Having a red carpet premiere of your film is the dream for many filmmakers. To achieve that dream, the first question to consider is, what kinds of films qualify as festival films? There are a wide variety of film festivals, each with its own philosophical and programming focus. The first step towards improving your chances of success, is to understand which film festivals are the ones for you. 

In this 90-minute discussion, panellists with years of festival experience will share their know-how to demystify the film festival. They will delve into questions such as, how do you decide if your project is a festival film; choosing the right festivals for your films. They will also share tips on building relationships with festivals and programmers, to improve your overall festival experience.

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date: Saturday 24 September, 2022
time: 2.30pm–4.00pm 
location: NALIS (AV Room)
rsvp: pre-registration required. Sign up here!
tickets: free of charge
moderator: Asha Lovelace

What is the truth? And is there really such a thing as ‘“objective truth”? What responsibility do documentary filmmakers have to “the truth”?  As documentary filmmakers we are drawn to subjects that we have a genuine interest in and are guided by our innate beliefs and philosophies – these can often shape which aspects of the story we choose to focus on. So, in a sense, from the get-go, aren’t we moulding the truth to fit the story we’re telling? Are we directing the narrative, shaping it so it is received as we believe it to be or are we shedding light objectively? 

In this panel, documentary filmmakers with work in ttff/22 will discuss these and other thorny issues!

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date: Saturday 24 September, 2022
time: 12.30pm–2.00pm 
location: NALIS (AV Room) 
rsvp: pre-registration required. Sign up here!
tickets: free of charge
moderator: Stanley Nelson Jr

There are many secret testimonies along the hallways of the Heritage Library Division. These secrets are lodged in the extensive primary resources that NALIS has acquired over the years; resources that tell a story and come in many forms including books, stamps, paintings, photographs, letters, bluebooks, ephemera pieces and objects. These true life stories about icons and issues in Trinidad and Tobago need to be told through the lens of skilled craftsmen with eyes for the dramatic. Two African Chiefs, two judges, a cricketer-lawyer, a master artist, photographer, Trinidad’s last governor, books from the Historical Society, cricket stumps from 1931, folktales and stories from Alfred Mendes to Sam Selvon. If authenticity is what you seek, come to NALIS’ Special Collections and take a peek!

Come and experience a walking tour of the Special Collections and Rare Books Room of the Heritage Library Division, delivered by the Director Jasmin Simmons. Whether it’s a musical, a fantasy, a documentary or a thriller, the resources at the Heritage Library will definitely inspire your creativity.

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date: Saturday 24 September, 2022
time: 1.00pm–2.30pm
location: NALIS (Heritage Library)
rsvp: pre-registration required. Sign up here!
tickets: free of charge
facilitator: Jasmin P. Simmons

about Jasmin P. Simmons

Jasmin P. Simmons is the director of the Heritage Library Division, NALIS. She holds a wealth of experience in libraries spanning over 25 years. She is a 2010 Salzburg Fellow and 2016 International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Fellow.  She has served on the UNESCO Memory of the World Committee where she demonstrated her passion for the preservation of documentary heritage of Trinidad and Tobago. She is also an avid puppeteer, storytelling aficionado and budding spoken word artist. She believes that it is imperative that in this present period we create a media- and information-literate citizenry. Simmons is a champion for authors, through her involvement with NALIS ‘First Time Authors Appreciation Programme’ a consistent feature of NALIS over the last twelve years.

If the words ‘contract’ and ‘clearance’ keep you up at night, you’re not alone. But knowledge is the key to allaying one’s fears, and understanding this essential and oft-overlooked part of the filmmaking process will give you peace of mind and offer protection for your film and company.

During this 90-minute presentation, lawyer Justin Koo will guide you through the main types of contracts needed for a project, help you navigate the legal processes involved in film production and touch on some critical dos and don’ts.

