presentation

Mon 27 Sept, 3.00–4.00 p.m. (est)
location: Facebook Live, YouTube Live, ttfilmfestival.com
tickets: free

Click here to register.

How is the term Intellectual Property applicable to music? When it comes to legalese, do you know the difference between protected music and music in the public domain? How about the difference between using an original musical score, pre-existing musical compositions or sound recordings? Among the plethora of details a filmmaker must remember when producing a film, legal requirements for music licensing has proven to be one of the more tricky areas for local producers to grasp. There are various types of music licences used in film production, and in this one-hour presentation, lawyer Fabien Alfonso will clarify the details of music clearances in film and further highlight the adverse effects of not obtaining such clearances. 

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facilitator: Fabien Alfonso

Fabien Alfonso has been actively involved in the creative cultural sector for the past 30 years. He is an advocate for the overall development of our creative industries, and he is passionate about the appropriate administration of Copyright and Related Rights in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean region. Alfonso lobbied for the updating and passing of the Copyright Amendment Bill (2008) and the signing of the World Intellectual Property Organisation Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT). As a copyright-related rights consultant and educator, he has conducted workshops and lectures at institutions such as UTT, COSTAAT, Servol, UWI Roytec, and several private and public music schools. He holds qualifications from the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland and his areas of proficiency include industrial property, copyright, related rights, and collective management of rights within the creative industries.

presentation

Sun 26 Sept, 1.00–2.30 p.m. (est)
location: Facebook Live, YouTube Live, ttfilmfestival.com
tickets: free

Click here to register.

Sound: what would a film or TV series be without it? It’s the narrative element that moves audiences and transports them to another world. Yet until you work with a sound recordist, it’s difficult to fully appreciate the intricacies of this craft. In this live online event, veteran sound recordist Cedric Smart will teach participants about successful sound recording. Smart will go through topics and areas such as hybrid pre-production, equipment knowledge, kit basics, budget, working with the sound department and production. Participants will have the opportunity to pose questions during the presentation and benefit from Smart’s extensive knowledge and experience.

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facilitator: Cedric Smart

Since 2001, Cedric Smart has worked as a freelance audio engineer and sound recordist.  He has recorded several albums for various artists and has also worked on hundreds of television and radio commercials. His television experience includes outside broadcasts, television series, TV movies, news and sporting events. Smart has worked on local shows like “Sancoche”, “Westwood Park”, “The Reef” and the 1998 Miss Universe Pageant, Behind the Scenes Show. He has also done work for Black Entertainment Television (BET), BBC, and Discovery Channel, and was part of the recording and broadcast team for the first Reggae Academy Awards in Jamaica. 

presentation

Tues 28 Sept, 10.00–11.30 a.m. (est)
location:  Facebook Live, YouTube Live, ttfilmfestival.com
tickets: free

Click here to register.

Distribution is a key element of filmmaking, providing an avenue for films to be seen by an audience and to earn revenue. In today’s ever-changing industry, it’s important for filmmakers and producers alike to stay up to date with the latest opportunities. FILMCO currently distributes upwards of 150 film and television titles and has brokered deals with regional and international companies such as TTT, ShortsTV and PAVILION+, not to mention having launched their own platform, FILMCO2GO, in February 2021. In this presentation, FILMCO’s interim executive director and co-founder, Mariel Brown, will delve into the distribution workings of FILMCO, discuss distribution in the online space, deliverables and promotional materials, as well as answering questions from filmmakers about the opportunities and options in today’s film distribution landscape.

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facilitator: Mariel Brown

Mariel Brown is an award-winning filmmaker, director of the creative and production companies SAVANT and SAVANT Films and a co-founder of the filmmaker organisation, FILMCO. Brown has been working in film and television since 1997. She is committed to uncovering and documenting the Caribbean’s rich history and culture and is especially interested in exploring the lives of its often-unheralded artists and writers. Brown is currently developing a new film project, “1990”, a chronicle of the 1990 attempted coup in Trinidad and Tobago and its aftermath. Brown is a four-time trinidad+tobago film festival award winner, and both her film and television work have won awards locally and internationally.

presentation

Mon 27 Sept, 10.00–11.00 a.m. (est)
location: Facebook Live, YouTube Live, ttfilmfestival.com
tickets: free

Click here to register.

