A free monthly gathering for the people who make films in this city. 31 events, more than 6,600 RSVPs, and rooms up to 425 that keep filling, every month since June 2024.
31 events · 6,600+ RSVPs · 15 venues · est. June 2024 · Chicago's film community
Filmmaker Friday is where Chicago's directors, producers, cinematographers, editors, and actors actually meet. One to two events a month, every month since June 2024, always free, in rooms that hold 150 to 425 and regularly fill. Bring a festival program, a tour, or a brand into this room and it lands in front of working filmmakers who show up.
50 at the first event to 6,603 at the most recent. Confirmed "going" RSVPs on Partiful, June 2024 to July 2026. Average RSVPs per event by calendar year: 2024: 128 · 2025: 237 · 2026: 299. Events 30 and 31 will be added when their guest lists close.
| # | Date | Venue | Going | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jun 28, 2024 | Create at Upscale | 50 | 50 |
| 2 | Jul 19, 2024 | AXM Studios | 42 | 50 |
| 3 | Aug 23, 2024 | A Very Serious Gallery | 151 | 164 |
| 4 | Sep 27, 2024 | Kinowerks | 238 | 250 |
| 5 | Oct 25, 2024 | Great Central Brewing Co. | 152 | 155 |
| 6 | Nov 15, 2024 | On Tour Brewing | 140 | 150 |
| 7 | Dec 20, 2024 | See You Soon | 120 | 125 |
| 8 | Jan 17, 2025 | Chicago Cultural Center | 203 | 210 |
| 9 | Feb 7, 2025 | CineCity Studios | 216 | 220 |
| 10 | Feb 21, 2025 | SomeOddPilot / Public Works | 242 | 300 |
| 11 | Mar 14, 2025 | Chicago Cultural Center | 296 | 300 |
| 12 | Apr 11, 2025 | Chicago Cultural Center | 300 | 300 |
| 13 | Apr 25, 2025 | De Duallè | 304 | 325 |
| 14 | Jun 13, 2025 | Lincoln Park Room | 234 | 250 |
| 15 | Jun 26, 2025 | The Fields Studios (Artistry Unfiltered x FF) | 108 | 600 |
| 16 | Jul 18, 2025 | Lincoln Park Room | 227 | 300 |
| 17 | Aug 29, 2025 | Kinowerks | 243 | 250 |
| 18 | Sep 5, 2025 | CineCity Studios | 356 | 500 |
| 19 | Oct 17, 2025 | Kinowerks | 266 | 350 |
| 20 | Nov 21, 2025 | Pilot Project Brewing | 187 | 200 |
| 21 | Dec 5, 2025 | Kinowerks | 136 | 200 |
| 22 | Jan 30, 2026 | Kinowerks | 352 | 400 |
| 23 | Feb 20, 2026 | Pilot Project Brewing | 255 | 275 |
| 24 | Mar 27, 2026 | Pilot Project Brewing | 424 | 425 |
| 25 | Apr 24, 2026 | Pilot Project Brewing | 361 | 425 |
| 26 | May 22, 2026 | Pilot Project Brewing | 256 | 425 |
| 27 | Jun 24, 2026 | Kinowerks | 384 | 425 |
| 28 | Jul 17, 2026 | Chicago Cultural Center | 253 | 300 |
| 29 | Jul 24, 2026 | Ramova Theater (FF x Midwest Film Fest) | 107 | 300 |
Tracked through Meta Insights: 120,940 views from May through July 2026, with 51,000 in July alone, our biggest month yet, and monthly views more than doubling since spring. Filmmaker Friday isn't just a room, it's a media property your name travels through before and after the night.
From breweries and production studios to the Chicago Cultural Center and the Ramova Theater. These are the rooms we've filled, and the partners who keep asking us back.
Full venue history: Kinowerks ×6, Pilot Project Brewing ×5, Chicago Cultural Center ×4, CineCity Studios ×2, Lincoln Park Room ×2, plus one each at A Very Serious Gallery, AXM Studios, Create at Upscale, De Duallè, Great Central Brewing Co., On Tour Brewing, Ramova Theater, See You Soon, SomeOddPilot / Public Works, and The Fields Studios.
The hardest part of bringing a festival, tour, or brand into a new city is the audience. Ours already exists: more than 6,600 RSVPs from two years of working filmmakers who show up. We run the venue, the format, and the promotion. You bring the films or the product, and we build the night together. Reach us at armin@caymanite.us.
Built to host touring programs of the Mountainfilm and Wild and Scenic caliber. A ready-made Chicago audience, a proven venue network, and a host team that runs the whole night.
Demo tables, sponsored panels, and gear in the hands of working filmmakers all night. The room brands of the Blackmagic and Angelbird caliber are built for.
Product in hand at free events drawing 150 to 425 RSVPs a night, with your name across the promotion. The crowd brands of the Athletic Brewing and Red Bull caliber want to reach.
"I started Filmmaker Friday out of a genuine curiosity for the conversations and industry topics I wanted answers to. Discussions that should be accessible to anyone looking to learn and grow. I wanted to create an event that fosters real connections while providing real industry insight, something I wish I had access to when I was beginning my career."
Armin started Filmmaker Friday in June 2024 because he wasn't seeing events like this hosted in Chicago. The creative industry here can feel siloed, so every event is built to break those barriers down, bringing professionals together across every discipline and cross-pollinating ideas and talent between the city's creative organizations.
He believes the foundation of filmmaking is a strong community, and Filmmaker Friday is dedicated to building that community for Chicago. When he's not hosting, he's crafting documentaries and branded films with his production company, Caymanite.
Everything on this page, on one sheet you can forward to your team. Then let's put a night on the calendar.
Get the one-pagerOr write us directly: armin@caymanite.us · filmmakerfridays.org · @FilmmakerFridayChicago