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Festival Author Talks events will start with an introduction of the author, a short reading, then a conversation between the author and host, ending with a Q&A with the audience and a signing to follow. Book sales are being provided by Chop Suey Books. These events are sponsored by the W&M Creative Writing Program & The Hayes Writers Series.
Farah Ali is from Karachi, Pakistan. Her work won the 2020 Pushcart Prize and received special mention in the 2018 Pushcart anthology. Her more recent stories can be found in Shenandoah, The Arkansas International, The Southern Review, and Kenyon Review online. Her debut short-story collection, People Want to Live, is forthcoming from McSweeney’s in October 2021. Website: farah-ali.com
Farah Ali is from Karachi, Pakistan. Her work won the 2020 Pushcart Prize and received special mention in the 2018 Pushcart anthology. Her more recent stories can be found in Shenandoah, The Arkansas International, The Southern Review, and Kenyon Review online. Her debut short-story collection, People Want to Live, is forthcoming from McSweeney’s in October 2021. Website: farah-ali.com
Aurielle is a 2017 winner of the Blue Mesa Review poetry award. She’s the Lambda Literary 2019 Poetry Emerging Writer-in-Residence. She won the 2019 Ploughshares Emerging Writers Award for Poetry. Aurielle’s poetry debut, Gumbo Ya Ya is the 2020 winner of the Cave Canem Poetry Prize, and is out from the University of Pittsburgh Press. As an essayist, Aurielle explores subjects of justice, Blackness, bodies, sex, and pop culture in an urgent and lyrical voice, from a Black feminist lens. Website: auriellemarie.com
Aurielle is a 2017 winner of the Blue Mesa Review poetry award. She’s the Lambda Literary 2019 Poetry Emerging Writer-in-Residence. She won the 2019 Ploughshares Emerging Writers Award for Poetry. Aurielle’s poetry debut, Gumbo Ya Ya is the 2020 winner of the Cave Canem Poetry Prize, and is out from the University of Pittsburgh Press. As an essayist, Aurielle explores subjects of justice, Blackness, bodies, sex, and pop culture in an urgent and lyrical voice, from a Black feminist lens. Website: auriellemarie.com
Kelli Jo Ford is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. She is the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, including the Paris Review’s Plimpton Prize, the Everett Southwest Literary Award, the Katherine Bakeless Nason Award at Bread Loaf, a National Artist Fellowship by the Native Arts & Cultures Foundation, and a Dobie Paisano Fellowship. Her fiction has appeared in the Paris Review, Virginia Quarterly Review, Missouri Review, and the anthology Forty Stories: New Writing from Harper Perennial, among other places. Website: kellijoford.com
Kelli Jo Ford is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. She is the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, including the Paris Review’s Plimpton Prize, the Everett Southwest Literary Award, the Katherine Bakeless Nason Award at Bread Loaf, a National Artist Fellowship by the Native Arts & Cultures Foundation, and a Dobie Paisano Fellowship. Her fiction has appeared in the Paris Review, Virginia Quarterly Review, Missouri Review, and the anthology Forty Stories: New Writing from Harper Perennial, among other places. Website: kellijoford.com
A screening of Buster Keaton’s 1920 short silent film One Week with live musical accompaniment by pianist Andrew Simpson will open this program. This comedy follows a newlywed couple as they try to assemble a build-it-yourself house they received as a wedding gift. Unbeknownst to them, a rejected suitor has renumbered the kit – making the task increasingly difficult.
After the film screening, author and film critic Dana Stevens will discuss her recently released book Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century with Brian Castleberry, Director of WM’s Creative Writing Program.
Dana Stevens has been Slate’s film critic since 2006. She is also a cohost of the magazine’s long-running culture podcast, Culture Gabfest, and has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and Bookforum. Camera Man is her first book. Website
Sponsored by the Williamsburg Community Foundation
A screening of Buster Keaton’s 1920 short silent film One Week with live musical accompaniment by pianist Andrew Simpson will open this program. This comedy follows a newlywed couple as they try to assemble a build-it-yourself house they received as a wedding gift. Unbeknownst to them, a rejected suitor has renumbered the kit – making the task increasingly difficult.
After the film screening, author and film critic Dana Stevens will discuss her recently released book Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century with Brian Castleberry, Director of WM’s Creative Writing Program.
