Show Me the Money
Join Film Fatales for a grant-writing workshop with the creative team behind 93Queen. Director/Producer Paula Eiselt and Producer Heidi Reinberg will offer real-talk, straight-up advice for navigating the documentary-funding landscape — including grants, equity financing and co-productions.
93QUEEN is the ITVS / arte SWR/ YesDocu co-production that received funding from all the major funders including Sundance, Tribeca, IDA, Open Society | Just Films, Fork Films, NYSCA, and the Hartley Film Foundation.
Recommended Reading
Challenges Facing Independent Filmmakers written by Elliot Grove
Documentary Filmmakers Face Entrepreneurial Challenges written by Devin Thorpe
Documentary Producers Alliance Unveils Guidelines for the Documentary Waterfall written by Marilyn Ness
Documenting a Controversial All-Female Hasidic EMT written by Oakley Anderson-Moore
How to Build Values-Based Documentary Funding Strategies written by Rounak Maiti
Paula Eiselt And Heidi Reinberg On Making 93Queen written by Matt PriggeShow them the money: who’s funding female filmmakers? written by Wendy Mitchell
The Ultimate Film Grants List for Every Filmmaker in 2021 written by Herman Wilkins
Tips for Successfully Producing a Micro-Budget Feature written by Jennifer Westin
Additional Resources
Gathering in Gratitude
Eager to meet creative collaborators? Excited to share details about your latest passion project? Missing the company of like-minded artists? We will begin with a guided group discussion led by Film Fatales members Elaine Chu (The Purgation) and Paige Morrow Kimball (Play Date) before dividing up into breakout groups for meaningful conversations based on a series of guided prompts. Please join us to reconnect and express our gratitude for our community of filmmakers.
Let's Make a Deal
Join Film Fatales, FilmNorth and Distribution Advocates for a free distribution workshop and teach-in about Negotiating Distribution Deals with producer Amy Hobby (What Happened, Miss Simone?) and distributor Andrew Neel (Radiant Films International). Moderated by Film Fatales member Avril Z. Speaks (Jinn).
Terms. Territories and Media Types. In this session, a producer and a distributor will break down these specific components of a distribution deal. Hearing from both sides of the negotiation table, this session will help documentary filmmakers understand how to protect the interests of their film and avoid some of the common mistakes made by creators. Whether navigating educational or other distribution platforms, panelists will share how filmmakers can get the most out of their deal by knowing the basics.
Recommended Reading
A Cheat Sheet For Approaching Distribution written by Distribution Advocates
A Massive List of International Distributors for your Short Film written by Jon Fusco
A Not So Typical Coming-of-Age Story written by Aisha Harris
Distributors Fact Sheet: 2021 Edition written by Liz Manashil
Female-Directed Films Get Smaller Distribution Deals Than Male Counterparts written by Rebecca Sun
Foreign Sales 101: What Independents Need to Know About Selling Films Abroad written by Ryan Kampe
How to Sell Your Movie to Netflix, According to Someone Who's Done It written by Margeaux Sippell
How To Understand and Negotiate a Film Distribution Contract written by Dan Satorius
Short Film Exhibition, Distribution, Marketing Guide – Download Now written by Chris O’Falt
The 9 Types Of Film Distribution Agreements written by Schuyler Moore
The Cost of Distribution written by Avril Speaks
‘What Happened, Miss Simone?’ Documents Nina Simone’s Rise as Singer and Activist written by Manhola Dargis
What Independent Film Distributors Want in a Project written by L. Manashil & R. Green
What NFTs mean for film written by Pamela Hutchinson
16 Tips For Negotiating International Film Distribution compiled by Law360
Additional Resources
The Path Forward
Join us for a discussion about making your second feature film with Film Fatales members Diane Fraher (The Heart Stays), Geeta Malik (India Sweets and Spices), Nancy Kates (Regarding Susan Sontag) and Saila Kariat (The Valley).
Many filmmakers find that, even with the wealth of knowledge they have acquired in the process of realizing their first feature, the second one is even more challenging. Hear from experienced filmmakers about the inspiration and obstacles they faced in making their second feature. We’ll discuss issues such as figuring out which project to pursue, finding funding, getting talent, and bridging the often large time gap between your first and second feature.
