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The Best Film Networking Events
It’s not what you know. It’s who you know. This business truism has been around since before the Lumiere Brothers started fooling around with motion picture cameras. It’s doubly true in Hollywood, a town that runs on relationships.
How are you supposed to meet people to build those relationships? Making friends as an adult can hard enough without having to pile career expectations on top of it.
Our mission is to facilitate connections between production finance teams and producers, so we're here to help by listing a few of the best places you can find film networking events where that might be possible.
We’ll identify some of the best places to look for ongoing entertainment networking events, give you a calendar of networking events for the next three months, and even touch on the question: What is networking in the film industry?
In fact, let’s start there.
What is networking in the film industry?
“How to network in the film industry” is a topic we could devote an entire article to. But, to start with we’ll give some seemingly paradoxical advice.
Don’t go into an entertainment networking event treating it like an entertainment networking event.
Here’s what we mean…
Yes, you do want to go to any entertainment networking event well-prepared. Dress appropriately. Know what your goals are, whether it's finding funding, discovering a director, or landing your next production accounting job. Be ready with what makes you special - did you just wrap production accounting services on a major film or episodic?
But don’t go in by obviously looking for “contacts.” Don’t be transactional - only caring about what people can give you. You’re looking for friends. You have to think long term in the entertainment industry, or you’ll never get past your first job. This holds true across the spectrum of different roles within the industry
That line producer you met at the PGA event might not be able to help you now, but in two months when she’s staffing up? You’ll be so glad you knew her.
Join these union film networking events
Hollywood is a union town, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that some of the best Los Angeles film networking events are hosted by those unions.
We want to highlight two unions that you might find particularly interesting, even if they might require membership to attend
IATSE
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) is an umbrella union representing production employees from accountants to editors to costume designers. If you’re not in the DGA, PGA, WGA, or SAG, chances are you’re in IATSE.
Check out IATSE’s calendar for upcoming events. Don’t just focus on the mixers - you’d be surprised who you can meet at educational seminars and union meetings.
IATSE is made up of 355 local unions, each representing different craft specialties in different locations. Use IATSE’s helpful local union directory to find the union that represents you and check their website if they’re holding any upcoming events.
You might even find events outside of Los Angeles! A New York film networking event is just a simple search away.
PGA
The Producers Guild of America (PGA) isn’t strictly speaking a union, as it represents people the law considers “management.” Instead, it’s a trade organization that “represents, protects and promotes the interests of all members of the producing team in film, television and emerging media.”
The PGA also hosts some pretty fantastic entertainment networking events. In addition to regular Morning Mingles and Happy Hours, they also have entertainment networking events for specific groups, such as AAAP or LGBTQ+ producers.
You can find Los Angeles film networking events, New York film networking events, and even Bay Area film networking events with the PGA. However, most (but not all) require PGA membership to attend.
Attend GreenSlate mixers
We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention our own GreenSlate Mixers. We host these entertainment networking events specifically to help different people in the film industry make friends and future partners.
You can follow our GreenSlate company page on LinkedIn to see what mixers / events might be coming up next in your area. You can also bookmark this article and check back later as we’ll update here with the latest.
Oh, and we host the occasional virtual Q&A or interactive webinars and those can be good opportunities for production payroll and accounting professionals to connect. You can subscribe to get updates on upcoming webinar and Q&A sessions here.
Look into ongoing meetup organizations
While many film networking events are one-offs (such as film festivals), there are non-union mixers that hold events year-round. Some of these are dedicated to networking, others support filmmaking more generally.
Gotham Film & Media Institute
If you’re looking for a New York film networking event, the Gotham Film & Media Institute is a good place to start looking. They seek to celebrate independent film and provide support and education to independent filmmakers.
To that end, they host various entertainment networking events and educational seminars. Some virtual, some in-person. Their centerpiece event is Gotham Week, a Project Market and Expo held in Brooklyn in the fall. The ultimate New York film networking event.
Membership in the Gotham Film & Media Institute is required to attend. Annual memberships start at $40 for a digital-only membership and increase from there.
Film Independent Networking Nights
For thirty years, Film Independent has been championing and supporting independent film in all its forms. Their most well-known way of doing this is the Film Independent Spirit Awards, but they also host educational events, screenings, and film networking events.
