Plan Your BFS Weekend – Hour by Hour

Saturday, SepT 20

Join us for a full day of panels, workshops, and community building breakout rooms.

We’ll have sessions in 5 rooms. On the 3rd floor our main stage the Oscar Micheaux Room, our smaller stage the Issa Rae Room and our break out room is the Ernest Dickerson Room.

On the 4th floor we’ll have two smaller breakout rooms—the Julie Dash Room and the Spike Lee Room as well an area to purchase food from 1 to 6pm and a lounge to mix & mingle.

Be sure to check out the maps below to see how to navigate throughout Manhattan Neighborhood Network.

Complimentary snacks & waters courtesy of Yolele and Perrier will be provided.

Doors open at 9:30am

Manhattan Neighborhood Network
509 W 38th St, New York, NY 10018

3rd Floor | Oscar Micheaux Room

10:00am | Collaborating as Multi-Hyphenates for Your Debut Feature Film

Filmmakers Rashad Frett, Lin Que Ayoung, and Ramfis Myrthil discuss their arduous journey from proof of concept short to Sundance award-winning feature film ‘Ricky’. The session will also delve in their varied talents lending to their collaboration, followed by scene study of clips from the film.

Moderator: Reggie Williams

11:10am | Crafting the All-in-One Pitch

TV & Film Producer, Writer, Director and novelist Stacey Evans Morgan who has worked on esteemed shows A Black Lady Sketch Show, The Varnell Hill Show, Saturdays, Family Time, The Parkers and more. She will discuss strategies for pitching TV show ideas as a creative with multiple talents in comedy.

Moderator: Lande Yoosuf

12:20pm | 'Brand New' Short Film: A Case Study for Production, Festival, and Distribution Success

Filmmaking team Quincy & Yuki Ledbetter join us to share how they created the compelling short film 'Brand New' that made incredible waves in the film festival circuit in 2024, screening at notable festivals such as Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, HollyShorts Film Festival, BronzeLens Film Festival, Austin Film Festival, and Urbanworld Film Festival. They also secured a two-year, five-figure distribution deal with AMC/ALLBLK. AMC executive Sean Charles will weigh in how they were able to convince a major network to offer them incentives that are typically reserved for feature films.

Moderator: Steven St. Pierre

1:30pm | Launching a Multi-Hyphenate Career

Award-winning filmmakers Kevin Wilson Jr., Elegance Bratton, and Chester Algernal Gordon each spent years functioning in various roles on productions before launching highly successful professional careers in the industry. This session will focus on how to be adaptable and flexible to the ever-changing demands of the film, television, and content creation industries.

Moderator: Reggie Williams

2:40pm Multi-Hyphenate Documentary Filmmakers Spotlight

Two award-winning documentary filmmakers will share their journeys as multi-hyphenates and how they developed their skillsets to tell powerful stories in front of and behind the camera.

Moderator: Lisa Durden

4:10 | Making Films Throughout the Diaspora as a Multi-Hyphenate

International productions are gaining incredible steam as studios, production houses, and talent are migrating overseas in droves. We’re diving into the challenges and benefits of shooting abroad from two Black filmmakers from Haitian-American and Nigerian-American backgrounds. 

Moderator: Reggie Williams

5:10pm | Actor Fireside Chat with Mehcad Brooks

Mehcad Brooks will join us for an intimate fireside chat where he will share his inspiring journey from modeling to becoming a successful working actor. He will discuss how he has built a marketable and versatile career, the strategies he uses to stay in demand, and the ways he continues to hone his craft and grow as an artist.

Moderator: Lande Yoosuf

6:40pm | Logline & Pitch Competition sponsored by The Gotham and cliveRd.

Black Film Space is partnering with The Gotham and cliveRd to give five logline pitch finalists a chance to win a cash prize! They will be chosen from hundreds of applicants who will submit their loglines. Each finalist is required to present a slideshow presentation detailing their idea in five minutes or less.  The judges will also invite all finalists backstage to offer feedback on their idea, and the presentation of their projects. See below for more details.

