not only was there great networking opportunities like Industry Connect, screenings like Will & Harper and a 10th anniversary showing of The Babadook, but there were great panels where industry insiders shared their thoughts on the present and future of the art and business of independent filmmaking.
Today we’d like to share with you just some of these conversations. The topics range from the state of indie financing, to adapting stories for our climate impacted future, to taking meetings in your local laundromat. This year also had a special global emphasis, which is especially timely in an era where the next Oscar winner or streaming hit could come from anywhere and be made anywhere.
So many talented people shared their experiences navigating making movies, selling movies and sharing movies across the globe. Take a look below at what they had to say:
Keynote Conversation: Hiro Murai
Filmmaker Hiro Murai (Atlanta, Mr. & Mrs. Smith) sits down with director Daniel Kwan (Everything Everywhere All at Once) for the keynote conversation at the Film Independent.
The New Wave Actors Panel
A roundtable bringing together a diverse group of talented voices who have broken into the industry and continue to deliver standout performances. These actors discuss how they continue pushing boundaries and fighting for more authentic and inclusive representation onscreen.
The panel includes: Tati Gabrielle (You, The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat), James Ian (The Allnighter, Pugsley), Mayan Lopez (Lopez vs. Lopez, Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie), Richa Moorjani (Fargo, Never Have I Ever), Lisa Yamada (Little Fires Everywhere, Cruel Summer) and moderater Darrien Michele Gipson (Executive Director, SAGindie).
Q&A with Will & Harper director Josh Greenbaum
Will & Harper director Josh Greenbaum speaks with Variety’s Sr. Artisans Editor Jazz Tangcay about the experience of traveling cross-country with a trans woman and one of the most famous comedians in the world.
Financing Clinic
A panel of producers, financiers and industry experts provides a snapshot of financing today. They delve into possible pitfalls, where to find the right support, and how to leverage an attractive package for financiers and potential investors.
Featuring Lisa Callif (Partner, Donaldson Callif Perez), Christine Hsu (Agent, CAA), Steven Adams (Founder, Alta Global Media) and Nina Parikh (Mississippi Film Office). Moderated by Angela Lee (Director of Artist Development, Film Independent).
Shifting the Narrative on Climate
What if a better climate future were possible, and we could work together to achieve it? From creating lovable climate characters, to weaving climate themes into commercial genres like comedy and drama, filmmakers can use their creative superpowers to help audiences reconnect with a sense of optimism, empowerment and the hope of a just and equitable climate future.
With Carmiel Banasky (Writer, Undone; Editor-in-Chief, Good Energy); Allison Begalman (CEO, YEA! Impact; Founder, Hollywood Climate Summit); Dorothy Fortenberry (PGA/WGA Interguild Climate Storytelling Group; Writer, The Handmaid’s Tale); Blake Pickens (Filmmaker & Comedian; Rubble & Crew, The Land) and Erica L. Rosenthal, PhD (Director of Research, USC Norman Lear Center). Moderated by Jeanell English (Founder, ELIZABETH).
Global TV: How Does It Translate?
Streamers and studios are sourcing content from around the world, series formats are crossing borders and languages, and global audiences have increased access to an ever-growing menu of episodic options. The current environment of “abundance” seems like a windfall for storytellers and audiences alike, but will appetite for cross-cultural stories increase?
The panel includes: Maegan Houang (Writer; Shōgun, The Sympathizer); Jamie Lai (VP, Scripted TV for CJ ENM America and Studio Dragon Global); Jeremy Podeswa (Director; 3 Body Problem, Game of Thrones); Amr Salama (Creator, Paranormal) and McKenna Stephens (Maria Farinha Filmes); moderated by Wendy Calhoun (Writer/Producer; Justified, Prodigal Son).
International Panorama: From Markets and Festivals to Distribution
Festival, market and distribution experts provide insight on how to cultivate new opportunities, with a global perspective.
Featuring Josh Braun (President, Submarine), Milan Chakraborty (Head of Film, Marginal MediaWorks), Javier Fuentes-León (Writer/Director; Contracorriente, The Best Families), Myriam Sassine (Producer, Costa Brava Lebanon) and Ania Trzebiatowska (Programmer, Sundance Film Festival). Moderated by Mia Bruno (Distribution Strategist/Distributor, Fourth Act Film).
Spirit of Independence: 40 Years of Film Independent
As our industry continues to grapple with the effects of last year’s strikes, the current moment calls for a recalibration to create a healthier ecosystem that is more respectful of the people working in it. We explore the paths of filmmakers who have created Spirit Award winning films in the last forty years, and ask what can we learn from past experiences to chart the way forward.
With Albert Berger (Producer; Election, Little Miss Sunshine), Ron Yerxa (Producer; Election, Little Miss Sunshine), Cathy Schulman (Producer; Crash, The Idea of You) and Jonathan Wang (Producer; Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Legend of Ochi), moderated by Jordana Mollick (Producer; Hello, My Name is Doris, The Eyes of Tammy Faye).
A Life in Horror: The Babadook, 10 Years Later
Filmmaker Jennifer Kent looks back at the creation and success of her modern horror classic The Babadook, and her career since. Moderated by filmmaker/actor Josh Ruben (Werewolves Within).
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