The Working Director

You Don't Need Perfect Circumstances to Get Your Film MadeHave the script and the vision, but keep hitting roadblocks getting your short film into production?Join us for this informative and inspiring Q&A with this year's BMC Film Festival finalists and hear what it really took to get their films made! Get answers on how you can navigate limited budgets, deal with unexpected challenges, handle difficult decisions, and everything else that comes with indie filmmaking.These filmmakers didn’t wait for perfect circumstances. They figured out how to make the movie anyway.Host: ⁠Jenn Page⁠ (Film & TV director / producer)Join these conversations live by becoming a member (it's free) at ⁠allfilmmakerswelcome.com⁠. Events, classes, and career advancement initiatives are always free thanks to our sponsor ⁠Blackmagic Design⁠.Film director finalists:William Hellmuth @williamhellmuth_dpJenny Curtis @thejennycurtisTaylor Coriell @frecklysoprano1Dorothy Xiao@dorxiaoRochan Liu @rochanliu Briana Blanos @audacious_artistNot present: Laura Colbert @lauracthatsmeRachel Handler & Crystal Arnette @bionic.brunette

Join us for an open, candid conversation about the realities of selling your film. Learn how sales agents evaluate projects, what makes a film marketable, how to understand the true value and marketability of your cast, how deals and territories work, what filmmakers should have prepared before approaching an agent, and the mistakes that can make a project harder to sell. This is your chance to ask the questions you have always wanted to ask and get real-world insight directly from someone working on the front lines of independent film sales.Host: Jenn Page (Film & TV director / producer)Join these conversations live by becoming a member (it's free) at allfilmmakerswelcome.com. Events, classes, and career advancement initiatives are always free thanks to our sponsor Blackmagic Design.Our guests:Evelyn Xing joined Carnaby International's international sales division in 2017 and is currently leading the sales division. She works with distributors from across the world to bring independent films to audiences worldwide. With experience in both independent film production and independent film sales, Evelyn is in a unique position bridging the financing and production phase of a project with the licensing and distribution phase. In a forever shifting market, she is especially interested in understanding various types of distribution business worldwide to match the most fitting distributor to a particular project.Trudy Sargent's background is in sales and distribution. Through Kinowelt and Crescendo Films she released New Line Cinema titles in Eastern Europe. Their biggest releases were Rush Hour 3 and Austin Powers the Spy Who Shagged Me. To focus more on producing, she set up Red Pictures Media in London, as an independent production company to develop feature length screenplays. Her first feature film as a producer and co-writer was Are You ready For Love?, a romantic comedy produced at Carnaby Films and distributed in England by Sony Pictures Classics. The film received five awards at the prestigious Monaco Film Festival in 2006, including Best Screenplay and it reached Top 10 in the UK DVD market. Her latest show is on BET+.

Do you have your eyes set on working on a TV series? If yes, you must join us for this talk with Cindy Chu, who recently became a staff writer on Sony's SWAT Exiles (SWAT Spinoff). She'll share what it's like to navigate your first season as a staff writer. And this talk isn't just for writers — Cindy co-wrote and produced an episode with her supervising producer, and she'll be sharing what it's like to be on set and how to prepare. It's a rare opportunity for a staff writer, and she's going to share what to expect with you.This is mostly from a writer's perspective but we do dive a bit into directors and producers (especially directors working with the writers).Hosted by Jenn Page (Director/Producer)Brought to you by Female Filmmakers Collective. Join us for the talks live to ask your questions by becoming a member (it's all free!) allfilmmakerswelcome.com. Thank you to Blackmagic Design for supporting our Collective and indie filmmakers around the world.More on our guest:Cindy Chu is a Taiwanese American writer and filmmaker from Queens, New York. Her literary talents shine in the realms of horror, suspense, and supernatural storytelling. Chu's fascination with the thrilling and macabre began in her childhood, bonding with her non-English-speaking mother over horror classics like 'Nightmare on Elm Street.' With an MFA from the Actors Studio Drama School, she transitioned to writing due to the scarcity of authentic Asian American roles. Her narratives often explore socially conscious themes, featuring multicultural protagonists from humble backgrounds.Chu is a staff writer on Sony’s SWAT Exiles (SWAT spin-off) and was a Sony Elevate TV Writer Fellow, CAPE New Writers Fellow and an alum to Mentorship Matters, a year-long writers’ program where she was mentored by showrunner, Angela Kang. She is repped by 3 Arts Entertainment and RBEL Agency.