Dana Stevens has been Slate’s film critic since 2006. She is also a cohost of the magazine’s long-running culture podcast, Culture Gabfest, and has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and Bookforum. Camera Man is her first book. Website
Sponsored by the Williamsburg Community Foundation
The Ampersand Industry Summit includes a week-long series of workshops, panel discussions, and Q&A sessions with alumni and guest filmmakers. All of these sessions are free, unticketed, and open to the public. Seating for in-person workshops is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Use these links to attend all workshop sessions virtually via Zoom. You may need to copy/paste the URL depending on your browser:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83881860973?pwd=ZDJiS1JHRlZQSHBkZEtCT3lwRmN0Zz09
https://cwm.zoom.us/j/6378901547
https://cwm.zoom.us/j/8475768616
Everything is terrible. But we still have to make jokes and tell stories, because that’s what makes us human! As a writer for “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” and “The Amber Ruffin Show,” I’ve spent years writing comedy about everything from War to Racism to Lethal Injections. Bring a pen and paper, and let’s try to figure out how we get through…whatever this world is…by making art.
About Jill Twiss ’98
Jill Twiss is a comedy writer who won multiple Emmys, WGA Awards, and Peabody Awards for her work as a Senior writer on HBO’s “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.” She’s also written several children’s books, including New York Times bestseller, “A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo” and “The Someone New.” She currently writes for The Amber Ruffin Show and her most recent book, “I Will Always Be Me,” helps patients with ALS describe their journey with the disease.
The entertainment industry is full of gatekeepers, but if you can work with friends to produce your own projects, you can often bypass them! We’ll talk briefly about all aspects of creating your own short film or series, from concept development and fundraising to production and getting it out in the world. Come with ideas!
About Kelley Quinn ’09
Kelley Quinn is a writer and actor currently living in Paris. Before that, she was a house performer at the Upright Citizens Brigade in New York, where she did improv and sketch comedy. Her written and acting work have been featured on Vice, Vulture, Reductress, and elsewhere.
This workshop is designed to be what I would want my little sister to think about if she was considering Entering The Film Industry. I will also give you some practical tips, and I’ll share a top 10 list of lessons learned. You can hear my advice and take it or leave it, and I’m stoked for you to have the opportunity to learn from my mistakes!
About Lauretta Prevost ’05
Lauretta has been working in the independent film industry since she graduated college in 2005. She works primarily as a cinematographer of fiction films and documentaries. She shoots features, shorts, a variety of doc work, and a smattering of branded content, corporate interviews, and video journalism. Her work has screened at the Sundance and Raindance festivals; she has won two awards for Best Cinematography; and pieces have played on PBS, the BBC, Al Jazeera, and DemocracyNow! She side hustles as a director, camera operator, and writer for magazines such as American Cinematographer and www.NoFilmSchool.com. She is based in New York City and also travels for work.
This session will cover tips and tricks for individual talent as well as thoughts on casting and experiences from the trenches in the industry.
About Sheri Bias ’97
Dr. Sheri Bias is the owner and agency director for Liquid Talent. She has been involved in casting for feature films such as Captain Phillips, global marketing campaigns and commercials for Fortune 500 companies such as Walmart, Pizza Hut, Geico; as well as many local and regional projects.
A brief tour inside the miniature world of independent experimental animation. We’ll examine a project with a 10,000 year half life 20 years in the making, an animated exploration of the Rocky Flats super fund site near Boulder, Colorado, including storyboards, animatics, model building, and compositing.
About Mary Beth Reed ’91
Mary Beth Reed is an associate professor of Photography + Film at VCUarts in Richmond. Her film poems combining animation, hand painting, and optical printing have screened in festivals including the New York Film Festival – Views from the Avant Garde, the Black Maria Film Festival, and the Rotterdam International Film Festival. Reed earned her MFA in experimental animation from the California Institute of the Arts, an MFA in film/video from Bard College, a BFA in film production from the University of Colorado, Boulder, a BA in film studies & art history from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and her BA in religion from the College of William and Mary.
As the media industry continues to evolve and constantly redefine itself, there is no shortage of new, unexpected, and unique ways to craft a career for yourself in film, tv, and digital content creation. In this workshop, we’ll discuss how your undergraduate degree can prepare you for any creative role you set your sights on, and some of the many ways you can break into the creative industries you love. Questions welcomed and encouraged!
About Hannah McCarthy ’12
Hannah McCarthy is the Director of Creative Services for Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, based in Austin, TX. Prior to joining Alamo Drafthouse, Hannah worked at Rooster Teeth Productions, a digital studio within Warner Media. Working in development through post-production on projects that run the gamut in scope, medium, and distribution, Hannah’s experience spans across digital and linear platforms, appearing on major cable networks as well as premium digital SVODs, such as HBO Max, Discovery Channel, A&E, TNT, Animal Planet, TLC, and PBS.
