CREATE Events

Fall 2025
Free Pizza and Soda!
Wednesday, September 19 - Welcome back Faculty and Student Mixer! - 12:30-1:30pm - Melville N3045 “The Fishbowl”
Trivia, Pizza, Prizes and more! Network with fellow collaborators and artists, learn more about our Faculty, Visiting Artists, and see what’s in store for FLM -TVW this semester!

Wednesday, October 1 - KRIS LEFCOE - TV WRITING ASK ME ANYTHING - Melville N3045 “The Fishbowl”
You won’t want to miss this CREATE! Please feel free to bring your burning questions about writing, directing and “the biz”. Kris Lefcoe is a director and writer whose multi-award-winning films have screened at TIFF, SXSW, Tribeca, British Film Institute, on IFC and the Sundance Channel.

Wednesday, October 29 - BRENDT BARBUR - Bicycle Film Festival - Melville N3045 “The Fishbowl”
In 2001, Barbur started the Bicycle Film Festival as a platform to celebrate the bicycle through music, art and, of course, film! Come hear how he turned a negative experience into a positive one. Brendt Barbur, Founding Festival Director, was compelled to start the Bicycle Film Festival when he was hit by a bus while riding his bike in New York City. He insisted on turning his negative experience into a positive one.

Monday, November 10 - TIM O’CONNOR - MOVE THAT CAMERA! - Melville N3045 “The Fishbowl”
Learn about the power of camera movement and how to create meaning with different camera moves. This is a hands-on camera workshop. TIM O’CONNOR is a filmmaker and educator. His television work as a director, producer and writer has aired on HBO, Hulu, ABC, ID and Oxygen. His feature film THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY was released via NoBudge in 2019 and his award-winning short WE WANTED CHILDREN played festivals across the country in 2022.

November 18 and December 2, 6pm, SAC 307 Media Suite - TV TUESDAYS!
Join FLM-TVW & SBU-TV FILM PRODUCTIONS CLUB as we sit back and enjoy a popular television series pilot episode! Pizza and Drinks provided.

SCIENCE & CINEMA
All screenings and talks are in TABLER 110 BLACK BOX THEATRE 5:00-7:30pm. Free Pizza and Soda!

Wednesday, September 24 - Escape from Extinction: Rewilding
American Humane Society’s documentary centers on efforts to save species on the brink of extinction, narrated by Oscar-winner Meryl Streep. Followed by lecture and Q&A by SBU Professor from Dept of Ecology and Evolution, H. Resit Akcakaya, whose research focuses on climate change on biodiversity.

Monday, October 20 - The Silence of the Lambs
Directed by Jonathan Demme, the film follows FBI agent Clarice Starling as she tracks down a brutal murderer with the help of a highly-intelligent serial killer. Stay for an exciting lecture and Q&A about forensic science led by SBU Professor from Dept of Laboratory Sciences, Jeannie Guglielmo, who worked at the Suffolk County Crime Lab in Hauppauge, NY.

Wednesday, November 5 - Drowned Land
This brand new documentary explores the fight of a Native American tribe against resource exploitation carried by the federal government. Lecture and Q&A afterwards moderated by SBU Professor from Dept of Anthropology, Darcey Evans, whose research focuses on the politics of environmental justice and indigenous sovereignty in North America.

Winter/Spring 2026
February 11 - Live Podcast Recording - Wang Lecture Hall 1
Want to know what it’s like to interview a global icon? Or how to turn your passion for K-Pop into a career?
Come hang out with Angel Polito, host of the K-ALL podcast, and Haye Lee, TV News Anchor & Jungkook’s viral interpreter, for a live podcast chat right here at Stony Brook!

March 2 - Elias Rivera, Sound Recording Workshop - N3045 Melville Library
Join us for a hands-on technical instruction with gear and strategies for recording clean sound in every scene. ELIAS RIVERA is a Non-Union Production Sound Mixer with 8 years of experience freelancing in the independent and commercial film industries. Films they have mixed have gone on to premiere in theatrical releases and at major festivals. Commercial clients include Chanel, Food Network, and Travel & Leisure.

April 1 - Michelle Christensen, Costume Designer - N3045 Melville Library
Meet Michelle Christensen - learn more about her love of visual storytelling, building the life and world of a character through wardrobe and what it’s like to be a working Costume Designer or Supervisor.Michelle’s work can be seen in films including; American Pastoral, The Fault in Our Stars, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower as well as the designer of indie film projects, now in post production.

