Stephen Susco/Screenwriter

Over the past sixteen years, Stephen has penned and sold over forty scripts and pitches for a variety of acclaimed directors and producers, including Mike Nichols (THE GRADUATE), Taylor Hackford (RAY), Quentin Tarantino (PULP FICTION), Philip Noyce (DEAD CALM), and Michael Bay (TRANSFORMERS).  Four of his films – THE GRUDGE, THE GRUDGE 2, THE POSSESSION and TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D – placed #1 at the U.S. box office, and two others (RED, starring Brian Cox, and HIGH SCHOOL, with Adrien Brody and Michael Chiklis) were invited to premiere at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. Most recently Stephen has written INFANTRY for director McG (TERMINATOR: SALVATION) and star Taylor Lautner (the TWILIGHT series), and developed a TV series for director Gore Verbinski (PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 1-3).  He is currently adapting a superhero comic series for director Brett Ratner (X-MEN 3), adapting a sci-fi novel for director Chris Columbus (HARRY POTTER, GREMLINS, GOONIES) and writing VESSELS, a sci-fi found-footage movie for Paramount Insurge.   2012 also marked Stephen’s first foray into publishing with contributions to the zombie anthology 21ST CENTURY DEAD and stories for the upcoming anthologies EXOTIC GOTHIC 5 and LIAR LIAR. 

Rachell Shapiro/Rock Creek Productions - social media and crowd-funding advice

Rachell Shapiro is an award winning producer and director who has been producing top quality media content for non-profit, corporate, and government clients for over ten years.  She is also an award winning filmmaker having co-produced the documentary film Peace Through Education: Stealing the Light and produced and directed the short fictional film From Hell to Here. She is currently the Director of Development and Senior Producer at Rock Creek Productions, Inc.  Rachell manages and directs the implementation of Rock Creek’s social media and marketing strategy as well as manages and runs the social media and marketing strategy for her short film project, From Hell to Here. 

Rachell’s most recent film, From Hell to Here is informed by true-life experiences from combat veterans of various wars, the film’s mission is to be a springboard for dialogue and reach beyond the walls of cinema to raise awareness about the epidemic of combat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. To accomplish this mission Rachell designed a discussion guide as a companion piece for the film co-created by a VA psychologist, as well as focuses heavily on social media to bring attention to the film project and PTSD. 

Rachell understands the path forward for the modern day filmmaker is understanding and utilizing the valuable social media tools at our fingertips that have changed the financing and distribution of indie films across the globe.

Josh Levin/General Manager - West End Cinema & President/CEO of Gallant Films

Since 2010, Josh has operated one of DC's finest art house cinemas at 23rd and M. In addition, via Gallant Films he shows filmmakers how to get their movies into the marketplace; exploit all the windows of distribution; maximize visibility for their films; and realize returns on their investments. He'll be talking about how to get your film out there in both traditional and alternative platforms.

Jon Gann/DC Shorts

Jon Gann is the founder of the DC Film Alliance, a non-profit organization supporting Washington, DC’s film and video community, and the creator of the DC Shorts Film Festival; now planning its 10th year, the event attracts national and international filmmakers, and has become one of the country’s premier short film showcases.

As a filmmaker, Jon’s notable past projects include: “Cyberslut,” the first gay-themed short film to screen at over 50 festivals and broadcasts worldwide; “Signs,” a national 48 Hour Film Project award winner, and “Offline,” a modern dating parable.

Through Reel Plan, Jon consults with filmmakers on the festival circuit. His “festival tips” blog is read by hundreds of filmmakers every week, and through his work, has bridged the communication gap between competing film festivals, so all can share film information, sponsor strategies and filmmaker data.

Published in 2012, his book, “Behind the Screens: Programmers Reveal How Film Festivals Really Work’ examines how 16 programmers and organizers curate, collect, watch and select films for their festivals. The frank insights reveal the inner-workings of an industry that is often misunderstood.