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date: Saturday 24 September, 2022
time: 10.30am–12.00pm 
location: NALIS (AV Room)
rsvp: pre-registration required. Sign up here!
tickets: free of charge
facilitator: Justin Koo

about Justin Koo

Dr Justin Koo is co-founder of Clover Consultancy Ltd. which provides expert information on intellectual property rights and management to a wide array of persons including artists, musicians, performers, filmmakers, event promoters, athletes and brands. Justin is also a lecturer and deputy dean for Graduate Studies and Outreach at the Faculty of Law, UWI, St Augustine. Prior to joining UWI, Justin was a visiting lecturer at King’s College London and a teaching fellow at University College London (UCL). Justin’s primary research interest is focused on copyright law and he has published books and articles in the area. Justin also has interests in trade mark law, sports law, entertainment law and legal research skills.

Filmmaking truly is a team sport! The process requires the combined efforts of both creative and technical people if it’s to work. One of the key creative inputs is the music, which means that most directors and producers will work with a composer in the process of making their films. The right music can elevate a story and capture the audience’s attention by evoking deep-seated emotions. 

In this 90-minute workshop, music composer Navid Lancaster will guide participants through the process of composing a film score and the relationship between composer and director. He will delve into the importance of serving the story and the director’s vision to translate the intended meaning into music.

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date: Saturday 24 September, 2022
time: 12.30pm–2.00pm 
location: NALIS (Seminar Room 2)
rsvp: pre-registration required. Sign up here!
tickets: TT$150. Tickets are available here.
facilitator: Navíd Lancaster

about Navíd Lancaster

Navíd Lancaster is a musician, film composer, sound designer and the owner of LANCAST, an independent company that composes the emotions for multiple award-winning films, video games, mobile apps and animation. He is also the music composer and sound designer for the ongoing Knight Series and other content created by multiple award-winning Stack designer, Anthony Phills. He, Anthony Phills and a team, created the Immersive Learning, Augmented Reality (AR) app, “Unbreakable: Documenting Black History in Augmented Reality” that won the Silver Medal at the 2020 International Design Awards and won the bronze medal at the inaugural 2022 Anthem Awards.

For first time filmmakers, the indie route is likely the way you’ll go. Although exciting, this process of filmmaking may also seem daunting. But we think the benefits far outweigh the pitfalls. For one thing, as an indie filmmaker, you have the creative freedom to tell your story the way you want to without the hassle of answering to a big production company. From script development, to fundraising, to casting, production, post and distribution, there are A LOT of things that you’ll need to consider!

In this 90-minute discussion, panellists will explore the challenging and often exciting process of making an indie film!

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date: Monday 26 September, 2022
time: 2.30pm–4.00pm 
location: NALIS (AV Room)
rsvp: pre-registration required. Sign up here!
tickets: free of charge
moderator: Marcin J. Sobczak

In recent years, drone filming has moved from trend to a required skill used in everyday cinematography. With so many technological innovations, aerial video footage is now accessible at a fraction of the cost – we no longer need to rent a helicopter to shoot the world from above! Skilfully piloted drones can capture stunning images from a bird’s eye perspective, while saving time and money. 

In this 90-minute workshop, participants will be introduced to the wonders of drone cinematography through both theoretical and practical learning. Key topics to be explored include choosing the right drone for your project, techniques to enhance your viewer’s visual experience, and how to become a certified drone operator.

Logistics

date: Sunday 25 September, 2022
time: 2.30pm–4.00pm 
location: TBC
rsvp: pre-registration required. Sign up here!
tickets: TT$150. Tickets are available here.
facilitator: Michaelangelo Masangkay
Presented with the support of Shell

Advance tickets are available at ttfilmfestival.com and can also be purchased via bank transfer or in person (cash, credit card or linx) at our FILMCO office, located at 22 Jerningham Ave. 

FILMCO members, filmmakers with a film in the Festival and students with a valid photo ID, can receive a 50% discount on workshops and masterclasses! Please email Nyola at festival@filmco.org for information on payment options and to receive your discount code.

about Michaelangelo Masangkay

Michaelangelo Masangkay is a respected filmmaker, producer, director (at the Toronto Film School), and gifted drone pilot, with 15 years in the independent film industry. His vast industry knowledge and extensive global network enables him to seize opportunities for clients across Canada, the US and beyond.

