Summary

FREE webinar brought to you by SAGindie + Stage 32

When you’re starting out as an indie filmmaker, short films offer a unique opportunity to showcase your talent and open doors to a thriving career. Whether you see your short as a calling card to attract attention, a stepping stone to a feature film, or a launchpad into features or television, the impact can be transformative. This webinar is designed to help you harness that potential, providing you with the tools to craft a short film that stands out and sets the stage for long-term success. In today’s competitive industry, mastering this art is more crucial than ever, and this session will guide you every step of the way.

You might feel unsure about where to begin or how to turn a short film into a career milestone, especially with challenges like limited resources or lack of industry connections. Many filmmakers struggle with creative development, team-building, or understanding how to position their work for maximum impact. This Stage 32 and SAGindie panel addresses those obstacles, offering real-world strategies and insights to overcome them. With a focus on early planning and proven case studies, you’ll learn how to avoid common pitfalls and build a foundation for a lasting career in filmmaking.

Leading the discussion is Darrien Gipson, SAGindie’s Executive Director, whose extensive experience in supporting indie filmmakers brings unmatched expertise to the table. Joined by Huriyyah Muhammad, whose film Farewell Amour earned a Sundance Grand Jury nomination, and Franklin Ritch, recognized for The Artifice Girl at SXSW with an Adam Yauch Hörnblowér Award nomination, this panel is a powerhouse of talent. Their diverse backgrounds in creating impactful shorts and transitioning to broader success make them the perfect guides to help you navigate your journey with confidence and creativity.

In this dynamic virtual panel, you’ll explore the creative development of short films, strategies for effective team-building, and key early considerations for long-term impact. You’ll dive into successful case studies that illustrate how shorts can launch careers, along with actionable advice to inspire your next project. By the end, you’ll walk away with a clear roadmap to craft a powerful indie short that not only showcases your vision but also propels you toward a sustainable career in the film industry.

What You'll Learn

Creative development for impactful shorts

Learn techniques to craft a compelling narrative and unique style that grab industry attention.

Effective team-building strategies

Discover how to assemble and lead a collaborative crew to maximize your short film’s potential.

Key early considerations for long-term success

Gain insights on planning and positioning your short as a career-launching tool from the start.

Successful case studies and career strategies

Explore real examples from Huriyyah Muhammad and Franklin Ritch, plus tips to transition from shorts to features or TV.

Who Should Attend

All independent producers, filmmakers, actors and crew that want to learn about the power of short film.

Executive

Huriyyah Muhammad, Franklin Ritch & Darrien Michele Gipson

Director, Independent Filmmaker, Executive Director at SAGindie at

Huriyyah is an award-winning director, writer and producer whose projects have been invited to the Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca Film Institute, Outfest, Newfest, AFI, Austin Film Festival, New Voices in Black Cinema, American Black Film Festival and selected by The Criterion Collection. Huriyyah is an NAACP Image Award Nominee, the 2024 HBO Short Film Competition Winner, a 2024 SeriesFest Winner, a Sundance Creative Producing Award Winner, and an alum of the prestigious AFI Directing Workshop for Women (DWW) and the Film Independent Episodic Directing Intensive.

Huriyyah’s directing projects invites audiences to take the journey with her as she tackles tough subjects – death, divorce, eviction – with humor and heart. Huriyyah’s sci-fi digital series, KELOID, has become a cult favorite – winning at multiple festivals. Her fantasy shorts, OUTGROWN and WONDERS, both toured extensively domestically and internationally, winning multiple Best Short and Best Cinematography Awards. Her Excellence in Storytelling Award, at SeriesFest 2024 for her intergenerational short NANI’S BIRYANI, was the first of its kind. Her most recent directorial project, CHOCOLATE WITH SPRINKLES, an NAACP Image Award nominee and HBO Short Film Competition winner starring Reno Wilson, is a heartwarming, life-affirming tale inspired by memories growing up in her family’s Cleveland, Ohio donut bakery.

Franklin Ritch is an independent filmmaker- writing, directing, and editing with a passion for unique ideas and sharp storytelling. Since high school, Franklin has developed a vast filmography of short films, web series, features, and other anomalous explorations into the medium of film. Collaborating with Emmy-winning cinematographer, Britt McTammany, Franklin's early short, "Bedridden" (Fantastic Fest, 2018), kicked off a marathon of short film productions that included "Still Life" (Sleeping Giant Fest 2019), "Powerful" (SERFF 2019), "The 27 Deaths" (Fantastic Fest 2021), and many more. In 2018, Franklin was presented the Rising Star Award by the mayor of his hometown, Jacksonville, Florida. In 2022, Franklin premiered his debut feature film, "The Artifice Girl", starring sci-fi legend Lance Henriksen, at Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, where the film won the Golden Audience Award and later took top prize at its European premiere in Trieste, Italy. Franklin has been named one of the "25 New Faces of Independent Film" by Filmmaker Magazine, and his work continues to be recognized in media outlets such as Screen Anarchy, Movie Maker Magazine, and The Film Stage. "The Artifice Girl" will make its public debut in the spring of 2023. Franklin is currently (2022) developing an ambitious follow-up feature film, with several more projects on the horizon.

Darrien Michele Gipson is the Executive Director of SAGindie, an educational organization for independent filmmakers. Darrien is a graduate of UCLA, where she received her BA in English Literature; and USC, where she earned an MFA from the Peter Stark Producers Program. She was the Vice President of Development for DEF Pictures before joining SAGindie in 2002 as Festival Coordinator. Through SAGindie, she traveled extensively to film festivals, film schools, and conferences, hosting workshops and teaching filmmakers how to hire professional actors using SAG-AFTRA’s low budget contracts. Since becoming SAGindie’s Executive Director in 2006, Darrien has expanded the organization to reach more festivals and help even more creators on all platforms to bring their projects to fruition. She continues to travel around the world speaking on panels, mentoring writers and filmmakers, and championing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the entertainment industry.

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