Workshops 2020

1:00 PM – IT’S LIT: FILM LIGHTING IN THE MODERN INDUSTRY – Jay Warrior
Learn the intricacies behind lighting for motion picture. We will cover everything from the history of lighting for motion picture to current strategies employed by modern cinematographers. We will also discuss how a proper set functions and how a Gaffer and Key Grip work with other departments efficiently. This workshop is aimed at those who wish to pursue a career in cinematography or lighting. (If you want to work on set in NYC come to this presentation and talk to me afterwards.)

ABOUT JAY WARRIOR
Jay Warrior is a Gaffer and Chief Lighting Technician based in New York City. He has gaffed multiple feature films, commercials, and music videos for New York’s finest cinematographers. His work can be seen on Netflix, Hulu, and on Cable TV. He began his career by commuting 7 hours to NYC from W&M to work on set. Jay prides himself on being an avid instagrammer and networker.

2:00 PM – ONE WEIRD TRICK FOR LITERARY SUCCESS – Kate Reed Petty ‘06
If you dream of publishing a novel, short stories, or creative nonfiction, this workshop will offer practical advice you can use to get started right now. We’ll talk about the process of submitting work for publication, the art of building a network, and the etiquette of interacting with literary gatekeepers. You’ll leave with a list of agents, magazines, residencies, and other publishing resources, as well as one weird trick that will get people excited about you and your work. 

ABOUT KATE REED PETTY ’06
Kate Reed Petty’s debut novel, TRUE STORY, will be published August 4, 2020 by Viking Books. Her work has appeared in Electric Literature, American Short Fiction, and The Los Angeles Review of Books, among other places, and she is the winner of a “30 Below” award from Narrative Magazine. She is also the co-author, with artist Boya Sun, of the graphic novel Chasma Knights, and her second graphic novel with First Second Books (Macmillan) is soon to be announced. Kate’s work has been supported with grants and scholarships from The Mount, Bloedel Reserve, the Rubys Artist Awards, and the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. At William & Mary, she was a member of I.T., as well as a frequent ghost at Tucker Hall. Kate lives in Baltimore.

2:00 PM – FROM $500 TO $500,000: GET PAST THE MONEY AND GET YOUR FIRST FILM MADE – Elissa Cohn ‘05
What does it take to make your first film? Sometimes all it takes is a phone and a friend, sometimes you have bigger things in mind. No matter what though, it’s going to take two things: time and commitment. Oh yeah, and money. In this workshop, we’ll explore what it really takes to get that first film made, how to create realistic expectations, and how to use the resources you don’t even know you have. 

ABOUT ELISSA COHN ’05
After graduating in 2005, Elissa Cohn spent a lot of time on the road, working on a number of filmmakers’ first shorts and features. She has worked in both film and television as everything from a script supervisor to camera assistant to production coordinator. Elissa is now based in San Diego where, when not helping with the family business, she focuses on independent film projects as both a producer and writer-director. Most recently, she produced the short film SPANKO, which has screened at festivals worldwide and is currently in feature development.

3:30 PM – WHAT’S A PRODUCER, AND HOW DO I BECOME ONE? – Joe Pirro ‘08
Of all the members of a film crew, the producer is often the role least easy to define and articulate. However, producing is an essential function of independent filmmaking binding together the creative process and the financial structure necessary to make a film. In this session, we’ll look to define the nebulous role of a producer as well as discuss feasible pathways into the industry at large. 

ABOUT JOE PIRRO ’08
Joe Pirro is Head of Production at Symbolic Exchange, a development and production company founded by producer/screenwriter James Schamus (Brokeback Mountain, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), and based in New York City. His recent credits include Driveways, The Assistant, Adam, and Casting JonBenent. After a stint with Teach For America, he began his film career in the United Talent Agency mailroom and worked in the motion picture literary department at both the Beverly Hills and New York locations of UTA. He has also worked at Focus Features, Red Hour Films, and The Weinstein Co.

3:30 PM – SCREW IT: LET’S WRITE A SCREENPLAY IN 80 MINUTES – Zan Gillies ’09
It’s easy to talk about screenwriting theory and best practices, but why not just do it? In this workshop, we’ll beat, structure and write a short screenplay. Or we’ll die trying. Or we’ll just try and we won’t die. There are a number of options here. We’ll use the active practice of creating a story to tackle and explore the tenets of screenwriting: fleshing out characters, creating conflict, building a solid structure, and telling a genuine human narrative that will connect to an audience.