Recommended Reading
Bleecker Street Picks Up ‘India Sweets And Spices’ written by Anthony D’Alessandro
Challenges and Advancements for Women in Film written by Therese Hartwell
Director Discusses the Challenges Facing Female Directors written by Rhonda Richford
Filmmaker Nancy Kates Takes On An Icon written by Karen Kemmerle
Spotlight on AMERINDA written by Diane Freeberg
Struggling With Your Second Feature? Take Cues from Sundance Directors written by Oakley Anderson-Moore
The challenges female filmmakers face post-Sundance written by Lindsey Bahr
The Second Coming written by Nicole Davis
“The Valley” Deftly Addresses Stigma of Depression in Asian American Community written by Sophie Willard
This Discrimination is Real written by Chauncey K. Robinson
Why aren't there more women film directors? written by Harriet Constable
Why the Second Movie is the Biggest Hurdle to Becoming a Filmmaker written by Rebecca Keegan
Additional Resources
Transgender Storytelling
Join Film Fatales this Friday November 5th 2pm PT for an inclusion workshop hosted by Scott Turner Schofield (Founder of Speaking of Transgender) with additional support from GLAAD.
This presentation focuses on understanding what it means to be transgender and the past, present, and future of trans media representation. Starting with an overview of what it means to be transgender and non-binary, along with need-to-know terminology, the presentation will then examine stereotypes about trans people and the real world consequences of those. We will then discuss the history of transgender representation in film and television, the current state, and how to improve trans representation in the future, including best practices for casting authentically and including trans people behind the camera. We will conclude with how GLAAD can be a resource to content creators in telling authentic and accurate trans stories that truly reflect the world around us and accelerate acceptance through culture change.
Recommended Reading
A Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Youth written by The Trevor Project
A Guide To Gender Identity Terms written by Laurel Wamsley
Amateur written by Thomas Page McBee
Assuming a Body written by Gayle Salamon
Body Alchemy written by Loren Cameron
Daniela Sea On “The L Word,” Gender Identity, and Imagining Queer Liberation written by Drew Gregory
'Dig Deeper And Do Better' On Representation written by Marina Fang
How a New Class of Trans Male Actors Are Changing the Face of TV written by Trish Bendix
How Oprah Worked With GLAAD to Prepare for Elliot Page Interview written by Elena Nicolau
No Transgender Characters In Major Studio Releases Again Last Year written by David Robb
Queer Representation Rises in Studio Films, but Trans Characters Shut Out written by Matt Donnelly
Redefining Realness written by Janet Mock
Surveying Transgender History in Film and Television written by Willow Catelyn Maclay
TED Talk: Ending Gender by Scott Turner Schofield
The Bold and the Beautiful's Scott Turner Schofield Speaks Transgender Truth to 30 Million written by Mitch Kellaway
The Debate Over Language on the Left written by Amy Harmon
Three Trans Actors Discuss The Double-Edged Sword of Visibility in the Media written by Morgan Noll
Transforming Manhood written by Ryan Sallans
Why Films By Trans People Matter for Everyone written by Thomas Flew
Why Transgender Representation in Media Needs to Change written by Ritika Joshi
Why You Should Consider Transgender Awareness Training In Your Workplace written by MeiMei Fox
Additional Resources
Ghouls Night Out
Something spooktacular is brewing! As the days are growing longer and the darkness creeps in, join us for a spooky filmmaker mixer to stir the cauldron of ideas with your fellow creatives. We will begin with a group discussion and party games led by Film Fatales members Madeleine Olnek (Wild Nights with Emily) and Natasha Kermani (Lucky) before dividing up into smaller groups for intimate conversations based on a series of guided prompts. Bring your favorite poison and any tricks or treats. Let’s eat, drink and be scary!
Recommended Reading
Blood, Bodies and Binaries: Trans Women in Horror written by Jenni Holtz
Female Filmmakers on Takeaways from the Post-Weinstein Moment written by Jennifer Reeder
Horror Films Emerge as Best Political Commentary of Our Times written by Brandon Tensley
How Horror Movies Can Help People Overcome Real World Trauma written by Nicole Johnson
Is the Final Girl in Horror Movies a Feminist Concept? written by Princess Weekes
Journey of a Horror Filmmaker written by Tracy Allen
The Intersection of Horror and Familial Gender Trauma written by Sukhpreet Kahlon
We Have a Relationship with Fear from an Early Age written by Merideth Alloway
What are We Afraid Of? Film as a Reflection of Societal Fears? written by H. Perry Horton
Why Horror Films Can Make for the Best Social Commentary written by Uma Mohanty
Additional Resources