Bri Castellini

Bri Castellini

Writer || Director || Podcaster || Human Bulldozer

Speaking

Find out about my podcasting adventures here and my acting ones over here.

Presentations & Panels

I speak on the subjects of crowdfunding, marketing and audience building, independent film, web series, and the digital media culture in general. For bookings and speaking rates, please email brianna.castellini@gmail.com. I love hearing myself talk, so I can’t wait to hear from you!

2024 Appearances

  • The Light Leaks: Creative Intentions in Focus: A New Years Goal-Setting Workshop (Co-Host)
  • FilmShop: Producing 101 (5 classes, Host)
  • Hollyshorts & Stage32: Why Your Short Film Gets Rejected From Film Festivals (Panelist)
  • NewFilmmakers LA: Mr. Potato Pitch (Host)
  • PANO: Professional Branding for Filmmakers & Creatives (Host)
  • Hollyshorts: “The Power of Women” (Panelist)
  • CBS Leadership Pipeline Challenge: A Day in the Life on Set (Host)
  • The Gotham: Essentials Workshop: Professional Branding (Host)
  • Stareable Fest: Casting For New Projects with April Webster (Moderator)
  • Crowdfunding: From Soul-Sucking To Success workshops led for:
    • Film Funding Group (Facebook Community)
    • DocShop
    • Chapman University Maneuvering Film Festival Class
    • UConn Creative Producing the Indie Film Class
    • Hollyshorts
  • Castellini Film School Online (Host):
    • Crowdfunding: From Soul-Sucking To Success (February)
    • Networking for Introverts (April)
    • Indie Film Marketing & Distribution 101 (May)
    • Mr. Potato Pitch (July)

2023 Appearances

  • Misc. Appearances
    • Mr. Potato Pitch (Host, Castellini Film School Online)
    • Crowdfunding: From Soul Sucking To Success (Host, NewFilmmakers LA)
    • Breaking Out of Writer’s Block (Cinema Femme Shorts Fest)
    • NFFTY (episodic jury, moderator)
    • Fresh Financing panel (Palm Springs Shortfest)
    • Seed&Spark Goal Setting Workshop (Co-Host)
  • CBS Leadership Pipeline Challenge (Education Workshop Lead, Production Consultant)
  • Wave Grant/ Wavelength Productions Education series (workshop leader)
    • Outstanding Crowdfunding Outreach
    • Crowdfunding To Build Independence
    • Short Form Distribution Down Low
  • AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women Education series (workshop leader)
    • Crowdfunding To Build Independence
    • Art of the Pitch
    • The Short Form Distribution Down Low
  • Crowdfunding To Build Independence workshops led for:
    • Outstanding Screenplays
    • Chapman University
    • Sidney Poitier New American Film School, ASU
    • Columbia College Hollywood
    • UConn
  • Art of the Pitch workshops led for:
    • USC
    • Seattle Black Film Festival
  • Stretch That Buck: Film Budgeting 101 workshops let for:
    • OutFest Fusion
  • Short Form Distribution Down Low workshops led for:
    • OutFest Fusion
    • FilmGood Short Film Festival
    • NFFTY

CBS Leadership Pipeline Challenge Summit Weekend 2022

2022 Appearances

  • CBS Leadership Pipeline Challenge (Education Workshop Lead)
    • 1 | Setting Goals, Understanding Audience, and Brainstorming
    • 2 | What Do You Need To Make A Short Film?
    • 3 | Who Do You Need To Make A Short Film?
    • 4 | How To Make a Great Short Film With a Not-Great Budget
    • 5 | Marketing and Distributing a Short Film
  • Seed&Spark Live
  • Stareable Fest Los Angeles
  • Wave Grant/ Wavelength Productions Education Series (workshop leader)
    • Distribution Down Low: Shorts & Web Series
    • Stretch That Buck: Film Budgeting 101
    • Outstanding Crowdfunding Outreach
    • The Art of the Pitch
    • Crowdfunding to Build Independence
  • University of Lincoln-Nebraska Education Series (workshop leader)
    • Social Media for Crowdfunding
    • How (and Why) to Interview Your Audience
    • Putting the FUN in CrowdFUNding
    • Distribution Down Low: Shorts & Web Series
  • Misc. Appearances
    • Stephens College Residency: An Exhaustive And Yet Still Incomplete Introduction to Digital Series (workshop leader)
    • Blitz! Screenwriting Retreat: Mr. Potato Pitch (workshop leader)
    • Cinema Femme: Coffee Confessionals: Breaking Out of Imposter Syndrome (co-host)

Stareable Fest LA 2022, How Genre Opens Doors for Underrepresented Artists (moderator)

