Friday
10:00 AM
Filmmaking Basics & Beyond: Low-Budget Filmmaking
The basics, and not so basic, of low-budget film making. Our experts will tell you how they did it, and how you can too.
Speakers: Jessica Imoto Harney, Casper Kelly, Kevin Lance Collins, David Bruckner, Victoria K. Warren, Alfeo “BoxVader” Dixon
Rm: Embassy C
11:30 AM
Visual Effects, Analog vs Digital
Digital effects can be incredible, but a home improvement store and crafty camera work can make amazing things happen quickly and cheaply.
Speakers: Hunter Cressall, Jeffrey J. Ello
Rm: Embassy C
1:00 PM
A Zombie Invasion!!!
Matt Green & co discuss the new feature “A Zombie Invasion”, premiering at Dragon*Con Sun night. Zombies are coming: learn how, why, and when.
Speakers: Zeke Flatten, Michael Rome, Esq., Matt Green, James Belyeu, Jason Huck Hinshaw
Rm: Embassy C
1:00 PM
Film Festival Opening
Learn what we’ve got planned (events, guests, shorts/feature screenings). See clips/trailers, plus the announcement of Spirit of Dragon*Con film.
Speakers: Hunter Cressall, Jeffrey J. Ello, Erin Hill & her
Psychedelic Harp
Rm: The Learning Center
2:30 PM
Filmmaking Basics & Beyond: Editing
We’ll be looking at not just the technical side of editing, but the artistic, with some basic and some advanced material.
Speakers: Jessica Imoto Harney, William Kely McClung, Jon Swindall, Thomas Gofton
Rm: Embassy C
4:00 PM
10 Critical Legal Points for Filmmakers
Come learn what you absolutely must know legally to make a film from an entertainment lawyer.
Speakers: Michael Rome, Esq.
Rm: Embassy C
8:30 PM
The Best Cult Films
We’ll talk about the best (and worst) of cult film. The most extreme, the clever, and the just horrific.
Speakers: Chris Gore, Daniel Griffith, Matthew M. Foster
Rm: The Learning Center
10:00 PM
Putting Fan Films on Screen
The creators of fan films related to Star Wars,
Spiderman, Batman, and others discuss how they did it, why they did it, and how you could.
Speakers: John Hudgens, Festival Filmmakers
Rm: Embassy C
11:30 PM
What’s New With Troma
Troma president Lloyd Kaufman reveals the exciting news from Troma.
Speaker: Lloyd Kaufman
Rm: International North
Saturday
10:00 AM
Filmmaker Meet and Greet
Open discussion for attending filmmakers. Share stories, meet your colleagues, promote your work, and make contacts. Open to all.
Rm: Embassy C
11:30 AM
How to Make a Movie A-Z Part I: Pre-Production
A complete film class in 3 parts. Pre-production: This is the most important, and most ignored part of filmmaking. Find out why it shouldn’t be.
Speakers: Hunter Cressall, Jeffrey J. Ello
Rm: Embassy C
1:00 PM
How to Make a Movie A-Z Part II: Production
The audience participates in creating a short production, demonstrating the principles of film production.
Speakers: Hunter Cressall, Jeffrey J. Ello
Rm: Embassy C
2:30 PM
How to Make a Short Film
Our Festival filmmakers discuss what it takes to create a short film from idea to screen.
Speakers: Festival Filmmakers
Rm: Embassy C
2:30 PM
Juliet Landau’s Take Flight Film
Screening of the documentary on Gary Oldman and Q&A with Landau in her directorial debut.
Speaker: Juliet Landau
Rm: International South
4:00 PM
Filmmaking Basics & Beyond: Directing
Our experienced directors will cover the basics and more advanced elements of directing your own film.
Speakers: William Kely McClung, Kenneth L. Feinberg, Casper
Kelly, David Bruckner, Michael Lucker, Matt Green
Rm: Embassy C
8:30 PM
Social Media for Filmmakers
Independent filmmakers are up against Hollywood budgets. Social Media is a great equalizer, for those who know how to use it.
