Program 2026

Download Optional Mentee Workbook
Download Conversational Guide

INITIAL MEETING: INTRODUCTIONS & CAREER TRAJECTORY

Ice Breakers: What was the last movie you saw in a theater, and what was your experience like? What is your favorite concession item?

  • Discuss both of your career journeys. Was entering the movie business intentional or unexpected?

  • What have been the greatest lessons learned in both journeys thus far?

  • Mentee: what are you looking to get out of the program?

  • Mentor: set bi-weekly 45-60 minute meeting schedule. Agree on communication preferences.

  • Mentee: brainstorm professional goals to discuss, note in optional Mentee Workbook.

MEETING 2: PLANNING & VISUALIZING

What was your dream job and did that dream change?

  • What are you most proud of in your career thus far? Any recent accomplishments and lessons learned from those experiences?

  • What does growth mean to you? Is it promotion-based or learning new skills?

  • Mentee: Discuss three short-term and three long-term professional goals.

  • Discuss skills necessary to achieve these goals.

  • Optional Mentee Workbook: Outline a 5-year plan in place to start executing your goals.

MEETING 3: WORK/LIFE BALANCE & NETWORKING

What does being present mean to you? How do you show up for others?

  • Discuss the challenges in achieving work/life balance. How do you allocate your time?

  • Create a plan or tips to ensure that you can achieve professional success without sacrificing your personal/family life, note in optional Mentee Workbook.

  • Plan for CinemaCon: are you attending for the first time or you’ve previously attended? What are you most excited about? Mentors, discuss industry resources and presentation summaries for mentees unable to attend.

MEETING 4: STRATEGIES & TRANSITIONS

Discuss CinemaCon updates and networking experience.

  • When should you start expressing interest in more responsibility or asking for a promotion?

  • What are the best ways to discuss upward mobility with a supervisor?

  • How do you handle career transitions?

  • Mentors: how do you help evaluate a job opportunity against current position? (Title, pay, leader, team, breadth of work)

Define and discuss effective communication and teamwork as it relates to success.

  • How can you be a better communicator on your team and across other departments?

  • What are some important qualities of leaders you admire?

  • How can you improve your leadership skills?

  • What will you take from the mentorship experience that will guide future planning?

MEETING 5: EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION & LEADERSHIP

What to Expect

Film Row is hosting a mentorship program that fosters entertainment's future leaders by helping them grow in a personal & professional capacity.

Share your industry insights, guide emerging talent, and create a lasting impact on someone’s career trajectory.

❋ MENTORS

Grow your professional network, sharpen your skill set, and learn how to navigate the unique challenges of our industry with the help of a seasoned pro.

❋ MENTEES

Open to current or former members of exhibition, distribution, vendors, and affiliated studio departments. While a match is not guaranteed, we will do our best to accommodate everyone who signs up and wishes to be a part of the program.

❋ Eligibility

Enroll through our website.

The program will run for 10 weeks.

Pairs are expected to connect once every two weeks. (In-Person, Phone, or Zoom)

This year, we will provide a dedicated Themes & Topics Guide for structured conversation and a Resource Guide for professional development. Every two weeks, you’ll receive a curated selection of multimedia resources covering leadership, strategy, and career advancement.

❋ PROGRAM DETAILS

The mission of the Film Row Mentorship Program is to provide a focused opportunity for a networking / educational experience, with a highly recognized member of distribution, exhibition, or affiliated departments & services of the studio system.

  • January 29, 2026

  • February 26, 2026

  • March 13, 2026

  • March 16, 2026

  • May 22, 2026

Important Dates:

Meet our Ambassador

Chadd Barksdale is Vice President and Assistant General Sales Manager at The Walt Disney Studios. With 27 years of theatrical distribution leadership and deep experience spanning both coasts, he offers a uniquely balanced perspective shaped by decades of industry evolution.

Chadd oversees domestic sales and booking operations, sales planning, and revenue compliance across a diverse slate of studio tentpoles and specialty releases. Recent titles include Inside Out 2, Deadpool & Wolverine, Moana 2, Lilo & Stitch, Zootopia 2, and Avatar: Fire and Ash.

Throughout his career, he has guided hundreds of releases, delivering strong box office results through strategic positioning and data‑driven market analysis, all in close collaboration with exhibitor partners nationwide. His expertise spans wide and platform releases, premium formats, and innovative distribution strategies designed to maximize performance across the theatrical, non‑theatrical, and catalogue lifecycles.

Chadd is widely respected for his long-standing industry relationships, analytical rigor, and enduring passion for the theatrical experience.

  • “Film Row’s mentorship program helped me grow both personally and professionally, giving me the confidence and guidance I needed to take meaningful steps toward my career in entertainment.”

    Former Mentee

  • “Being part of Film Row’s mentorship made the industry feel way less intimidating and helped me grow both personally and professionally.”

    Former Mentee

  • “The Film Row mentorship experience allowed me to give back in a meaningful way while learning just as much from the young professionals as they learned from me.”

    Former Mentor

  • “Mentoring through Film Row was incredibly rewarding—being able to guide young professionals as they discover their strengths and grow into future leaders reminded me why I love this industry.”

    Former Mentor

  • “As a young business women, this program helped me build skills, make connections, and better understand what it really takes to succeed in the entertainment industry.”

    Former Mentee