All panels are outdoors in the 1st Street tent (155 South Broadway) and free to anyone in the community to join. Masks are encouraged. The panels are sponsored by KCAIC/NEA and the Tallgrass Filmmaker Alliance.
Is Becoming Commercial A Good Thing?
Friday, October 22nd at 12:30 pm
Film Producers discuss what it takes to get them to take on a project, what you can do to make yourself sellable, how to pitch to a producer, and what exactly a producer does.
Panelists include: Milan Chakraborty and Lisa Donmall-Reeve
The Impact of Gordon Parks
Friday, October 22nd at 3 pm
Filmmakers and TKAAM moderator Denise Sherman will examine the impact of Gordon Parks on Kansas and international Black filmmakers and photographers. Looking back at the history of his career while discussing the current climate for filmmakers and photographers, the panel will embrace both a historical look at Parks and a socio-cultural examination of what it means in current industry trends.
Panelists include: David Parks, Brandon Wilson, and other guests
How to Succeed with your First Film in a Pandemic
Saturday, October 23rd at 11 am
Want to document a niche community? Join Vinyl Nation filmmakers Christopher Boone and Kevin Smokler as they walk the audience through their successful foray into documentary filmmaking during the COVID shutdown, and discuss how to pivot your marketing and festival strategy when finding your niche audience.
Female Filmmaker Roundtable Sponsored by The Monarch
Saturday, October 23rd at 1 pm
Join attending female filmmakers as we discuss trends in the industry trends and success stories. Panelists include Emily Branham and other female filmmakers in attendance.
Representation Without Marginalization
Saturday, October 23rd at 3 pm
A discussion of the representation of minoritized people in the film without making the story about their minority identity. We will examine how this can be achieved through all aspects of filmmaking, from the script, casting, production, etc. It is important to tell true stories of minority people and sometimes, hardship related to their status in society is important, however, it is also necessary to ensure that there is diversity on-screen portrayed in a way that is not inherently linked to their so-called struggle.
Panelists include Milan Chakraborty, Chris Chan Lee, Kate Gondwe, Mark Rabinowitz, and Leonardo Neiri
Female Film Critics Roundtable Sponsored by The Monarch
Sunday, October 24th at 11:30 am
Led by Jennifer Merin, President of the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, female film critics will talk about trends in the industry for women.
Panelists include: Kristen Page-Kirby of The Washington Post, Brandy McDonnell of The Oklahoman, and Lonita Cook, Kansas City film critic.
Filmmaking Without Filming
Sunday, 1:30 pm
Guided by filmmaker Alex Magaro, filmmakers will discuss found footage documentaries. With over a year of lockdown dismantling most film productions, new avenues for creativity had to emerge. Found-footage filmmaking has been around for decades but only recently could be achieved without elite access to physical film and print archives. The internet is now our main cultural archive with universal accessibility and has democratized this style of filmmaking.