You Don't Need Perfect Circumstances to Get Your Film MadeHave the script and the vision, but keep hitting roadblocks getting your short film into production?Join us for an online Q&A with this year's BMC Film Festival finalists and hear what it really took to get their films made!Get answers on how you can navigate limited budgets, deal with unexpected challenges, handle difficult decisions, and everything else that comes with indie filmmaking.These filmmakers didn’t wait for perfect circumstances. They figured out how to make the movie anyway.After you listen, come support these indie filmmakers in North Hollywood at our live screening event! It's pay what you can and the filmmakers get 100% of the ticket sales: http://tinyurl.com/BMCFF2026Directors:William Hellmuth (All That's Left)Jenny Curtis (A Comfort)Taylor Coriell (Ladylike)Dorothy Xiao (Only In This World)Rochan Liu (Roll It)Briana Blanos (The Cat At The End of The World)Other finalists to check out:Laura Colbert (Black Seeds Continue To Grow)Rachel Handler (Don't Take This The Wrong Way)Host: Jenn Page (all socials @ajennpagefilm)Join our conversations and ask YOUR questions by joining AllFilmmakersWelcome.com. It's free to join the membership and the events!

A great film or television concept means nothing if you can’t get people excited enough to say yes. Whether you’re pitching a series, raising financing, attracting talent, or trying to sell your project, a strong sizzle reel can often do more than a pitch deck ever could. In this class, we’ll break down the art of building a reel that grabs attention fast, communicates the vision of your project, and makes buyers, investors, and collaborators want to see more. If you’re serious about selling your film or show, understanding how to craft an effective sizzle reel may be one of the most valuable tools in your arsenal. Host: Jenn Page (director/producer)To join these discussions live, as well as be in the know about classes, events, and career advancement initiatives, become a member (its free!) at AllFilmmakersWelcom.com. More on our guest: Serge Martinenko is an award-winning motion picture editor with extensive post-production expertise. A highly skilled Creative Storyteller and Post-Production Professional with years of experience and an impressive ability to capture the attention of audiences both within and beyond the creative industry. From editing to poster design, Serge has worked with top companies, brands like Blue Man Group, BitBox, Toughbuilt, Sonic Gods Media, Lionsgate and number of reputable production studios. His editing work includes "Exalted" (Neil McDonough, Tia Carrera), "Blackout" (Josh Duhamel, Annie Cornish, Nock Nolte), "Overdrive" (Greg Kriek, Costas Mandilor) features, "Nova Vita" (Titus Welliver, Dean Norris, Raymond Cruz, Stephen Baldwin), "Disappointments" (Gedde Watanabe, Debbie Pollack, Sam Pancake, Michael Corbett, Anne Beyer, June Carryl) TV shows, with 50+ credits for feature and award winning short films including 4 awards for editing domestically and internationally and dozens of other projects. His work can be seen on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple+, Queerty and other major streamers.

So you have your vertical script ready, you’ve booked your crew, now what? If you have questions about what cameras are being used, how many will be needed, what lenses are being used, how to frame, how to schedule, and everything else around shooting, you’ll want to be here for this talk!Join producer Cate Fogarty, who-over the last two years-has been falling in love with the mini-drama model and has worked on over two dozen vertical series in L.A., Vancouver, and Zhengzhou, China for companies like DramaShorts, ReelShort, ByteDance, and Narval Films. Most notably she co-wrote and produced the breakout hits The Billionaire Sex Addict and His Therapist and My Sexy Mentor Seduced Me for the DramaShorts app.Guest Host: filmmaker/composer Chris Edgar To join these discussions live, as well as be in the know about classes, events, and career advancement initiatives, become a member (its free!) at ⁠AllFilmmakersWelcom.com⁠.