ABOUT ZAN GILLIES ’09
Zan Gillies is a screenwriter and overall film boy. He has a Masters of Fine Arts in Film and Electronic Media and has placed in numerous screenplay competitions, including as a semi-finalist in the Academy Nicholl Fellowships. In his spare time, he drinks wine and watches obscure British game shows.

10:00 AM – STUNTS! REAL AND FAKE DANGERS OF FILM & TV – Jamie Northup ‘04
In this workshop, we’ll show how to safely perform and film a basic stunt.  There will be a discussion about storytelling and its place in fast-paced action sequences.

ABOUT JAMIE NORTHRUP ’04
Jamie Northrup works as a Cameraman, Steadicam operator, and Stuntman in NYC. His camerawork has been seen most recently in Hollywood 306, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. His stuntwork can be seen on Saturday Night Live.

10:00 AM – CONFESSIONS OF A GENRE AGNOSTIC – Desiree Cooper
I create in many genres, including short stories, journalism, flash, memoir, essay, columns, poetry, and film. I have dabbled in visual art and am currently working on a novel. When your muse comes in many forms, how do you know which is best for your project? This session is for multi-genre creators to discuss how to choose the best vehicle for their work, and how to maintain fidelity to story.

ABOUT DESIREE COOPER
Desiree Cooper is a 2015 Kresge Artist Fellow, former attorney and Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist. Her debut collection of flash fiction, Know the Mother, is a 2017 Michigan Notable Book that has won numerous awards, including 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Award. Cooper’s fiction, poetry and essays have appeared in The Best Small Fictions 2018, Callaloo, Michigan Quarterly Review, Hypertext Review, Best African American Fiction 2010, and a notable mention in The Best American Essays 2019.  In 2018, she wrote, produced and co-directed The Choice, a short film about reproductive rights and recipient of a 2019 Outstanding Achievement Award from the Berlin Flash Film Festival, and Award of Merit from the Best Short Film Festival in Los Angeles. Cooper collaborated with the Dance Department at The College William & Mary to create a dance “Aloft” inspired by her feminist fiction which debuted in October, 2018.

11:30 AM – FILM PRODUCTION: THE BALANCE BETWEEN CREATIVE AND BUSINESS – Jeffrey Tinnell ‘85
Discuss and share experiences of developing a production from feature films, commercials and everything in between with Jeffrey Tinnell, 2020 GFF Special Guest and Producer of the film Feast of the Seven Fishes.

ABOUT JEFFREY TINNELL ’85
Jeffrey Tinnell is a motion picture and television producer with over thirty years of experience. Tinnell has produced work for Nike, Coca-Cola, The Rolling Stones, Miramax, MGM and Lions Gate. His production company, Alleghany Image Factory (AIF), recently completed Feast of the Seven Fishes. A 1985 graduate of the College of William & Mary with a B.A. in History, Tinnell played football under coach Jimmye Laycock. An active participant in the William & Mary community, Tinnell and AIF worked closely with W&M Athletics to produce the latest branding campaign for Tribe sports. The father of two daughters, Tinnell’s oldest, Remy, is currently a junior at the university. 

11:30 AM – PREPARING FOR THE AUDITION: PUTTING YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD – Sheri Bias ‘97
This workshop will provide participants with tips and tricks on preparing for successful auditions: from headshots to in studio auditions to self tapes. Co-hosted by Professor Frances Saxton.

ABOUT SHERI BIAS ’97
Dr. Sheri Bias, SPHR, is currently owner/operator of Liquid Talent Group based in Richmond, VA.  She has been involved in the industry for many years with accomplishments of casting for feature films as well as Corporate client productions.  Many of her talent were cast in the feature films To Have and To Hold, Field of Lost Shoes, and Captain Phillips which were all shot locally in Virginia.  She has provided talent to a variety of TV Shows such as A Haunting, Wicked Attractions, Fatal Attractions, and Legends and Lies.  Her client list includes such organizations as Wal-Mart, Pizza Hut, GEICO, Bon Secours, NASCAR, YMCA, and H2OB.

Dr. Bias has been a senior-level executive in human resources management with over 25 years experience.  She has an extensive background in business, and previously led large-scale organizational change efforts for Fortune 100 companies such as Philip Morris USA and Anheuser-Busch.  She was a Management Consultant with Pricewaterhouse Coopers where her primary focus with performance improvement and technology implementations for Fortune 500 companies.

