The Media Arts Center San Diego in conjunction with the 14th Annual San Diego Latino Film Festival (March 8-18) is proud to announce the return of REEL TALKS, a series of lively panel discussions and workshops that occur throughout the ten day festival. REEL TALKS invites local filmmakers, media-makers, animators, writers, artists, educators, and students to listen, learn, and join in on the conversation between top professionals from the International film scene as they chat about the nuts and bolts of filmmaking, new trends and technologies, and reveal industry insider tips within the genres of documentary, animation, and Indy film.
The REEL TALKS schedule is as follows:

Saturday, March 10th from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
ONLINE CINEMA: FILM IN THE AGE OF YOU TUBE AND VLOGS: Listen to a panel of Industry professionals & media-makers discuss how they use new digital tools and the worldwide web to reach new audiences. Special guests include: DivX, Inc., David Dudas, CTO & VP, Engineering/ Eyespot, Richard Barraza, Creative Director/ VMIX MEDIA, INC. Sponsored by DivX, Inc.


Saturday, March 10th from 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
FILMANDO EN MEXICO / FILMING IN MEXICO: SDLFF provides local filmmakers with a rare opportunity to learn insider tips about filming in Mexico. Special guests include: Lic. Sara Mercado – Delegada de Cine del SITATYR Sec. 4, C. Cesar Manjarrez - Delegado Nacional del A.N.D.A. en B.C., Lic. Gabriel del Valle – Comisionado Estatal de Filmaciones, and Psic., and René Castillo – Jefe de la Unidad de Promoción y Gestión Fílmica H. XVIII Ayuntamiento de Tijuana. Part of BORDERS ON FILM

Sunday, March 11th from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
PROMOTE YOUR INDY FILM: Get your film out there! Get the 411 on media relations from top professionals and SDLFF guest filmmakers. From pitching your film to cultivating relationships with press, learn first hand how to spread the word about your Indy flick. Special Guests include: Andrew Hart, Allied Advertising, Pascal Maeder, Producer/ Atopia, and Federico Hidalgo, Writer & Director/ Atopia. Moderated by Beth Accomando, Film Critic/ KPBS.

Wednesday, March 14th from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
FROM PAPER TO SCREENING: GETTING COMICS PRODUCED FOR BOTH THE SMALL & BIG SCREEN: Join Cine’Mation Special Guests to talk about the animating process. Part of Cine’Mation

Saturday, March 17th from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
PRODUCING THE DOC: A CASE STUDY: Join us for a behind the scenes look at the process and production of La Lupe Queen of Latin Soul, produced by award winning Cuban born Latina director, writer and producer, Ela Troyano. Join the filmmaker and Luis Ortiz, Managing Director of Latino Public Broadcasting, and Keith York, Director of Programming at KPBS, as we explore the films’ storyboard beginnings, financing, release, and distribution. Co-presented by Latino Public Broadcasting and the San Diego Women’s Film Foundation.


REEL TALKS takes place March 10 – 17, 2007 at the UltraStar Mission Valley Cinemas Hazard Center (off the 163 Freeway on Friars Road). "This is a great opportunity for local audiences, students of film, and emerging filmmakers to see meet professionals who have films presented at other major festivals like Cannes, Sundance, and Toronto, as well as many of Latin America’s Oscar contenders," says festival founder and director Ethan van Thillo.