Filmmaking is a complex, collaborative undertaking. It involves many different layers of rights that relate to different elements of production, all of which need to be licenced, documented and transferred for a producer to claim ownership of a film. Having creative rights to literary or artistic work is necessary if you aim to prevent others from using your work without permission. In this one-hour presentation, lawyer Cindy F. Daniel will answer important questions about why copyright is important to filmmakers; how copyright permissions impact budget and how filmmakers can protect and enforce copyright. She will also provide case studies on copyright conflict in film and television.

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facilitator: Cindy F. Daniel

Cindy F. Daniel is an attorney with more than a decade of experience in both the legal and creative fields. After being called to the Bar, she worked primarily in the public service having been attached to the Ministry with responsibility for Culture for the last six years, where she collaborated with the Intellectual Property Office to facilitate capacity-building workshops for artists and provided support to grant recipient filmmakers. She has significant experience in policy development, contract negotiation and drafting, as well as intellectual property. Daniel has a Postgraduate certificate in Entertainment Law and Industry from the prestigious University of Southern California and is currently one of their 2022 LLM candidates.

workshop

Fri 24 Sept, 5.00–7.00 p.m. (est)
location: online via Zoom
tickets: TT$300/ US$45

Seasoned narrative filmmakers know the tremendous amount of value a talented production designer adds to the team. These creatives may not be as well known as directors, producers and writers but the role a production designer fills is essential to a well-produced film. But what exactly does a production designer do? And could it possibly be another career option for artists? In this two-hour workshop, production designer Alexis Johnston-Benamou will break down exactly what it takes to fill this leading role. She will touch on topics such as dissecting a script; collaborating with the director to understand their vision and inspiration; creating a visual language environment and gathering inspiration (a mood board); constructing a team; interdepartmental cohesion and creating a complete environment; and working within specific expectations.

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facilitator: Alexis Johnston-Benamou

Alexis Johnston-Benamou is a multidisciplinary artist originally from Montreal, Canada. After obtaining a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Concordia University in Studio Arts, and a Masters from the University of Paris 8, she decided to look into working in film. She started off in the SPFX makeup department on “Warm Bodies” and continued doing makeup on Hollywood feature films such as “White House Down” and “Xmen: Days of Future Past”. Alexis has also worked in the sculpture and mould-making department on large productions, including Roland Emmerich’s “Midway”, “White House Down”, “Xmen: Dark Phoenix”, “Xmen: Days of Future Past” and “Home Alone” (2020). Since 2015, she has been dedicating her time to working as an art director, production designer and costumier on commercials, films, music videos and television shows. 

workshop

Fri 24 Sept, 10.00 a.m –12.00 p.m. (est)
location: online via Zoom
tickets: TT$300/ US$45, click here to buy your ticket; early registration required

As all screenwriters know, there is no easy path to breaking into the film and TV industry. While there are many talented writers across the globe, what usually sets the successful apart is insider knowledge and endless hard work. Knowing and utilising the many different paths to ‘breaking in’ can give a screenwriter the edge needed to actually create a sustainable career, whether you’re from the Caribbean or anywhere else. Screenwriter/actress, Kyra Jones, has a wealth of information to share with motivated screenwriters who would like to take their careers to the next level. After winning multiple competitions over the last few years, she has secured herself representation by the well-regarded Echo Lake Entertainment and has recently been staffed on two TV shows. In this workshop, Kyra will share her wealth of experience, focusing on the fundamentals required to win a screenwriting or pitch competition, insight into what readers and judges may look for, and essential strategies for submitting to festivals.

Click here to buy your ticket.

