Events

In this hour-long conversation for filmmakers of all levels, you’ll get a chance to ask questions about producing and directing some of Hollywood’s biggest films. Joseph Kosinski will discuss crafting memorable heroes, bringing his unique take to existing IP, and directing thrilling action sequences.

In this Advisor Studio, veteran Casting Director Richard Hicks will guide you through the full casting process, from breaking down scripts and developing character briefs to crafting a strategy for outreach, auditions, and offers. You will gain insight into how Casting Directors interpret a filmmaker’s vision, present creative options, and balance artistic goals with understanding actor market value, budget, and scheduling realities.

In this Advisor Studio session, veteran producer and location scout Gerry Kim will explore how to scout with both artistry and strategy.

This session highlights the tools, workflows, and editorial decisions that transformed raw material into a cohesive documentary, revealing how structure, iteration, and collaboration bring real-world stories into focus.

Virtual production (VP) offers filmmakers a new avenue to achieve high production value on a smaller budget. In this immersive introduction to the technology, attendees will receive a virtual tour of Studio Ulster, one of Europe’s most ambitious VP studios.

As AI tools become more widely available, they also raise questions about ethical boundaries and legal concerns. Led by veteran entertainment attorney Elsa Ramo, this one-hour session will cover important guidelines to follow when using AI in your filmmaking workflow.

Sara Bernstein, President of Imagine Documentaries, hosts a conversation about the big question facing docs right now: Where's it all going?

Find new ways to bring your ideas to life without waiting for a greenlight from the powers-that-be. In this session, you will discover how LLMs (Language Learning Models) can support your creative process in ideation, research, and drafting while maintaining authorship of your work.

In this session, you’ll learn how to translate your unique voice across new tools and platforms and gain a greater understanding of how creators can successfully use virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality with intention to empower others.

In this session, led by director, producer, and entrepreneur Kristina Budelis, you’ll learn some of the new ways documentary teams are using AI, with a focus on behind-the-scenes use.

Emmy-nominated filmmaker Eliza McNitt and Ben Wiley (Creative Director, Google Creative Lab) unpack the creation of ANCESTRA, discussing how the pair blended live action performances with generative AI visuals to tell a deeply personal story.

This panel explores how narratology (the study of story structure, meaning, and form) can guide human-centered AI tools toward new plot structures for the modern age, beyond inherited templates like the Hero’s Journey.

In this comprehensive panel featuring the artists behind several innovative indie games, you’ll hear a wide range of perspectives on narrative design, worldbuilding, and what goes into making a great game.

In this special three-hour session, Valerie Veatch will present a deep-dive into the making of her documentary as well as the technology’s implications with regards to race, gender, data, labor, the climate, and more. Veatch will lead a series of three panel discussions with nine experts who appear in her film.

Storytelling is shifting from passive observation to immersive, participatory experience. How can creators adapt to this new frontier? Join Charles Melcher as he explores how interactivity and audience engagement are changing the media landscape.

In this session, Alex Rivera will deliver a presentation on how thoughtful, socially-engaged filmmakers can approach this moment in which AI has become ubiquitous in modern life.

In this moderated conversation, Hustwit will discuss how he conceptualized and created the film, the challenges of incorporating bespoke tech into his filmmaking practice, and his predictions on the future intersections of film and technology.

This panel provides insights into how to bridge the gap between content creation and storytelling in the social media landscape.

Join us for a grounded exploration of creativity’s new frontier as Henry Daubrez, Resident Filmmaker and Creative Director at Google Labs, discusses why, despite powerful algorithms, the "human touch" remains the defining variable.

Join us for a deep dive into the actor/director relationship with Rian Johnson and Noah Segan, the lessons learned from decades on set, and their take on the future of independent cinema.