* Welcome to the first installment of a quarterly Producers Symposium Series co-presented by SIFF, Northwest Film Forum, Seattle Film Summit, and Thin Pig Media! *

By the time you get to picture lock, your marketing strategy should already be underway. So what is the complete life cycle of promoting your next feature, short, or episodic? How can you get ahead of the curve starting in pre-production, and make use of that effort all the way through sales? Featuring Lacey Leavitt, Carlos A.F. Lopez (Ghosting The Party, The Procedure), and Sean Patrick Burke (As You Are, Super Troopers 2); Hosted by Ben M.F. Rapson (social media strategist, Thin Pig Media).

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LACEY LEAVITT
Lacey is a Seattle-based film producer whose feature credits include Megan Griffiths’ SADIE, THE OFF HOURS, and LUCKY THEM, Lynn Shelton’s OUTSIDE IN, LAGGIES, and TOUCHY FEELY, and Colin Trevorrow’s SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED. She co-founded Electric Dream Factory, a production company that creates film, television, virtual reality, and podcast content. Lacey has produced many feature films that have premiered at top film festivals and subsequently picked up/released by distributors in the last ten years, thus experiencing the shifting landscape of indie film and social media firsthand. After spearheading the release of Megan Griffiths’ feature film SADIE (SXSW 2019), she’s now uniquely positioned to talk about the importance of considering your film’s social media presence whether you’ll be self-releasing or working with a distributor.

SEAN PATRICK BURKE
Sean Patrick Burke is an American Movie and Television Producer. He produced As You Are, which had its domestic release at the Sundance Film Festival. As You Are is distributed by Amazon and currently available on Amazon Prime. Sean recently was an Executive Producer on Super Troopers 2 which released in theaters April 20, 2018 to a $15.7 Million opening weekend and total theater gross of $32 Million + $8 Million in VOD/DVD sales. Sean recently helped raise equity for a Dean Zanuck movie titled The Man Who Saved Paris, shooting in Europe, starring Stanley Tucci. Sean has many films gearing up for production in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

CARLOS AF LOPEZ
Carlos AF Lopez is a multi-faced filmmaker with over a decade of experience in all stages of production: directing, producing, editing, shooting and writing. His short film “Ghosting the Party” premiered at the 2017 Nashville Film Festival and was the recipient of the Special Jury Prize. He was also a producer on “The Procedure,” recipient of the Special Jury Prize for Best Short Fiction: U.S. at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. He has directed/produced music videos for top independent music labels and artists, his work in this field garnering him the Grand Jury Prize at the 2016 Sync Music Video Festival. http://carloslopezproductions.com

MODERATOR & HOST: BEN M.F. RAPSON
Ben M.F. Rapson is a social media nerd specializing in promotion of film, on behalf of marketing agency Thin Pig Media. For years he cut his film production teeth in Seattle, producing and directing music videos as well as joining Crewtopia on LAGGIES, LUCKY THEM, and MTV $5 COVER SEATTLE. Rapson’s primary focus is driving targeted conversions for movies, whether it’s audience growth, trailer views, ticket sales, or TVOD/SVOD traffic. When it comes to reaching niche film audiences on social media, his instincts are as strong as his passion. His current home base is Vermont, with satellite residence in Seattle, NYC, and LA.

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ABOUT THE PRODUCERS SYMPOSIUM PANEL & DISCUSSION SERIES
SIFF, Northwest Film Forum, Seattle Film Summit, and Thin Pig Media present Producers Symposium, a new quarterly series centered around film marketing and distribution. Producers Symposium is a lively mix between professional panel discussion and jaunty networking soiree. Each Producers Symposium will bring together a sparky and savvy group of film professionals, as we share honest stories and emerging strategies about getting our movies seen, bought, and distributed. This new ongoing conversation is inclusive, progressive, and open to anyone who dares call themselves a producer.

• Mon Sep. 23, 2019 at NWFF
  Producers Symposium: Marketing Your Movie Starts Yesterday
• Sat Nov. 16, 2019 at Seattle Film Summit
  Producers Symposium: Buying & Selling Films in 2020
• Feb/Mar. 2020 at [TBD]
  Producers Symposium: Building Audiences & Ambassadors
• May 2020 at SIFF (Festival)
  Producers Symposium: Real Talk About Distribution
  (NOTE: 2020 dates and themes subject to change)