Screenings, and Panels, and Parties! Oh, My!

We don't need help with the screenings, but we would love your input on panels and parties! 

While we've always had at least one seminar or round table discussion at The Valley Film Festival, it wasn't until a few years ago that we got serious about our panels. As a non-profit project of Community Partners, it was mandatory to add an educational element to the festival. We tried to start a film camp for youths from the (818), but that got too complicated, so we focused on panel discussions. Just so you know, we're really not lazy, as that last sentence may imply. Trust us, we spent a great deal of time -- about a year -- trying to figure out how we could implement a production program for kids.

VFF09 RED Seminar

We've had some great panels in the past, but this year, we're ready to delve into topical & serious discussions. This is where we need your help. We do this festival for the indie filmmaker, so we'd love to hear what you'd like to know more about.

For panels, here's what we're thinking:

• Social Media Marketing for Filmmakers ~ Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and their kin are here to stay. Seriously, we check up on how you're promoting your film. We like to see you interact with other filmmakers and your audience. It shows that you really care about your project, and that's exactly the filmmaker we want at The Valley Film Festival. We happen to read Mashable and think it's a great source to stay informed, but there's so much more going, and an informative panel sounds like a good start. 

• 3D for Indie Films ~ We thought 3D technology was reserved for big budget studio films. This year, we received several questions from indie filmmakers, making 3D short films, and realized we knew nothing. I mean, look, we can't even provide you a link to get more info. So, we thought gathering some smart people to talk about Animated vs. Real 3D would be interesting. What say you?

• Crowdfunding ~ Filmmakers can now raise capital, from global fans/friends, with crowdfunding. This is the financing of the future and we're certain you'll want to know which application will work best for you. For now you can learn more via the crowdfunding wiki, and a recent interview with Gregory Bayne in Film Threat.

If we've totally missed the ball on this one, let us know. Or, if there's another, more interesting movement, out there, enlighten us. And, if you want to help put these panels together, guest moderate, etc, we're happy to have you. 

As for the parties, let the ideas flow. All of the official festival events will take place at the El Portal Theatre in NoHo, or CAP in Sherman Oaks. If you read our earlier post, T-Minus 100 Days, you'll know that our new venue, CAP Theatre, has a cabaret feel to it. We want to play up its strengths and come up with some themed events. Since we're focused on programming right now, we haven't had too many ideas, but one that comes to mind is karaoke. Good idea? Bad idea?