May. 13 - Capstone Festival - Wang Theater
Join us for our annual Capstone Festival, where our Wolfie Filmmakers and TV Writers showcase their final projects of the minor program!Cord Presentation for graduating Seniors and Refreshments in the lobby to follow.

SCIENCE & CINEMA
All screenings and talks are 5-7:30pm. Free Pizza and Soda!

April 15 at Tabler Center 110: Mars Attacks!, with Prof. Joel Hurowitz

April 29 at SBU Union 103-02: The Matrix, with Prof. Yifan Sun

Fall 2024
Wednesday, SEPTEMBER 18 - MELVILLE N3045 - 12:30-1:30pm
Welcome back Faculty and Student Mixer (and TRIVIA)! Scene 9.18, Take 1! MARK IT! Welcome (back) to FLM-TVW! We are hosting a student and faculty mixer to kick off the semester. Network with fellow collaborators and artists, learn more about our new Visiting Artists, ask questions about the program and TRIVIA!

Wednesday, OCTOBER 9 - SAC AUDITORIUM - 5-7:30pm - SCIENCE & CINEMA
Jennifer’s Body - Horror-Comedy about a demonically-possessed high school cheerleader who kills her male classmates. Professor Victoria Hesford teaches in the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department. Her work focuses on 1970s U.S. feminist history and culture. She is the author of “Feeling Women ’ s Liberation ” (Duke University Press 2013), and is currently completing a manuscript tentatively titled, “Artificial Women: the 1970s, Mass Culture, and Feminism.

Wednesday, OCTOBER 23 - MELVILLE N3045 - 12:30-1:30pm
Will Chandler - Film Adaptations - How can you expand a novel or short story; tell a true story; or adapt a comic book to film? It starts with one key element that must be identified first, every time. An Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences NICHOLL FELLOWSHIP IN SCREENWRITING winner, WILL CHANDLER has sold scripts and worked on assignments for major studios and independent producers. Will was a Script Development executive in movies and miniseries for Green-Epstein Productions, where he guided dozens of projects for ABC, CBS, NBC and HBO.

Monday, OCTOBER 28 - MELVILLE N3045 - 12:30-1:30pm
Frank Imperiale Premiere Pro Workshop - Three Clicks: organization of media assets will set you free! Plus Premiere Pro Q&A - bring it on! FRANK IMPERIALE has been at Stony Brook University for over ten years and currently manages both the audio/visual technology for special events at Stony Brook Southampton. He is the audio engineer for the podcast Here's the Thing with Alec Baldwin. Also, technical advisor to Stony Brook Podcast Incubator.

Wednesady, NOVEMBER 6 - SAC AUDITORIUM - 5-7:30pm - SCIENCE & CINEMA
Nuclear Now - Documentary directed by the legendary filmmaker Oliver Stone that investigates the possibility of addressing climate change with a move away from fossil fuels to nuclear power. Professor Jason Trelewicz, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Stony Brook University who received his doctorate from MIT and is a recipient of the DOE Early Career Award and the NSF Faculty Early Career Development Award. He will be joined by other colleagues on the topic.

Wednesday, DECEMBER 4 - SAC AUDITORIUM - 5-7:30pm - SCIENCE & CINEMA
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - An animated superhero film featuring teen Miles Morales who becomes Spider-Man and joins forces with other spider-powered heroes from different universes to defeat a threat to all their worlds. Professor Raju Venugopalan, PhD, will offer a brief lecture on the theory of multiverses in our own reality. He is an Adjunct Professor at Stony Brook University and a senior physicist at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, and a recipient of the Humboldt Research Award for his remarkable achievements in theoretical nuclear physics.

Winter/Spring 2025
MARCH 26 - MELVILLE N3045 - 12:30pm
Join award-winning radio host and advocate Allison Van Cott-McEntee for an inspiring talk on podcast production, editing, networking, and the art of live radio interviews. She’ll be joined by co-host Kurt Hall, a dedicated advocate and producer with eight years of recovery, and special guest Dave Manheim, creator of the Dopey Podcast, a global platform exploring addiction, recovery, and dark humor. Together, they’ll share insider tips, personal anecdotes, and strategies to elevate your voice in media! As the creator and host of Play It Forward, Allison has conducted over 92 impactful interviews, amplifying stories of resilience and advocacy.

APRIL 1st - TABLER BLACK BOX THEATRE - 12:30-3:30pm
Have you ever wanted to check out a Documentary Class from the FLM-TVW Minor program? This is your chance! OPEN TO ALL!
FLM 220, Documentary Film, is hosting an OPEN CLASSROOM with the Peconic Estuary Partnership (PEP) to present Poisoned Waters, a powerful Documentary exploring water pollution challenges faced by a fellow National Estuary Program (NEP) in the Puget Sound and Chesapeake Bay. After the film, Visiting Artist Liz Rohrbaugh will discuss the social impact of documentary film and the environment along with PEP’s Water Quality Outreach Specialist who present how these issues relate to Long Island’s waters and highlight the PEP-funded projects working to address these critical environmental issues. Discussion and Q&A will follow.

