2024 FLOW PANELISTS
PAST PANELISTS
FLOW COLLECTIVE CONFERENCE
CO-PRESENTED BY RIFF & THE RIFF ARTS INSTITUTE (RAI)
Full Week’s Schedule TBA Early August
All Access VIP Badges grant entry into all FLOW panel events for free, however, rsvps are required. FLOW is also open to the general public. A pass can be purchased here.
FLOW COLLECTIVE SERIES
PAST SPEAKERS
In 2010, Waters founded the Richmond International Film Festival (RIFF). RIFF brings 120+ international film screenings, industry panels, Q&As, live musical performances, red carpet awards, the FLOW Collective, and entertainment mixers that bring the spirit of Hollywood to Richmond at Bow Tie Movieland Criterion Cinemas, and the historic Byrd Theatre.
As a writer, producer, and director, Heather has been instrumental in such film projects as The People v. God; Sleep to Dream; Stillwater Lake; Trading Ages; Strive; and The Youth Roundtable Project, and more. She serves as the President of the Virginia Production Alliance (VPA), the leading advocacy organization responsible for bolstering film and developing crew and talent across the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Heather Waters
A multiple award winning writer/director and a Paul Verhoeven scholarship winner when he was in his early teens, Mark Cartier, was a Creative Executive at Paramount Pictures for over 14 years.
He founded North of Two because he believes that filmmakers deserve good partners. Being from northern Minnesota – north of the 2 freeway – where it’s colder, harder, and further from civilization so people must have a substantial work ethic simply to survive. “North of Two” defines the spirit and determination and grit that Mark and his filmmakers have.
Mark Cartier
Andy Edmunds, Director of the Virginia Film Office, is a Virginia native and an accomplished musician and songwriter. After studying music at VCU in the mid 80s, Edmunds produced a music video of one of his songs that was broadcast on MTV. This experience introduced him to the film production industry where he ultimately settled in as a location scout until landing a job at the Virginia Film Office in 1997.
“I found myself in a non-traditional area of economic development that seemed to be perfectly suited to my experience and interests. Every day I look forward to continuing to give back to the state I know and love through an enthusiastic approach to attracting clients and delivering creative solutions,” says Edmunds.
During his time with the Film Office, Andy has worked with the most notable filmmakers of our time including Terrence Malick, Ridley Scott, Clint Eastwood and Steven Spielberg to name a few.
Andy Edmunds
Jazz pianist and Richmond native Lonnie Liston Smith spent much of the 1960s and early 1970s working with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and the iconic Miles Davis before forming his own group, the Cosmic Echoes, in 1973. With his albums "Astral Traveling," "Expansions" and "Visions of a New World," Smith has helped pioneer the Spiritual Jazz and Fusion genres. In the 1990s, he was hailed as one of the godfathers of the Acid Jazz movement, and he became a household name in Hip Hop when he collaborated with Gang Starr's Guru on his famed Jazzmatazz project. To this day, Smith's music are considered the gold standard of 1970s jazz and his songs cannot only be heard in countless Hip Hop hits in form of samples, but also in video games like "Grand Theft Auto."
Lonnie Liston Smith
Natives of Wichita, KS Rudy Love & The Love Family have been bringing their signature soulful music to audiences in the Midwest and around the world for the last four decades. Coming from a family of 17 brothers and sisters influenced by their father Robert Love, who had an extensive career touring the country as a performing musician with noted gospel and R&B artist, it was only natural to form a band. During the 60’s and 70’s Rudy Love & The Love Family worked with an array of Motown artist and even gained famed with Sly & The Family Stone. As a soloist Rudy Love toured in Europe and Asia and received several accolades including a platinum record. Rudy Love & The Love Family was also featured on Jay Z’s American Gangster album. As of late the highly regarded documentary This Is Love has been making waves on the film festival circuit. The film is culmination of experiences capturing the ups and downs of Rudy Love & The Love Family’s music career.
Rudy Love
Debbie obtained her undergraduate degree from the New York University Stern School of Business and founded her own consulting business. Her love for children drove her to complete a Master’s Degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Education. She then taught elementary school for a few years until she returned to the business world. Like many people, Debbie was vaguely aware of slavery around the world, and the gap between the prevalence of sex trafficking and the public’s awareness led Debbie to decide to leave her career and reconnect with her journalism roots and her passion to eradicate sex trafficking.
Debbie Wright
Mark Lambert has been a VFX/DFX/CG Supervisor on multiple tentpole feature films as well as a director, editor and software developer. Heading up teams that created Harry Potter's first Quidditch field and the visual development of Polar Express at Sony Pictures, he has been at the leading edge of visual effects technology. After work on 14 features, Mark left LA and returned to Richmond, Virginia and in 2015 started VArtisans to pursue VR and 360 video filmmaking. VArtisans' projects range from a series on endangered species to documentary and narrative pieces in this emerging media format.
