Panels of Interest
by Karen Pecota

The HollyShorts film festival panel events are one of my favorite sessions to attend. This year I gleaned from industry gurus under these titles: 1) The Power of Women, 2) Packaging your Film, and 3) Cinematography and the Art of Fostering Industry Relationships.

The panels are presented each year at the festival to guide, advise, and assist those in the industry from newbies to veterans, which includes those working in a variety of categories for filmmaking. For the development of the story within the short film form, one often needs a different set of skills; but the thing that remains the same is the importance of developing relationships within the industry—and holding on to them.

This theme was a thread that tied the three panels together that I listed above. Every panelist emphasized the importance of collaborating with the right people to develop a level of trust necessary to achieve specific project goals.

Each professional in the industry has at least one skill to offer a project to make it the best possible. According to several veterans in the field, the ideal collaboration comes when the professional cast or crew identifies, understands, and supports the director and their goals for the film. Some people get it right away, but others take more time to develop an insightful skill set.

The stories shared were fascinating as each panelist gave examples of their journey. Learning from others, and often humbling oneself, has been a key to their success.