Attending my first ABFF Conference
This past week I got the amazing opportunity to attend my first American Black Film Festival in Miami Beach Florida! I’ve been wanting to attend this event since I first heard about it from my writer/director cousin almost 7 years ago but never had the chance due to life circumstances, the pandemic or just not having the funds to go. But this past Christmas my hubby surprised me with tickets to the 2022 ABFF!
In anticipation of going I began searching online for what to pack for the events. I was more stressed out about what to wear because there were so many factors I had to take into account:
I have been stuck in “pandemic fashion” like the rest of the world and felt like I lost my sense of style.
We would be in Miami which is a lot different than Indiana in style, vibe and weather. I don’t want to look out of place!
We would be at a conference which means the indoors are cold and the outdoors are hot. How can I dress to accomodate for the change in temperature?
It’s not just a regular conference but an entertainment industry conference where people would be very fashionable. There is corporate and what I like to call creative professional. I didn’t want to be lookin’ crazy and introducing myself as an actress and filmmaker.
Unfortunately I couldn’t find too much in depth information from people’s experiences at ABFF so I wanted to share an in depth review of my experience with ABFF. Now take note, this was the first ABFF after the pandemic so I heard from several people that it had been much bigger in the past and this year was smaller. I’m actually glad I got to experience my first ABFF with less so I could get my feet wet and be ready for 2023 ABFF.
First I’m going to start out with how to prepare for ABFF
How to navigate while you’re there while sharing what events I got to attend
And other tid bits to help you out along the way.
Also I want you to know that I attended as someone who is an actress and filmmaker looking to grow in my knowledge and the industry. I wasn’t necessarily there just for the films. So my goals and experiences will be different than someone who is attending to experience and support mainly the films.
What is ABFF?
The American Black Film Festival was created in 1997 after founder Jeff Friday attended a leading film festival and asked himself:
“01.Are there Black filmmakers out there who don’t know about, or don’t feel welcome at industry film festivals?
02.Is there an opportunity to create an alternative platform for them, primarily focused on content created by African Americans, for Black audiences?
03.If I created such an opportunity, would anyone come?”
As a result Jeff left his job as the film division president of the largest multicultural advertising agency, to build the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), recognized today as the leading film festival of its kind in the world.
The festival is dedicated to recognizing and fostering talent, of those of African descent. The festival attracts artists and professionals from all facets of the Entertainment Industry. It is a place where emerging black artists get their start and many of them are now household names such has Ryan Coogler, Issa Rae, Shaka King and more. ABFF provides opportunities for education and networking as well.
How to Prepare for ABFF?
I CANNOT stress enough how important it is not to do things last minute with an event like ABFF. Buy your tickets early (cause they are ALOT cheaper). Buy your plane tickets early and book your hotel early so you can take advantage of the amazing group rates. We received almost 50% off of our rooms with the group rate at the Ritz Carlton Hotel.
This year we also had to provide a negative COVID test that was taken 48 hours prior to the event. We were able to take a home test that we brought with us to show was negative. I spoke with someone who had to take their test at the event and missed out on events while waiting for results.
Study the schedule and register for any special events early. I studied the schedule and chose which events I wanted to attend before I got to the first day of ABFF. Of course you can change your mind when you arrive but in general you want to be intentional about where you are going especially if you have to be in different locations for the events. Usually I’m always running behind but I decided to be early for events as much as possible and it truly paid off. I was able to get good seats when I was early. I was able to ask a question to a producer I admire (Devon Franklin) and event get a photo with him! Another time I showed up early for an event done by Warner Brothers and was invited to sit in on another event that wasn’t even listed in the schedule! So being early pays off!
Get your online life in order!
Everyone asked me if I had an Instagram account while I was there. Make sure that your bios and pics are in order for all of your platforms because peeople will be searching you up! Here is a little IG hack I learnned so that people could quickly follow you on IG: (show how to get QR code)
Also make sure that you have business cards ready. I actually ordered this business card that looks like a credit card with a QR code that takes people to a little page where I can put my bio, contact information as well as links to my projects. I’m SO GLAD that I got this because I ran out of business cards! In fact, I brought the cards with my husband’s name instead of mine on accident! Everyone thought my card was really cool. The other cool thing is since I couldn’t give them my business card they HAD to scan the QR code while I was standing there so i could take my card back. (share picture of business card)
Be ready to introduce yourself in a memorable way.
This is something I wasn’t really ready for to be honest. I introduced myself as an actor and filmmaker. Then in morphed into a producer than it morphed into Impact Producer. The more I had to talk about what I did the more I realized I needed to be more specific because then people’s eyes started to light up. I shared my passion for social impact entertainment and people really appreciated it. So I was learning as I was going. But it’s good to have a place to start. Having a story to go with your name or to introduce yourself is a nice way to be memorable as well. I noticed that the people who shared their story when asking questions were memorable. Also it’s good to ask questions because when you introduce yourself to the speaker it’s like you are introducing yourself to the entire room as well!