Film Independent offers a mix of online and Los Angeles film networking events. Some events are members-only, but most are not. If you do decide to join, memberships start at $95 annually.
Women in Media & Women in Film
Women are notoriously underrepresented in the film and entertainment industry. A recent study by San Diego University revealed that “women accounted for 22% of all directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers working in the top 250 top-grossing films.”
Women in Media & Women in Film are two organizations looking to change that. Both are dedicated to achieving gender parity in the entertainment industry. To that end, they both host educational and film networking events to help lift up women, trans, and non-binary filmmakers.
Learn more about Women in Media’s film networking events and Women in Film’s networking events at their websites.
ProductionHub’s events list
ProductionHub keeps a running and current list of production-related events that’s worth looking into from time to time to see what’s coming up.
Join online production and payroll accounting communities
Active online communities can be a fantastic resource for finding relevant events and making valuable connections.
In the world of production accounting in particular, there are some active and highly engaged Facebook groups where you'll find both lively conversation and upcoming events:
LA Production Accountants (5300 members)
Line Producers & Film Accountants (5700 members)
NY Production Accountants (3700 members)
Atlanta Production Accountants (2400 members)
Louisiana Production Accountants (1300 members)
London Production Accountants (2300 members)
GreenSlate is not affiliated with any of these groups and they all have their own rules for joining and posting guidelines, so be sure to check those before you dive in. One commonality with all of them is they don't tend to like blatant self-promotion.
Sign up for film shorts and pitch events
If you’re at the start of your entertainment career, a great place to meet other young filmmakers is at film short open mic nights. Filmmakers showcase their shorts at these regular events, showing off their budding producing, writing, and directing skills.
You’ll see some mind-expanding cinema and make new friends just as hungry and ambitious as you. Two of the best Los Angeles film networking events of this type are Silver Lake Shorts and Open Screen LA.
On the East coast, you can find Film Pitch ATL. Billed as “Atlanta’s best networking event for the film industry,” you can watch three filmmakers pitch ideas and projects to a panel of film industry pros. Stick around for the Q&A and, of course, the networking.
What are some examples of film networking events?
We’ve compiled a list of upcoming film networking events through April, May, and June. This list is current as of the publication of this article, but check out the websites of the hosting organizations. New and exciting entertainment networking events are being posted all the time.
April
Gotham Film & Media Institute: Peer-to-Peer Virtual Meet-Up: Narrative Creators
Date: April 2nd
Type: Members-Only Mixer
Location: Virtual
Description: This members-only film networking event is an open and casual space to connect with other narrative filmmakers. Practice your pitches, find people to hold you accountable, and learn from fellow members and Gotham Alumni.
IndieLink 2024: Production Designers and Costume Designers
Date: April 2nd
Type: Mixer/Showcase
Location: Virtual
Description: If you’re a producer looking to hire a production or costume designer, Film Independent can help you. This IndieLink event will showcase reels from up-and-coming production and costume designers and give you a chance to chat and ask questions afterwards.
Date: April 3rd
Type: Mixer
Location: New York, NY
Gotham Film & Media Institute: Peer-to-Peer Virtual Meet-Up: Documentary Filmmakers
Date: April 3rd
Type: Members-Only Mixer
Location: Virtual
Description: This members-only film networking event is an open and casual space to connect with other documentary filmmakers. Get grant advice, find people to hold you accountable, and learn from your fellow documentary filmmakers.
Date: April 3rd - 14th
Type: Film Festival
Location: New York, NY
Description: Lincoln Center and MOMA are hosting the 53rd New Directors/NewFilm film festival. Celebrating new filmmakers with bold and boundary-pushing features and shorts, this New York film networking event is perfect for young filmmakers, producers looking for new voices, and crew looking for inspirational projects.
Date: April 7th
Type: Shorts Festival
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Description: Open Screen Los Angeles is “an open mic night for filmmakers”. If you have a short that’s under ten minutes, show up with it on a USB drive - they’ll play it, almost no questions asked. If you don’t, come anyway for 90 minutes of some of the wildest films you’ll ever see. And be sure to stick around the bar afterwards for a great Los Angeles film networking event. Or at the very least, ask the filmmaker what they were thinking.