APRIL 17th - ACADEMIC MALL & FOUNTAIN
The historic Shirley Kinney Arts festival is making its return this year, April 17th, on the Academic Mall and Fountain in conjunction with CREATE-IMAGINE FEST. As an artist, are you brave enough to spread your wings and fly? Do you have the courage to put your work, your music, writing, dancing, films, photography, painting and more on the forefront? If you stopped to think about it, don't. Leap before thinking and join!

APRIL 30 - SAC AUDITORIUM - 5-7:30pm - SCIENCE & CINEMA
“How much would Thor's hammer actually weigh?” THOR: Ragnarok will be screened with a talk back by ROSALBA PERNA, PhD in Physics to answer this question!

MAY 14 - 1pm - WANG THEATRE
You won’t want to miss the screening of our FALL and SPRING Capstone Projects! Come for the screening, stay for the reception and celebrate our Seniors, Filmmakers and Writers. If you are heading into Capstone - it’s a good chance to get to know what the projects are like and what to expect.

Fall 2023
SEPTEMBER 13, 1-2:20pm - Melville N3045
A Conversation with Dave Chan - Visiting Artist and Fall TV Writing Faculty - about producing the short film/proof of concept, A FATHER'S SON, starring Ronny Chieng and Tzi Ma. Moderated by Amy Gaipa.

OCTOBER 4, 1-2:20pm - Melville N3045 - MIXER
Let's MIX IT UP! Questions about FLM/TVW minor? Want to meet filmmaking and TV writing collaborators for future projects? Don't miss this event with Karen Offitzer, Kate Levitt and Amy Gaipa.

OCTOBER 25, 1-2:20pm - Melville N3045
Join us for a discussion with Anthony Caronna, director of the new, critically-acclaimed HBO documentary series "Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York. " Learn about the process of social impact documentary filmmaking. Moderated by Visiting Artist Liz Rohrbaugh.

NOVEMBER 15, 1-2:20pm - Melville N3045
Q&A with SBU alumnae, Drew Ma and Amber Li, currently pursuing an MFA in Cinematography at CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY. Moderated by Amy Gaipa.

Winter/Spring 2024
JANUARY 31, 5-7:30pm - SAC Auditorium - SCIENCE + CINEMA
"March of the Penguins" followed by a brief lecture and Q&A with Professor Heather Lynch, IACS Endowed Chair of Ecology & Evolution at Stony Brook. She will speak about her recent research trip to Antartica and the impact of climate change on the penguin population.

FEBRUARY 28, 5-7:30pm - SAC Auditorium - SCIENCE + CINEMA
GRAVITY by Alfonso Cuarón Dr. Jiangyoung Jia, Physics and Chemistry professor at Stony Brook and senior physicist at the Brookhaven National Laboratory will field a Q&A after the film.

MARCH 6, 1-2pm - Melville N3045 - MAJA ČULE
A talk with a visiting artist and filmmaker Maja Čule will include a presentation of work in progress on their feature film based on the work of cyberfeminist collective – Electronic Witches. Join us for a talk about alternate histories, queerness, glitch, internet, and connection.

APRIL 10, 1-2pm - Melville N3045 - WALTER STRAFFORD
Melville Walter Strafford is a freelance filmmaker based in New York City. His first feature film, KILIMANJARO, premiered at the SXSW Film Festival. In addition to his work as a Set Lighting Technician, he is currently a Visiting Artist in Residence. He will be discussing directing short films!

Fall 2022
SEPTEMBER 7, 1-2:20pm - Melville Library N3045
A Conversation about finding your passion in film and television + production development with former SBU Film Student Guneet K. Singh, Development Coordinator, Electric Hot Dog.

SEPTEMBER 21, 1-2:20pm - Melville Library N3045 - MIXER / MEET & GREET
Film Minor and TV Minor Meet & Greet - come meet fellow film and TV students, grab a snack, hear the latest Stony Brook Film & TV Program news and get to know future filmmaking and tv writing collaborators in your program.

OCTOBER 19, 1pm - Melville Library N3045
Screening and talkback of the COLOR OF CARE. Guest Panelists will be discussing the film and the social impact of "...how people of color suffer from systemically substandard healthcare in the United States." IMDB Screening and talkback of the COLOR OF CARE is in partnership with Picture Motion.