What to wear to ABFF
I wanted to have a whole section for what to wear to ABFF because it’s very important for many reasons. You want to look professional yet creative yet comfortable yet showing your personality. That’s a lot to pack into your outfit! In the past I heard that Cadillacs drove everyone around but this year the only cadillacs we had were our feet. There is a ton of walking to do and I surpassed my 10,000 step goal almost every day! So number one I’d say get some cute yet comfortable shoes.
Next I would match my outfit to the events. For the networking events I would dress up a little bit more and for days where it’s a lot of sitting and note taking I was dressed in jeans and nice simple top. However, I learned quickly that you need to be stylish no matter what. I found that dresses were the best to wear. They kept me cool in the hot weather and I threw my pashmina over my shoulders when it got cold inside. Many ladies were wearing colorful jump suits, sun dresses with cut outs, wide leg pants and tastefully cropped tops. Ladies were wearing maxi dresses and shorter femine dresses. The guys were also dressed very nicely in jeans, nice sneakers. Tops varied from t-shirts to button down shirts.
My suggestion would be to dress for your role and know how you want to be seen. I saw entertainment lawyers in more corporate clothes while creatives were in outfits that reflected the current style and trends. Then add weather, event type, and comfort needs into the mix and you’re set to go.
What to expect while you are there?
When we arrived to our hotel at the Ritz Carlton we were greeted very nicely and checked in at the front desk. Before we got to our room we were offered something to drink as well as delicious chocolates.
We made it to our ocean front room to see our bags awaiting us. Outside the view was magnificent.
After we had settled down we went to the second floor to register where we showed our ID and negative COVID tests to receive our festival bags. Since I had an Industry Pass there was a separate room for me to register in. It was very easy and if there was any hiccups everyone was very helpful and patient.
We went back to our rooms and I finished planning out what sessions I wanted to attend.
The first night was mainly an introduction to the festival and a chance to hear from the founders of ABFF and the amazing sponsors of the event. It was actually really cool to hear how the sponsors are really passionate about ABFF and were really excited to be a part of the event. We also heard from the event ambassador, Issa Rae, which was pretty cool.
Biggest Take aways
I really enjoyed the NFT class the first morning. I learned that NFTs aren’t just about weird digital pictures people sell for a lot of money but they are so much more than that. If used correctly they can be a huge asset to the creative community.
I was really excited to hear about what the Academy Awards is doing for their new initiative Aperture 2025. In 2025 a film cannot be even considered for Best Picture unless they meet certain diversity standards behind and in front of the camera.
I attended the leading man workshop and it was really inspiring to hear the journeys of these actors. One thing I took away is that they each said that you had to have a huge belief in yourself to make it in the industry.
I really enjoyed the Warner Brothers inclusivity events. We got to hear from various directors, and entertainers about their journeys. Many of them shared how they had to make their own way in the industry, It was pretty confirming to hear that they created their own content and that opened the doors for them. I guess I’m on the right path then!
Extra Tips
Do not lose your film pass. Keep it glued around your neck. You cannot get into events without it and they will not issue you another one. So just keep it around your neck no matter what. Also don’t be late. This is not the time for Colored People Time. Matter of fact. Be early to events. Sometimes people couldn’t get into venues because they shut the doors after the seats were filled for the workshops. Okay that’s all I’m going to say about that.
Drink a lot of water
It’s hot in Miami in the summer. Even though you are going in and out of events, keep hydrated. You don’t want to get a headache or feel drained because you are dehydrated. Find out where the closest market is and stock up on water. If you’re like me and are super sensitive and empathetic carry some extra water with you. I wasn’t prepared for all the homeless people I would see.
Have an intention
I noticed that the people that seemed really polished and professional were clear in their intentions at the event. There are aa lot of events, workshops, networking sessions and people to meet. Make sure you have a clear intention about what you want to get out of the Festival to help you stay focused. My goal was just to familiarize myself with the event and have a good time which I did. next year I will have a more focused intention.
Pace Yourself
Look, you literally CANNOT physically attend each event unless you just can multiply your DNA and be in two places at once. I decided not to go to a lot of the late night events because I wanted to be fresh for the morning workshops that I really wanted to attend. I also needed to make sure I took good care of my health since I have Multiple Sclerosis. I didn’t want to have ANY issues on my trip. But if you can do it I suggest you go to as much as you can because you never know who you will meet.
In conclusion I had an amazing time! I even met a kindred spirit who I think will become a friend and creative partner in the future. I’m looking forward to ABFF 2023!