Learn what it means to be "studio ready." We'll talk about going from an indie mindset to a powerhouse professional, how to command a multi-million dollar set, scaling your vision, and more! To join these talks live and ask YOUR questions, as well as be in the know for events, classes, and career advancement initiatiaves, join (it's free!) allfilmmakerswelcome.com.Guest Host: Lauren White (actor/writer)More on our guest:Paul Feig is a DGA-winning and Emmy-nominated filmmaker whose work has earned over $1B worldwide. A master of sharp, character-driven comedy and stylish genre play, his films include BRIDESMAIDS, THE HEAT, SPY, A SIMPLE FAVOR and its global #1 sequel ANOTHER SIMPLE FAVOR, LAST CHRISTMAS, GHOSTBUSTERS, and Lionsgate’s THE HOUSEMAID. Recent credits also include THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL for Netflix, and Prime Video hit JACKPOT!In 2025, Feig directed ANOTHER SIMPLE FAVOR starring Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick, which broke records as Prime Video’s second most watched original thriller ever. Finishing off the year, he directed THE HOUSEMAID starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, which earned over $300 million at the global box office, becoming Feig’s most successful film to date.On television, Feig created the landmark series FREAKS AND GEEKS and directed and produced THE OFFICE, earning the DGA Award and multiple Emmy nominations. Through Pretty Dangerous Pictures, previously Feigco Entertainment, and Powderkeg, he continues to champion bold voices and innovative storytelling across film, TV, and digital platforms.

Making a great film is only half the battle. The real challenge is getting it in front of audiences and turning it into a profitable investment. Join filmmaker Jason Horton, who has successfully distributed dozens of independent films, many of which have recouped their budgets and secured upfront minimum guarantees.We'll also learn what distributors are really looking for, how to position your film for the best possible deal, avoid common mistakes that cost filmmakers money, what budget ranges do best, and develop a strategy that gives your project the best chance to earn a return. If your goal is not just to make films, but to build a sustainable career doing it, this is a session you will not want to miss.To join us live and ask your questions, as well as be in the know about events, classes, and career advancement initiatiaves, become a member (it's free!) at allfilmmakerswelcome.com.Your host:Director/Producer Jenn PageToday's guest: Writer/Director J. Horton is a dynamic force in the film industry,celebrated for his ability to seamlessly cross genre boundaries and a steadfast commitment to "getting it done." With a diverse portfolio that includes producing over 80 feature films and numerous documentaries, Horton is not just a filmmaker; he’s a prolific creator who thrives on bringing new stories to life every year. Continually upping his game, J. Horton is more than a filmmaker; he's a mentor and advocate for the indie film community.J's work: youtube.com/jhortonTikTok, Instagram and Threads: @thejhorton

What happens when the person shaping the story is also the one behind the camera? The relationship between a director and cinematographer is already a delicate creative balance, but combining both roles creates an entirely different challenge.If you want to join live and ask YOUR questions, as well as be in the know about events, classes, and career advancement initiatives, join (it's free) at AllFilmmakersWelcome.com.Your Host: Jenn Page (Film & TV Director/Producer)As a DP, your focus naturally shifts toward lighting, framing, lenses, and the technical side of creating beautiful images. As a director, your responsibility is guiding performance, shaping emotion, and making sure the story connects with the audience.But when one person takes on both roles, something often has to give. It becomes surprisingly easy to get lost chasing the perfect shot while forgetting the actors standing right in front of you. Can you truly stay present for performance while also thinking about exposure, camera movement, and composition?Let’s discuss the unique challenges, creative advantages, and lessons that come with trying to wear both hats at once.More on our guest:William Hellmuth is a Los Angeles-based DP and director who has shot for brands like NBC, NERF, HONDA, MANSCAPED and more. His career has taken him around the world shooting feature films, feature documentaries, and commercials. Coupling a strong visual eye with a desire to infuse meaning into every moment of whatever he's filming, William has a deep love for genre filmmaking.Links:(Main site)https://williamhellmuth.com(ALONE: Director/DP work):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afy3PqqfTT0(DIXIELAND: Director/DP work):https://youtu.be/wdJrfuEf1Hw?is=HnZnaZNF5sL8nbIU(OTAA non-iron shirts: Director/DP commercial work):https://youtu.be/dC-6ej3QNM4?is=LJVzxsK4BMICyf9s

Acquiring, Licensing, Composing and Getting it Right!Music can make or break your film so let's make sure you have all the right elements in place!In this workshop you'll learn:-How you can acquire music rights to popular songs-What are the rules around music sites like Artlist-What contracts and licensing do you need for each kind of music you acquire-Working with a composer to get the right feel for your filmOur panel includes a music supervisor, composer, and producer. There will be plenty of time for Q&A to get your specific questions answered as well!Join us for free classes by joining (free) at BlackmagicCollective.com