Date: November 1, 2024 (2pm to 4pm)
Location: Millennium Library (251 Donald Street, 2nd floor – Carol Shields Auditorium)
Fee:
$30.00 (General Public)
$20.00 (Phantom of the Paradise 50th Ticket Holders)
*Following the session, there will be a 30-minute mixer to allow for important networking opportunities. This session is for anyone currently or potentially working a job or career in the film industry.
The maps at the bottom of this page show parking/bus routes and where to find the Carol Shields Auditorium.
About the Session
During this 90-minute panel session, Producer and Actor Sam Pressman will discuss the cult classic Phantom of the Paradise (1974) with Manitoba Production Manager and Producer Aaron W. Graham.
The son of Hollywood titan Edward R. Pressman and a creative in his own right, Sam Pressman and Aaron Graham will have an in-depth conversation about the challenges and difficulties of creating large-scale feature films.
About the Speaker
Sam Pressman combines his long-standing relationships with investors, talent, and industry insiders with his extensive knowledge of independent financing to lead the company into an exciting era of continued growth and success. Immersed in the motion picture business from a young age, he is humbled and emboldened by the responsibility of carrying the mantle of his family’s 50 years in filmmaking.
Before assuming the role of CEO, Sam worked under his father Ed Pressman on Werner Herzog’s BAD LIEUTENANT, Matt Brown’s THE MAN WHO KNEW INFINITY, Barry Levinson’s PATERNO—and alongside Ed on Keith Maitland’s DEAR MR BRODY, Charlotte Colbert’s SHE WILL, Mary Harron’s DALILAND, Marshmallow Laser Feast’s ground-breaking virtual reality experience EVOLVER, and Rupert Sander’s upcoming reboot of THE CROW.
With a deep reverence for his father’s contributions to independent cinema and a firm commitment to carrying on the Pressman penchant for storytelling, Sam approaches his role as producer with a sense of humility and a fierce determination to create films that honour the company’s legacy.
About the Moderator
Aaron Graham is a Film Writer and Production Manager based in Canada. He has a freelance film writing background and was selected to the Talent Campus at the Berlin International Film Festival. He is a full member of the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) and serves on the DGC Manitoba district council’s executive branch. He has worked on productions such as MIDNIGHT SUN, SUNNYSIDE, THE PINKERTONS, CHAMPIONS, and A DOG’S PURPOSE.
Aaron also has an extensive background in freelance film writing, including the publications Scream Magazine and Art Decades. A partial list of his interview subjects includes Terry Gilliam, John Landis, James Gray, Richard Franklin, Charles B. Griffith, Stuart Gordon and Richard Linklater. Graham was also selected to the Berlinale Talent Campus at the 2009 Berlin International Film Festival.
Special Guest
Film Training Manitoba is very excited to share that we will have a special guest who has in-depth knowledge of the shooting and production of Phantom of the Paradise. They will not be revealed until the session.
Maps:
FTM is a non-for-profit charity and member of the Province of Manitoba’s Sector Council program funded through the Economic Development, Investment, Trade and Natural Resources. FTM builds a highly skilled and adaptable film industry workforce to support the activities of Manitoba production companies. FTM collaborates and partners with members of the film industry to identify training needs to support workforce development.