30th Annual Independent Film Week Preview

Be on the look out next week for a slew of notes from the great panel discussions planned at IFP’s 30th Independent Filmmaker Conference being held during Independent Film Week in New York at Chelsea’s Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.) and surrounding venues. This will mark my seventh return to the conference, which was called IFP Market & Conference and held in The Puck Building when I first attended in 2002. If it were not for this conference, I’m not sure The Film Panel Notetaker would even exist. The seeds were definitely firmly planted there, which have since then sprouted into what you see today and continually grows.

IFP Executive Director said of this year's panels, "We’ve got a remarkable series of speakers and panels scheduled that cover the state of independent film today. From “Alternative Distribution” to “Film & Philanthropy,” whether you’re a filmmaker or film buff, there’s something for everyone interested in independent filmmaking."

And right she is. If you have never attended, and you’re thinking of producing or directing your first narrative or documentary feature and looking for financing, or have a completed film, but want to know the best ways to go about getting distribution both through traditional and newer alternative methods, and how to build audiences, then this is the place for you. There are many panel discussions from which to choose. Each day offers a different theme.

Day 1 – Sunday, Sept. 14: Making Your First Feature
Day 2 – Monday, Sept. 15: Filmmaking 2.0
Day 3 – Tuesday, Sept. 16: The Global Marketplace
Day 4 – Wednesday, Sept. 17: Alternative Distribution
Day 5 – Thursday, Sept. 18: Truth About Non-Fiction
Day 6 – Friday, Sept. 19: Film & Philanthropy [Panels on this day are F-R-E-E!]

And to get an idea of panels from the past, here are a few selected examples of notes I’ve taken at previous conferences:

- 26th Annual IFP Market & Conference (2004)
- Getting the Word Out: Social Networking (original post 9/21/06)
- Conversation with John Sayles & Maggie Renzi, "Honeydripper" – Sept. 16, 2007

(See photo below of Sayles & Renzi from last year's conference. Picture courtesy of IFP.)

And for a summary of everything to expect at this year’s Independent Film Week, please find IFP’s official announcement below.

New York, NY - IFP announced that IFP alumnus Kevin Smith (Clerks), filmmaker and activist Robert Greenwald (Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism), and SnagFilms.com CEO Rick Allen will headline public events during the 30th Annual Independent Film Week, September 14-19. For the first time, Independent Film Week will be held at Chelsea’s Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.).

Formerly known as the IFP Market, Independent Film Week is the leading forum in the U.S. dedicated to discovering, showcasing, and supporting new independent film projects and talent. The six-day event consists of: the Independent Filmmaker Conference; free screenings of films by IFP alumni and emerging short filmmakers; and the Project Forum, a showcase for over 150 works-in-progress. It is presented by IFP, the nation’s oldest and largest organization of independent filmmakers.

Smith will kick off the daily “Conversations With” series during the Independent Filmmaker Conference on September 14th with a discussion on making a first feature. His classic 1994 debut feature, Clerks, got its start as a work-in-progress at IFP in 1993. His new film, Zack and Miri Make a Porno stars Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks and is scheduled for release by The Weinstein Company on Halloween. Greenwald will discuss the power of film to spur social change on September 18th, while Allen, who recently launched SnagFilms.com with AOL Vice-Chairman Ted Leonsis and AOL founder Steve Case, will explore the future of film distribution on September 17th.

In addition to the “Conversations With” series, the conference showcases a range of panels on the art and business of independent film. Each day’s panels are structured around a specific theme: Making Your First Feature, Filmmaking 2.0, The Global Marketplace, Alternative Distribution, The Truth About Non-Fiction, and Film and Philanthropy. The full schedule of panels can be found at www.filmmakerconference.com.

For the second year, IFP and Rooftop Films Present special programs including:

Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Rooftop Films and IFP present
Trinidad (PJ Raval, Jay Hodges Colorado, Austin 1:26:00)
40 years ago, Dr. Stanley Biber transformed a sleepy mining town in Colorado into the Sex Change Capital of The World. 



Venue: on the pier at Solar One
Address: 23rd Street @ the East River (Kips Bay, Manhattan)
Directions: R/6 to 23rd St., walk all the way East, or take the B23 bus all the way East.
8:00PM: Doors open
8:30PM: Sound Fix presents live music by Frances
9:00PM: Film
Rain: In the event of rain, there will be some covering for the audience, but we suggest you bring an umbrella.
Tickets: Free!
Presented in partnership with: The Independent Feature Project, IFC.com, New York magazine & Solar One.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Rooftop Films and IFP present
Selections from the IFP Narrative and Documentary Labs
A sneak peek at trailers and scenes from independent fiction and documentary films that will be next year's hot festival and indie releases.

Venue: on the pier at Solar One
Address: 23rd Street @ the East River (Kips Bay, Manhattan)
Directions: R/6 to 23rd St., walk all the way East, or take the B23 bus all the way East.
8:00PM: Doors open
8:30PM: Live music presented by Sound Fix
9:00PM: Films
Rain: In the event of rain, there will be some covering for the audience, but we suggest you bring an umbrella.
Tickets: Free!
Presented in partnership with: IFC.com, New York magazine, IndieGoGo, and Solar One

* IFP’s NextGenNYC Short Film Showcases (90 min. each) - Documentary and narrative short films by CUNY graduates. NextGenNYC is a new program initiated by IFP and the New York City Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting and is designed to provide a spotlight on New York City’s emerging talent from four colleges within the City University, including: Brooklyn College, City College of New York, the College of Staten Island and Hunter College. (Narrative Showcase, September 16th, 1:30pm, Chelsea Cinemas, 260 West 23rd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues; Documentary Showcase, September 17th, 2pm, Chelsea Cinemas) There is complimentary access with a ticket or pass to the Independent Filmmaker Conference.The full schedule of film screenings open to the public during Independent Film Week can be found at: http://www.independentfilmweek.com/.

“The annual state of the union on independent film began 30 years ago with IFP’s founding event, now known as Independent Film Week,” says Michelle Byrd, Executive Director of IFP. “Since then we’ve expanded our mandate to give the public a greater opportunity to experience the films we nurture through our programs and meet the innovators who are shaping the future of independent film.” Tickets and passes for IFP’s Independent Filmmaker Conference range from $20 for single events to a variety of passes ranging from $70 per day to $320 for the week including all 35 panels, workshops and case studies. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.filmmakerconference.com/.