Date: April 12th
Type: Shorts Festival
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Description: Every month at the El Cid, Silver Lake Shorts showcases a selection of new, exciting shorts from local filmmakers. Even if you don’t have anything to screen, come grab a drink and enjoy the film networking event after the screening. Just know - there’s a two drink minimum!
Date: April 14th
Type: Film Festival
Location: Atlanta, GA
Description: The Georgia Shorts Film Festival is a one-day showcase for independent short films of all genres. If you’re a new filmmaker, showcase your work. If you’re a producer, come look at up-and-coming talent. And as always - check out the closest bar after the festival. Those are the best film networking events.
Gotham Class: The Art and Science of Crowdfunding
Date: April 15th and 17th
Type: Class
Location: Virtual
Description: If you’re a producer looking to crowdfund your next (or first) film, this is the class for you. Elise McCave, head of film at Kickstarter, will teach you the basics of setting up a crowdfunding campaign, from campaign set-up to building an audience. Learn from the experts, chat with your classmates, and find your next filmmaking partner.
LA Doc & Non-Fiction Networking Mixer Hosted at This Machine Filmworks
Date: April 17th
Type: Mixer
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Essentials Workshop: Option Agreements Do's and Don'ts
Date: April 23rd
Type: Class
Location: Virtual
Description: Whether you’re a producer who’s looking to option a creative work or a creator who’s being optioned, this class will set you on the right path. Attorney Jeanne Hamburg of Norris McLaughlin PA will show you the ins and outs of options and answer all your burning options questions.
Date: April 25th - May 5th
Type: Film Festival
Location: Atlanta, GA
Description: The Atlanta Film Society’s marquis event. The Atlanta Film Festival showcases exciting new cinema, with special programs spotlighting Black, Latin, LGBTQ, and female and gender non-conforming filmmakers. As the new filmmaker center of Atlanta continues to grow, this is a film networking event no one can afford to miss, regardless of where they are on the call sheet.
May
Los Angeles International Children's Film Festival
Date: May 11th - 26th
Type: Film Festival
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Description: The Los Angeles International Children’s Film Festival showcases the latest and greatest in films aimed at children. If you’re a filmmaker, crew member, or producer with a specific interest in children’s entertainment, this is the event for you. Like all film festivals, be sure to chat with filmmakers afterwards for an excellent entertainment networking event.
Date: May 12th
Type: Shorts Festival
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Description: Open Screen Los Angeles is “an open mic night for filmmakers.” If you have a short that’s under ten minutes, show up with it on a USB drive - they’ll play it, almost no questions asked. If you don’t, come anyway for 90 minutes of some of the wildest films you’ll ever see. And be sure to stick around the bar afterwards for a great Los Angeles film networking event. Or at the very least, ask the filmmaker what they were thinking.
Date: May 24th - June 1st
Type: FilmFestival
Location: Toronto, Canada
Description: Inside Out is Canada's largest 2SLGBTQ+ film festival, and this year’s line-up is stacked with feature films from members of that community. If you identify as 2SLBGTQ+ and want to meet filmmakers like you, then book a trip to Canada. Some filmmakers will be in attendance to meet, and there are always plenty of chances to talk with fellow attendees after screenings.
June
Date: June 5th - 16th
Type: Film Festival
Location: New York, NY
Description: The Tribeca film festival needs no introduction. Co-founded by screen legend Robert De Niro in 2002, Tribeca is one of New York’s premiere film festivals. Producers can see some of the hottest new films on the festival circuit, schmooze with fellow producers and new filmmakers over drinks, and even attend an evening with Larry David.
Date: June 9th
Type: Shorts Festival
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Description: Open Screen Los Angeles is “an open mic night for filmmakers”. If you have a short that’s under ten minutes, show up with it on a USB drive - they’ll play it, almost no questions asked. If you don’t, come anyway for 90 minutes of some of the wildest films you’ll ever see. And be sure to stick around the bar afterward for a great Los Angeles film networking event. Or at the very least, ask the filmmaker what they were thinking.
That’s it for now, but bookmark this page and check back here again in a month or so as we’ll add more film networking events as they become available.
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