The Massachusetts Documentary Works-In-Progress Pitch Session spotlights local filmmakers at various stages in their careers and at different stages of production with their projects. The goal of the event is to create a unique coalition of awareness and support for local filmmakers.

• DISTURBING SCHOOLS — Directed by Garret Zevgetis; Produced by Ariana Garfinkel
• GOREY — Directed & Produced by Christopher Seufert
• THE GOOD SON’S FOREIGN BRIDE — Directed & Produced by Sally Y. Wu
• LIVING BETWEEN STORIES — Directed & Produced by Kevin Tobin
• NORTH BY CURRENT — Directed by Madsen Minax
• THE ORDER OF THINGS — Directed by: Jeff Silva & Ramona Badescu
• WATCHING SKOTI DIE — Directed by: Alex Morelli

• Darren Alexander Cole — Boston Artist-in-Residence Digital Storyteller
• Judy Laster — Founder/Director, Woods Hole Film Festival
• Jeff Schmidt — Program Director, Salem Film Fest

Chico Colvard — Filmmaker/Assistant Professor of Cinema Studies

A good documentary editor often determines a film’s rhythm, its pacing, even its overall structure. This panel will celebrate those who toil, quietly and mainly unseen, in the dark.

Kristen Salerno, editor of the much-anticipated DAWNLAND and Heather Cassano, director/editor of the personal documentary THE LIMITS OF MY WORLD, will discuss some of the unique challenges they faced in the edit room and demonstrate how they tried to solve them. Presentation will include film clips.

Sabrina Zanella-Foresi—long-time Boston-area editor/producer

• Heather Cassano—Director/Editor THE LIMITS OF MY WORLD
• Kristen Salerno—Editor DAWNLAND

Thinking about making an amazing movie or show? GREAT! We wanna watch it. But first: how are you going to fund it, and—when you’re finished—who’s going to watch it? Most people think about crowdfunding simply as a fundraising tool, but it is so much more than that: it’s a great way to start (or continue) developing a direct connection with your audience, which, as we all know, is essential for building a sustainable film career that leads to distribution and the opportunity to, you know, make more than one thing.

In this workshop, you’ll learn:

• Why audience building is essential for a film career (and crowdfunding).
• How to define, find, talk to, and grow your audience.
• How to prepare for a successful crowdfunding campaign.
• Why staged financing might be right for you.

Christina Raia — Crowdfunding Director, Seed&Spark

Christina Raia is an NYC-based writer and director, the Founder of CongestedCat Productions, and the Crowdfunding Director at Seed&Spark. Her work, a collection of short films, a web series, and two feature films, has gained a large online following through multiple crowdfunding campaigns. She has been covered by press outlets such as Indiewire, AfterEllen and BuzzFeed. She also turned her desire to foster collaboration and engagement in the local film community into IndieWorks, a monthly film screening series showcasing and supporting the work of other independent filmmakers in New York.

Open Screen is Boston’s one and only open mic night for movies! Whether you sold your home to finance your 35mm masterpiece, or you made it last night in your basement—if your movie is under 10 minutes, we’ll screen it. Come see a “Best Of” presentation along with a shorter version of our regular screening. If you have a short that’s 10 minutes or less, we’ll screen it at IFFBoston!

With your hosts: Vatche Arabian, Adrian Atwood, Phil Healy, and Adam Van Voorhis.