Panel Discussions
FREE!

Along with the abundance of great movies presented at the Salem Film Festival come many of the moviemakers themselves. Directors, producers, writers, cinematographers, actors: They are a collective wealth of talent and wide-ranging experience. Through a variety of panel presentations, these artists provide festival goers a unique opportunity for a glimpse inside the fascinating world of Independent Film. 

Whether you are a budding filmmaker yourself, a cinemaniac, or just someone who likes going to the movies, these panel discussions will entertain you, surprise you, and enrich your appreciation of film. All panels will be held at Willamette University’s Hallie Ford Museum, just a short walk from festival theaters, in a relaxed and intimate setting. Each audience will have a Q&A opportunity with panelists. All panel events are free. Don’t miss this chance to get up close and personal with some of the best in the business!

ALL PANELS ARE HOSTED BY WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY,
A PARTNER OF SALEM FILM FESTIVAL

A Conversation with Mardik Martin
Saturday, 2:00pm, Hallie Ford

It may be the director who takes credit for a film, but the screenwriter is responsible for breathing life into characters, blessing them with personality and soul. In film, the story is told through their dialogue, illuminating the whole of the character without explanation, allowing personal miracles to rise to the surface and carry us away.

Legendary screenwriter, and Salem Film Festival Guest of Honor, Mardik Martin (Mean Streets, Raging Bull) will discuss screenplays, films and life as a filmmaker with Gil Kofman (The Memory Thief), Stephane Gauger (Owl and the Sparrow) and Scott Nadelson (Visiting Assistant Professor of English at Willamette and Oregon Book Award winning writer). The discussion will be moderated by Ken Nolley (Professor of English and Film Studies at Willamette).

Who Likes Short Shorts? We Like Short Shorts!
Saturday, 4:00pm, Hallie Ford

As a short story is to a novel, or chamber music is to a symphony, so is a short film to its feature-length cousin. Although short films do not generally enjoy as broad an audience as features, they offer unique and varied types of film experience - and they have a revered place in film history (the first movies were, after all, shorts!). What draws some filmmakers to a form that is often under-appreciated, hard-pressed to find screenings, and with its own set of artistic and technical challenges? This year’s SFF again presents a great collection of short films, with several of the filmmakers on hand for this panel discussion of their films, their artistry, and their love for the Shorts. Various panelists, including Bill Fisher (Whirling Dervish), Stephen Krystek (Drain), and Chuck Bennett (Expecting).

The Art and Craft of Post-Production:
The Shoot’s Over, but It Ain’t a Movie ‘til It’s In the Can
Sunday, 1:00pm, Hallie Ford

“Lights, camera, action!” For many moviegoers, that’s what making a movie is all about. But after the lights are switched off, the set is struck, and the actors move on to the next project, much work remains before the movie finds its audience. And it’s in post-production where much of the creativity and craft of filmmaking shapes the final product. At the heart of post-production is the editing process, where thousands of feet of film are trimmed and joined (or “cut”), involving a painstaking consideration of images, timing, performance, shot selection, and much, much more. Sound is edited, added, and modulated as well. Join our panelists for an engaging and enlightening overview of how editing and other post-production processes construct the raw materials of film into a seamlessly polished creation. Panelists include Ramy Katrib (Director, CEO of DigitalFilm Tree), Evan York (Director, Animator of DigitalFilm Tree), Travis Zariwny (Director, Art Director Sundance Film Makers Lab '96-'03).

The Marriage of Art and Industry:
When the Lights Go On Will I Still Respect Myself?
Sunday, 3:00pm, Hallie Ford

Film begins as an artistic vision and is fully realized in the hearts and minds of the viewers.  But in-between is the long and complex journey called filmmaking, which involves deft maneuvering of artistic integrity through the practical demands of business.  How do film artists stay true to the vision while wooing financial backers, keeping within budget, strategizing markets, and negotiating the 1001 other concerns that make up the industry behind the art?  Is a vision truly possible or is filmmaking really the “art” of compromise?  A panel of directors, writers, and producers will share their insights, their challenges, and their strategies. Panelists include Chris Eska (August Evening), Lauralee Farrer and Tamara Johnston (The Fair Trade), Ron Vignone (Say I Do).