Dr. Bias received her PhD from The Fielding Graduate University where she studied a variety of human resources topics focusing specifically on the impacts of diversity and social justice.  She possesses an MBA from The College of William & Mary and a Master of Arts in Education and Human Development from The George Washington University.

1:00 PM – THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE ISN’T SHIFTING, IT’S ON FIRE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE MARKETING – Jess Novak ‘06
To put it mildly, media is not a stable field at the moment. To put it more accurately, media is a pirate ship that’s simultaneously aflame, sinking, and infested with zombie rats. Heritage brands are folding all around us, print publications are going the way of the dodo, and beloved online outlets are being acquired by big brands for their SEO, stripped down to user-generated content, and resold up the food chain. But that doesn’t mean all that hot, hot online #content isn’t valuable anymore: for the most part, it’s becoming an extension of brands. This is terrible for freedom of the press and probably pretty disastrous for our culture, but it’s a great turn of events for anyone whose primary skill set is making words sound good together. In this workshop, we’ll discuss the future of online media, why brands are making the choice to invest in storytelling, and the relative of value of selling out.

ABOUT JESS NOVAK ’06
Jess Novak is an editorial director, content marketer, and SEO expert who works with clients ranging from Ghost Democracy to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. She was the Senior Editor of Health Science, Lifestyle, and Beauty at Greatist, host of the IGTV series GLAMOURISH, and a Cities Editor at Thrillist. She’s taught writing, argumentation, and research at a couple of colleges, and has written consistently self-deprecating and occasionally useful stories for publications like SELF, Maxim, Men’s Journal, and Brooklyn Magazine. She earned her B.A. in Literary and Cultural Studies from William & Mary, and  holds an MFA in Creative Writing, Poetry.

1:00 PM – STEADICAM – THE ART OF THE MOVING CAMERA – Jamie Northup ‘04
Learn how to make a “long take” engaging and dynamic using professional filmmaking tools. In addition to learning about the tools, students will create a single long-take shot during the class.

ABOUT JAMIE NORTHRUP ’04
Jamie Northrup works as a Cameraman, Steadicam operator, and Stuntman in NYC. His camerawork has been seen most recently in Hollywood 306, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. His stuntwork can be seen on Saturday Night Live.

2:30 PM – PRODUCING YOUR FIRST PLAY WITH A LIMITED BUDGET – Elliot Wegman ‘12
Learn how to comprehensively execute your vision for a theatrical play with $1000 (or less).  We’ll go through every step of the process, including budgeting, scheduling, casting, assembling a production crew, sourcing your set pieces, and advertising. Get some concrete facts about some pitfalls and detours you can expect from someone who just lived it a couple months ago. By the end of the workshop you will know that you can produce a play too!

ABOUT ELLIOT WEGMAN ’12
Elliot Wegman is a writer, actor, and director living in Richmond, Virginia. He most recently wrote and directed an original play, Unbecoming, starred in a TV pilot, The Magic Shed, and is a regular improv comedy performer, teacher, and manager at the Coalition Theater in Richmond.

2:30 PM – START YOUR OWN FILM BUSINESS – Zach Keifer ‘07
So you’re not packing a van and driving to L.A. and you didn’t apply to any film schools – not a problem.  You can still continue your filmmaking pursuits wherever you land, and you’ll even be able to make a living at it.

ABOUT ZACH KEIFER ’07
Following his graduation from W&M, Zach Keifer settled in Charlottesville, VA where he evolved from an independent freelancer to co-owner of a full service production company, Folk Hero Films, which averaged close to $100,000 in gross income per year. In 2020, Zach became the sole owner of a new production company, Octillion Productions, where he continues to write, direct, shoot and edit documentary projects as well as  produce media content for businesses and non-profits in the area.

10:00 AM INFLUENCER MARKETING 101: PAST, PRESENT… FUTURE? – Cora Kessler ‘13
Influencer. Authentic. Trending. Just a few choice buzzwords from this year’s social landscape. In this workshop, we’ll peek behind the veil of the Influencer world to learn about different types of talent, the hurdles that brands and creators face, as well as ethical challenges in this growing industry. For example, did you know some top Instagrammers are actually just computer-generated images? Let’s talk about that. We will also put our learnings to the test with an exercise that only someone with the passion of an influencer can master.

