ABOUT PETER WEBBER Peter Webber has had a diverse career as a director of film, television and documentaries including the critically renowned ˜Girl with a Pearl Earring™ and the HBO series "Six Feet Under". Peter is perhaps best known for his film directorial debut ˜Girl With a Pearl Earring", the film adaptation of Tracey Chevalier's bestselling novel. The film tells the story of the creation of the famous painting by Dutch master Johannes Vermeer of the same name. The film saw Peter directing Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth as the films leads. Released in 2004 the film went on to be nominated for no less than 3 Academy Awards, 10 BAFTA nominations as well as numerous other honours. Webber was then tapped by Dino de Laurentis to direct "Hannibal Rising". Based on Thomas Harris upcoming new book of the same name, and starring Gaspard Ulliel, Li Gong and Anthony Hopkins, In 2012 Peter directed the Feature Film "Emperor", Starring Tommy Lee Jones, and Mathew Fox. Peter has also directed the Netflix Original Pickpockets (2018). His documentary work includes the award-winning environmental feature documentary Ten Billion (2015) and Earth: One Amazing Day (2017), narrated by Robert Redford and Jackie Chan. Webber's most recent productions include the "Kingdoms of Fire" (2019), television series, which takes viewers back to the past as the Ottoman Empire seeks to conquer Cairo, as well as the documentary "Inna de Yard" (2019), a portrait of the pioneers of reggae music in Jamaica Peter Weber's experience speaks for itself and guarantees the high standards our participants have come to expect from FEST FILM LAB. WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION Pete Webber's workshop will focus on a diversity of topics relating to the art of directing for film. You will have the chance to not only receive this knowledge from a very revered professional, but also to interact strongly, as the group will have up to 25 participants, making it extremely practical and interactive. You will also have the opportunity to assess the issues you encountered on your films, and receive the feedback to unblock situations in the future. The workshop will also cover the following: - THE ESSENCE OF THE CRAFT - Film History is your friend; Developing a hinterland; Auteur versus Industry – the realities of the business; DIY - low budget approaches; The writer/director conundrum; The genius myth; Understanding your abilities. - GETTING THERE - Looking at the steps before you go into production; The development process; Raising finance; Producers and writers; Hollywood versus Europe; Agents/managers/lawyers; The One Hour Meeting. - PREPPING - Aesthetic overview – the look and the story; Crewing up; Casting and auditioning; Location hunting; Rehearsing/working with actors before the shoot; Storyboarding; How to work with: Art department; Costume; Camera; Assistant directors; Planning for Digital VFX. - SHOOTING - The politics – picking your battles; The fear; Planning your day; Blocking the scene; Shotlists; Storyboards on set; Shooting strategy; Blocking the scene; The Master shot trap; The second unit. - POST PRODUCTION - Working with an editor; Digital VFX in post; Guide music; Working with a composer; Test screenings; ADR; Sound Design; Grading; The final sound mix; Test screenings. - INTO THE WORLD - Film Festivals; The Press; The Internet and Social Media. PROFILE OF PARTICIPANT The workshop designed for Directors, Film Students, and filmmakers serious about a career in the Film Business on the area of Film and TV Directing. WORKSHOP LOCATION The workshop will take place online, FEST FILM LAB has always been a project of high level knowledge sharing and networking. -The workshop group will have a limited number of 25 participants. - We will maintain the tailor made aspects, with the possibility of troubleshooting projects you have been involved or challenges you are facing. We will introduce new tools to enhance the interactivity between participants. - We have rearranged the session of the workshop that will take place on 4 days instead of the typical 2 days, so that the workshop is less overwhelming, as the typical two full days online would impact the capacities of the participants to retain the learning outcomes. 16 hours Duration: 4 days Dates: 21st to the 24th of April 2026 1PM - 5PM (London) 2AM - 6PM (Brussels) 4PM - 8PM (Dubai) 8AM - 12PM (New York) 8PM - 12AM (Beijing) 6:30PM - 10:30PM (New Delhi) 9AM - 1PM (Rio de Janeiro) 10PM - 2AM (Sydney) Location: Online Price: 599EUR (374EUR with 40% Discount until the 20th of April) Maximum number of participants: 25 By registering to the workshop you agree with FFL terms and Conditions Please add our address to your email safe senders list, address book or contact list to avoid FEST e-mails in spam. REGISTER FOR THIS WORKSHOP ON THE LINK BELOW:

