About Fernanda Rossi
Writer, director Fernanda Rossi is also an internationally renowned film theorist and speaker who has given her signature workshops and lectures in more than 15 countries for over 40 film organizations. She has also been a trainer for special mid-career programs such as Doc Campus and ESoDoc.
Her book Trailer Mechanics: How to Make Your Documentary Fundraising Demo, 2nd Edition, is according to industry professionals the bible on demo production. She also published more than 200 articles for magazines such as The Independent and Filmmaker Magazine.
As a screenwriter she has collaborated in hundreds of fiction screenplays, documentaries, proposals and fundraising samples. Two documentaries were nominated for the Academy Award®, another was nominated for Best Script for the Wildscreen Panda Awards, and was awarded the Premio Argentores for Best Fiction Screenplay. Many others screened and were awarded at festivals such as Sundance, IDFA, Hot Docs, Sheffield Doc/Fest, DOCNYC and broadcast on PBS, HBO and BBC. The proposal she has written won funding from ITVS, NYSCA and the National Film Board of Canada.
Thousands participated in her signature workshops and other special presentations:
“Just when I thought I had exhausted every option with my film, she honed in immediately on what’s happening with our story and helped us solve it. I am honored to have Fernanda’s ongoing input on my various projects.” 2007 Academy Award Nominee Recycled Life, by Leslie Iwerks.
“After being a finalist at ITVS Open Call four times, I finally won. That happened after I worked with Fernanda, who managed to connect the subtle dots between past panel feedbacks, proposals and works-in-progress. She is extremely sharp and was an invaluable ally in the process.” ITVS recipient The Lost Dream by Jehan S. Harney
“Her approach to story structure is anything but formulaic and it was exactly what I needed to tell the story I wanted.” 2009 Academy Award Nominee The Garden by Scott Kennedy Hamilton
“Fernanda is the best. A real gem. Independent filmmaking is such "do-it-yourself" world that it's out of the ordinary to have someone who understands the process completely, and can provide fresh and unexpected insight.” William Gazecki, Academy Award Nominee ment of their book and curriculum, 2004.
ORGANIZATIONS FERNANDA ROSSI HAS WORKED WITH
These are some of the 40 organizations which invited Fernanda Rossi to collaborate with them in different capacities:
AIVF – Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers – New York, US
-Speaker of multiple programs and workshops, 2001-2006.
-Writer of articles for.its publication The Independent, 2002-2009.
Boston Filmmakers Expo – Boston, US
-Speaker, special presentation, 2005.
-Mentor, one-on-one clinic and discussion, 2005 and 2008.
BritDocs Film Festival and Conference – Oxford, UK
-Speaker, special presentation on fundraising trailers, 2008.
-Mentor, one-on-one clinic and discussion, 2008.
Boston Latino International Film Festival – Boston, US. Festival Juror, Documentary Section, 2005.
Chicago International Film Festival – Chicago, US. Festival Juror, Documentary Section, 2004.
CNEX – Conference – Taipei, Taiwan. Mentor/Speaker, signature workshops, 2012.
Darklight Film Festival / Screen Training Ireland – Dublin, Irelan
-Speaker, special presentation on story structure, 2008.
-Moderator, Q&A with director of Heavy Metal Baghdad, 2008.
DixIt – Paris, France. Speaker, signature workshops, 2010.
Documentary Campus – Leipzig, Germany, and other locations. Mentor/Speaker, signature workshop and Demo Preparation for Pitch Forum, 2010-2018.
Documentary Forum of Israel – Tel Aviv, Israel. .Mentor/Speaker, signature workshops, 2008.
ESoDoc – European Social Documentary – Strasbourg, France; Tromsø, Norway and other locations. Mentor/Speaker, signature workshops, 2013-2019
IDA – International Documentary Association – Los Angeles, US
-Speaker, signature workshops, Los Angeles, 2002.
-Writer of articles for.its publication International Documentary Magazine, 2003.
IFP – Independent Film Project – New York, US
-Panelist/Moderator at the IFP Market and Conference, 2003 and 2004
-Mentor/Speaker at Project Involve, Fall/Spring 2003-2005.
INCAA – Instituto Nacional de Cine y Artes Audiovisuales – Buenos Aires, Argentina. Mentor/Speaker and Moderator of Pitch Forum, Program Incubadora, 2017-2019.
ITVS – Independent Television Service – San Francisco, US
-Grant and work-in-progress evaluator, Open Call 2005 and International Call 2006.
-Writer of article for its publication Beyond the Box, 2007.
MAFIZ – Málaga International Film Festival – Málaga, Spain. Mentor/Speaker and Moderator of Pitch Forum, 2018-2020
Media – Creative Europe – Sevilla and Barcelona, Spain. Speaker, signature workhops, 2019.
Miami International Film Festival – Miami, US. Panelist, organized by Latino Public Broadcast, 2006.
NALIP – National Association of Latino Independent Producers – 20 cities across the United -StatesPanelist/Speaker at the NALIP Market, in CA, 2004-2008.
-Mentor/Speaker at Latino Producers' Academy, Tucson, AZ, 2005-2006.
-Speaker, signature workshops, program Diverse Voices, 15 cities across the US, 2006-2013.
Nordnorsk Filmsenter – Tromsø, Norway. Speaker, signature workshops and Mentor of Short film Screenplays, Up North Writers’ Lab, Sommarøy, Norway, 2017.
NFI – Norwegian Film Institute – Oslo, Norway. Speaker, signature workshops, 2017 and 2019.
Real Screen Summit – Washington, DC, US. Speaker, signature workshop, 2004.
Scottish Documentary Institute – Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. Mentor/Speaker, signature workshops, 2008.
Sheffield Doc/Fest – Sheffield, England, UK. Speaker, special presentation, 2008-2010.
SilverDocs Conference and Film Festival - by American Film Institute – Washington, DC, US. Speaker, special presentation, 2004 and 2006.
Sunny Side of the Doc – La Rochelle, France. Mentor/Speaker, special presentation and signature workshop, 2008-2013.
Witness – Non profit organization, media and human rights – New York, US
Two-day custom-made workshop on story structure for staff, 2004.
Advisor for development of their book and curriculum, 2004.
