Wheaton Film Festival

Schedule

Saturday, November 14th, 2020


11am - Demystifying the Grant Writing Experience with Paul Marengo (SEMINAR)

12:30pm - Filmmaking with Virtual Sets with Chris Petracco (SEMINAR)

2pm - Marketing for Impact with Amy DeLouise (SEMINAR)

3:30pm - Effective Networking for Media Makers with Melissa Houghton (SEMINAR)

5pm - Entertainment Law 101 with John Mason (SEMINAR)

6:30pm - FILM SCREENING Student Films

8pm - FILM SCREENING Montgomery County Films

9pm - FILM SCREENING General Submission (Film Group 1)


Sunday, November 15th, 2020


11am - Filmmaking: the Next Generation with Meagan Lewis (SEMINAR)

12:30pm - Documentary Film Production with Kevin Sharpley (SEMINAR)

2pm - Writing Effective Stories for Script with Maryanne Culpepper (SEMINAR)

3:30pm - Technology for Sound Recording and Web Streaming with Adam Levin (SEMINAR)

5pm - FILM SCREENING General Submission (Film Group 2)

8pm - Awards Ceremony


Panel Discussions


Demystifying the Grant Writing Experience - Paul Marengo

Completing a grant proposal is not as difficult as one may think. This class will demystify and help you with the mechanics of writing an effective proposal. However, successful grant writing is more than just writing the proposal. You will also learn tips for increasing your chances of success — such as how to approach funders, following up, etc.


Filmmaking with Virtual Sets - Chris Petracco

Marketing for Impact - Amy DeLousie

Why should influencers have all the fun? Now you can use their tactics to up your game in creating your digital brand.

In this session we’ll deconstruct the key elements of influencer marketing and strategies you can use. We’ll talk about the key to shaping a brand, plus some great software and hardware tools to make your own online marketing shine. And don’t forget how and why to include BTS! Join Amy and amp up your marketing for impact.


Effective Networking for Independent Media Makers - Melissa Houghton

Making even a "small" independent film is a big deal. You need a tribe who believes in your story and willing to work towards your vision. We'll talk about where you can find them to get your film from idea to screens.


Entertainment Law 101 - John Mason

Legal issues are important for all creators, including filmmakers. We will cover copyrights, business entity choice and formation, releases, work made for hire, contracts and related issues. Knowing the basic issues will help you plan your production and understand the legal issues that impact your film.


Filmmaking: the Next Generation - Meagan Lewis

This seminar will cover film education, especially with a concentration on working with high school students . One of the silver linings for film students staying home is that they have been forced to become mobile creators! They now have to constantly think outside the box to work creatively within an online production team as well as on their own domain. This "new normal" of filmmaking has proven that young filmmakers can produce efficiently at home by being innovative with only a computer and smartphone.


Documentary Film Production - Kevin Sharpley

This Documentary Film Production Seminar will cover the evolution of documentary, styles, documentaries through time, what wins awards and how to make a documentary that touches the heart and soul.


Writing Effective Stories for Script - Maryanne Culpepper

Technology for Sound Recording and Live Streaming - Adam Levin


Festival Speakers


Maryanne Culpepper is an award-winning writer/filmmaker with extensive experience in developing, writing and producing documentary and nonfiction series. She is the former President of National Geographic Studios and served as the Executive Director of the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital. Her most recent project includes writing and producing video and editorial content for Avatar: Discover Pandora, an international touring science museum exhibition based on the fictional world in James Cameron’s movie Avatar. She is a member of the Producers Guild of America (PGA).

John Mason of WALA, Copyright Counselors LLC and Mason Literary, is a Washington D.C. based art, entertainment, and intellectual property attorney and literary agent. His practice focuses on copyright and trademark registrations and transactional matters, litigation, copyright infringement, publishing and media issues, defamation, licensing and contracts, and commercial matters relating to creative industries.

Chris Petracco is a senior digital media specialist and content creator with over 20 years experience in communications and media production, including over a decade teaching communications and media at the college level. Chris has a comprehensive knowledge of multimedia production, volumetric filmmaking, social media solutions, digital media production, and digital tools to create comprehensive media campaigns. Chris helps clients develop broadcast, cable, and online products. He is the founder of TrustedPhotoDC and TPA360 and now is known as a reality capture expert.

Amy DeLouise has built a career as a brand storyteller. She has produced more than 400 short non-fiction films for organizations and corporations, helped to create dozens of live and virtual events, and specializes in multi-platform content delivery to large screens, mobile and web. Amy also helps to train other storytellers as a consultant to leading corporations, as a Lynda/LinkedIn Learning author with multiple course, and through her books with Routledge Press: The Producer's Playbook: Real People on Camera (2016) Sound and Story in Nonfiction Film and Video: A Guide for Content Creators (2019). She has received more than 40 top creative awards for directing and producing, such as the CINE Golden Eagle, NY Festivals, DC Peer Awards, and Telly Awards.

Paul Marengo has 28+ years experience in the area of development and program execution. His experience includes a wide range of development activities including Corporate/Foundation/Government Support as well as Individual Giving. Paul believes by empowering and providing the necessary tools to smaller non-profit organizations they can become competitive fundraisers. Paul has worked with and trained many non-profits on alternative ways of thinking of how data and other items can be of use to their development strategies.