As filmmakers, our hope is that the visual presentation of our story is compelling to the audience. Cinematography creates a visual interpretation of the world of the film. Knowing how to wield the camera, lights, lenses and filters to create this world is the art and job of the cinematographer.

With 14 years of experience in the industry, cinematographer Oliver Milne will share his knowledge in this introductory workshop. He will explore the foundational aspects of cinematography, the role of the cinematographer as well as the on-going relationship between director and cinematographer.

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date: Saturday 24 September, 2022
time: 10.30am–12.00pm + 12.30–2.00pm 
location: NALIS (Seminar Room 1)
rsvp: pre-registration required. Sign up here!
tickets: TT$300. Tickets will cover the cost of the two sessions. They are available here.
facilitator: Oliver Milne
Presented with the support of Shell

Advance tickets are available at ttfilmfestival.com and can also be purchased via bank transfer or in person (cash, credit card or linx) at our FILMCO office, located at 22 Jerningham Ave. 

FILMCO members, filmmakers with a film in the Festival and students with a valid photo ID, can receive a 50% discount on workshops and masterclasses! Please email Nyola at festival@filmco.org for information on payment options and to receive your discount code.

about Oliver Milne

Oliver has directed and shot a number of award-winning short films, music videos and TV commercials including ADDY award-winning spots for Bmobile and bpTT, and music videos for artists such as Kes the Band and Freetown Collective. His last short film ‘Salty Dog’ won the People’s Choice Award at the 2017 trinidad+tobago film festival and the Youth Jury Prize for Best Short Film in Rencontres Cinéma Martinique in 2018. Oliver finds inspiration from unique character-driven stories as well as from being in nature; he also enjoys experimenting with light, colour and texture while shooting film photography.

Have you ever wondered why it’s the producer and not the director who gets the “best film” award at the Academy Awards? It’s because the producer is the person who takes the film from idea to screen. “Film producing 101” is a two-part masterclass in which participants will learn about the four key skills they will need to succeed in the industry: creative development; hands-on producing; finance and business affairs; and distribution/sales. This course is intended to give first-time and emerging producers a thorough introduction to producing, as well as share case studies to help guide their own paths to financing, making and distributing films.

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Presented in partnership with the US Embassy Port of Spain

about Stanley Nelson Jr.

Stanley Nelson Jr is today’s leading documentarian of the African-American experience. His films combine compelling narratives with rich historical detail to illuminate the under-explored American past. A MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, Nelson has received numerous honours over the course of his career, including five Primetime Emmy Awards for his films, as well as lifetime achievement awards from the Emmys, the Peabodys, and IDA. In 2013, Nelson received the National Medal in the Humanities from President Barack Obama. His latest film, Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool, premiered at Sundance in January 2019.

In 2000, Mr Nelson, along with his wife, Marcia A. Smith, founded Firelight Media, a non-profit production company dedicated to using historical film to advance contemporary social justice causes, and to mentoring, inspiring and training a new generation of diverse young filmmakers committed to telling underrepresented stories.

FILMCO is pleased to announce a call for applications for the 2022 Strategies for Succeeding on the Festival Circuit Workshop. We will be selecting six filmmakers to take part in a one on one session during the trinidad+tobago film festival. Filmmakers with an interest in joining the festival circuit are invited to apply here!

In recent years, film festivals have become the first go-to exhibition stop for independent filmmakers, many of whom would struggle to find distribution and audiences otherwise. But, with so many film festivals all over the world, and with clear hierarchies in the festival circuit, choosing which ones you should send your film to, and in what order, needs to be considered as part of an overarching strategy that can guide your decision-making as you seek to release your film. Under the guidance of industry professionals – European Film Market head of diversity and inclusion, Themba Bhebhe; film industry publicist, Marcin J. Sobczak; festival programmer, Jim Kolmar; and filmmaker, Michaelangelo Masangkay , you will receive individual advice on how you should approach getting  your work onto the festival circuit.

Once chosen your project will be assigned to one or more film festival experts with whom you’ll have the opportunity to sit with one on one and strategise plans for the festival release of your film during the scheduled workshop on Friday 23 September, 2022 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm at NALIS (Seminar Room 2).