ABOUT CORA KESSLER ’13
Cora Kessler holds the title of Account Manager in Touchstorm’s Richmond, Virginia office where she wrangles YouTube talent on a global scale for clients like Gillette, Ford, and Grey Goose Vodka. When she’s not traveling to Mumbai, New York, or Los Angeles, she is recording episodes for her podcast, Open Sesame (available wherever you listen to your podcasts).

10:00 AM – WORKING IN LATE NIGHT AND FINDING MY CAREER PATH – Alanna Wildermuth ‘12
After several years of trying out so many different jobs and cities, Alanna Wildermuth ‘12  finally found the career path she hopes to stay on with her job at the late night talk show Desus and Mero. Season 1 is now over and has taught her so many lessons about what she would like out of her job and how her type A, detail oriented brain is best utilized. In this workshop, she will go over the different steps that had to be taken to lead her to where she is now, as well as all the different processes that have to happen to create the “most illustrious” and improvised late night talk show two nights a week.

ABOUT ALANNA WILDERMUTH ’12
Alanna Wildermuth currently lives in Brooklyn, NY and works as a production secretary and intern coordinator for the late night show Desus and Mero.  She is passionate about creating career connections between current students, staff, and alumni and has created a monthly entertainment newsletter for the past four years (ask her if you’re interested in being added to the listserv). She got her start in production by working in news at WAVY TV 10/FOX43 in Portsmouth, VA. She then resided in Richmond, VA, where she worked on projects for ABC, Amazon Signatures Studios, PBS, and Focus Features.

10:00 AM – ENDING GERRYMANDERING IN VIRGINIA – Brian Cannon ‘04, JD ‘11 & Liz White ‘04
Gerrymandering has been a part of Virginia’s government since the days of Patrick Henry, but for the first time ever, we are on the cusp of ending it for good. OneVirginia2021 is leading a statewide coalition to create a fair and transparent system for drawing maps so that voters can choose their politicians, not the other way around.

ABOUT BRIAN CANNON ’04, JD ’11
Brian Cannon became the Executive Director of OneVirginia2021 in January 2015. He brings over a decade of experience in non-profit leadership, community building, fundraising, and bipartisan advocacy for state policy issues. Previously, he worked as a consultant with startups and high-growth companies. While in law school, Brian studied election law and was on one of the winning teams in the 2011 state-wide redistricting competition.

ABOUT LIZ WHITE ’04
Since 2015, Liz has worked with OneVirginia2021 to grow their supporter base and activate a statewide grassroots network. As part of her work, she travels to communities across the Commonwealth to speak about redistricting reform and empower voters to raise their voices on this issue. She also runs the Presence at the Polls program, training and mobilizing hundreds of volunteers every election. A lifelong political hobbyist, she is honored to work full time on improving such a fundamental part of our democracy.

10:00 AM – HAND-PRESSED MONOTYPE PRINTING – Kristen Peyton ’12
This workshop will take place at the Matoaka Art Studio. This workshop will explore the artistic method of hand-pressed monotype printing. Following the painterly tradition of artists such as Degas, Matisse, Prendergast, and others, participants will receive an introduction to the art of monotype printing. Using plexiglass, paper, ink, and spoon, participants will learn methods in creative mark-making using hand, brush, and simple tools, as well as techniques of image transfer. The workshop will begin with a short introduction to materials, methods, and art historical examples, and move outside (weather permitting—dress warm) to work from observation of the landscape and creative invention.

The workshop is open to beginners as well as those experienced in monotype printing. All materials will be provided. The workshop is limited to 12 participants.

ABOUT KRISTEN PEYTON ’12
Kristen Peyton is a painter and printmaker working from observation and invention. She earned a Master of Fine Art in Painting from the University of New Hampshire in May of 2017 and a Bachelor of Arts from the College of William and Mary in 2012. Kristen is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and a resident of Richmond, Virginia. Currently, she is the Visiting Assistant Professor of Painting and Drawing at the College of William & Mary. To see Kristen’s work and CV, visit KristenPeyton.com.

11:30 AM – A CONVERSATION WITH DAVID DALEY – David Daley
Journalist and national best-selling author David Daley will discuss politics and gerrymandering with participants.

