Festival Workshops
scheduled throughout the afternoon!
These events, designed and presented by film industry professionals, are guarenteed to be fun, interesting and inspiring experiences for all ages!
11:30am – 12:30pm WORKSHOP – Fine Arts Auditorium
Dinosaur Improv for Actors
With Bob Bozek
This fun, humorous and inspiring improvisational session will be run by accomplished local Western New York actor, Bob Bozek. Some of Bob’s many acting credits include such films as Cold Brook (2018), Emelie (2015), Friends to the End (2017) and Marshall (2017).
Bob, a Second City and Upright Citizens Brigade alum will demonstrate some of the greatest exercises and games used by professional improv performers from “Saturday Night Live” and “Who’s Line Is It Anyway.”
1pm – 2pm WORKSHOP – Fine Arts Auditorium
How to Produce an Independent Feature
With Greg Lamberson
Gregory Lamberson is a multiple-award winning filmmaker and author who freelances as a screenwriter and line producer. His company is Digital Guerrilla Cinema, LLC, and 2024/2025 marks his 40th year working in independent film. He is a member of the Producers Guild of America and International Thriller Writers, and a past member of the Horror Writers Association.
Gregory is the Founding Director of the genre film festival Amazing Fantasy Fest, and the Executive Director of a new non-profit organization, Cinema Arts Collaborative, Inc., created to help grow the Buffalo-Niagara film community. FANGORIA called him “the
2:30pm – 3:30pm KEYNOTE SPEAKER – Fine Arts Auditorium
Influences & Takeaways over the Years
followed by a ‘Q & A’ session
With John Ripa
A career at Walt Disney Feature Animation that has spanned over 25 years, John has been a supervising animator and story artist on feature films including Tarzan, Tangled, Frozen, Zootopia and Moana! John is currently directing a feature film for Netflix Animation!
Check in on John to see what he is ‘up to’ on his Instagram account!