Application prerequisites

• All genres will be accepted
• Film must be set in the Caribbean
• Applicants must have a financed film in production or post-production. The application deadline is 12 pm AST, September 19 2022.
• You must be able to attend the workshop in person on Friday 23 September, 2022 @ 10:30am – 12:00pm

logistics

date: Friday 23 September, 2022
time: 10.30am–12.00pm
location: NALIS (Seminar Room 2)
application: please apply here
tickets: TT$150. Tickets are available here.
facilitators: Themba Bhebhe, Jim Kolmar, Michaelangelo Masangkay + Marcin J. Sobczak

Advance tickets are available at ttfilmfestival.com and can also be purchased via bank transfer or in person (cash, credit card or linx) at our FILMCO office, located at 22 Jerningham Ave. 

FILMCO members, filmmakers with a film in the Festival and students with a valid photo ID, can receive a 50% discount on workshops and masterclasses! Please email Nyola at festival@filmco.org for information on payment options and to receive your discount code.

about Themba Bhebhe

After working for a decade in international film sales, Themba has been in charge of Diversity & Inclusion at the European Film Market (Berlinale) since the autumn of 2017. His work comprises curating a series of events on inclusion, equity and accessibility at the EFM’s Industry Sessions, and liaising with community-based film organisations and advocacy groups whose policies also strive towards greater inclusivity in the film sector. Founded with Dok Leipzig’s Nadja Tennstedt, Themba also co-manages the EFM’s Doc and Fiction Toolbox Programmes for marginalised and Global South film producers as well as the EFM (Online) Market Badge Inclusion Initiative. Within the framework of this role, he also works in close collaboration with imagineNATIVE and a host of other Indigenous-led film organisations regarding, in particular, the Native Indigenous Cinema Stand and the Native Fellows Programme at the EFM.

Themba is also one of the founding members of the Programmers of Colour Collective (POC2) that aims at working towards a more diverse and inclusive programming pool at international film festivals through research, awareness events, networking, profile raising, mentoring and shadowing. Alongside Chloë Walters-Wallace, Themba co-founded the Caribbean Film Academy, an initiative of Third Horizon that, through workshops, community-building, seminars and industry meetings, aims at introducing filmmakers from across the Caribbean region and its diaspora to burgeoning new resources in order to further their access to the film landscape. Themba is a mentor for Durban FilmMart’s Pitching and Financing Forum, where he has advised long-feature fiction projects from across the African continent. Also born from his connection with DFM, alongside Mitchell Harper and Tiny Mungwe, Themba is the co-founder of Engage, a series of curated think tank conversations and panels on the pertinent, challenging and multi-faceted questions facing the African film industry.

about Jim Kolmar

Jim Kolmar is an independent programmer who curated films for South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) from 2009-2020, where he continues to consult on international and feature films. He is also currently programming for trinidad+tobago film festival, and was a founding committee member at Festival Internacional de Cine Tulum (FICTU). Jim was also a guest curator for Portland International Film Festival 2021. Jim is a contributing writer for Ambulante Film Festival in Mexico, and has served on juries, panels and committees for organisations including Austin Film Society, BAFICI, Berlinale, Bogotá Audiovisual Market (BAM), CONNeXT, CPH:DOX, IDFA, IFFPanama, IN-EDIT Barcelona, San Sebastián, and Ventana Sur.

about Michaelangelo Masangkay

Michaelangelo Masangkay is a respected filmmaker, producer, director (at the Toronto Film School), and gifted drone pilot, with 15 years in the independent film industry. His vast industry knowledge and extensive global network enables him to seize opportunities for clients across Canada, the US and beyond.

about Marcin J. Sobczak

Marcin J. Sobczak, owner of This Way Publicity, has worked in the film industry for over 13 years, supporting sales and production and every step of film development, working on more than 50 films, running international campaigns, and recently handling international Academy Awards campaigns. Some of the titles he has worked on include ‘Coda’, ‘Summer of soul’, ‘Cargo’ (by Kareem Mortimer), and ‘The enforcer’.