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facilitator: Kyra Jones

Kyra Jones (she/her) is a Chicago-based Black feminist screenwriter, filmmaker and actor whose work focuses on Black women’s experiences of intimate relationships, sex and liberation. She received her degree in Theatre and Gender Studies from Northwestern University. She is currently a staff writer on the Hulu series “Woke”, and the upcoming ABC series “Queens”. Her award-winning web series “The Right Swipe (OTV)” was an official selection at the Austin Film Festival, Urbanworld Film Festival and many others. Her upcoming feature, “Go to the Body”, won ‘The Pitch’ at the 2020 Chicago International Film Festival and Screencraft’s Virtual Pitch competition. As an actor, she has appeared in “Empire” (Fox), “The Chi” (Showtime) and “Chicago Justice” (NBC).

masterclass

Tues 28 Sept, 3.00pm-4.30pm (est)
location: online via Zoom
tickets: free of charge; early registration required
presented in partnership with the US Embassy, Port of Spain

As any independent filmmaker knows, endless time and effort are dedicated to the pre-production, production and post-production stages of any film project. However, a crucial stage of the process which is often overlooked is designing your film festival strategy.

In this masterclass, producer Kathleen McInnis will explain the importance of planning your festival strategy from the script development stages of a project. She will give participants insight into the international festival circuit and explain how filmmakers can strategically use festivals to achieve their goals, even in this pandemic landscape. Out of the projects selected to participate, two will be chosen as case studies. 

This is a free masterclass, open to both documentary and narrative filmmakers. Email us at admin@filmco.org to submit your work and book your place. Deadline for applications is Friday 4 September.

See Kathleen’s bio in the Ask the Veterans section.

*Eligibility: must be a practising filmmaker of either documentary or narrative films (note: this is not an introductory course). **Pre-requisite requirements: participants must submit a logline and synopsis or treatment for a current film project in development, production or post-production.

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facilitator: Kathleen McInnis

McInnis uses her 30 years of experience in festival programming, film publicity and producing to help world cinema filmmakers merge their creative and business development. As a strategic publicist, Kathleen represents world cinema films premiering at TIFF, Cannes, Berlin, Sundance, Hot Docs and Tribeca film festivals. As a creative producer, McInnis curates the SIFF New Works In Progress Forum, bringing together filmmakers, industry mentors and audiences at critical creative junctions. Her recent films as co-producer include “Retablo” (2019 BAFTA and Film Independent Spirit Award-nominee; Peru’s official Oscar submission), and the Swedish feature documentary-in-production, “Broadcast”. 

McInnis’s tenure at the Palm Springs International ShortFest & Short Film Market allowed for both discovery and support of the hundreds of international filmmakers attending the festival each year. She left the festival in 2014 as festival director. While creating the first international shorts programme at TIFF, McInnis built strategic platforms to bridge the gap between short film-makers and industry decision makers.

masterclass

Sat 25, Sun 26 Sept, 1.00–3.00 p.m. (est)
location: online via Zoom
tickets: free of charge
presented in partnership with the US Embassy, Port of Spain

While film is often considered “a visual medium”, an audience’s emotional connection to the world and story of the film can be deeply enriched by a well-executed film score and soundtrack. Understanding just how music can make an impact on audiences is an essential part of creating a memorable film.

In this two-part masterclass, composer Miriam Cutler will guide participants through the process of creating meaningful stories through music, by referencing video/film material submitted by selected participants. Filmmakers and composers will submit 1–2 minute clips of their own work, to use as case studies for discussion and learning. 

This is a free masterclass, open to both documentary and narrative filmmakers and television producers. Email us at admin@filmco.org to submit your work and book your place in both sessions. Deadline for application is Friday 4 September.

*Eligibility: participants must be practising filmmakers or composers for documentary or narrative films and television (note: this is not an introductory course).**Pre-requisite requirements: participants must submit 1–2 minute video clips of their own edited or composed work in film or television.

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facilitator: Miriam Cutler

Three-time Emmy-nominated composer Miriam Cutler is passionate about documentaries. Her career has encompassed work for HBO, CNN, PBS, Sundance, Emmy and Oscar-nominated films such as “Flannery”, “Dilemma of Desire”, “Not Carol”, “RBG”, “Love Gilda”, “The Hunting Ground”, “American Promise”, “Lost in La Mancha”, “Ghosts of Abu Ghraib” and many others films. 

