Struggling to recall the last time the internet seemed like a force for good in the world? Yancey Strickler can cite the exact date: March 13, 2013.
That’s the day that Kickstarter’s co-founder and former CEO Strickler and writer/director Rob Thomas launched the “Veronica Mars” Movie Project on the then-four-year-old crowdfunding platform. Within 11 hours, tens of thousands of “Veronica Mars” fans opened their wallets to quickly hit the $2 million goal to bring Thomas’ low-rated high school detective series starring Kristen Bell as the eponymous teen gumshoe back from the TV graveyard as a feature film, which opened in theaters 10 years ago on March 14, 2014.
“It was just love — that’s what it felt like,” Strickler told IndieWire about being in the room with Thomas when the “Veronica Mars” campaign launched, and the fan-raised funds rolled in en masse. “There was a documentary crew there filming; the cast kept calling us,...
That’s the day that Kickstarter’s co-founder and former CEO Strickler and writer/director Rob Thomas launched the “Veronica Mars” Movie Project on the then-four-year-old crowdfunding platform. Within 11 hours, tens of thousands of “Veronica Mars” fans opened their wallets to quickly hit the $2 million goal to bring Thomas’ low-rated high school detective series starring Kristen Bell as the eponymous teen gumshoe back from the TV graveyard as a feature film, which opened in theaters 10 years ago on March 14, 2014.
“It was just love — that’s what it felt like,” Strickler told IndieWire about being in the room with Thomas when the “Veronica Mars” campaign launched, and the fan-raised funds rolled in en masse. “There was a documentary crew there filming; the cast kept calling us,...
- 3/19/2024
- by Ethan Alter
- Indiewire
Eileen Muza is the only year-round resident of Cisco, Utah, a ghost town established all the way back in the 1880s and commemorated in Ridley Scott’s “Thelma & Louise.” Tourists, who would occasionally stop by, saw sad remains of the past. Eileen saw potential.
“One person’s throwaway is another person’s treasure,” says Emily Kaye Allen, the director of “Cisco Kid,” which world premieres at Ji.hlava film festival this week.
“When I first met Eileen, who now uses ‘they/them’ pronouns, they didn’t have a solid plan. They had ideas about what this place could be, but they went into it pretty spontaneously and impulsively.”
Eileen ended up fixing old buildings and turning the place into an artist residency. But Allen, who accompanied Eileen for three years, focuses on the very beginning.
“Cisco Kid”
“They are still there, but they might not be able to stay,...
“One person’s throwaway is another person’s treasure,” says Emily Kaye Allen, the director of “Cisco Kid,” which world premieres at Ji.hlava film festival this week.
“When I first met Eileen, who now uses ‘they/them’ pronouns, they didn’t have a solid plan. They had ideas about what this place could be, but they went into it pretty spontaneously and impulsively.”
Eileen ended up fixing old buildings and turning the place into an artist residency. But Allen, who accompanied Eileen for three years, focuses on the very beginning.
“Cisco Kid”
“They are still there, but they might not be able to stay,...
- 10/26/2022
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: The Points North Institute today announced recipients of three of its prestigious fellowship programs, ahead of next month’s Camden International Film Festival in Maine.
The trio of programs – the Points North Fellowship, North Star Fellowship, and Lef/Ciff Fellowship – will support a total of 16 documentary projects now in development in the U.S. and a dozen other countries [see full list of projects below].
“Eighty percent of this year’s Points North-supported projects are directed or co-directed by filmmakers from backgrounds historically marginalized or excluded from the film industry,” the institute noted in a release, “including those who identify as Bipoc, LGBTQ+, or as a person with a disability.”
The fellowship programs, consisting of private workshops, screenings, industry meetings and other events, will take place both in-person during the Camden International Film Festival and online. The festival, itself a program of the Points North Institute, unfolds along a bucolic stretch of the Maine coastline.
The trio of programs – the Points North Fellowship, North Star Fellowship, and Lef/Ciff Fellowship – will support a total of 16 documentary projects now in development in the U.S. and a dozen other countries [see full list of projects below].