Since 2013, Count Gauntly has broadcast forgotten films from his subterranean studio. Join the Count as he looks back at 100 episodes, and shares the secrets of using public access television to tell the stories in your head… without any budget or industry connections.
About Brian Terrill ’12
Brian Terrill is the producer, host, and editor of Count Gauntly’s Horrors from the Public Domain, and co-host of The Goods: A Film Podcast. He received a BA in Film and American Studies from William & Mary in 2012. Brian has taught video production and other tech courses with Fairfax Collegiate and Docs In Progress, and enjoys helping students develop the technical skills needed to bring their creative visions to life.
Join this conversation between aspiring filmmaker Molly McCarthy Flood ’22 and Tony-winning theater producer Caitlin Clements (’11).
About Caitlin Clements ’11
Caitlin Clements is Associate Producer and Creative Content Director at Stacey Mindich Productions. She made her Broadway producing debut with the musical Dear Evan Hansen, earning a 2017 Tony Award. She is also a co-producer on the West End and touring productions of Dear Evan Hansen, and the upcoming revival of Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite starring Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker. Caitlin holds an MA in Cinema Studies from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and a BA in LCST/Film from William & Mary, where she was a member of the 1693 Scholars Program.
Join this session to hear about Cord’s journey to the writers’ room and what it’s like to work on a television series.
About Cord Jefferson ’04
As a writer, Cord got his start in journalism. He then transitioned to writing for television and his credits include Watchmen, Succession, The Good Place, and Master of None. He is the recipient of an Emmy Award, NAACP Image Award, and two Writers Guild of America Awards.
Even if you despise the genre of documentary, the best thing you can do for your life right now… is to make your own doc. It’s not the only thing you should do, but it’s pretty close to it. This workshop seeks to empower any person to go forth and create, and will outline specific reasons as to why documentary [and not narrative filmmaking] is the best thing you can do to create film art… now!
About Zachary Keifer ’07
Zach Keifer has never sold a script, never went to film school, never even came close to screening at Sundance, and he sure as hell doesn’t live in L.A or even Austin, TX. He has however built up a full service production house, Octillion Productions, in central Virginia, where he straddles the line between both a business and the passionate pursuit of personal/creative projects. Even if on a smaller scale then some, filmmaking has afforded him a lot of interesting experiences from mic’ing up “The Beastmaster” Marc Singer on the set of “House Hunting,” to filming with wood turtles in the wilds of Vermont, and the releasing of a punk rock documentary, “If We Shout Loud Enough,” as a DVD/Record combo release on record store day. Zach is a big believer in the DIY concept that anyone and everyone should make film in whatever which way they can.
An interactive discussion on what to expect in a career in entertainment. Will weave in stories from being an accounting major at W&M, to a CPA, to an Internal Auditor to being on my first ever film set, Batman Begins, in London. At 29 years old I made a career change to indie film and have since done over 20 films including several that have played at Sundance, Tribeca, & Toronto.
About Milan Chakraborty ’00
Milan Chakraborty, Head of Film at Marginal MediaWorks, oversees all of the company’s efforts in independent, studio and streaming film. He is an 18 year veteran of the film industry. Milan worked at Warner Bros and New Line Cinema in production finance and accounting on projects such as Batman Begins, Superman Returns and V for Vendetta. Milan began independently producing in 2008 and has produced and executive produced 20 features including My Friend Dahmer, Assassination Nation, Plus One and Gotham Award winning and NAACP Image award and dual Spirit Award nominated, The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain.
Marginal MediaWorks is a cross-platform content studio with projects across film, series, animation, interactive and audio. The company was founded in 2018 by Sanjay M Sharma with a focus on genre and popular storytelling from under-represented voices or outsider perspectives.
This workshop will introduce students to the basics of freelance (arts and culture) writing for a diverse range of publications, like trade magazines, daily newspapers, entertainment and arts websites, and quarterlies. Discussion will emphasize film writing and the film industry as it pertains to editorial, with some insights into theater, book, arts, and cultural criticism.
About Beatrice Loayza ’15
Beatrice Loayza is the associate editor for Current, the Criterion Collection’s online publication. She is a film critic for the New York Times and a contributor to Film Comment, the Baffler, Artforum, Cinema Scope, Vulture, Sight & Sound Magazine, the Guardian, and others.
In this workshop, we’ll go through the best practices for writing and producing a microbudget (or zero-budget) feature, using the lessons that I learned from making my film Kringle Time (p. 12). I’ll tell you what to do, what not to do, and maybe a few things in between.
