Join us for a 45-minute discussion with publicist Ron Hofmann, 'Film Festival Doctor' Rebekah Louisa Smith, PROOF Film Festival Manager Hanna Mason, Head of Cinema Programming, North America at Soho House, Short Film Programmer at Sundance Lisa Ogdie, & CEO/Executive Director of Newport Beach Film Festival Gregg M Schwenk followed by a 20-minute Q&A and moderated by Colin McCormack, SAGindie.
BIOS:
Dr. Rebekah Louisa Smith, The Film Festival Doctor, is a change agent. Her focus on film festivals and mental health is the first of its kind within the film industry. She creates new ways to approach festival strategies and redefine how to look after one’s mental health within the intense & rewarding world of film festivals.
Rebekah and the hard-working team are committed to nurturing filmmakers in order to help them secure film festival screenings, win awards, and cultivate a positive recognition within the film industry. Currently, her company has won more than 2,500 awards for their clients and three Oscar success stories. She has supported over 850 creatives across the world, enlightening and inspiring their journey towards achieving their goals and following their filmmaking dreams.
Hanna Mason is the PROOF Film Festival Manager, powered by the American Cinematheque. PROOF is a short film festival dedicated to showing the best in proof-of-concepts. Previously, Hanna was the Operations Manager and Associate Programmer at the BendFilm Festival in Bend, Oregon, where she oversaw all daily operations of the festival and the Tin Pan Theater. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a BA in History and Cinema Studies. Hanna is originally from Denver, Colorado and currently based in Los Angeles.
Lisa Ogdie is a Short Film Programmer for the Sundance Film Festival. She has been part of the Sundance shorts programming team since 2009, selecting the short film slate from over 10,000 submissions each year, and has curated shorts for the 2019 and 2020 editions of the Durban Film Festival in South Africa.
In addition to her work at Sundance, Ogdie is also Head of Cinema Programming in North America for Soho House & Co, curating the Soho House screening program for 13 locations across North America providing members with exclusive access to the most exciting titles in film and television being distributed each year.
Gregg Schwenk is a writer, educator and entrepreneur. He reports on a number of subjects including: film, art, technology and politics. Mr. Schwenk is an adjunct faculty member at California State University Fullerton in Orange County, California. He is also a consultant and advisor to several entertainment and technology firms. He is the co-founder of the Newport Beach Film Festival, Orange County Film Society and Newport Beach Television Festival.
Mr. Schwenk is an extremely active member of his community. He is the CEO of the Newport Beach Film Festival, President of the Orange County Film Society and the Newport Beach TV Fest. The Newport Beach Film Festival is the largest film and entertainment event in coastal Southern California – screening over 300 films from 50 countries and attracting an audience of 50,000 in 2024. The Orange County Film Society has become a key destination for award-worthy films – since 2006 films such as: The King’s Speech, The Artist, 12 Years a Slave, The Theory of Everything, The Imitation Game, La La Land, I, Daniel Blake, Manchester by the Sea, Darkest Hour, Call Me By Your Name, Parasite, The Two Popes, Joker, Society of The Snow, The Zone of Interest, Past Lives and DUNE 2 all made major preview screenings with this prestigious cinematic organization. The Newport Beach TV Festival launched in June of 2025. Key highlights include: Hollywood Reporter “Award Chatters” with Kate Huson, Adam Brody and Sam Rockwell. Panel discussions with the casts from Landman, Cobra Kai, Yellow Jackets and Abbott Elementary.
Mr. Schwenk is a member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. He is also a member of: the International Animated Film Association, Film Independent, International Documentary Association and the American Cinema Editors. He has served for over a decade as a board member of Visit Newport Beach, one of the top destination marketing organizations in the United States.
Mr. Schwenk was a Presidential Fellow at the University of California at Berkley, where he received his degree in Political Economics with high honors. He has completed the Advanced Managed Development Program at The University of Southern California.
