IndependentFilm.com

June 11, 2007 (New York, NY) - IFP announced today the ten films selected to participate in its third annual Narrative Rough Cut Lab, a national program connecting mentors and projects by first-time feature filmmakers before they are submitted to festivals. Taking place in New York City June 12 – 15, this year’s Lab includes a number of new initiatives, such as: the formation of an Advisory Board, expansion of the program from three to four days, and moving the program from September to June, thereby ensuring that participants will have time after working with their mentors to submit their strongest work possible prior to the submission deadlines of leading winter and spring festivals.

Additionally, 2007 Lab Fellows will continue to be supported by IFP following the program’s conclusion through: the launch of The Adrienne Shelly Director’s Grant (a $10,000 grant to a current or recent female directing alumnus of the program), the debut of invitational showcase screenings of 2 – 3 minute clips from each of the selected films which will take place during this year’s IFP Market in September, and industry screenings for Lab Fellows from diverse backgrounds in 2008.

Selected for the Lab were: BOPPIN’ AT THE GLUE FACTORY (dir. Jeffrey Jay Orgill), EL COYOTE (dirs. Sergio Palacios & Damian Rodriquez), THE FIRST BREATH OF TENGAN REI (dirs. Junko Kajino & Ed M. Koziarski), GENERAL IMPRESSION OF SIZE & SHAPE (dir. Alex Karpovsky), THE MARCONI BROS. (dirs. Marco Ricci & Michael Canzoniero), MOON EUROPA (dir. Chris Bower); THE NEW YEAR PARADE (dir. Tom Quinn), OLDER THAN AMERICA (dir. Georgina Lightning), RAINBOW AROUND THE SUN (dirs. Kevin Ely & Beau Leland), and TALES FROM THE DEAD (dir. Jason Cuadrado).

“Given the program’s explicit commitment to diversity, we were especially pleased to see a 30% increase in submissions by female directors and a 36% increase by directors of color,” said IFP Executive Director Michelle Byrd. “With submissions coming in from more than 20 states, this year’s Narrative Rough Cut Lab will truly reflect the depth and diversity of independent filmmaking at its best.”

Selected projects have a total of 47 individuals of diverse backgrounds working in key creative roles such as director, producer, executive producer, cinematographer, editor and writer.

Working with IFP’s Amy Dotson, Producer & Managing Director of Programming, on final project selection and serving formally as mentors to the filmmakers are this year’s Narrative Rough Cut Lab leaders, Scott Macaulay (producer, Forensic Films and editor, Filmmaker Magazine) and Gretchen McGowan (executive in charge of production, HDNet Films & Deutsch Open City Films).

Each selected project is able to have three members of the film’s team participate in the Labs (typically writer/director, producer, editor or post supervisor). There are a number of private social events for the participants as well as 11 workshops led by experts in their respective fields.

Workshops throughout the week will cover the following: Alternative Distribution Options; Music Composition; Deliverables & The Ratings System; DIY Distribution; Promotion & Web Building; Editing; Festival Strategy; Independent Film Publicity; Music Selection & Rights; Sales; and Social Networking.

Workshops will be led by: Composer Mychael Danna (Little Miss Sunshine, Water, Capote); Editors Sabine Hoffmann (Houndog, Ballad of Jack and Rose, Brother to Brother) and Kate Williams, (Interview, Trees Lounge, The Myth of Fingerprints); Producers Karin Chien (The Motel, Undoing, Jack and Diane) and Joshua Zeman (Mysterious Skin, The Station Agent, The Hawk is Dying); Music and Soundtrack Supervisor Tracy McKnight (Hotel Rwanda, Mysterious Skin, Friends with Money, Raising Victor Vargas); Doreen Ringer Ross, VP, Film and Television Relations, BMI; Publicists Jeremy Walker and Susan Norget; independent filmmakers Todd Rohal (The Guatemalan Handshake), Lance Weiler (The Last Broadcast, Head Trauma); distributors Melissa Raddatz (Truly Indie) and Ryan Werner (IFC First Take); MPAA’s Independent Film Liaison Scott Young, film sales duo Dana O’Keefe and Sarah Lash of Cinetic Media and representing social networking sites Ingrid Kopp of Shooting People and Brian Brooks of indieWIRE.

The Narrative Rough Cut Lab is one of two lab programs taking place under the banner of IFP’s Independent Film Labs. The Documentary Rough Cut Lab will take place in November 2007 and will also move to the Spring/Summer in 2008. For additional information, www.ifp.org/labs.

The Advisory Board for the program for the Labs includes: St. Claire Bourne, Director/Producer, Chamba Mediaworks Inc., Effie Brown, Producer, Duly Noted, Karin Chien, Producer, Chris Eyre, Filmmaker (Smoke Signals), Ted Hope, Producer, This is That, Warrington Hudlin, Founder & Chief, dvRepublic, Cara Mertes, Director, Sundance Documentary Program, Frances Negron- Muntaner, Filmmaker & Board Member, National Association of Latino Independent Producers, Janet Pierson, Co-President, Grainy Pictures, Doreen Ringer Ross, Vice President of Film & Television Relations, BMI, and Jacques Thelemaque, Filmmaker and Founding Member, Filmmaker Alliance.

Funding for the Narrative Rough Cut Lab is provided by Leadership supporters the Fuller Fund and Time Warner; Contributors the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, and SAGIndie/Screen Actors Guild; with additional support from BMI, Filmmaker Magazine, IndieWIRE, Motion Pictures Editors Guild, New York State Council on the Arts and Rooftop Films. The $10,000 grant for The Adrienne Shelly Director’s Grant provided by The Adrienne Shelly Foundation and Artists Public Domain.

About IFP
IFPs mission is to nurture and celebrate independent film and filmmakers, and to foster a vibrant and sustainable independent filmmaking community. We seek to empower individuals with the language of film, and enrich the world of film with a diversity of voices. We passionately believe that creating opportunities for independent, original and often controversial films to be made and seen is an essential part of a free, open and intellectually curious society. Our programs provide filmmakers with access to the tools to develop and present their vision, and audiences with an opportunity to discover new work. Our signature programs include the Gotham Awards, the IFP Market, Filmmaker Magazine and IFP’s Independent Film Labs. IFP was founded in 1979. It is a not-for-profit organization headquartered in New York City with members throughout the world.