About Zan Gillies ’09
Zan Gillies is a Virginia-based filmmaker and screenwriter with a Master’s degree in Film & Media (for what that’s worth). He’s the screenwriter of the 2021 film Kringle Time and the co-writer of the upcoming 500 Fireflies, both of which he also produced. He is currently producing the VPM series Life In The Heart Land.
No film degree? No access to Hollywood? No inherited wealth? No problem! Let’s talk about learning craft from scratch – from script to screen. You’re going to learn how to be an excellent filmmaker using the strengths you already have! Make sure you watch my film before joining the workshop!
About Shari Wiltshire
I started with a book from the Williamsburg library. Next, I went to a film festival. From there, I went on YouTube. I have written, produced and directed a 10-min film right here in Williamsburg! We wrapped in one 12-hour day, and I am most proud that I casted a child actor and we did not eat pizza for lunch or dinner! My professional training in social work motivates me to tell stories, and filmmaking allows me to gather the best in human resources to illustrate the complexities of human life. Some of my favorite people in the business are writer/director Sean Baker and actresses Jackee Harry & Wendi McLendon-Covey. My next project will be a feature film to be shot in the Virgin Islands!
In this workshop, you’ll learn about the creative choices that drive up a film’s budget (so you can avoid them) and methods to maximize your budget. And you’ll learn about networking, ways to break in, defining your brand, raising money and how to create entertainment people will want to buy.
About Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith is a Visiting Assistant Professor in W&M’s Film Studies department. He earned his Masters in film production from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. His BFA in creative writing and literature is from Emerson College in Boston. Professor Smith teaches courses related to film history, screenwriting and film production.
For anyone interested in the world of animation, Gustav will provide an overview of the workflow used by major and independent studios to make your favorite animated films and TV shows.
About Gustav Lindquist ’07
Gustav has spent the last 14 years working in animation post-production, dealing with a variety of styles, projects, and studios. His credits include: ‘Rise of the Guardians,’ ‘Wish Dragon,’ & Netflix’s upcoming feature film, ‘The Sea Beast.’
Quick and dirty – How professional stunt people plan and execute action and fight scenes for TV and movies. Students will learn from a range of StuntViz videos from an instructor with first-hand knowledge.
About James Northrup ’04
Jamie Northrup is a NYC-based stunt performer, camera operator and filmmaker.
Join us and our program sponsors at these special events taking place during the festival!
A special edition of the regular W&M Entrepreneurial Center live business pitch competition, featuring festival guests and alumni working in the arts & entertainment industry.
A special edition of the regular W&M Entrepreneurial Center live business pitch competition, featuring festival guests and alumni working in the arts & entertainment industry.
Join a panel of alumni working in the arts and entertainment industry for an informal discussion about their careers in entertainment production. Featuring Caitlin Clements ‘11, Milan Chakraborty ‘00, and Francis Lyons ‘93.
About Caitlin Clements ’11
Caitlin Clements is Associate Producer and Creative Content Director at Stacey Mindich Productions. She made her Broadway producing debut with the musical Dear Evan Hansen, earning a 2017 Tony Award. She is also a co-producer on the West End and touring productions of Dear Evan Hansen, and the upcoming revival of Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite starring Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker. Caitlin holds an MA in Cinema Studies from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and a BA in LCST/Film from William & Mary, where she was a member of the 1693 Scholars Program.
About Milan Chakraborty ’00
Milan Chakraborty, Head of Film at Marginal MediaWorks, oversees all of the company’s efforts in independent, studio and streaming film. He is an 18 year veteran of the film industry. Milan worked at Warner Bros and New Line Cinema in production finance and accounting on projects such as Batman Begins, Superman Returns and V for Vendetta. Milan began independently producing in 2008 and has produced and executive produced 20 features including My Friend Dahmer, Assassination Nation, Plus One and Gotham Award winning and NAACP Image award and dual Spirit Award nominated, The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain.
About Francis Lyons ‘93
Francis Lyons is a content creator and entrepreneur. A 4-time Emmy winning executive producer and show-runner, Francis has produced reality, game show, sports, and scripted TV, short and feature documentary films. Showrunner of MTV’s 3rd longest running series, Francis managed an overall development deal with Viacom and ITV, producing pilots and series for MTV, Vice, The History Channel, Amazon Prime, and ESPN. As a patent holding entrepreneur, Francis co-founded an insurance company, shoe company, and international league for the sport of parkour (all launched by a tv show) and co-founded Truepic Inc., a video and photo verifying technology recognized by Fast Company as the world’s sixteen most innovative company in 2019 and named to Time Magazine’s Top 100 inventions of 2020.
