Breakout Session Presenters
Providing Everything You Need
Making Money Telling Stories
Dr. Samone Joyner Norsworthy
Professor, Award winning Film and Episodic producer, visual storyteller. 1 time African Oscar winner. Telly Award winner along with other film festival awards.
May 2, 2025. 11:00 AM - noon
How to Get Started as an Actor & The History of Acting Techniques
Patrick Roper
Patrick Roper is an award winning actor, acting coach, filmmaker, and writer, who is known for his roles in the films Emperor (Universal) and Fear Street 1666 (Netflix) and for the television shows Florida Girls and Panhandle (both on Roku), The Big Door Prize (Apple+), and Sistas (BET).
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM and noon - 1:00 PM
Being Young in the Film Industry
Jaelyn Buffkin
Jaelyn Buffkin is an award-winning young actress, gymnast, and singer. She has appeared in many films and productions including A SAVANNAH HAUNTING, THE GOUDA NEWS, THE BALLERINA, THE ACCURSED, and many more.
noon - 1:00 PM
Creating Quality Content on a Small Budget
Dr. Richard Tavernaro
Dr Tavernaro has lived several lives, so to speak, first as an officer in the US Army then as a high school counselor/swim coach, a psychologist in private practice and finally coming into the film industry in 2010. Aside from being a working actor, he is also an award-winning Writer, Director and Producer and is a member of the Producers Guild of America. Dr Tavernaro is the founder and executive director of the Cobb International Film Festival, now in its tenth year, and owner/executive director of the international filmmaking competition “Film Racing”. Dr Tavernaro does several things for local indie filmmakers, including hosting a monthly “Indie Film Night” at the Strand Theater on Marietta Square and is currently collaborating with a long-time friend to create a new streaming platform called “MiniFlix”, which is specifically for short films, which are typically overlooked by mainstream distributors.
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Getting Started with Animation
Breanna Wallace
Breanna Simone’ Wallace is a talented animator specializing in 2D animation and teaching children aged seven to eighteen. Holding a BFA in Animation with a focus on concept art for video games and an MFA in Animation, she is proficient in software such as Toonboom Harmony, Adobe Animate, Clip Studio Paint, and Storyboard Pro. Apart from excelling in 2D animation and puppeting, Breanna also has knowledge of 3D animation using Autodesk Maya and Zbrush. Dedicated to continuous learning, she enjoys personal projects and crafting in her free time.
After graduating from the Savannah College of Art and Design, Breanna freelanced on various projects before transitioning to teaching animation. Her educational background equipped her with skills in both 2D and 3D animation, concept art, and storyboarding. When teaching, Breanna tailors her approach based on the age group, focusing on creating a fun learning atmosphere for younger students and delving into technical aspects for older students. She aims to inspire creativity and skill development in all her students.
Repping Your Brand and Using It To Your Advantage
Ryan McVey
Ryan McVey is a US Marine and also worked Fire/Rescue for over 10 years. Ryan is an Actor, Stunt Performer, Producer, and Safety Rep. He is best known for his TV roles in Covenant (AMC) and Judge Me Not (AllBlk), and films After The Fall, The Big Daddy, and has an upcoming role in Port City. He has also worked on big budget productions such as Project Artemis (Apple), They/Them (Peacock), and Emergency (Amazon)
May 3, 2025. 11:00 AM - noon
Organizing Your Own Film Festival
Dr. Joseph Frew-Miller
Joseph Frew-Miller, PhD has been teaching for 25 years and much of that has been with theatre and tv production. He is NATIONALLY certified in TV Production and Broadcast Journalism, holds a PhD from FSU in Comprehensive Vocational Education, is an FAA certified drone pilot, and accomplished stage and screen performer. His credits include productions of Les Miserables, Hairspray and It's A Wonderful Life as well as film credits in Second Samuel, Brother's Keeper, The Reeducation of Molly Singer, and Haunted Mansion.
He started this festival with just one film and a few dedicated students. He can show you a blueprint to organizing your own festival from the ground up.
Photo Credit: Anthony Paderewski
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM