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Slamdance co-founder Jon Fitzgerald & filmmaker Justin Giddings break down the insider secrets to getting your film screened - on a budget!

JON FITZGERALD Jon has twenty-five years of experience in the independent film, internet and film festival communities, a rare leader with a unique combination of skills. As a filmmaker, he has produced a number of award winning documentaries; and as a consultant, he has guided many independent film projects through the maze of festivals and hybrid distribution models. As a co-founder of the Slamdance Film Festival (1995), he led the event the next two seasons before being named the Festival Director for the prestigious AFI Film Festival in 1997. After running AFI Fest for three years (1997-1999), he created a consulting business, guiding the launch of numerous film festivals (Bahamas, Lone Star, Orlando), directing many others (Santa Barbara, Naples, Hollywood), and consulting to dozens more. In October of 2012, Jon authored his first book, entitled Filmmaking for Change: Make Films That Transform the World. Again, based on the premise that powerful stories can create change, Jon founded Cause Cinema & Cause Pictures, connecting social impact films to related causes. After serving as Head of Acquisitions for several distributors, Jon Founded iGEMS.tv in 2019, as a guide to engaging movies and series. JUSTIN GIDDINGS Justin Giddings is an award-winning actor, writer, and director who got sick and tired of waiting for permission to be creative. Despite success as an actor on shows like Shameless, Nashville, Pretty Little Liars, and General Hospital, Justin decided to get behind the camera. His and his partner's first two shorts played at over 100 film festivals around the globe, winning multiple awards and best-ofs and gaining distribution and development deals with Gaiam TV and Gunpowder & Sky.

While he continues to work as a writer and director, Justin also has the distinction of being the Kickstarter Guy, the #1 crowdfunding coach for filmmakers. He's coached over 170 clients, helped raised $6 million, and has a 97% success rate. He's an official Kickstarter Expert, a Forbes Business Coach, and regularly teaches with organizations such as Film Independent. The empowerment of a filmmaker to totally control their creative expression in the world continues to drive Justin's coaching and educational work.