Celebrating TFI/ESPN Filmmakers

To commemorate the first two years of the TFI ESPN Future Filmmaker Program, TFI hosted a feedback workshop and celebratory “sneak peek” showcase of the documentary shorts made by our 2015 and 2016 grant recipients: On the Bit, The Towers, Glass Box Dreamer and Stay Close. The event provided final feedback on the projects before they advance in the marketplace, and celebrated their achievements.

In the first portion of the event, filmmaking teams screened rough cuts and received feedback on their full current rough cut to both their peers, TFI team and filmmakers David Osit & Malika Zouhali-Worrall. The intensive session provided filmmakers with the opportunity to receive notes on their rough cuts in an intimate and private setting as they advance in their edit and post-production.  

In the evening, each filmmaking team introduced their film and screened up to 10 minutes of their short to an audience of selected filmmakers and industry. After this “sneak peek”, a curated panel of industry experts including Chloe Gbai (Shorts & Streaming Producer, POV),  Liz Cook Mowe (Documentary Film Outreach Lead, Kickstarter), Ina Pira (Curator, Vimeo) and Adam Neuhaus (Director of Development, ESPN Films & Original Content) gave feedback and asked the filmmakers questions about their intentions for their shorts. We ended the night in a small celebratory cocktail for participants, their guests and invited industry to meet the filmmakers and discuss the projects further.

“The feedback we received has already proven to be incredibly helpful… [the workshop] provided terrific insight and direction, and now we feel as if we have a direct and clear vision on where this story can and should go.” - Ashley Brandon, ON THE BIT

Thanks to our filmmakers, mentors and industry experts for a great night!