Film Office Staff

Joan Bressler - Director, Greater Philadelphia Filmmakers

Joan Bressler, Director of Greater Philadelphia Filmmakers, joined the Film Office staff in 1992.

Over the years, her responsibilities have included tracking economic impact, organizing and executing the very successful jobs hotline, managing the Fiscal Sponsorship program, recruiting, interviewing and hiring of interns and representing the Film Office on career panels and other public venues. She also worked to develop and facilitate the many events and programs sponsored by the Film Office in the last sixteen years.

When the Greater Philadelphia Filmmakers was officially launched, Joan was a natural choice to helm this program. Under her direction, Filmmakers has pursued innovative partnerships with various companies/individuals in the region and implemented programs such as The Tripod Initiative, where student filmmakers are paired with professionals to produce videos for the non profit business community; Presentation of the “Set In Philadelphia” Screenwriting Competition, at the Philadelphia Film Festival; Film @ The Prince which includes on going workshops and seminars in Business Training, Legal Perspectives, Script to Screen, Packaging and Financing, Grant information and more. She also serves as a Film Office liaison, visiting schools and community groups, helping students navigate the Greater Philadelphia film industry and talking with the public about the process of making movies.  Joan’s objective in this role is to find out what filmmakers need and work to provide it.

She serves on the Advisory Committee for Entertainment & Arts Management (EAM) at the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design at Drexel University, the Advisory Committee for the Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia and the Film/TV Production Occupational Advisory Committee for the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. (CAPA) She is also serving as an advisor for the Philadelphia American Asian Film Festival.

Prior to working at the Film Office, as a free-lancer, she worked with various companies, shooting stills, scouting locations, coordinating events and editing. Joan won a Cine Golden Eagle as the editor on The Art of Learning, She also worked on the Web-Marc Pictures feature film I Don’t Buy Kisses Anymore, where she first became acquainted with the Greater Philadelphia Film Office. She began her film career at Lopatin Productions, where she met and married the boss’ son. Joan is married to film producer Michael Lopatin and has three children.