Panels & Workshops

AMC Magic Johnson Crenshaw 15
4020 Marlton Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90008

Panels & Workshop Producer
Sherri James

PAFF Panels and Workshops Pass
$100.00 per pass
Buy Pass

Good for single admittance to all panels and workshops on  a space available basis.

Tickets may also be purchased throughout the festival at the AMC Magic Johnson Crenshaw 15 Box Office; however, we encourage you to purchase your tickets in advance as many panels and workshops will sell out fast!

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2008
11am – 1:30pm
MUSICALLY SPEAKING: HOW TO HIRE A COMPOSER FOR YOUR FILM

After you’ve created your masterpiece, you now need a
composer whose score can elevate your film up a notch. Learn how to hire and communicate with a composer to get the best music for your film.

Moderator: Samm Brown, III (Host of Samm Brown's For the Record KPFK 90.7FM, Generations, Isidingo)

Panelists:
Kurt Farquhar, “The King of Queens,” “The Parkers”
Stephen James Taylor, “Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation,” “To Sleep With Anger”
Patrice Rushen, “The Killing Yard,” “Indecent Proposal”
Todd Cochran, “Woman Thou Art Loosed,” “Hurricane”

Price:$20

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2008
3pm – 5:30pm
INDEPENDENT MUSIC 101

Discover the tools you need to distribute, market and protect your independent work.

Moderator: Journalist Jasmyne A. Cannick

Panelists:
Monalisa Murray
Kandi Cole
GarthTrinidad, (Invited)
Jason Bentley, (Invited)
Eric Lewis, (Invited)
Vikter Duplaix, 2008 Grammy Nominee (Invited)

Price: $20.00

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2008
4pm – 6pm
A CONVERSATION WITH DIRECTOR CHARLES BURNETT

Join actor/director Eriq La Salle (ER, Heaven Can Wait) for a discussion with director Charles Burnett, one of our preeminent pioneering filmmakers. Considered one of America’s greatest filmmakers, Charles Burnett was first noticed in 1981 when his student film Killer of Sheep, won the Golden Berlin Bear Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival. Mr. Burnett’s award-winning work has been declared a national treasure as one of the first fifty films on the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, it was also selected by the National Society of Film Critics as one of the “100 Essential Films” of all time. Burnett’s other films include Namibia: The Struggle For Liberation, To Sleep With Anger, My Brother’s Wedding, My Brother’s Wedding and Glass Shield.

In collaboration with the DGA

Price: $20.00

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2008
11am – 1:30pm
HOW TO JUMPSTART YOUR SCREENWRITING CAREER

Have you developed a writing regimen? Do you have the formula for the three-act story? Do you know how to unleash your story as you lock into page counts, plot points, mid-points, end-points, turning-points, etc? If you don’t know where to begin, “How to
Jumpstart Your Screenwriting Career” workshop is the place you should be. Screening is an art, not just a craft as well as a business This panel will assist you in developing your art while navigating your way through the business.

Moderator: Jennifer Williams (President – Organization of Black Screenwriters)

Panelists:
Donna Michelle
Ayanna Floyd, “Gideon's Crossing,” “Family Law,” “Strong Medicine,” “Private Practice”
Sylvia Franklin, Writer/Producer
Tracy Grant, “Lincoln Heights”
Eric Haywood, Soul Food, Hawaii
Teri Brown-Jackson, That’s So Raven, House of Payne
Shauna Robinson Leffall, “Girlfriends’
Lamar R. Sally, “Rodney”
Jennifer Williams, “Coach Carter - The Real-Life Coach Ken Carter Story”

Price: $20.00

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2008
3pm – 5:30pm
AFRICAN AMERICANS & ANIMATION: IS THE FUTURE STILL BRIGHT?

What opportunities are there for storytellers who want to create animated African American-themed content? Where is the industry going? And, what opportunities should new content creators be prepared to take advantage of? This panel will explore business models in the animation field that work and help you to identify strategies that new content creators should be considering.

Moderator: TBD

Panelists:
Denys Cowan, BET
Bruce Smith, Disney
Jerry Brice, Animator
Joe Horne, Cartoon Network
Karen Rupert Toliver, Fox, (Invited)
Bruce Johnson, Porchlight Entertainment, (Invited)
Fonz, Animator (Invited)

Price: $20.00

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2008
11am – 1:30pm Date/Time change-see below

DATE AND TIME CHANGE: RE-SCHEDULED TO WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 3:00PM

THE RISE OF THE BLACK STUDIO

2007 saw the creation of African American companies that have the ability to distribute their films to their audience – a new studio for the new millennium. How do these new players influence the films that make it into the marketplace? Is this the dawn of a new day or business as usual?”

Moderator: TBD

Panelists:
Jeff Clanagan, CodeBlack Enterprises
Tracey Edmonds, Edmonds Entertainment, Our Stories Films (Invited)
William Packer, Rainforest Films (Invited)
Roger Bobb, Tyler Perry Studios

Price: $20.00

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2008
3pm – 5:30pm
TAKING ON THE WORLD: FOREIGN DISTRIBUTION FOR OUR FILMS

Hollywood has long held that our films don’t play overseas. Join us for a conversation with foreign film experts who will tear down the myth and show you just how to get your film into the overseas market and reap the benefits of foreign distribution.

Moderator: Page Ostrow, Ostrow & Company

Panelists:
Elaine McGee, Karlin-Green Media
Tanya York, York Entertainment
Lise Romanoff , Vision Films
Joy Riba, SABC Africa

Price: $20.00

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2008
11am – 1:00pm
SHAKING THE MONEY TREE: GET THE MONEY YOU NEED NOW!

