Master Class, Panels and Workshops 2021

The 2021 is pleased to present MASTER CLASSES, PANEL DISCUSSIONS AND WORKSHOPS as part of the program of the 30th Woods Hole Film Festival. These events are a wonderful opportunity to learn from some of today’s most important voices. All events will be presented on the Festival’s virtual platform unless otherwise indicated.

Sunday, August 1, 3 pm, Panel Discussion (Virtual Only)

From Woods Hole to the Red Carpet:
The Path to the Oscars

Join us for a fun and useful conversation with WHFF alums Heidi Ewing (“Jesus Camp”), Laura Nix (“Walk Run Cha Cha”), Doug Roland (“Feeling Through”), and Marshall Curry (“The Neighbors’ Window”) as they share their stories and strategies on taking their films from Woods Hole to the red carpet. Hosted by WHFF Co-Founder and fellow Academy Award nominee, Kate Davis. (“Traffic Stop”)

Monday, August 2, 2 pm, Master Class (Virtual only)

Riding the Science New Wave: A Conversation with biologist-director Alexis Gambis

As the 2021 Filmmaker In Residence, Alexis Gambis will offer a master class focusing on his work at the intersection of film and science. During the master class he will dissect the Science New Wave, a movement founded a few years ago to create more synergy between scientists and artists, and scientific pursuit is free to co-exist and blend freely across disciplines and cultures.

The six essential traits of the movement are:

Science is culture. Culture is Science
Science and story never collide
Experiments become cinema
Structure dictates function
Diversity feeds the ecosystem
“We” are all messengers

(Watch a short video about the SNW)

Alexis will go through his filmography starting with his early short films during a PhD student to his latest feature film Son of Monarchs on butterflies and immigration (screening in the Festival). His allegorical narratives draw from the scientific method. His editing relies on contrasting realities between the macro and the micro worlds. Different habitats and scales allow the drama of one dimension to influence another. An aerial image of a luscious landscape may be juxtaposed with the intricate patterns and saturated patterns of microscopic structures. To break away from stereotypical patterns, he always attempts to shift perspectives from the human (scientific) gaze by often bestowing animals with their own perception and point of views. An important take home message to his class will be to speak about the research process in screenwriting and how he slowly translates raw data and anecdotes from scientists into fictional landscapes.

In addition to making films, Alexis is also actively involved in the curation and distribution of science films. He will speak about his festival – Imagine Science Film Festival – that recently celebrated its 14th year of showcasing science in film from around the world. In 2016, he launched the sister portal Labocine. Coined the “Netflix for science,” the VOD platform provides a virtual ecosystem to experience science cinema in all its flavors by hybridizing forms, and fostering a dialogue between scientists, artists and educators.

Tuesday, August 3rd, 3 pm, Panel Discussion (In-Person, Falmouth Academy)

Obsessed with Netflix? So Are We!

A conversation with Ken Florance, Vice President of Content Delivery, about the streaming giant – from its trailblazing earliest days to the challenges of worldwide pandemic binge-watching and beyond. Join conversation starter and filmmaker Beth Murphy for a peek into the most interesting digital world… in the world.

Wednesday, August 4th, 1 pm, Panel Discussion (Virtual Only)

Creating a Marketing Strategy for Independent Film

You’ve done the hard work making your film, but that is just the beginning. Next is the hard part. Yes, we are talking about MARKETING. Alecia Orsini Lebeda, President, Women in Film and Video New England, will be joined by Christine Merser and others for a timely panel on marketing your film and making sure it’s seen!

Christine Merser is the managing partner of Blue Shoe Strategy, a marketing company specializing in content creation for all media platforms. But more than marketing, she loves film and TV and all things on a screen, however small. Eight years ago, she partnered with Heidi Sullivan, whose film, Ash Bash, A Love Story, was an entry in the Wood’s Hole Film Festival, to start Screen Thoughts, a podcast reviewing all things on the screen from within a female lens. More than 250 episodes later, Christine continues to podcast weekly around film, although Heidi passed away a few years ago. In addition, Christine has worked with filmmakers to ensure their films are seen. Blue Shoe did the strategy and public relations around the documentary, India’s Daughter, in its bid for an academy award. Christine has roots on Cape Cod and enjoys time spent there every year. The Wood’s Hole Film Festival is always on her shortlist of festivals.

Thursday, August 5, 4 pm (Virtual Only)

Telling Stories at the Intersection of Film and Science

Join Moderator Megan Sanchez-Warner, Executive Producer/Showrunner, for a discussion with Alexis Gambis (2021 Filmmaker in Residence, “Son of Monarchs:), Nipam Patel (Director, Marine Biological Laboratory), Beth Murphy (Principle Pictures, “Our Future, Our Fight: Episode, Wildfires”), and Josh Seftel (Smartypants Brooklyn, “Bruce and Alvin”) about how filmmakers and scientists collaborate to make films about complex scientific concepts accessible to all audiences.