2021 Appearances

  • WhoHaHa | Producing a Microbudget Digital Series (instructor/curriculum designer)
    • Unpacking the Web Series Ecosystem
    • Avoid The Void: Writing and Releasing For An Audience
    • Pre-Production Preparation
    • High Quality, Low Budget Production Hacks
    • How To Develop and Execute a Marketing Plan (the fun way!)
  • Lunch&Learn (Seed&Spark Live)
  • Panelist/Moderator:
  • Crowdfunding To Build Independence (workshop leader):
    • Dodge College
    • Women in Media
    • Wavelength Productions
    • Slamdance Film Festival
    • Connect The Writers
    • DOC Institute
    • Make Sh*t Happen Summit
    • University of Nebraska-Lincoln
    • Alliance of Women Directors
    • Tennessee Entertainment Commission
    • Freep Film Festival
    • Hussian College Studio Los Angeles
    • School of Visual Arts
    • NoHo Cinefest
    • Austin Action Fest
    • Black Femme Supremacy Film Festival
  • Art of the Pitch (workshop leader):
    • Wavelength Productions
    • Connect The Writers
    • Loyola Marymount University
    • Squirrel Comedy Theatre
    • Oxford Film Festival
    • The Light Leaks
    • Screencraft Writing Summit
    • Outfest Fusion
    • Tennessee Entertainment Commission
    • National Film Festival for Talented Youth
    • The Gotham
  • Outstanding Crowdfunding Outreach (workshop developer/leader):
    • Wavelength Productions
    • Connect The Writers
    • University of Central Arkansas
    • Alliance of Women Directors
    • Tennessee Entertainment Commission
    • Hell’s Half Mile Film Festival
    • University of Lincoln-Nebraska
  • The Short Form Distribution Downlow (workshop developer/instructor):
    • Sisterhood Media
    • NYU Tisch
    • Wavelength Productions
    • Tennessee Entertainment Commission
  • Stretch That Buck: Film Budgeting 101 (workshop developer/instructor):
    • Wavelength Productions
    • Alliance of Women Directors
    • Outfest Fusion
    • Austin Film Society
    • The Light Leaks
    • Tennessee Entertainment Commission
  • The Art of the Pitch Video (workshop developer/instructor)
    • Alliance of Women Directors
    • Tennessee Entertainment Commission
  • Social Media for Crowdfunding (workshop developer/instructor)
    • Alliance of Women Directors
    • Tennessee Entertainment Commission

Stareable Fest NY 2019, Awards Ceremony

2020 Appearances

Pacific University 2019

2019 Appearances

  • Panelist/moderator/guest speaker:
    • DC Web Fest: How to make the most of your podcast
    • Stareable Fest (NYC): Presenter of “Everything Can Be Easier: Using Stareable to Succeed,” host of the speed networking and live pitch competition events, host of awards ceremony
    • Better With You Premiere (Utah): Moderator for post-screening cast and crew Q&A
    • Pacific University (OR): What I’ve Done Since Graduating From Pacific University: Based on True Events
    • Pacific University (OR): Presenter/guest lecturer for Event Planning, Sci-Fi/Fantasy Lit, Web Design, and Film Production classes
    • Long Island University-Brooklyn: “How To Show Off Your Writing By Producing It
  • “How To Define and Find Your Audience” (workshop instructor):
    • Hollyweb Festival (Los Angeles, CA)
    • Smith College (MA)
    • Stephens College (CA)
    • Stareable webinar
  • “How To Make a Marketing Plan in 60 Minutes” (workshop instructor):
  • “How To Market Your Web Series… The Fun Way!” (workshop instructor):
  • “Crowdfunding To Build Independence” (workshop instructor):
    • New York Women in Film and Television
    • Royal Starr Institute (Michigan)
    • Center for Creative Learning
    • Imagine This Women’s International Film Festival (NYC)
    • YoFiFest (Yonkers)
    • Long Island University-Brooklyn
    • Alliance of Women Directors (remote)
    • School of Visual Arts (New York City)

Stareable Fest NY 2018, Underrepresentation of The LGBT+ Community in Media panel

2018 Appearances

  • Panelist:
    • FlameCon (NYC): “LGBT Representation in Scripted Content on YouTube”
    • Montclair State University (NJ):  “So You Want To Produce a Web Series” talk and screening
    • Metropolitan College of New York: “So You Want To Produce a Web Series” event talk and screening
    • TO Web Fest (Toronto): Panelist/judge for “Hone Your Pitch with the Pros: IPF Pitch Incubator”
    • Stareable Fest (NYC): Panelist for “Underrepresentation of The LGBT+ Community in Media”, Host of 90 Second Pitch Competition (Sponsored by HBO), Co-Host of Stareable Fest Awards Ceremony.
    • Indie Film World: Speaker for Hot Tips for Making a Web Series
  • “A Guide To What’s Next: What To Do With Your Finished Series” (workshop leader):
    • New Jersey WebFest

2017 Appearances

  • “A Guide To What’s Next: What To Do With Your Finished Series” (workshop leader):
    • Big Mini Media Festival (NYC)
    • LIU-Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Big Mini Media Festival (NYC): Panel Moderator for “The Future of Web Series