2023 Vail Film Festival Panel Discussions

Making the Documentary

Friday December 8 11AM – 12:30PM @ Chasing Rabbits

Documentary filmmakers go over their process for finding the story, interviewing subjects, gaining trust, digging deep and more.

Panelists:

Director Robert Darwell (Black Uniform)

Director Cyndy Fujikawa (Ninety Minutes Later)

Directors Chad Weber and Steve Vanderheide (Dreama Team)

Producer Panel:

Saturday December 9 11:30AM – 1PM @ Chasing Rabbits 

Panelists discuss what it means to be a producer, getting a movie from concept to screen, and what obstacles they overcame to get their film made.

Producer Melanie Starks (Fluorescent Beast)

Producers Alex Barreto and Taylor Feltner (Late Bloomers)

Producer Alixzandra Dove (7000 Miles)

Producer Sean Drummond (No Right Way)

Actor/Director Panel:

Saturday December 9 1:30PM – 3PM @ Chasing Rabbits

Panelists discuss the challenges of both directing and acting in the same film, why they decided to do so, and successful strategies to navigate being the filmmaker and actor

Director/Actor Chelsea Bo (No Right Way)

Director/Actor Johanna Putnam (Shudderbugs)

Director/Actor Sara Friedman (Heightened)