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION In the complex world of modern filmmaking, the producer stands at the centre of every creative, financial, and logistical decision. But what truly defines the work of a great producer? How are decisive choices made in moments of uncertainty? How do you build teams, guide directors, navigate studios, manage risk, and protect the creative vision while ensuring the project is delivered? In this immersive FEST FILM LAB workshop, producer Iain Smith invites participants into the inner workings of his process, how he thinks, how he collaborates, and how he leads at every stage of a film’s life. Through open conversation, real-world examples, and Iain’s direct reflections on his own methods, the sessions will examine: Key Themes How a producer thinks: shaping decisions under pressure, developing good judgement, and balancing instinct with experience. Leadership in filmmaking: managing teams, setting the tone on a production, and creating the conditions for great creative work. Creative collaboration: working with directors, writers, actors, studio executives and financiers in a way that supports the project’s vision. Managing scale: what changes—and what doesn’t—when producing large, complex films versus independent projects. Problem-solving as an art: navigating crises, conflicts, and unexpected challenges, and turning them into opportunities. Building trust: establishing credibility, maintaining transparent communication, and fostering long-term creative relationships. Protecting the film: understanding when to push, when to compromise, and how to keep the project on course from development to final delivery.l. Whether you are already producing films or transitioning into a more leadership-oriented role within your projects, this workshop offers a great opportunity to step inside the mind of an internationally respected producer and understand the craft from the inside out, how decisions are made, how challenges are solved, and how films are shaped through the intelligence, sensitivity, and judgement of the producer. Four-Session Structure: SESSION 1 — The Producer’s Mindset: Judgement, Vision & Early Decision-Making Core focus: How a producer thinks, makes decisions, and identifies a project’s potential. Topics What a producer really does: from creative architect to strategic diplomat Developing instinct and judgement: how producers read people, material, and situations Understanding the DNA of a project Packaging creatively: talent, genre, scope, ambition Navigating uncertainty: risk, opportunity, momentum Choosing collaborators and identifying strengths in early development Common early-stage pitfalls and how to avoid them Case Studies The Fifth Element (1997): How early creative decisions shaped visual ambition and production scale. Children of Men (2006): Assessing the risk and reward of a bold creative vision and how the decision to support that vision influenced every department. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015): Understanding long-term commitment and project resilience even before production begins. SESSION 2 — Creative Collaboration: Directors, Writers, Actors & Key Departments Core focus: The producer as a collaborator, bridge-builder, and mediator. Topics Building trust with directors and writers Guiding the story without overstepping Supporting performances: the subtle producer–actor relationship Harmonising creative perspectives among departments Reading creative conflict and turning it into momentum The producer as the guardian of tone and intention Communication frameworks that keep teams aligned Case Studies Children of Men — collaboration with Alfonso Cuarón: aligning creative clarity across cinematography, production design, and long-take choreography. Wanted (2008): Navigating director, cast, and studio expectations on a stylised action film. Actor-led challenges: anonymised or general examples of how producers support actors through demanding material, scheduling pressure, or preparation needs. SESSION 3 — Leadership in Action: Managing Scale, Teams & Crises Core focus: Leadership under pressure, real-world problem solving, and navigating complexity. Topics Leadership styles in filmmaking Protecting morale and communication on set Scaling production: indie vs. blockbuster Making decisions under pressure: clarity, timing, responsibility Crisis management: weather, budget, safety, studio politics Working with international partners and multi-country shoots Maintaining control while empowering teams Case Studies The Fifth Element — managing an ambitious production with complex sets and visual