She has spoken at the American Pavilion at Cannes Film Festival as Guest Spotlight Speaker, SAG Foundation, IFP, Digital Hollywood and at museums and universities
Mark Lambert
Sound of Music founder, John Morand, has worked with bands and filmmakers through out his 30+ year career in recording that has brought him platinum records and a reputation as Richmond's premiere sound engineer. John brings a rare degree of precision and incredible diversity to the art of tracking and mixing music, and has worked artists such as Amos Lee, Hanson, Cracker, Black Crowes, Carbon Leaf, many RVA based bands and artists, including Lamb of God and Susan Greenbaum.
John Morand
In Richmond, DJ Pari has made a name for himself slinging rare Soul and Funk 45s at his popular Soulpower dance parties and as the host of Midnight Soulstice on W-RIR 97.3 fm. But his credentials extend around the world — as a DJ, he has been behind the decks at clubs and festivals all across the U.S., Europe, Japan and Australia, and he has worked with legends like James Brown, Roy Ayers, Mandrill and Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings and has managed the R'n'B group the Impressions of Curtis Mayfield fame. As a producer, he is the creative force behind funk singers Marva Whitney, Lyn Collins and Martha High, and his film documentary "The Power of Soul" made its global rounds from the Cannes Film Festival to Netflix. Pari is also a passionate collector of rare jazz vinyl and will be happy to talk to you for hours about Coltrane’s Circle of Fifths.
DJ Pari
Jai Jamison
Jared Head
Cheryl Miller, CBS 6 Anchor & RIFF Emcee
David Lindinger was born and raised in Vienna, Austria. At the age of 18, he took the Trans-Siberian Railway to Beijing, where he continued to live for three years. There, he discovered the video-camcorder as a tool to observe and reflect on what is around him. Working as a sound engineer for international television, he spent his spare time cycling around the suburbs of Beijing, studying and photographing the fast-pace modernization of the city. After his return to Europe, he took classes on cinematography and photography in Vienna, Bratislava, and Lodz. He currently works as a freelance cameraman and has released his first short film Man Stands Still in 2018, which he directed and produced in Morocco.
David Lindenger
Sharad Kant Patel has written and directed films which have screened at many festivals including SXSW and Raindance. He also wrote and directed an arthouse horror feature, “Somebody’s Darling” (2016), winning awards at Houston’s Comicpalooza and the Mexican horror/fantasy festival Feratum. He has served in many key roles supporting fellow independent filmmakers: Screening at RIFF are two different projects: “The Rock Star of Real Estate” a feature doc by Michigan filmmakers (animator), and the short Texas shot drama “Acid Test” (producer, cinematographer, editor, and VFX artist). Sharad studied and graduated from the RTF program at The University of Texas at Austin.
Sharad Kant Patel
Trey Pollard is an arranger, composer, producer and instrumentalist based in Richmond, VA. After growing up in a musical household in the Tidewater area of Virginia, Trey relocated to Richmond to study Jazz Performance at Virginia Commonwealth University under the tutelage of master arranger/educator Doug Richards. He continued on to become an arranger in his own right writing/recording hundreds of arrangements for recording artists. As a jazz guitarist he’s performed and/or recorded with artists like Rex Richardson, Steve Wilson, John D’earth, Joe Locke, Jon Faddis, and Doug Richards’ Great American Music Ensemble. As an arranger/orchestrator he’s written for artists like Bedouine, Natalie Prass, Love Canon, The Waterboys, Foxygen, Darren Jessee (of Ben Folds Five) and Helado Negro and recorded/conducted his arrangements in studios located in Richmond, New York, Los Angeles, Nashville and London. Trey also released his first solo album of classical chamber music compositions called Antiphone in November of 2018.
Trey Pollard
Dave Guenette is a Toronto based music producer, musician, and founder/owner of production company District Six Music and label company Pirates Blend. Guenette has a proven history of identifying and developing a diverse, original, talented and successful artist roster which over the years has included K’Naan, Tumi & The Volume, Bedouin Soundclash, A Tribe Called Red, DJ Loqenz, Saul Williams and The Very Best, among others. Most recently he was label manager for A Tribe Called Red’s 'We Are the Halluci Nation' LP. He is creative business partner & manager to acclaimed artist Saul Williams. He is currently producing Saul Williams' feature length film Neptune Frost & is co-producing and music supervising Jihan Kikhia's feature length documentary Searching for Kikhia. www.piratesblend.com / www.mansurkikhia.org / www.saulwilliams.com
Dave Guenette
Walid Chaya is a Los Angeles based actor/director known for "Madam Secretary" (CBS), "The Blacklist: Redemption" (NBC) and "Driving Ms. Saudi" (MWP). He is also a director and associate member of the Stage Directors Choreographer Society. He has a B.F.A. in Theatre Performance from Virginia Commonwealth University, rated #1 School of the Arts by US News & World Report, and is an alumni of SpringBoardNYC directors program by The American Theatre Wing, founder of the Tony® Awards.
Walid Chaya
Greg McQuade, CBS 6 Anchor & RIFF Emcee
Dawn Blacksten Schick is an experienced Location Manager who comes to the Virginia Film Office with a long list of film credits from major film and television projects including Hearts in Atlantis, Hannibal, Gods and Generals, Big Fish, Walk the Line, John Adams, Lincoln and Killing Lincoln. Dawn is a Maryland native and graduated from Towson University. Dawn assists productions working in the Commonwealth and manages the Virginia Film Office’s incentive program.
