Master Classes are in-depth, interactive learning experiences focused on craft and career building and led by renowned industry experts. Topics include fiction and documentary filmmaking, TV writing and production, and navigating and succeeding in the entertainment industry.



For artists, creators, and producers at different stages of their careers, social media and other online platforms can serve as an effective way to communicate your artistic skills, editorial content and creative vision as well as to share current and past work in order to build a loyal audience who will support your career long-term. In a digital world crowded with information, what are the key steps to building an effective online presence that serves your professional goals?


In this three-hour Master Class, Ryan Davis, Co-founder, and Principal of Smarthouse Creative, discusses the basic elements of a digital marketing strategy for filmmakers, where you need to start, ways to improve what you already have out there, how to identify and establish your goals for your online presence and how to achieve them. Building on these basic steps, Davis gathers a handful of tips and top-notch examples where good ideas and out-of-the-box thinking took indie films very far and where filmmakers have been able to successfully build personal brands and lasting presences online.


Topics covered include:

    00:00 - Welcome and Introduction from Sundance Collab

    05:50 - Introduction from Ryan Davis and Amie Simon

    06:30 - Digital marketing strategy essentials and basic steps for independent creators

    12:20 - Effective ways to talk about yourself, your creative practice, and your vision

    33:38 - Tips for building social media channels + Organic/paid post

    56:05 - Q&A with Ryan Davis and Amie Simon

    1:39:20 - Break

    1:09:38 - Case Study - The Paper Tigers with producer Al’n Duong and writer/director Bao Tran

    1:49:10 - Q&A with Al’n Duong and Bao Tran

    2:11:11 - Worksheet Session for filmmakers with Ryan Davis and Amie Smigh

    2:45:15 - Q&A with Ryan Davis and Amie Simon

    2:51:27 - Final Announcements


Past classes have included Academy Award-winning director Roger Ross Williams on Documentary Storytelling, Finding Dory’s Victoria Strouse on Comedy Writing, Emmy-nominated director Lesli Linka Glatter on Blocking a Scene, The Walking Dead’s Glen Mazzara on TV Writing, and more.


Resources:

Download the list of RESOURCES from Ryan Davis and Sundance Collab

Download the Smarthouse BULIDING YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE Filmmaker Worksheet

Ryan Ann Davis
Instructor
Ryan Davis (@indieartsvoice) is a film publicist and communications professional with over fifteen years of experience in the film industry and arts marketing. She is co-founder and principal at Smarthouse Creative. Named by MEDIA INC. as one of Washington State's most influential women in film, TV, and media, Ryan has worked in almost every aspect of the film business--from production and festivals to distribution and exhibition. more...
Al’n Duong
Panelist
Al’n is a Seattle based producer & consultant working in the film and gaming industry, currently developing documentary films in the worlds of politics, fashion, and professional sports. He harbored great passion for martial arts films and NBA basketball from a young age. After reaching the staggering height of 5 foot 7 inches, Al’n put all his energy into making backyard Kung Fu films in high school using home video cameras. more...
Amie Simon
Panelist
Amie Simon (@ReAmimator) has 15+ years of marketing experience as a content strategizer, creator, and copywriter for social, web, and print. She spent almost 4 years at MoPOP (formerly EMP Museum) creating geek-focused content, and growing their social audience. She knows the ins-and-outs of campaigns, taglines, brand voice, social media, community building, targeted ads, and #squadgoals. more...
Bao Tran
Panelist
Mentored early on by master action director Corey Yuen, Bao was instilled with an approach to action that doesn’t rely solely on spectacle but also draws on story and character. Screen Anarchy commended his written-and-directed short BOOKIE for its “flawlessly realized world populated by entirely fleshed out and believable characters, driven by a compelling narrative and brought to sumptuous life.” more...
Tags:TV / Digital SeriesEmerging Media

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