effects. Mad Max: Fury Road — extreme-location filmmaking: environmental challenges, stamina, and production resilience. International Co-Productions: logistical, cultural, and financial lessons learned across continents. Participant reflection exercise “What was the hardest day you ever had on a shoot?” followed by group analysis. SESSION 4 — Protecting the Film: From Development to Delivery & Sustaining a Caree Core focus: How producers safeguard projects, shape outcomes, and navigate industry realities. Topics Keeping the film’s core vision alive from prep to post When to compromise, when to stand firm Balancing creative demands and commercial realities Working with distributors, studios, and festival strategies The afterlife of a film: marketing, awards, audience positioning Long-term career sustainability: reputation, collaborators, and reinvention Understanding your value as a producer Case Studies Festival & awards trajectories from Iain’s films: how strategy influences visibility and longevity. Creative recovery stories: moments when a film could have gone wrong, and how producing choices changed the outcome. Lessons learned across decades: how the industry evolves and how producers evolve with it. ABOUT IAIN SMITH Iain Smith OBE is one of the most distinguished and influential film producers working in international cinema, with a career spanning more than four decades. His work has been recognised with a BAFTA Scotland Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film and with appointment as Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to film. Films produced by Smith have received Academy Award nominations, won major international prizes, and achieved worldwide box-office success. Among the most celebrated films he has produced are Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), Children of Men (2006), The Fifth Element (1997), Cold Mountain (2003), The Fountain (2006), Seven Years in Tibet (1997), Entrapment (1999), Alexander (2004), and Wanted (2008). These productions, often realised on a large international scale, are widely studied for their creative ambition, logistical complexity, and bold artistic vision. Iain Smith began his career working across multiple departments, before returning to Scotland to contribute to My Childhood, the first film in Bill Douglas’s landmark BFI-backed trilogy. In the late 1970s, Smith formed his first production company and quickly established himself. He production-managed Bertrand Tavernier’s Death Watch (starring Romy Schneider and Harvey Keitel) and soon after joined David Puttnam and Hugh Hudson on Chariots of Fire, one of the most celebrated British films ever made. Smith went on to line-produce and associate-produce several key films of the 1980s, including Local Hero (dir. Bill Forsyth), The Killing Fields and The Mission (dir. Roland Joffé), working with filmmakers and performers such as Robert De Niro, Jeremy Irons, Sam Waterston, and Haing Ngor. These films cemented his reputation as a producer capable of handling politically complex material and large-scale international shoots. In 1987, Smith founded Applecross Productions, from which he went on to produce and co-produce a wide range of major studio and independent films. His collaborations during this period included Stephen Frears (Mary Reilly), Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), Jean-Jacques Annaud (Seven Years in Tibet), Tony Scott (Spy Game), Anthony Minghella (Cold Mountain), Oliver Stone (Alexander), Darren Aronofsky (The Fountain), Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men), and George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road). Particularly notable is Children of Men, now regarded as a modern classic, and Mad Max: Fury Road, which went on to win six Academy Awards and is widely considered one of the greatest action films ever made. Smith served as executive producer on Mad Max: Fury Road, helping bring George Miller’s vision to the screen under extraordinary production conditions. PROFILE OF PARTICIPANT This workshop is designed for producers, directors, line producers, production managers, and advanced film students seeking deeper insight into leadership, decision-making, and collaboration in contemporary film production. 16 hours Duration: 4 days Dates: 24th to the 27th of March 2026 1PM - 5PM (London) 2AM - 6PM (Brussels) 5PM - 9PM (Dubai) 9AM - 1PM (New York) 9PM - 1AM (Beijing) 6:30PM - 10:30PM (New Delhi) 10AM - 2PM (Rio de Janeiro) 12AM - 4AM (Sydney) 6AM - 10AM (Los Angeles) Location: Online Price: 599EUR (374EUR with 35% Discount until the 16th of March) Maximum number of participants: 25 By registering to the workshop you agree with FFL terms and Conditions REGISTER FOR THIS WORKSHOP ON THE LINK BELOW: