Engages, Educates, and Empowers Student Filmmakers
Film industry professionals mentor students to step out of their comfort zone and tell their stories. We unleash untapped creativity and encourage the next generation of working filmmakers to transform the culture of the industry.
Our Distinguished Panel of Judges ...
We feel so privileged to have these excellent film professionals and industry leaders again this year as our 2019 judges for the Young Filmmakers Track. Each judge provides input on films and gives their choices as the Best Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short and Best Animated Short of 2019. This was our most competitive year ever, with a record number of submissions from Ireland, England, New Zealand, Bulgaria, Croatia, LA, NYC, all over the USA, and from right here at home. Congrats to all the Finalists, Honorable Mention and Storyteller Citation winners!
Susan Greeley
Susan has over 25 years experience in the entertainment industry with an expertise in worldwide film distribution, acquisitions, programming, and business development. Currently, Susan is the Associate Short Film Programmer for the Tribeca Film Festival and Tribeca Enterprises’ United In-flight Program. Previously, Susan was the VP of Global Distribution and Business Development at Shorts International where she was responsible for licensing films across all channels worldwide. She initiated the Oscar Nominated Shorts theatrical release and negotiated theatrical, television, and VOD deals. Prior to Shorts International, Susan was VP of Worldwide Distribution and Acquisitions at Doug Liman’s HYPNOTIC where she created distribution strategies for ground-breaking branded entertainment programs including Reebok’s Terry Tate: Office Linebacker, and the Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival. Throughout the ownership changes her responsibilities increased and she became responsible for the worldwide sales department at Wellspring Media, managing the distribution of over 1000 hours of programming and over 300 feature films, including leading the sales team for the critically acclaimed and Award-winning Feature Documentary film, TARNATION at the Cannes Film Festival. Susan has been a Jury Member/Panelist for numerous festivals including the Student Academy Awards, AFI Film Festival, CFC Worldwide Film Festival, Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival, GEN-ART Film Festival, Calgary Film Festival, NYU First Run, Columbia University.
Sarah Klein and Tom Mason
Sarah and Tom are documentary filmmakers and co-founders of Redglass Pictures. Redglass is as a platform for directing short films and video installations for partners and clients including The New York Times, The Atlantic, WETA, PBS, Ken Burns/Florentine Films, Thinc Design and Mercer. Sarah and Tom recently co-directed the NYT Op-Doc “How To Win An Election” about how campaigns use storytelling to manipulate voters. They co-directed a sixteen-part video installation series for the USA Pavilion at Expo Milan featuring the President and Michelle Obama. Before that, Redglass created a twenty-part digital series: Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies with Ken Burns and PBS. Learn more: www.redglasspictures.com
Linda Beck
Linda has served as an animation juror at the Woodstock, Indie Memphis, and Dusty Film Festivals, and the RiverRun Film Festival where she is honoured to also be on the Advisory Board. Additionally, she has moderated animation panels at The Ottawa International Animation Festival and Atlanta Film Festival. When she is not watching films or series, she is an Artist Development Specialist who works closely with development teams to land the perfect looks for new properties and rebrands. Her current clients include Sesame Workshop, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Nick Jr. U.K., DreamWorks TV, and SpinMaster. Wearing her producer hat, she has produced content for children (Nickelodeon, Disney) and grown ups (History Channel, A&E, PBS). Linda, sews, builds props, writes, directs, animates, and draws. She is a SAG-AFTRA voiceover artist who employs her nonsensical voices on her husband and two kids, very large Rex rabbit, and in shouting encouraging words at the San Francisco Giants and the Texas Rangers.
Freia Titland
Freia M. Titland is a NYC based actor, writer, and director. She has appeared in various Netflix and television shows as well as off-broadway performances and independent films. When she is not on stage or in front of the camera she is busy creating characters of her own. Her recent work includes projects such as A Mermaid’s Desire, Ophelia, and Sunflower Fields. Freia is a professor of film and the performing arts and the founder and festival director of the Midnight Film Festival in NYC.
For more info on Freia check out her website: www.freiatitland.com