ABOUT DAVID DALEY
David Daley is the author of the national best-seller Ratf**ked: Why Your Vote Doesn’t Count and the forthcoming Unrigged: How Americans Are Battling Back to Save Democracy. His journalism has been published in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Intercept and many other publications. He is the former editor-in-chief of Salon, and a senior fellow at FairVote. He lives in western Massachusetts.

1:00 PM – DOCUMENTARY STORYTELLING – THE ART OF INTERVIEWING – Catherine Orr Giovanetti ‘05
When wielded correctly, the power of documentary storytelling can unite generations, change minds, influence hearts, and motivate action. But how do you craft videos that communicate clearly, effectively, and in a relational way that sticks with your audience? 

It starts in the way we approach, foster, and honor natural dialogue in the interview process. From the way you choose your interviewees to the way you ask a question, moving beyond the constraints of standard interview sound bites and hollow jargon will elevate the experience and quality of your production from beginning to end. When you capture organic moments in someone’s story, the audience is able to truly connect with them and, most importantly, remember their story.

In this interactive workshop, we’ll focus on concepts and strategies for crafting effective interviews. Workshop attendees will learn what questions we always ask, and they’ll engage in critical discussions and exercises on how to unearth the right stories from the right people.

ABOUT CATHERINE ORR GIOVANETTI ’05
Catherine Orr Giovanetti is the co-founder of StoryMine – a production company that creates documentary-style videos for mission-driven organizations and partners with media outlets and independent producers on documentary projects. StoryMine videos do more than just talk about an issue. They capture real stories and human moments that connect people to a cause and show them why they should care. Catherine received a BA in American Studies from the College of William and Mary and an MA from the University of North Carolina School of Media and Journalism. Her individual and collaborative work has been featured in The New York Times and National Geographic and recognized by SXSW Interactive, the Grantham Prize for Environmental Journalism, World Press Photo, and the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, among others.

1:00 PM – MAKING THINGS LOOK GRRREAT ON A BUDGET – Lauretta Prevost ‘05
As indie budgets – and hence gear, crew size, and time – shrink, while competition grows, what are some ways to make quality work, and to still get to play and craft, and not just desperately strive to make the day?  Lauretta has been working since 2007 as a cinematographer in indie NYC, and often finds herself considering projects striving – by necessity or inexperience – to squeeze every last penny out of a budget. Here are some thoughts on what works and what doesn’t, methods that she has found beneficial, and things to consider on whether you can make that low budget job into quality work.

ABOUT LAURETTA PREVOST ’05
Lauretta graduated W&M in 2005, fresh from the fertile loins of the LCST Film Program, the English department, and  the Meridian Coffeehouse. For the past thirteen years, Lauretta Prevost has worked as a documentary and narrative cinematographer.

Lauretta’s documentary interests are strongly rooted in social justice, as well as environmental, arts, and community work. An Inciting Incident for her was filming at Standing Rock, North Dakota for four months, contributing footage to Democracy Now!, Al Jazeera, The Real News Network, camp media, and two feature documentaries screened at the Sundance Film Festival.

Lauretta’s narrative interests are first and foremost rooted in strong stories, stylistically told.  She has shot three indie features. Recently lauded projects include: “Lady Hunters,” a short which has won two Best Cinematography Awards, as well as Best Film at the Detroit SheTown Film Festival; and “116,” which has received an extraordinary number of awards over the past two years, including multiple Best Director, special recognition, best lighting, and best color treatment.

1:00 PM – WHAT IT MEANS TO MAKE MUSIC YOUR LIFE WITH TONALTHEORY – Marissa Benecke ’15, Kyung Rae Kim ’15, Andrew Kopca ’15, Jonathan Lim ’00
DC-based electronic music artists will discuss how to navigate a competitive landscape of underground dance music. Other discussions will include work-life balance, music production, and event curation. 

Each artist will dive into their musical backgrounds and discuss how they started, progressed, and impacted the DC underground dance music scene. The discussion includes music production techniques, record labels and music releases, and a Q&A session.

ABOUT ANDREW KOPCA ’15
Andrew Kopca aka Chairman is an up and coming DJ & Producer based in Washington DC. Music has been an important part of his life since he took up the violin at an early age. Classically trained, he infuses a wide variety of melody and harmonies in his music, all while maintaining a booming bassline and irresistible groove. Chairman’s tracks dance the line between progressive and melodic techno. 