Speakers: Hunter Cressall, Jeffrey J. Ello, James Belyeu
Rm: Embassy C
10:00 PM
The (near) Future of Filmmaking
The next few years holds a crazy convergence of amazing new technology, uncertain laws and demanding audiences. Find out what’s about to happen here.
Speakers: Hunter Cressall, Lloyd Kaufman, Jeffrey J. Ello, Matt Green
Rm: Embassy C
Sunday
10:00 AM
Film Distribution
Making a film is hard enough, but then you’ve got to distribute it. How? DIY? Stand on a corner? Pray? Luckily, our experts have some answers.
Speakers: Lloyd Kaufman, Zeke Flatten, Michael Rome, Esq., James Belyeu, Jason Huck Hinshaw
Rm: Embassy C
11:30 AM
Filmmaking Basics & Beyond: Cinematography
Learn from the experts the basics and the tricks of cinematography
Speakers: Jessica Imoto Harney, William Kely McClung, Victoria
K. Warren, Alfeo “BoxVader” Dixon, Jon Swindall
Rm: Embassy C
1:00 PM
How to Make a Movie A-Z Part III: Post-Production
A practical demonstration of editing, composition and audio work using Adobe CS6.
Speakers: Hunter Cressall, Jeffrey J. Ello
Rm: Embassy C
1:00 PM
The Best Short Films of the Last 20 Years
We take a look at some of the best short films of the last twenty films, and leave enough time to argue which are truly the best.
Speakers: Dr. Bob Blackwood, John L. Flynn, Chris Gore, Matthew M Foster
Rm: The Learning Center
2:30 PM
Filmmaking Basics & Beyond: Storytelling
Writing and/or choosing a good script and how the rest of the production process can support telling the story well.
Speakers: Kenneth L. Feinberg, Casper Kelly, Kevin Lance Collins, David Bruckner, Michael Lucker, Jon Swindall
Rm: Embassy C
4:00 PM
The Art of Short Film
Our Festival filmmakers discuss the artistic side of their work, toss in war stories, and cover how its done.
Speakers: Festival Filmmakers
Rm: Embassy C
4:00 PM
Voltaire – Puppet Master of the Macabre
Voltaire discusses his stop-motion animation, his MTV and SyFy Channel commercials, and his short films.
Speakers: Aurelio Voltaire
Rm: The Learning Center
8:30 PM
Putting Horror on the Screen
Our horror film directors/writers/producers will discuss
what it takes to capture terror on film.
Speakers: Matt Green, Festival Filmmakers
Rm: Embassy C
10:00 PM
Making the Sick, Twisted, Disturbed Films We All Love.
The makers of some of our more peculiar film festival films, along with some old friends, discuss making films you can’t talk about with your Grandma.
Speakers: Lloyd Kaufman, Festival Filmmakers
Rm: Embassy C
Monday
10:00 AM
Puppets in Film
A look at using puppets in animated films by the filmmakers of Heather Henson’s Handmade Puppet Dreams.
Speakers: Heather Henson, Hannah Miller, Samuel Koji Hale, Kevin McTurk
Rm: Embassy C
10:00 AM
Film Festival: Filmmaker Discussion
Our group discussion of short filmmaking, covering
painful production and festival war stories, and how to get your film into a fest. Open to all.
Rm: Regency V; 2.5 Hours
11:30 AM
Filmmaking Basics & Beyond: Producing
Well cover the basics, and the complexities, of producing a film.
Speakers: Jessica Imoto Harney, William Kely McClung, Kenneth L. Feinberg, Michael Lucker, Jon Swindall
Rm: Embassy C
1:00 PM
Film Festival Awards Ceremony
Voltaire will present the 2012 Dragon*Con Independent Short Film Festival awards
Speakers: Aurelio Voltaire, Erin Hill & her Psychedelic Harp
Rm: Regency V
2:30 PM
Pro Photography for Not-So-Pro Filmmaker
The independent filmmaker is now armed with an exceptional camera (DSLR)… learn to use it!
Speakers: Hunter Cressall, Jeffrey J. Ello
Rm: Embassy C
4:00 PM
Film Festival Closing
A final look at this year’s D*CIS Film Festival. What we did right, wrong, and maybe a final film.
Rm: The Learning Center
