“Carolina Independent Film Collective” Monthly Meetup / November
Run Time: 120 min. Release Year: 2025
Join us for a community conversation with Juli Emmons exploring the transformative impact of cinema, its role in fostering connection, and its impact on our local communities. The event will also feature a presentation by Melissa Salpietra, who will share insights from her journey as a freelance video editor, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the craft and creative process in film and media.
Juli Emmons is a creative entrepreneur and community builder based in the Carolinas. As a driving force in both the regional film scene and wildlife rehabilitation, she blends storytelling, design, and compassion to inspire connection.
She is the founder of Carolina Film Community and also a core organizer for the 1CLT Film Festival. She most recently founded Nutty By Nature Squirrel Rescue, where creativity meets purpose in every project she leads.
Juli’s deep passion for film led her to found the CFC in April 2009. Since its inception, the CFC has offered education, fellowship, and advocacy for filmmakers across the Carolinas, while also providing incentives for film creation, workshops and professional development, and a platform for showcasing film and television productions.
Melissa Salpietra, an Emmy® Award–winning freelance video editor, motion graphics artist, and producer based in Charlotte, North Carolina. During her 15+ years as an editor, she has used her craft to tell stories through educational shorts, commercials, and narrative films for television and the web.
Melissa started her career at PBS where she edited and created web videos and content for NOVA. She worked in the science video field before founding her own company, Salpietra Media. Inc. in 2012. Melissa has produced and edited award-winning educational series for non-profit clients, including PBS NC and JASON Learning, as well as edited commercial work for clients, including Wells Fargo, Academy Sports, and the Mint Museum. Her narrative work includes the short films Manhood (2019), Writer’s Block (2020), Youth (2021), Everybody Don’t Electric Slide (2022), and the upcoming short film, The Weight of You (2023).
Melissa has a postgraduate degree in Natural History Filmmaking and Communication from the University of Otago in New Zealand.
Themes include:
- The creative process and decision-making behind film editing.
- Collaboration in post-production.
- Balancing art and technology in storytelling.
- Building a sustainable career in film and television.
Free and open to the public.