NOVEMBER 16, 1-2:20pm - Melville Library N3045
A conversation about filmmaking and her short film Bye Bye, Body - Vimeo Staff Pick Award at the 2020 Aspen Shortsfest, with writer-director Charlotte Benbeniste.

Winter/Spring 2023
FEBRUARY 1st, 1-2:20pm - Melville Library N3045
A spirited conversation about producing a very indie first feature, DIRTY RHETORIC with filmmakers James Evans and Amy Gaipa.

MARCH 1st, 1-2:20pm - Melville Library N3045 - MIXER / MEET & GREET
FLM & TVW Minor Meet and Greet! Grab a slice with fellow collaborators and creators. Check out what the program is all about - from filmmaking to screenwriting and everything in between. All welcome! Bring a friend!

APRIL 5th, 1-2:20pm - Melville Library N3045
Film distributor Massacre Video specializing in obscure cult, horror, oddball, film preservation and distribution will be in the house. Moderated by Kate Levitt.

MAY 10th, 1pm - Wang Theatre - CAPSTONE FESTIVAL
Join us for the Capstone Festival! Filmmaking and TV Writing Minor Capstone Students present their final projects.

Fall 2021
All events this semester are in N3045 Melville Library, 1-2:20pm
Sept. 22nd ~ A Conversation about Feature Filmmaking with David Schultz and Producer James Sharpe, moderated by Filmmaking Faculty Amy Gaipa

Oct. 6th ~ A Conversation with Web Series Creator Mel House, moderated by Filmmaking Faculty Jesse Feldberg

Oct. 20th ~ A Conversation about TV Writing with Ethan Berlin/ TV Writing Minor Info Session, moderated by TV Writing and Filmmaking Faculty Kate Levitt

Nov. 10th ~ A Conversation about Editing for Film and TV with Gil Seltzer, moderated by Filmmaking Faculty Amy Gapia

Dec. 8th ~ Capstone Showcase and Celebration featuring SBU's Capstone Students

Winter/Spring 2022
All events this semester are in N3045 Melville Library, 1-2:20pm

Feb. 9
A Conversation about Independent Filmmaking with Filmmaker and SBU Faculty Perry Blackshear

Feb. 23
Nine Essential Scenes for Screenwriters with Award-Winning Screenwriter WIll Chandler

Mar. 30
Spirituality and the Journey of a Modern Native American Filmmaker with FilmmakerGinew Benton.

Apr. 20
Decoding What it Means to go Viral Online with SBU faculty Kate Levitt and Illustrator/Cartoonist/Musician Brian Blomerth

May 18 
Capstone Festival: Filmmaking Minor Capstone Student Projects

All events are virtual!

Fall 2020
September 23rd - Interested in the Filmmaking Minor?
Come find out more about the new and exciting minor Program Director
Karen Offitzer and some of our amazing film faculty. 
Join us on Zoom!

October 7th ~ YouTube Activism
Join award-winning writer & filmmaker Kate Levitt and learn how to use the power of visual
storytelling to share your ideas and stories with the world.
Join us on Zoom!

October 21st ~ Writing for TV & Film
Learn about writing for TV & Film with award-winning filmmaker Perry Blackshear.
Join us on Zoom!

October 28th ~ B.Y.O.L. for Filmmaking Minors
Bring your own lunch and log line. 
Join us on Zoom!

December 16th ~ Film & Script  Showcase
Come check out the amazing creative work from undergraduates in film and screenwriting courses! 
Join us on Zoom!

Winter/Spring 2021

February 24th - Meet Your Professors!
Learn about filmmaking opportunities and join our community of filmmakers! Meet your Film professors including Karen Offitzer (Director), Kate Levitt (TV Writing), Perry Blackshear (Fiction Filmmaking & Writing), & William Chandler (Screenwriting). Hear from the folks at SBU-TV and Video about filmmaking opportunities on campus!
Join us on Zoom!

April 7th ~ Rocky Horror Picture Show
Come explore the cultural, social and historical significance of this cult classic with Film faculty Kate Levitt and prep for a midnight screening scheduled soon!
Join us on Zoom!

April 21st ~ Acting for Writers and Filmmakers
This workshop provides writers and filmmakers with the chance to come full circle in the creative process! Join Film faculty Noelle Wilson and learn some of the building blocks of this exciting craft!
Join us on Zoom!

May 19th ~ Film & Script  Showcase
Come check out the amazing creative work from undergraduates in film and screenwriting courses! 
Join us on Zoom!