WFF2025 Education Sessions

2025 Winter Film Festival Speakers and Panelists

  • Dan Gurlitz

    Soundview Media
    Founding Member & CEO

  • Easmanie Michel

    NYWIFT
    Fiscal Sponsorship Manager

  • Ian Bignell

    Festival Formula
    Film Festival Strategist

  • Ian Holt

    MovieVue
    Partner & Curator

  • Jalen Vasquez

    Freelancer’s Union
    Director of Freelancers Hub

  • Jim Thalman

    MoviVue
    President

  • Joanna Rudolph

    Film Producer

  • Katie Bignell

    Festival Formula
    Film Festival Strategist & Founder

  • Mike Brown

    Pineapple Improv
    Founder

  • Rafael Espinal

    Freelancers Union
    Executive Director


2025 Winter Film Festival Education Sessions

Winter Film Festival is proud to present six awesome sessions geared towards emerging filmmakers!

    • Education Session
    The Secret Bloody Truths – Get Your Indie Horror Film Made!
    Thursday Feb 20, 12:45 PM-2:00 PM
    FREE
    LOOK Cinemas Theater 4
    657 West 57th Street
    Brought to you by MoviVue
    Get your indie horror film financed, produced and distributed – learn the secret, down and dirty, bloody truth of how to slice and dice it right.

    This event is FREE and open to the public but you must REGISTER IN ADVANCE
    • Education Session
    The Business Behind the Scenes for Freelance Filmmakers
    Thursday Feb 20, 2:15 PM-3:30 PM
    FREE
    LOOK Cinemas Theater 4
    657 West 57th Street
    Brought to you by The Freelancer’s Union
    A career in freelance film means juggling creative projects with legal and financial responsibilities. Whether you’re an emerging filmmaker, a visual artist, a writer, or any kind of creative, you’re not just an artist—you’re a freelancer running your own business. So, how do you protect yourself, secure fair pay, and avoid common pitfalls? Join Freelancers Union for a dynamic session designed specifically for creatives navigating the freelance world.

    This event is FREE and open to the public but you must REGISTER IN ADVANCE
    • Education Session
    Harnessing Flexibility in your Acting & Filmmaking – with IMPROV!
    Thursday Feb 20, 3:45 PM-5:00 PM
    FREE
    LOOK Cinemas Theater 4
    657 West 57th Street
    Brought to you by Pineapple Improv
    Improv training builds muscle memory for exploring and making fresh choices you may have never considered. Your own limitations are self-imposed because we’ve all been taught to take this art form so seriously. But we want to help you break that habit, loosen up, and find your own style of fun in this amazing work we do as creators!

    This event is FREE and open to the public but you must REGISTER IN ADVANCE
    • Education Session
    Festival Formula – Here To Tell You Some Festival Truths (and be honest)
    Friday Feb 21, 12:45 PM-2:00 PM
    FREE
    LOOK Cinemas Theater 5
    657 West 57th Street
    Brought to you by Festival Formula
    Katie and Ian Bignell from Festival Formula will talk you through their company’s process of how to maximise your festival journey. From understanding the different levels of festivals, to the assets that you can explore to be more targeted with your individual film. Honest and realistic – these two industry voices will be on hand to answer your questions and to dispel some recurring myths.

    This event is FREE and open to the public but you must REGISTER IN ADVANCE
    • Education Session
    Distribution Strategies for Independent Filmmakers
    Friday Feb 21, 2:15 PM-3:30 PM
    FREE
    LOOK Cinemas Theater 5
    657 West 57th Street
    Brought to you by Soundview Media Partners
    BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! 40-year distribution veteran Dan Gurlitz, the founder of Soundview Media Partners, is a specialist in establishing and/expanding distribution for independent features and documentaries. He will be discussing distribution strategies for both physical and digital media exploitation

    This event is FREE and open to the public but you must REGISTER IN ADVANCE
    • Education Session
    Navigating Film Fundraising with NYWIFT
    Friday Feb 21, 3:45 PM-5:00 PM
    FREE
    LOOK Cinemas Theater 5
    657 West 57th Street
    Brought to you by New York Women In Film & TV
    Raising funds for your indie film is so hard and confusing! You have a great project in-the-making yet the financing options and the state of the industry seem overwhelming. Whether this is your first film or twentieth, get answers about finding funding, applying for grants, fiscal sponsorship and getting your project off the ground!

    This event is FREE and open to the public but you must REGISTER IN ADVANCE