Filmmaking
Filmmaking
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Kyle Patrick Alvarez on How C.O.G. Wrapped in Mid-November — and Still Got into Sundance
It’s every independent filmmaker’s dream to have their film have its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, but realistically the chances are very slim. The festival gets over 12,000 submissions annually, and only around 200 of those are chosen. However, when the deadline to apply for the 2013 Sundance Film Festival came around this time last year, writer/director Kyle Patrick Alvarez faced a much steeper challenge than most. His sophomore feature, C.O.G., based on an autobiographical essay by David Sedaris about a formative summer spent in Oregon after graduating college, hadn’t even started production. Delayed from its original August […]
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Seven Tips on How to Utilize Your Audience from Peter Broderick
The IFP Independent Filmmaker Conference’s “Blitz Wisdom” panels are quick, TED-like talks from filmmakers and folks in the industry discussing their projects and/or offering tips and pointers. During Monday’s “Blitz Wisdom” session with Peter Broderick, President of Paradigm Consulting (helping filmmakers develop distribution and social media strategies), we learned some great tips on how maintaining a relationship with your audience after they’ve left the theater can help you develop a sustainable model of revenue. Here are Broderick’s seven key ways your audience can be utilized to help your independent project: 1. Direct Funding – Once you’ve identified your audience and have their […]
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Notes from the Front Lines with Milo Daemgen, Producer of The Shotgun Waltz
One of the great things about Independent Film Week is getting to meet so many other filmmakers who are sharing in the same experience working in independent film. On any given day of the conference you could be sitting next to a producer, director or distributor who might end up helping you on your next project (or maybe you’ll end up helping them!) You also end up hearing about a lot of great projects and films, which is exactly what happened one session this week when I found myself sitting next to Milo Daemgen, independent producer of various short & […]
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Disturbing the Power Structure? Citizen Koch and the Sponsorship of Public Television
One of the more lively discussions I’ve seen so far at the Independent Filmmaker Conference, “When Documentaries Disturb the Power Structure,” included a panel of heavy-hitters from the documentary world including both filmmakers (Eugene Jarecki, the director of The House I Live In; Rachel Grady, the director of Detropia; and Tia Lessin and Carl Deal the directors of Citizen Koch) and representatives from public broadcast (Mette Hoffmann Meyer, the head of documentary and co-productions at DR TV/Danish Broadcasting Television and Claire Aguilar, Executive Content Advisor for ITVS/Independent Television Service), all moderated by Deidre Haj, Executive Director of the Full Frame Documentary Film […]
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Jon Kilik’s Keynote at the Filmmaker Conference
The following is the keynote speech delivered by Jon Kilik at the IFP’s Filmmaker Conference in New York City earlier this week. Good afternoon. Welcome. I’d like to thank Joana, Amy, Rose, and everyone at the IFP for having me here. And to all of you, for sharing your day and your time with me. The value of that time, with so many things that you could choose to do on this Sunday afternoon, is part of this discussion. Thank you for choosing to be here. I live near the Film Forum and last Saturday I went to see Jean […]
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Documenting the Life of George Plimpton: Interview with Luke Poling and Tom Bean Part II
In the second part of the interview with filmmakers Luke Poling and Tom Bean about the documentary, Plimpton! Starring George Plimpton as Himself, they discuss structuring the movie, getting to the final edit, and distribution. Read Part I here: Documenting the Life of George Plimpton: Interview with Luke Poling and Tom Bean Part II Filmmaker: You said you did 50 or 60 interviews. How did you choose those people? Bean: A lot of them were people who had either written about George or knew George. Whenever you interview someone they go, “Have you talked to such and such a person?” […]
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“Cinema is Not Dead!” – Producer Jon Kilik at the IFP Conference
There doesn’t seem to be any disagreement that it’s tough out there in the world of independent film. The country’s financial uncertainty coupled with an over-saturation of films in the marketplace with no real avenues for revenue have made establishing a career as a film director very difficult. Pair that with the unending stream of big-budget, low-revenue, Hollywood-produced tentpole pictures and one could say these are the Dark Days of filmmaking. And most of the speakers on the first day of the Filmmaker Conference did reiterate that. Well…all but one: independent film producer Jon Kilik. Known for his early work […]
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What Can The Industry Do For Us? Notes from the Filmmaker Conference, Day One
Independent Film Week — IFP’s annual takeover of Lincoln Center — ushered in its 2013 edition yesterday with the Filmmaker Conference. A collection of workshops, panels, keynotes, case studies, and networking sessions, the Filmmaker Conference addresses a variety of topics at the forefront of the industry’s conscience. Day one, as its banner title “Future Forward” suggests, was primarily concerned with the impact of new platforms and technologies on independent filmmaking, and the ways in which creators evolve alongside an increasing array of tools. Exciting as the possibilities are, two particular panels took the opportunity to zero in on the industry […]
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Future Forward – A Day for New Voices in Independent Film
Sunday’s schedule of events at the IFP’s Filmmaker Conference titled “Future Forward” really couldn’t have been more perfectly named. Though each panel could be seen appropriately fitting for the title, two in particular really hit home the idea that our future and our way forward is through new voices and new stories, mainly through new, minority filmmakers (and that much of the success of these new filmmakers is in our hands). First-time writer/director Ryan Coogler, whose film Fruitvale Station is already appearing on Top 10 lists for 2013 with rumors of Oscar nods, spoke candidly about the film’s production, about […]
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Documenting the Life of George Plimpton: Interview with Luke Poling and Tom Bean Part I
George Plimpton led an eclectic life as a journalist, writer, editor, sportsman and actor, though he was perhaps most widely known for his exploits as a participatory journalist. When filmmakers Luke Poling and Tom Bean set out to make their first documentary, Plimpton! Starring George Plimpton as Himself, they were faced with enough material to make several documentaries. A project like this might have daunted some first-time filmmakers, said Poling, “We’d kicked around the idea of doing one, when Plimpton came up we said, ‘Let’s go for this.’” Poling and Bean both studied film in college, but first met at […]
