The Boston Filmmakers’ Expo
Organized by Filmmakers Collaborative, The Boston Filmmakers’ Expo is a full-day professional conference serving filmmakers of all levels in the New England area. This unique event features leading industry professionals from around the country, informational panels and seminars, a trade show, a networking party, special guests and a keynote speaker.
The 2005 Expo, held at Northeastern University in Boston, brought 400 independent filmmakers, vendors, funders, fiscal sponsors, technical professionals, and numerous other specialists in the film/video industry together for an afternoon and evening of learning and networking.
Featured speakers and panelists from around the country included Geralyn Dreyfous, Executive Producer of Academy-Award Winning Documentary, Born into Brothels; Paula Silver, Marketing Specialist for My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the highest grossing romantic comedy ever made; Judith Helfand, Producer of Blue Vinyl and Co-Founder of Working Films; Fernanda Rossi, “Doc Doctor” columnist for the AIVF Independent; and Debra Zimmerman, Executive Director of Women Make Movies.
The jam-packed day offered unique learning opportunities for both documentary and feature filmmakers in the areas of “Technology,” “The Business of Filmmaking,” and “Marketing and Distribution.” Included in these seminars were a pitch session where documentary filmmakers pitched their film ideas and received feedback from a panel of experts; a discussion of marketing case studies with Paula Silver, former Marketing Director for Columbia Pictures; a high-definition video round-table for producers; and a panel on successful proposal writing from both producers’ and funders’ perspectives.
In addition to the panels and seminars, the Expo offered an “open studios” room where local companies, film support organizations, and filmmakers showcased their work. In the ballroom where vendors, educational facilities, and filmmaking support organizations set up tables, Expo participants looked through the latest high-definition cameras displayed by Canon and JVC; learned about different fiscal sponsors for independent media projects; compared the post services of Finish Edit and National Boston; and browsed through the catalogues for the Boston area film programs and the Maine Film & Television Workshops.
As a break from all this learning, participants attended a cocktail/networking party where they relaxed, enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and drinks, and networked with each other and special guests and panelists. Following the party, Expo keynote speaker, Geralyn Dreyfous talked about her experience making the Academy-Award winning documentary, Born Into Brothels, and showed clips from current projects. After the party and keynote speech, the panels and seminars continued into the evening.
We are currently planning the Boston Filmmakers’ Expo 2007 to take place in May ’07. Please check back for the date and location. If you’re interested in volunteering to help plan the next Expo, please contact Bonnie Waltch at filmcoll@speakeasy.net