Join a panel of alumni working in the arts and entertainment industry for an informal discussion about their careers in entertainment production. Featuring Caitlin Clements ‘11, Milan Chakraborty ‘00, and Francis Lyons ‘93.
About Caitlin Clements ’11
Caitlin Clements is Associate Producer and Creative Content Director at Stacey Mindich Productions. She made her Broadway producing debut with the musical Dear Evan Hansen, earning a 2017 Tony Award. She is also a co-producer on the West End and touring productions of Dear Evan Hansen, and the upcoming revival of Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite starring Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker. Caitlin holds an MA in Cinema Studies from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and a BA in LCST/Film from William & Mary, where she was a member of the 1693 Scholars Program.
About Milan Chakraborty ’00
Milan Chakraborty, Head of Film at Marginal MediaWorks, oversees all of the company’s efforts in independent, studio and streaming film. He is an 18 year veteran of the film industry. Milan worked at Warner Bros and New Line Cinema in production finance and accounting on projects such as Batman Begins, Superman Returns and V for Vendetta. Milan began independently producing in 2008 and has produced and executive produced 20 features including My Friend Dahmer, Assassination Nation, Plus One and Gotham Award winning and NAACP Image award and dual Spirit Award nominated, The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain.
About Francis Lyons ‘93
Francis Lyons is a content creator and entrepreneur. A 4-time Emmy winning executive producer and show-runner, Francis has produced reality, game show, sports, and scripted TV, short and feature documentary films. Showrunner of MTV’s 3rd longest running series, Francis managed an overall development deal with Viacom and ITV, producing pilots and series for MTV, Vice, The History Channel, Amazon Prime, and ESPN. As a patent holding entrepreneur, Francis co-founded an insurance company, shoe company, and international league for the sport of parkour (all launched by a tv show) and co-founded Truepic Inc., a video and photo verifying technology recognized by Fast Company as the world’s sixteen most innovative company in 2019 and named to Time Magazine’s Top 100 inventions of 2020.
Throughout the 2021-22 school year, Williamsburg area high school students have participated in the Media Mentors student filmmaking program, presented in partnership with the Ampersand International Arts Festival. In this culminating showcase event, students from this year’s program will present their final projects as live script table reads.
Throughout the 2021-22 school year, Williamsburg area high school students have participated in the Media Mentors student filmmaking program, presented in partnership with the Ampersand International Arts Festival. In this culminating showcase event, students from this year’s program will present their final projects as live script table reads.
Elyse Endick is a visual storyteller, writing scripts for film, television, and new media. She holds a BA in English and Film from William & Mary, and an MFA in screenwriting from NYU Tisch. Elyse has served as a Writers Assistant at both Netflix and Nickelodeon, a script reader for the Hollywood Blacklist, produced scripted content for Hooked, and currently serves as a coordinator for WarnerMedia’s original programming department crafting loglines and synopses for HBO and HBO Max content. She also is actively pursuing her passion for screenwriting and her feature-length scripted debut WHO IS CHRISTMAS EVE premiered in the 2021 holiday season.
Join Elyse for a career talk about her background, current work, and advice on how to navigate the industry.
This event will take place in a hybrid format with Elyse speaking virtually. Attendees can join in-person at the Cohen Career Center, or via Zoom at this link.
Sponsored by the Office of Career Development and Professional Engagement.
Elyse Endick is a visual storyteller, writing scripts for film, television, and new media. She holds a BA in English and Film from William & Mary, and an MFA in screenwriting from NYU Tisch. Elyse has served as a Writers Assistant at both Netflix and Nickelodeon, a script reader for the Hollywood Blacklist, produced scripted content for Hooked, and currently serves as a coordinator for WarnerMedia’s original programming department crafting loglines and synopses for HBO and HBO Max content. She also is actively pursuing her passion for screenwriting and her feature-length scripted debut WHO IS CHRISTMAS EVE premiered in the 2021 holiday season.
Join Elyse for a career talk about her background, current work, and advice on how to navigate the industry.
This event will take place in a hybrid format with Elyse speaking virtually. Attendees can join in-person at the Cohen Career Center, or via Zoom at this link.
Sponsored by the Office of Career Development and Professional Engagement.
Compete against players from the official W&M Super Smash Brothers Ultimate esports team in a casual tournament, outdoors on the big screen at the AMPitheater!
Compete against players from the official W&M Super Smash Brothers Ultimate esports team in a casual tournament, outdoors on the big screen at the AMPitheater!