Blake Althen/Composer

Blake is the owner of The Human Factor, a DC and Los Angeles based music facility that has created scores for many features, commercials, trailers and documentary films. His clients include Universal, TNT and MTV. His score for the indie film A Beautiful Neighborhood won the JPF Award for Best Soundtrack.

Kimberly Skyrme/Casting Director

If you want to get talent attached to your project or need tips on how to work with actors, Kimberly will give you the inside track on doing so.

Kimberly began her career as a Casting Director in 1990, after graduating from American University in Washington DC as a Theatre Major with a minor in Modern Dance, her roots started at Central Casting, and in 1993 she started her own company, Capital Casting. With help of many wonderful Actors, she has worked on film, television, and radio projects in cities across the US for major movie studios, advertising agencies, and numerous regional film companies. Her unceasing dedication toward the art of professional casting has earned her a long-standing reputation in the industry, as well as life-long friendships.

She has supported studio features, independent films, commercials, videos, and well-known TV series. Her portfolio includes work on Deep Impact, Hearts in Atlantis, Beloved, Pelican Brief, True Lies, Unsolved Mysteries, Death of a Nation, Group House, Camouflage, and a Bud Light commercial. She has also garnered kudos for her work in music videos, games, interactive programs, training videos, radio and theatre.

Claudia Meyers

Claudia wrote and directed the feature “Kettle of Fish,” starring Mathew Modine and Gina Gershon. The movie premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was released theatrically in 2007. In 2010, Claudia produced the independent DC-based comedy “Below the Beltway” with Tate Donovan and Noah Wyle. The film won the Audience Award at the Newport Beach festival and was acquired by Showtime. As a screenwriter, Claudia has won several awards, was twice a finalist for the Sundance Screenwriters Lab, and is a recent alumna of the Hamptons Screenwriters Lab. She directed two award-winning short films, including the Sundance short “Buddy & Grace.” Over the past five years, Claudia has also made several documentaries about the military. She produced and directed the TV documentary “The Long Road Back,” about soldiers who were severely injured in Iraq. The film won two Telly Awards, an Aurora Award, and was nominated for an Emmy Award. Claudia is now in post-production on the feature, "Fort Bliss," which she wrote and directed starring Michelle Monaghan and Ron Livingston.

Steve Agnew 

Steve is an award winning director, cinemat- ographer and editor. Founder of Rock Creek, he has over 25 years experience creating traditional and interactive programming for documen- tary, broadcast, government, commercial, and corporate clients. Steve is an avid traveller (and Avid editor) and his favorite projects are the ones where he can apply his skill and experience to solving a problem, helping a client get their message out in a creative way, or filming something really unusual. "The best part is getting to travel all over the U.S. and abroad, meeting people, forging relationships and learing," says Steve. Steve's shot the indie film SINKHOLE for Shoreline Pictures.

Otessa Ghadar/20/20 Productions

Otessa is the creator and director of web series "Orange Juice in Bishop's Garden," which follows the lives of D.C. teens growing up and getting down in the 1990's. Ghadar completed her Graduate Film studies, at Columbia University’s Film school in NYC. "Orange Juice in Bishop's Garden" started as her MFA Thesis, and grew from there. Otessa now creates the show with the assistance of her mother and Production Designer, Lis de Tuerk Ghadar. Otessa is also the founder of 20/20 Productions, which produced the film.

Returning to her D.C. roots, the series is an example of "writing what you know." It is inspired by memories of Ghadar’s own teenage years in D.C. — part recollection, part urban legend, and part pure fiction. Ghadar continued "Orange Juice in Bishop's Garden" in 2009 to focus on the other side of our nation's capital: the culture, the fashion and the indie lore. With a female driven production team, and a cast and crew comprised of all local area residents, "Orange Juice in Bishops Garden" brings fiction filmmaking out of Washington, D.C. in the form of cutting edge new media, streaming virally online.

Currently filming its fifth season, the series has won a 2011 Telly Award, two 2011 LA Web Series Festival Awards (for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Cinematography in a Drama Series), and received a 2011 Indie Intertube Ensemble Drama Award nomination.