“Eighty percent of this year’s Points North-supported projects are directed or co-directed by filmmakers from backgrounds historically marginalized or excluded from the film industry,” the institute noted in a release, “including those who identify as Bipoc, LGBTQ+, or as a person with a disability.”
The fellowship programs, consisting of private workshops, screenings, industry meetings and other events, will take place both in-person during the Camden International Film Festival and online. The festival, itself a program of the Points North Institute, unfolds along a bucolic stretch of the Maine coastline.
- 8/26/2022
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Six feature documentaries currently in post-production are selected.
Film Independent has revealed the 12 filmmakers and six projects selected for its 2022 Documentary Lab, with subjects including Baltimore police law, young women in Egypt and the legacy of a Lakota family.
The lab is designed for filmmakers currently in post-production on their feature-length documentary films and provides creative feedback from film professionals.
This year’s lead creative mentors are Chris Shellen, Jeff Malmberg and Anayansi Prado. Mentors and guest speakers include Oscar nominee Jessica Kingdon, Emmy winner Ali Johnes and Sundance Institute’s Carrie Lozano.
Projects supported by the Documentary Lab in...
Film Independent has revealed the 12 filmmakers and six projects selected for its 2022 Documentary Lab, with subjects including Baltimore police law, young women in Egypt and the legacy of a Lakota family.
The lab is designed for filmmakers currently in post-production on their feature-length documentary films and provides creative feedback from film professionals.
This year’s lead creative mentors are Chris Shellen, Jeff Malmberg and Anayansi Prado. Mentors and guest speakers include Oscar nominee Jessica Kingdon, Emmy winner Ali Johnes and Sundance Institute’s Carrie Lozano.
Projects supported by the Documentary Lab in...
- 5/24/2022
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
Film Independent has set the filmmakers and projects for its 2022 Documentary Lab. The list includes Alissa Figueroa, Shalon Buskirk and Drew Swedberg, Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir (Land of Women), Kit Vincent and Ed Owles, Alix Blair, Lauren Kushner and Elise McCave (Untitled Helen Project) and Jonathan Olshefski and Elizabeth Day (Without Arrows).
The Lab is an intensive program that provides creative feedback to filmmakers currently in post on feature-length docs, advancing the careers of its Fellows by introducing them to professionals who can advise on both the craft and business of documentary filmmaking. Chris Shellen and Jeff Malmberg (Marwencol) and Anayansi Prado (Maid in America) will this year serve as its Lead Creative Mentors, with additional Lab Mentors and Guest Speakers to include Sara Dosa and Shane Boris (Fire of Love), Academy Award nominee...
The Lab is an intensive program that provides creative feedback to filmmakers currently in post on feature-length docs, advancing the careers of its Fellows by introducing them to professionals who can advise on both the craft and business of documentary filmmaking. Chris Shellen and Jeff Malmberg (Marwencol) and Anayansi Prado (Maid in America) will this year serve as its Lead Creative Mentors, with additional Lab Mentors and Guest Speakers to include Sara Dosa and Shane Boris (Fire of Love), Academy Award nominee...
- 5/24/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The television series “Mrs. Fletcher,” “Briarpatch” and “Limetown” have been added to the lineup at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival, which will screen two or three episodes of each series followed by extended Q&As with the creators and cast.
Those three U.S. series will be part of Tiff’s Primetime section, which will also showcase the international series “Black Bitch” (Australia), “Savages” (France) and “The Sleepers” (the Czech Republic).
“Mrs. Fletcher” is an upcoming series from HBO and Crave, based on the Tom Perotta novel and starring Kathryn Hahn as an empty-nest mother. “Briarpatch,” from USA Network, stars Rosario Dawson as a political fixer investigating the death of her sister. And Facebook Watch’s podcast-based “Limetown” follows a public radio journalist (Jessica Biel) looking into the disappearance of 300 people at a research facility.
Also Read: Mister Rogers, the Joker and Judy Garland Are All Headed to Toronto Film...