ABOUT JONATHAN LIM ’00
Keyboard player, producer, and DJ who comprises one-half of the synthwave duo, Velocity 128. His music focuses on creating melodic tracks influenced by new wave, alternative rock, and electronic music from the 1980s and 90s with current production techniques. Previously, as a keyboard player and co-songwriter for the electronic rock band, 23RAINYDAYS, Jonathan Lim toured across the United States and received media attention in 2009 when MTV selected the band as a Top 3 Breakout Artist.

ABOUT MARISSA BENECKE ’15 & KYUNG RAE KIM ’15
Techno DJ/Producers from Washington D.C. Marissa and Rae have been hard at work, playing everywhere from clubs to warehouses in the District as Synthesis Residents. Their sets have always been signified by bending boundaries between hard-hitting industrial techno elements and mesmerizing synths and atmospheric melodies. They have played support for some of the biggest names in the industry of both techno and trance alike including Alan Fitzpatrick, Nicole Moudaber, Green Velvet, Victor Calderone, John Askew, and Greg Downey. The duo also hosts a regular radio show once a month on ascension.fm (Undertone Radio), and hosts monthly parties for up and coming talent of underground music as Decibel Collective. Their latest release Distorted Mind EP on ROAMANCE has been featured on Washington Post in December, 2019.

2:30 PM – TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE: “WORKING IN THEATRE EDITION” – Caitlin Clements ‘11
Question: Working on Broadway in theatrical producing and management for 8+ years, a few of Caitlin’s projects to date have included:

1. Designing a line of luxury polo shirts for dogs, one of which is now proudly owned by a beloved Aussie actor’s French bulldog.
2. Decking out a bespoke ice cream truck that roamed the streets of NY for a summer, and dreaming up punny names for its offering of thematic flavors.
3. Selling apples for $10 a pop to the good people of Times Square like a Dickensian street waif (but hey, it was for charity).

(Answer: Come to the workshop to find out.)

In the form of a rousing game of Two Truths and a Lie (kidding, but only kind of), we’ll explore the surprisingly varied challenges and opportunities presented by an offstage career in the theatrical arts – from merchandising to party planning, digital and social marketing to educational and philanthropic initiatives. The moral of the story: no matter your background, through your diverse, TWAMP-tastic experiences, you, too already have lots to bring to the table when pitching yourself for your first job in theater.

ABOUT CAITLIN CLEMENTS ’11
Caitlin Clements resides in New York with her trusty pup Gatsby, where she works in theatrical producing as Associate Producer and Creative Content Director at Stacey Mindich Productions. She made her Broadway producing debut on the musical “Dear Evan Hansen,” for which she earned a 2017 Tony Award.  She is now also a co-producer on the West End and touring productions of “Dear Evan Hansen,” as well as the upcoming revival of Neil Simon’s “Plaza Suite” starring Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker. 

Prior to her current position, Caitlin worked within a theatrical general management office, including time spent as the Assistant Company Manager on the 2012 Broadway revival of “Annie.”  

Caitlin holds an MA in Cinema Studies from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and a BA in LCST/Film from William & Mary, where she was a member of the 1693 Scholars Program. During her time at W&M, Caitlin was also involved with Alma Mater Productions, Alpha Phi Omega, and was a proud student staff member for the inaugural Global Film Festival, continuing to work on the festival for the duration of her time at the College.

2:30 PM – THE PRODUCER LIFE: MAKING A CAREER IN DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION – Aaron Barksdale ‘13
In this workshop, participants will hear the first-hand experience of what it’s like to work in video production for a digital media outlet. Over the course of the session, attendees will learn about the pre-production, production and post-production components that go into making documentaries and short-form viral content for social platforms like YouTube, IGTV, Facebook, and Snapchat. This event will include interactive moments where participants will be able to experience what a day on the job as a producer may include. Also, participants will learn what skills they need to develop in order to be a competitive candidate for jobs in this industry. 

ABOUT AARON BARKSDALE ’13
Aaron Barksdale is an associate producer at VICE Media where he works on documentaries, celebrity interviews, and short-form video for social platforms. He’s developed his career showcasing stories about pop-culture and social issues that are often underreported in the mainstream media. Prior to working on video content at VICE Media, he worked at HuffPost as a fellow and his journalism has been published on Blavity, Refinery 29, OUT, The Good Men Project, and The Daily Dot. 

Aaron earned his BA in English from William & Mary and an MA in Art and Art Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.