Over the weekend MPI Original Films hosted the panel “Based on a True Story: Filmmaking for Impact” at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. The packed theater enjoyed a conversation with the filmmakers and subjects from MPI Original and BET Original Kemba and MPI Original Pinball on how they adapted true stories for the screen.

Led by MPI’s senior vice president Lana Link, who also serves as a producer on both films, the panel featured Kemba Smith, the subject and executive producer of Kemba; Kelley Kali, the director of Kemba; and Austin and Meredith Bragg, the writing and directing team behind Pinball.

The group discussed how to initially hook audiences while providing vital backstory necessary to the narrative, the importance of the subject of the film feeling they can trust the filmmaking team throughout the process, how to tell the story with truth even though you can’t show everything that occurred, and practical advice for filmmakers on how to go about securing life rights.

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