Dawn Blacksten Schick
David Mallin is a cinematographer, filmmaker, and the Director of Old Dominion University's Film Program. He has a MFA in Cinematography from AFI in Los Angeles and a BA from American University in Washington D.C. David focuses his work with students on the production of collaborative group and faculty-led projects run like real-world movie sets, with the belief filmmaking can only be learned experientially.
David Mallin
CinemAerial Visual’s owner Scott Strimple is a director and Emmy award winning filmmaker who is most recently known for his diverse expertise and effective style of teaching within the aerial photography and filmmaking arena. He is a Captain and check airman for a major airline with over 27000 hours of flight time and more than 40 years of radio controlled aircraft experience. Scott founded The Drone Flight School where he facilitates Remote Pilot Certification training and aerial cinema / photography workshops introducing visual artists to the operational needs of “drone” photography and filmmaking. Additionally, Scott facilitates an aerial photo/cinema drone workshop at Maine Media Workshops and college and is a frequent speaker at many industry events and conferences.
Scott Strimple
Born 1971 in Kansas City, Missouri. After completing a B.A in Communications between UMKC and San Diego State University in 1990, Matt worked on various commercial and independent film productions as production manager and writer. In 1995 he moved to Berlin, Germany, continuing his career as a writer and editor with the agency Verlag der Autoren (The Writer's Agency). His documentaries include "Homemade Hillbilly Jam" [co-writer and editor] in 2006 and “Forgetting Dad” [co-director and editor] for ZDF (German TV) which won Special Jury Award at IDFA. Currently the winner of 2009 Dokuwettbewerb (Documentary Funding Award) with BR and Global Screen for "Beerland" which he wrote and directed. The film toured in the festivals, German cinemas 2013, and plays frequently on television. His new documentary feature "The Beer Jesus from America" was completed in 2019. Over the years Matt has also written, directed, and produced several commercial, educational, and independent films with his company Sweetwood Films (UG) based in Potsdam, Germany.
Matt Sweetwood
Joel Guelzo
Rob Cardwell, CBS 6 Anchor & RIFF Emcee
Todd Schall-Vess has spent his entire life working in entertainment and presentation work. His first job at the age of 16 was projectionist-trainee at West Tower Cinemas, where he eventually became head projectionist. He is part of the adjunct faculty at St. Catherine’s and is a sought-after consultant in design, lighting, audio-visual, magic, makeup and special effects and is a state and federally licensed pyrotechnician. He has performed and designed for many local theaters, including Barksdale, Virginia Rep, Dogwood Dell and CAT. He reads for the VA Voice for the Print Handicapped, and eats fire. Todd has been at the Byrd for 21 years.
Todd Schall-Vess
Marcus Tenney is a multi-instrumentalist, lyricist and producer from Richmond, Virginia. He is a full-time member of Butcher Brown and No BS! Brass, and is the leader of several of his own projects, including: The Marcus Tenney Quartet, The Marcus Tenney Trio, and, Tennishu, the self-produced and self-recorded hip-hop arm of his Tennishu Music collection.
Marcus Tenney
Roberto Carmona is a Venezuelan-born, award-winning Writer/Director/Producer based in Washington, DC. His works include the award-winning short film HIGHBALL and his recent award-winning feature film debut, DAKOTA, starring Phoebe Ryan. Roberto is the owner and founder of Tag Cinema, a film production company that creates video for a variety of creative and corporate clients across all industries. Roberto received his BA in Film and Video Studies from George Mason University in 2012.
Roberto Carmona
Tim Albaugh is a writer/producer, and a graduate of the UCLA M.F.A. screenwriting program. Albaugh has taught screenwriting at UCLA, UC Irvine, Hollins University, Pixar Animation Studios, and Walt Disney Feature Animation. His students have sold features to all the major studios and have had multiple features produced including the recent film ALL EYEZ ON ME and the Christian Bale film THE MACHINST. Their work in TV includes, but is not limited to, BLACKISH, INSECURE, STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, HAWAII FIVE-O, WYNNONA EARP, IZOMBIE, THE MAGICIANS and many others. In addition to his writing and teaching, Mr. Albaugh is co-founder of PROPATH SCREENWRITING, a film and television writing consultation company. Mr. Albaugh consults and speaks at film festivals throughout the world.
Tim Albaugh
Bill Fitzgerald, CBS 6 Anchor & RIFF Emcee
As the Film Office Location Manager, Lori supports filmmakers with a broad range of location needs throughout Virginia, maintains the office’s location library and coordinates the internship program. She joined the team after ten years as a Key Assistant Location Manager and Scout for the film and television industry in Los Angeles, California. She has worked on many projects including Rush Hour 3, Taken 3, Interstellar, Westworld and Loving. As a Virginia native and George Mason University graduate, she was excited to return home and start a new chapter here in the Commonwealth. During free time you can find her with her toes in the sand at the beach, stand-up paddle boarding, enjoying time with friends at new restaurants, watching the Pittsburgh Steelers and adventuring around the world with camera in hand.
Lori Russell