presented by
June 17-20, 2024
VFF's Inspiring Future Filmmakers seminar series is back at The Studios at Assembly Park this fall!
Four seminars will be presented over two days, each exploring a range of topics with speakers who are directly immersed in the industry. The seminars will include guided Q&A's with the speakers, live demonstrations, and networking opportunities.
High School Students Save 50% on Tickets and
Vaughan Residents Save 25% on Tickets!
*Special offers and discounts cannot be combined. Proof of school enrollment and residency required for discount eligibility.
Seminar 1: Saturday September 16 @ 11:00am
Hear it Here! Raising the Volume on Sound Editing with...
Mark Lanza, MPSE
Sound Editor
Mark Lanza, MPSE, has been crafting sound for top movies and television for years. His first job in the industry was working for Oliver Stone and he is currently President of the Motion Picture Sound Editors. Some of his credits include Independence Day, True Lies, Natural Born Killers, JFK (for which he won a BAFTA), Homeland, Empire, and Electric Dreams. He has over 30 Golden Reel nominations to his name. Mark is currently working at Sony Pictures where he creates sound for TV’s top network and streaming shows, including the Amazon series Reacher. Mark was also recognized as the 2023 Sandra Piccolo Trailblazer at the Vaughan International Film Festival's 11th edition.
Seminar 2: Saturday September 16 @ 3:00pm
Go with the Flow: Empowering Creativity Through
Production Technology & Media Workflow with...
Stacy Chaet
Netflix Production Workflow Technologist
Stacy is a media workflow and production technologist with over 13 years of experience in the industry. She has experience in a variety of verticals including scripted television + films, documentaries, and live-to-stream events. Career highlights include running media management and on-location dailies for Netflix's Countdown: Inspiration 4 Mission to Space, creating looks for a show-within-a-show horror film on NBCU's Mr. Robot, and being published in SMPTE's Motion Imaging Journal.
Stacy has a genuine curiosity for solving technical puzzles as well as a passion for the merging of art and technology. Currently, Stacy is a Production Technologist at Netflix. She supports productions in the US/Canada region throughout their lifecycle helping to remove technical barriers and empower creativity. Additionally, Stacy is a women's soccer enthusiast and a mental health advocate.
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Seminar 3: Sunday September 17 @ 11:00am
From Pre-Production to Distribution: A Guide to Filmmaking with...
Sean Cisterna
Director & Producer
Sean Cisterna is a multi award-winning and versatile film director. His latest film is the feature documentary The Long Rider (2022), the expansive and inspiring story of Filipe Leite's journey from Canada to Brazil entirely on horseback, and filmed in 13 different countries. Cisterna found success with From the Vine (2020), an international coproduction starring Emmy winner Joe Pantoliano (The Matrix, Memento, The Sopranos), and distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films. Cisterna directed the acclaimed cancer drama Kiss and Cry (2017), which topped the Canadian box office, and is currently streaming on Netflix worldwide. His 2015 feature Full Out, starring Jennifer Beals (Flashdance, The L Word), is based on the true story of gymnast Ariana Berlin. The film was broadcast on NBC, now residing with Netflix Worldwide and Disney Europe. Cisterna is currently working on a slate of drama and documentary television projects with national broadcaster TLN Television, supported by the Canada Media Fund. Cisterna was awarded a Canada 150 Citizenship Award by the Federal Government for his dedication to and community engagement in the arts.
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Seminar 4: Sunday September 17 @ 3:00pm
The Final Rewrite: Crafting a Cohesive Story Through Picture Editing with...
A.J. Catoline, ACE
Picture Editor
A.J. Catoline, ACE, is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and USC's Master of Professional Writing Program. He serves as a Board Member of the Motion Picture Editors Guild (IATSE) and is a frequent contributor to Cinemontage Magazine about members of the Guild and their work in the post-production industry. He is a picture editor working in Los Angeles, recently on "Ted Lasso'' for Apple TV+, and won an Emmy for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy in 2021. He has also been nominated for the American Cinema Editors Eddie Awards. His other television credits include "Brockmire" for IFC, "Speechless" for ABC, and "Black Jesus" for Adult Swim. He is a native of Cape Cod, Massachusetts and, when not in the cutting room, loves to be out in nature fishing and downhill skiing. He also serves as a volunteer with his local West Hollywood chapter of the Human Rights Campaign.
Seminar 4 Sponsor
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