Kevin Sharpley is the Executive Director of the nonprofit film and entertainment industry support organizations CineVisun and the BFMG. He is President and CEO of Kijik Multimedia, a full-service production company with specialties in integrated, branded and convergent media. Mr. Sharpley holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami with a dual major in motion pictures and psychology in addition to an Associates of Arts degree from Miami Dade College. He was inducted into the Miami Dade College Alumni Hall of Fame in 2014. 

Meagan Pava-Lewis has been involved in the entertainment business for over 23 years. Prior to moving to South Florida, Meagan was in Los Angeles where she garnered casting and pre/post production experience while working on numerous TV shows and short films. Once she arrived in Miami, Meagan got very involved with the local film community. She has co-produced short film and music video contests and has coordinated many entertainment networking events, including film based seminars and screen writing workshops. Meagan's last job before being hired for the Florida Film Institute was at a local talent agency where she loved being a film/tv agent for actors.

Adam Levin comes to us from Chuck Levin's Music Center, the largest independent music store in the country. Opened in 1958, it is still family owned and operated by the Levin Family. Adam received his degree in Electrical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis and has vast experience with the huge array of audio and recording equipment available. Adam has worked with clients ranging from large corporations to indie filmmakers to help find the right tools and solutions.

Melissa Houghton is the Executive Director of  Women in Film & Video (WIFV), an organization comprised of 900 media professionals that provides 90 professional development offerings annually.  WIFV also serves as a fiscal sponsor of independent media projects and provides a variety of member-only scholarships and grants.  Houghton excels at putting WIFV resources, connections and advocates at the service of WIFV members.  She has served on the boards of the DC Architectural Foundation, DC Film Alliance, and Wide Angle Youth Media.  She is currently a member of the WETA Community Council, the FAVS Advisory Board at George Mason University, and the Advisory Board for The Actors’ Center.


Film Lineup (Subject to change)

Montgomery County Category


Harry T. Dewey Memorial Garden by Marilyn Stone and Marilyn Sklar
Third Base to Faith by Amina Chaudary 
Hael by Willie Padin 
A.R.T. by Raquel LM
Scary Story to Tell in the Dark #684 by Carlos Gonzalez-Fernandez


Student Films Category

A Lonely Conversation by Harrison Dove-Green
Lucid by Shelly Ortiz
My Theory on Ghosts by Elijah Barry
The Reunion by Jiayang Liu
Femme Fatale DC by Erica Ness and Daniel Sheffield
Jericho by Tiffany Joy Taylor
Valle del Silicio (Silicon Valley) by James Michael Douglas


General Submission Category

All Hail the Champion by Eric Lochstampfor
Affection of a Tiger by Khalid Abdulqaadir
Heretic by Joshua Nicholás Prits 
Heroes' Honeymoon by Rich West 
JUMP START by Skinny Corleone 
Anagnorisis by Arturo Dueñas Herrero
"APOCALYPSE NOTES" (Music is in danger!) by Pierre GAFFIÉ
Oleander by Kate Hackett
Fix My Bike by Rocky McKoy
1865 by Andrea R Mihailescu
A Place Called Galet by Arjarn Jin
Daydream by Alec Reyna
These Brownies by Benjamin Shapiro
0.6 ft apart by Amit Barnathan
Ballin': A Kickball Story by Millie Cupp
Landfill by Heidi Scott
El Mahal (2019) by Ziad Foty
Put it Down by Frankey Barrz, Kris Furnish


Judges


Paul Marengo has 26+ years experience in the area of development and program execution. His experience includes a wide range of development activities including Corporate/Foundation/Government Support as well as Individual Giving. Paul believes by empowering and providing the necessary tools to smaller non-profit organizations they can become competitive fundraisers. Paul has worked with and trained many non-profits on alternative ways of thinking of how data and other items can be of use to their development strategies.

Tim Flaherty has spent 30+ years in the media field, including 20 + years in television and industrial video production. In addition to TV shows, commercials, and many industrials, Tim has produced or co-produced numerous short films, and wrote and directed the documentary “100 Years of Maryland Football” in collaboration with the University of Maryland and NuAd, Inc. He continues to write, shoot and produce TV commercials and industrial content, and writes scripts for a wide variety of projects.

Nate Fisher is an eclectic mix of analytic and artistic talents. He is a proud member of the Silver Spring community and spends his professional efforts split between working on local productions and assisting clients with their own audience engagement activities. Nate enjoys collaborating with other passionate creatives on local projects such as Movie Nightcap and Silver Spring Inquiries for his production company, Createrly. He also works with his passionate team of communications professionals at Mindshare Capture Consulting for brands including Technicolor, J.D. Power, The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), and more.

Meagan Pava-Lewis has been involved in the entertainment business for over 23 years. Prior to moving to South Florida, Meagan was in Los Angeles where she garnered casting and pre/post production experience while working on numerous TV shows and short films. Once she arrived in Miami, Meagan got very involved with the local film community. She has co-produced short film and music video contests and has coordinated many entertainment networking events, including film based seminars and screen writing workshops. Meagan's last job before being hired for the Florida Film Institute was at a local talent agency where she loved being a film/tv agent for actors.


Awards & Prizes

"Levin Grand Prize"

Jury Award for Best Film in General Category

"Wheaton Award"

Jury Award for Best Community Story in Montgomery County Category

"Kamen Prize"

Jury Award for Best Student Film

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