Cutler is a lab advisor for the Sundance Documentary Composer Lab, and a doc juror for Sundance, AFI, Spirit and the IDA Awards. She is a consultant who has led workshops for CNN, the International Documentary Association, Concordia and Global Media Makers. Cutler has presented workshops in Iceland, Vienna, Spain, Tbilisi/Georgia, Malaysia, Germany and at various universities, including USC, UCLA, Chapman College and Loyola Marymount. She is part of the Motion Picture Academy documentary branch and an executive committee member. She has served on the boards of the Society of Composers and Lyricists and is the co-founder of the Alliance for Women Film Composers.

workshop

Mon 27, Tues 28 Sept, 1.00pm-3.00pm (est)
location: online via Zoom
tickets: TT$300/ US$45, click here to register; early registration required

Being an entrepreneurial filmmaker is tough. When it comes to raising funds for a micro- or low-budget short or feature, creatives use multiple different methods but most aren’t exactly sure of the best way to get their film made while sustaining a career in the industry. Our facilitator, Pip Piper, has extensive experience as a professional indie filmmaker. He has come up with innovative ways to create and execute films of substance; and has continued to do so throughout the years. This two-part workshop will explore the key components every entrepreneurial filmmaker needs to create a sustainable, professional life. It will look at building positive working partnerships and networks locally, regionally, and in time, internationally; and how to develop highly creative projects that have a clear path to an audience. This workshop is intended to be informative and interactive.

Click here to buy your ticket.

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facilitator: Pip Piper

Pip Piper has been making films professionally for the past 20+ years. He has produced and/or directed six feature-length films and worked with the likes of Tim Sanders (“Lord of the Rings”, “Whale Rider”) and two-time BAFTA winner Michael Clifford. He has made films in numerous countries around the globe. He co-founded innovative media charity OSBD (One Small Barking Dog) which he continues to direct and also helped set up and run Blue Hippo Media, an internationally award-winning film company. He is passionate about creating and crafting stories that have heart and impact, and helping to develop the next generation of emerging filmmakers, especially around documentary film.

masterclass

Sat 25 Sept, 1.00pm-3.30pm (est)
location: online via Zoom
tickets: TT$400/ US$59, click here to register; early registration required
brought to you with the support of FilmTT

Non-fiction filmmakers know that the documentary is often made in the editing room. Documentary editors are one of the key members of the non-fiction filmmaking team and are regarded as co-auteurs of many films, sometimes sharing credit with the director. With an abundance of visual and audio material, how does an editor go about constructing a documentary that will lead to a strong and memorable film? In this two-part masterclass on documentary editing, renowned film editor, Carla Gutierrez – whose films include “RBG”, “Pray Away” and “When Two Worlds Collide” – will discuss creative approaches to documentary editing. She will explore the subject of structure, which can be challenging for filmmakers working in the documentary genre, as well as other key elements of documentary storytelling.

*Eligibility: participants must be practising filmmakers or editors of documentary films (note: this is not an introductory course).
Click here to buy your ticket.

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Carla Gutierrez

Carla Gutierrez is an Emmy- and ACE Eddie-nominated documentary editor. She cut the Oscar-nominated film “RBG”, about the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her fight for gender equality. “RBG” premiered at Sundance and was released theatrically worldwide. It won the National Board of Review Award for Best Documentary, the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Political Documentary, and a DuPont-Columbia Award. Carla also edited the Oscar-nominated film “La Corona” (HBO) and the Emmy nominated documentaries “Reportero” (POV), “Kingdom of Shadows” (SXSW Premiere, POV) and “Farewell Ferris Wheels” (America Reframed). Carla recently edited the feature documentary “Pray Away”, which tells the story of the “pray the gay away” or ex-gay movement, for Multitude Films. She has been a creative advisor for the Sundance Edit Lab and a mentor for the Firelight Producers’ Lab, The Karen Schmeer Diversity Program and the Tribeca Film Fellows program. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures and the American Cinema Editors.