How in the world do you find the money you need for your film?
This panel will address the art of finding and retaining investors for your film. Managing these important money relationships is crucial to your success. Come learn from the stories of filmmakers who have successfully navigated the fundraising waters.

Moderator: TBD

Panelist:
Brian Hooks, Brian Hooks Entertainment
Nia Hill, The Momentum Experience
D’Angela Steed, The Momentum Experience
Hutson Miller (Three Tier Ent) (Invited
Adel Nur, Three Tier Ent (Invited)
Brian White, Media 3 Films (Invited)
Sylvain White, Media 3 Films (Invited)

Price: $20.00

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2008
1:30pm – 3:30pm
THE ART OF FILM FINANCING

The owners of this dynamic new company will walk audience members through their disciplined approach to independent film finance transactions for investors, filmmakers, and financial institutions.

Panelists:
Brenda Doby-Flewellyn, FILMBANKERS International (Invited)
Harold Lewis, FILMBANKERS International (Invited)

Price: $20.00

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2008
4pm – 6pm
THE NEW CIVIL RIGHTS FRONTIER: DISTRIBUTING ON THE INTERNET

We now live in a multi-platform world. Opportunities abound to create material and reach your audience. The National Black Programming Consortium is launching a new website, blackpublicmedia.org, with the mission to create a distribution portal for primarily documentary programming but also for programs that appear on various public television stations that focus on issues important to the black community. Join us for a discussion on how to get your socially conscious in front of your audience.

Moderator:
Leslie Fields-Cruz, National Black Program Consortium

Panelists:
Karen Hunt, KCET (Invited)
Katina Parker, Filmmaker (Invited)

Price: $20.00

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2008
11:30am – 1:30pm
NEIGHBORHOODS @ WORK

Representatives from the Los Angeles Urban League discuss their new initiative “Neighborhoods @ Work,” and how their efforts are improving the lives of youth and families in our communities.

Moderator: Anthony Maddox

Panelists:
Blair H. Taylor, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League
Kuliema Blueford, Director, Los Angeles Urban League
Renee Smith-Maddox, Program Director, Los Angeles Urban League

FREE

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2008
3:00pm-5:30pm
FESTIVAL STRATEGIES: GETTING INTO AND GETTING THE BEST OUT OF FILM FESTIVALS

Have you ever wondered why your film wasn’t selected for an important film festival? Does it seem as though the same people get into the same festivals again and again? What’s their secret? Join festival directors and programmers for an informative discussion on how to prepare the most attractive package for your film when submitting to festivals. Find out what a festival can do for you and what to expect and not expect
from a film festival. The panel will share the do’s and don’ts of the submission process and how to position your film for best exposure.

Moderator: Sharifa Johka (African Voices)

Panelists:
Asantewa Olatunji, Pan African Film Festival
Tanya Kersey, Hollywood Black Film Festival
Reinaldo Spech, African Diaspora Film Festival
Reggie Scott, American Black Film Festival
Charles Belk, Silver Lake Film Festival

Price: $10.00

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2008
7:30pm – 9:00pm
ESSENCE OF THE MARTIAL ARTS IN FILM

This workshop explores the influence of African martial arts, stunts and fight choreography in the movies today and in the future.

Moderator: Tony Washington, Bonita Entertainment Films

PANELISTS:
Dr. Ahmses Maat
Master Amen Sebek
Nijel Binns, “Nuba Wrestling: The Original Martial Arts”

Location: Community Room, BHCP

FREE

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2008
11am – 1:30pm
THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN NEW AND OLD MEDIA: HOW TO TELL AND MONETIZE YOUR STORY

Learn from industry experts who will share their knowledge of how to use technology to tell your story and most importantly make a return on investment. As a result of a rapidly changing media marketplace, there are innovative ways to produce, distribute and
market your content. Mozaic Media + Communications and UrbanMediaHub.com have partnered to present this panel discussion that will explore novel production and post production resources and provide paths for navigating on-line distribution. Attendees will be informed and empowered after viewing demos of the latest equipment and hearing strategies of how to market their project and reach their target audience.

Moderator: Ramona Wright, Principal, Mozaic Media + Communications
Panelists: Tangier Clark, Editor
Geetanjali Dhillon Esq., Executive Producer “Jaman.com”
Marceil Wright, Producer, One Nation Filmworks
Jadolphus Fraser, Writer/director
Felicia Morris, “The Poetess” Poetess Media
Bashir Salahuddin, Writer/director/actor
Kristian Valles, CEO, Visionary Media Group

Price: $20.00

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2008
1:30pm
BOOK SIGNING

Robin Nicole Bates, founder of Café de la Soul and founding partner of Black Paris Divas will be on hand signing her new book “Soul on the Seine: Your Hip Guide to Black Paris”, a unique travel publication that takes a look at a modern, urban Paris from an African American perspective.

Location: Filmmakers Lounge, PAFF Gallery

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2008
3pm – 5:30pm
WOMEN IN MEDIA

Panelists:
Neema Barnett
Malinda Williams
Sonya Maddoxa,br> Yolanda “Yo-Yo” Whitaker
Tationna Bosier
Charlotte Burley
Victoria Platt
Evelyn Caesar Munroe
and BET Executives Tosha Whitten-Griggs and Zabrina Horton

Moderator: Jacquie Taliaferro

Price: $20.00