Judges: Kia Brooks, Casey Baron, Sean Charles

Moderator: Danielle Bennett

8:00pm | Industry Fireside Chat

Film Festival Director, Content Strategist, and Development and Impact Producer Lamonia Brown and will be having a discussion with Chinisha Scott, Writer, Director, Producer, Multimedia Artist & Segment Director about the state of film and television behind the scenes in today’s post-strike, post-election climate. This is intended to be a discussion that offers honest, real perspectives of people actively working and advocating for Black creatives in the industry. 

3rd Floor | ISSA RAE ROOM

10:00am | Directing Your Performance

Lauren L. Owen, film/TV producer, actor, writer, and director, will present a case study of her short film, "Trapped," in which she served as producer, writer, director, and co-star acting opposite...herself. She will share how her creative vision came to life and how her experience wearing multiple hats on indie and studio projects alike shaped her adaptability throughout the production process.

11:10am | Utilizing AI for Filmmaking

Evan will lead a session focusing on new AI storytelling techniques meant to streamline production, brainstorm, and enhance ideas that will elevate any audiovisual work in progress.

12:20pm | Unconventional Distribution Pathways for Multi-Hyphenate Creatives

Indie filmmakers are being challenged now more than ever to work around tighter barriers of entry as streamers and studios ignore much of our talent. Social media savant Jerrica Long and film publicist Juan Medina will lead a discussion that invites unique, yet lucrative avenues to distribute your film to prepare you for a brand new filmmaking landscape in the future.

Moderator: Lande Yoosuf

1:30pm | Multi-Hyphenate Legal Open House

As an entertainment attorney, Janine Beach focuses on representing creative talent and producers and serves various BIPOC clients with unique, distinct challenges, including multi-hyphenates who need to optimize their various talents for professional growth. Khalil Nobles is a senior associate specializing in a wide range of activities related to the commercialization of technology and intellectual property rights. They will be leading an open house for creatives at all levels to ask their pressing questions.

2:40pm | Cinematographer Spotlight with Jomo Fray

Jomo Fray has served as Cinematographer on critically acclaimed films such as Nickel Boys, All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt, and Selah and The Spades. He is also a 2025 Independent Spirit Award winner. Jomo will share his professional story, the growth of his career, and his experiences collaborating with directors and talent. 

Moderator: Harold Williams

4:10PM to 5:30PM | Community Screening

Experience the BFS Weekend Community Screening, showcasing powerful short films from our talented community of filmmakers. Stay for a live Q&A with the creators and connect with fellow storytellers.

10:00am to 11:00am | The First Five Pages Of Your TV Pilot

TV Writer and founder of Black Screenwriters, Craig T. Williams, will lead a workshop to share tools and tips to write a compelling first five pages of a television script. He will emphasize the importance of proper screenplay structure so your work can truly grab the attention of agents and executives.

12:00pm to 1:00pm | The Craft of Casting and Its Superpower to Transform Stories

Jennifer is a Casting Director with a specific focus on indie films. She will discuss the instrumental role of casting in filmmaking and her professional toolbox in getting the best talent for her projects. Her session will provide a comprehensive strategy for auditions, forming representation, and the importance of adapting within various genres and formats. 

Optional for Attendees: Headshots will be collected after the session.

2:00pm to 3:00pm | How I Became An In-Demand Director

B. Monét is a highly accomplished director-for-hire who strategically positioned herself to be in-demand for a variety of genres and formats. She will share her story and the importance of being intentional in developing one's long term approach to their career.

4:00pm to 5:00pm | Crafting Black Legacy Through Hair: Working With Directors and Talent

Jessi Dean has extensive experience working on critically acclaimed projects such as ‘Genius: MLK/X’, ‘Candyman’, and ‘Shining Girls’. She will share her professional background story, unique ways she accomplished looks for her various projects, and will also provide tips to help creatives achieve looks in a business that often botches grooming practices for Black actors.