JOIN THE WAITLIST!

Meet us at Sundance where Shifter(s) Series and Kickstarter – the leading crowdfunding and launch platform – are teaming up for an invite-only gathering that brings together players from every corner of the industry at a moment of real transition for the film business.

As traditional pathways become harder to access, filmmakers are being pushed to rethink how projects get funded, finished, and distributed. This experience brings together the people and platforms who have the power to shape what we see as the next era of film: one where filmmakers have meaningful alternatives to traditional funding and distribution pathways and can bring their work to life on their own terms.

Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor and Film Lead Taylor K. Shaw-Omachonu will be in the room alongside filmmakers, agents, distributors, and other industry players for an afternoon designed to spark the connections and conversations needed to help usher in a new direction for filmmaking.

2 - 3:10PM | Welcome Guests & Panel Conversation

The Future of Film is Self-Made: Giving Yourself the Greenlight

The film industry is in flux. Studio consolidation, budget cuts, and shifting distribution models have made it harder than ever for filmmakers to bring their projects to life. Traditional funding avenues are shrinking, and many filmmakers are finding themselves stuck – waiting for funding, waiting for a greenlight, waiting for distribution.

Here’s what we know: The next era of filmmaking belongs to creators who give themselves the greenlight and bring their ideas to life on their own terms. We’ll dig into how filmmakers are using community, creative scrappiness, and alternative funding models, like Kickstarter’s crowdfunding platform, to bring their projects to life without waiting for permission.

The speakers on this panel are proving there’s more than one way to get your work funded, finished and distributed – and sometimes the boldest route is the one you build yourself.

Moderator:

Steven Weintraub - Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Collider.com

Panelists:

Taylor K. Shaw-Omachonu - Film Lead, Kickstarter

Rashad Frett - Award-Winning Caribbean American Filmmaker

Felipe Bustos Sierra - Award-Winning Director

3:10 - 5:00PM | Shifter(s) Lounge Cocktail Mixer

Featuring DJ Gianni!