In response to growing demand for accessible, high-quality educational programming, the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is launching the ABFF Masterclass Series, a new online program designed to connect emerging creatives with some of the most accomplished voices working across film, television, and digital media today.
Presented as quarterly live webinars beginning in March, the series will feature directors, producers, showrunners, studio executives, actors, and other creative leaders sharing practical insights about the craft, business, and evolving future of storytelling.
Delivered via Zoom, each session will combine expert instruction with real-world case studies and interactive audience engagement, creating a dynamic learning environment for filmmakers and creators from around the world.
FILM OR TV: THE RIGHT FIT with Craig T. Williams
Description and Session Topics: You've got an idea you love. Great. Now comes a question writers don't always ask soon enough: Is this actually a movie or is it a TV show?
In this webinar, screenwriter/producer Craig T. Williams will break down how to find the right home for your story. Because having enough material for 100 pages doesn't automatically make something a movie, and having a great pilot idea doesn't mean you have a television series.
Using examples from contemporary film and television, we'll look at what each form needs, why some stories are built to end while others are built to keep going, and how character, world, and story can help you figure out what you're actually writing.
Topics include:
- Why are we meeting this character right now?
- What makes a story work as a film?
- What makes an idea capable of sustaining a TV series?
- What is the series engine, and do you actually have one?
- The Episode Two Test: after your great pilot, what happens next?
- Film, TV, or limited series: finding the right fit
You'll leave with a clearer way to look at your own idea and answer one of the most important questions before you spend months writing it:
Where does this story belong?
THE PRODUCER'S PLAYBOOK with Alex Simmons
We can all start out dreaming of receiving our fair share of Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and Oscars. Why not dream big, think big, and work hard?
But there are many steps to reaching those coveted awards—and many wonderful experiences to pursue, fight for, and obtain along the way.
In this 90-minute interactive workshop, we'll explore the journey from unknown to established professional, using films such as El Mariachi, The Blair Witch Project, Clerks, Godzilla Minus One, The Lord of the Rings, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, and Chris Nolan's The Odyssey.
Topics include:
- What do you have to offer the industry and the world?
- What do you want to say, and who is your audience?
- Developing the script, budget, resources, and production approach around what you can realistically access now
- Working with what you have instead of waiting for outrageous money or resources beyond your reach
- Using imagination, ingenuity, and practical thinking to turn limitations into creative advantages
- Why starting small can be a beneficial training ground for taking on the big dogs later
Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to turn creative ambition into practical action—and how working within your limitations can become one of your greatest strengths as a filmmaker.
NAVIGATING THE FILM FESTIVAL CIRCUIT with Crickett Rumley
With over 15,000 festivals worldwide, deciding where to submit, how to attend, and how to leverage your official selections can quickly feel overwhelming. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Whether you are brand new to the circuit or mid-run, you will learn how to make the system work for you.
Topics of the session include:
- Laying the groundwork for festival success before the cameras even roll
- Decoding the Tiers & Types of festivals
- Separating high-value festivals from predatory scams and fake awards
- Strategizing for both shorts and features
- Navigating complex premiere requirements
- Budgeting for both submission fees and travel expenses
- Designing effective marketing materials that go beyond a festival's own outreach and promotion
Come with questions, and walk away with a roadmap to promote your project, protect your budget, and turn your film's festival run into a career-defining experience.
PRODUCING LIKE A PRO with Kimberly Ogletree
This 75-minute producing masterclass, programmed in association with New York Film Academy (NYFA), offers an introduction to the essential principles and practices of producing for film.
Drawing on over two decades of professional experience, Kimberly Ogletree provides a practical overview of how producers guide a project from concept through execution while balancing the creative vision with logistics, resources, and leadership.
Topics of the session include:
- Refining the Producer's Role
- Advanced Script & Project Evaluation
- Strategic Budgeting
- Scheduling for Efficiency
- Department Collaboration
- On-Set Leadership & Communication
- Risk Management & Problem-Solving
- Deliverables & Next Step
CRAFTING STANDOUT SCREENPLAYS with Carolyn McDonald
This 75-minute screenwriting masterclass, programmed in association with New York Film Academy (NYFA), will cover the basics of a 3-act feature screenplay, along with elements that offer participants tools to enhance their screenwriting skills to create signature works that stand out.
Topics of the session include:
- Establishing a foundation of definitive, yet universal themes
- The Anatomy of a screen story & log line
- Vital elements of the 3-act structure
- Building multi-faceted characters: wants, needs & why’s
- Crafting relatable protagonists, complex villains & stimulating relationships
- Creating memorable set pieces at key moments in each act
- Landing with a satisfying climax & resolution
- The “less is more” of visual writing