The IF Workshop

If You Have a Story…Make Your Film a Reality!

The inaugural IF Workshop was held Sunday, November 9, 2025 at the Hotel at Kirkwood Center. Over 60 filmmakers and aspiring filmmakers from all around Iowa and beyond came together to learn, be inspired, and connect with others who share their dreams!

IF you have an idea, this event was the next step to making your film. “IF” might stand for “Independent Film” but it’s also a common question among emerging filmmakers. 

IF you had the budget, the resources, and the clear plan—what film would you make? The only thing standing between you and your first (or next) great film is practical, hands-on knowledge. That’s where the IF Workshop, presented by Cedar Rapids Independent Filmmakers (CRIFF’s parent org) comes in.

This isn’t just theory. We’re here to help you take the next step: transcend being an aspiring filmmaker, BECOME a filmmaker, or raise the bar on your next project—right here in Iowa.

Whether you’re brand new to the camera, a dedicated hobbyist looking to polish your skills, or a life-long learning professional eager to gain new strategies and network, this day is for you.

If you have a friend who keeps talking about their film idea? Share the IF Workshop with them. It could be the spark they need! For more information about future IF Workshops, email info@crifm.org.

The Agenda

It was a fun, focused afternoon of conversation, networking, and sessions designed to take your skills to the next level. We heard from independent filmmakers who have walked in your shoes, and went on to create award-winning, audience-engaging feature films.

Kevin Shepherd
Screenwriter, Producer

Bio

Start with Story
How to begin building your screenwriting ability – getting your reps in (practice, practice!).

Bruce James Bales
Cinematographer

Bio

Serve the Story with the Pictures
Creating great cinematography with the tools you have right now.

Lee Ross
Producer, Screenwriter, Stand-Up Comic, Teacher, Coach

Bio

Screenwriter Strategies: The Shifting Landscape of Filmmaking
What is AI’s influence on screenwriting and creativity? Learn practical strategies for getting your first films made – here in Iowa!

Everyone!

Networking
Connect with other local creatives, performers, and filmmakers!

Gallery

Here’s a sampling of the day. See the Full Gallery Here.

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Thank you for Your Generous Support!

Welcome to Iowa. Our state is ready for your story.
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Kevin Shepherd

Kevin Shepherd is a writer and producer based in Newhall, IA who serves as the head writer for Dojolo Films and the chief writer at Mediaverse Studios. A fan of movies and TV since childhood, he was drawn to creative storytelling from a young age. This early passion for storytelling naturally led to creative writing as he got older.

Shepherd’s screenwriting career began later in life when a friend challenged him to write a script for a sequel to the film We’re The Millers. Over the next few years, he honed his craft by writing over a dozen scripts, including feature films, shorts, and TV pilots. He created DoJoLo Films in the sixth year of his journey. He has created several short films with a variety of collaborators including Chinese Food and a Movie, Shut The Box, and Investigating Christmas. DoJoLo Films first feature is 5683. During the past year’s Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival, 5683 was a Gold Eddy winner in the Professional Feature category and Iowa Connection Award winner. It was also selected for several other regional film festivals and nationally as part of Kevin Smith’s Smodcastle Cinemas Film Festival in New Jersey in August.

Shepard believes in telling not just a good story, but a “great story”. His key strengths as a writer are world-building and efficiency in producing compelling pages. He advises other writers to trust the process, be open-minded to creative ideas and feedback, and learn to “think inside the box” by creatively working within the constraints of independent filmmaking, such as budget, talent, and locations. To overcome writer’s block, he suggests working on multiple projects in different genres to keep creativity flowing.

Beyond his writing, Shepherd is a hands-on contributor to film production, filling various pre-production and on-set roles including producer, assistant director, grip, and all-around good guy. He has been helping writers to refine their approach and guide them through screenwriting making it more accessible in concept, vocabulary, and useful tools to those looking to get started in shaping their ideas.

Bruce James Bales

Bruce James Bales is a filmmaker from Des Moines, Iowa, who works as a writer, director, producer, and editor, though he primarily focuses on cinematography. His work spans short films, documentaries, feature films, and commercials.

Bales’s filmmaking journey began in his youth, making skits with friends using a VHS camera and later creating rollerblading videos. His experience as a rollerblader influenced his filmmaking, teaching him a unique perspective and a DIY mentality. In high school, he discovered a passion for visual storytelling through a 35mm black and white photography class, finding it magical to see an image appear in a darkroom.

While studying English literature in college, Bales continued to make skate videos and worked on 35mm film projects with friends. He initially didn’t consider filmmaking a viable career path and planned to become a teacher. However, an internship with a music video production company in Pittsburgh introduced him to lighting, and working as a production assistant and extra on larger Hollywood sets solidified his fascination with the filmmaking process.

Bales believes his diverse life experiences, including his English literature studies, have been crucial in shaping him as a filmmaker by teaching him story structure and narrative. He is known for his work on projects like the web series Friendly Faces (CRIFF 2024 Pro Feature Gold), the feature film Knee High (CRIFF 2024, Pro Feature Silver), and the autobiographical short film Thick as Thieves. 

He was accepted into the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) Vision Mentorship program, which has connected him with seasoned industry professionals.

Bruce also produces an educational filmmaking podcast “That’s A Take” available on Apple Podcasts.

Recently he served as director of photography on Death of a Brewer starring Crispin Glover and Mena Suvari.

Crews Bruce has been a part of describe him as a collaborative visual storyteller, and all-around team player who is raising the bar in Iowa filmmaking and makes projects he is a part of, better.

He is accustomed to adjusting to conditions and at filmmaking at different levels of budget, striving to make the most of what you have creatively.

Lee Ross

Lee Ross is a multifaceted artist with a career spanning comedy, theater, film, teaching, and technology, now residing in Fairfield, IA. Began training at High School of Performing Arts in New York City and continued with theater studies at Carnegie Mellon and with two years of corporal movement training at the Jacques LeCoq International theatre program in Paris.

Ross began his career as a stand-up comic in New York City during the mid-1980s, performing at renowned comedy clubs like Catch a Rising Star, The Improv, and Dangerfield’s. He has headlined comedy shows in the US, Canada, and Australia, opening for acts such as The Supremes, Carlos Mencia, and Kathleen Madigan. His theatrical career includes touring internationally with Cirque du Soleil in their show Saltimbanco, where he performed as both the lead dramatic role and the lead clown mime. He is also a master storyteller who wrote and performed a one-man show called mind in the waters, which toured worldwide.

As a screenwriter and producer, Ross’s first feature film, Downloading Nancy, starred Maria Bello and Jason Patric and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The film was directed by Johan Renck, an Emmy winner for HBO’s Chernobyl. He followed this with a dark comedy, Benjamin Troubles, and has written and produced several award-winning short films, including the noir thriller Kill The Light. Recently, he executive produced three short films shot in Fairfield, Iowa.

Currently, Ross is focused on the technology side of the film industry with his startup, Aloud Studios. The company uses AI voices to convert screenplays into audio, allowing writers to hear their movies with different voices assigned to characters.

In addition to his performance and production work, Ross is a dedicated screenwriting teacher. His teaching process is described as hands-on, simple, and clear, combining authentic writing, spatial awareness, and industry strategy. He covers fundamentals like character development, dialogue, and structure with an emphasis on “less is more”. Testimonials from his students highlight his ability to inspire creativity, enforce the discipline of deadlines and rewriting, and honor the artist in each writer. He sometimes uses somatic techniques to motivate creativity and is known for creating a productive and encouraging environment for writers.