Those three U.S. series will be part of Tiff’s Primetime section, which will also showcase the international series “Black Bitch” (Australia), “Savages” (France) and “The Sleepers” (the Czech Republic).
“Mrs. Fletcher” is an upcoming series from HBO and Crave, based on the Tom Perotta novel and starring Kathryn Hahn as an empty-nest mother. “Briarpatch,” from USA Network, stars Rosario Dawson as a political fixer investigating the death of her sister. And Facebook Watch’s podcast-based “Limetown” follows a public radio journalist (Jessica Biel) looking into the disappearance of 300 people at a research facility.
Also Read: Mister Rogers, the Joker and Judy Garland Are All Headed to Toronto Film...
- 8/15/2019
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Nfts Platform! will support shorts projects outside of the school curriculum.
The UK’s National Film and Television School (Nfts) has teamed with crowdfunding website Kickstarter to launch Nfts Platform!, an initiative to support students at the school with extra-curricular projects.
The collaboration marks the first time Kickstarter has made an official partnership with a UK film body.
The scheme will support six to ten projects with on a bi-annual basis with their fundraising efforts on the site. Projects will be chosen by a specialist panel chaired by Jon Wardle, Nfts director.
To improve their chances of reaching funding targets,...
The UK’s National Film and Television School (Nfts) has teamed with crowdfunding website Kickstarter to launch Nfts Platform!, an initiative to support students at the school with extra-curricular projects.
The collaboration marks the first time Kickstarter has made an official partnership with a UK film body.
The scheme will support six to ten projects with on a bi-annual basis with their fundraising efforts on the site. Projects will be chosen by a specialist panel chaired by Jon Wardle, Nfts director.
To improve their chances of reaching funding targets,...
- 8/29/2018
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Other ideas include government-subsidised tickets for youngsters and an ‘online film festival’.
Source: Iffr / Melanie Lemahieu
Four working groups at Rotterdam’s Reality Check conference came up with a list of actions that can improve content and audience diversity and engagement.
The closed working groups, each with up to 9 experts, presented their ideas in a public session that closed Reality Check, Iffr’s new distribution conference.
One especially popular suggested action point was creating a code of conduct for film festivals to have more diverse and inclusive juries, panel speakers and selection committees.
It was noted that festivals can do this immediately, on their own terms, without waiting for a global guideline to be established. Film experts were also encouraged to have their own personal code of conduct as well.
The other suggestions were:
A card for young people to watch arthouse films in cinemas, at specific times of day, for a nearly-free...
Source: Iffr / Melanie Lemahieu
Four working groups at Rotterdam’s Reality Check conference came up with a list of actions that can improve content and audience diversity and engagement.
The closed working groups, each with up to 9 experts, presented their ideas in a public session that closed Reality Check, Iffr’s new distribution conference.
One especially popular suggested action point was creating a code of conduct for film festivals to have more diverse and inclusive juries, panel speakers and selection committees.
It was noted that festivals can do this immediately, on their own terms, without waiting for a global guideline to be established. Film experts were also encouraged to have their own personal code of conduct as well.
The other suggestions were:
A card for young people to watch arthouse films in cinemas, at specific times of day, for a nearly-free...
- 1/30/2018
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
Shooting is underway on the horror title set in France 1918 as an Allied tunneller played by Rossif Sutherland is sent to sabotage a German secret weapon.
Germany’s Robert Stadlober (pictured) also stars alongside Karine Vanasse, Charlie Carrick, Shaun Benson and Ted Atherton.
Raven Banner will distribute in Canada and handles international sales on behalf of Carousel Pictures and Buffalo Gal Pictures. Leo Scherman directs and Martin Katz, Walter Gasparovic, Tyler Levine and Phyllis Laing produce.
Toni Collette and Matthew Goode have joined Montreal-based Item 7’s Birthmarked. Andreas Apergis, Michael Smiley, Fionnula Flanagan and Suzanne Clément round out the key cast on the comedy that began shooting last week outside Montreal. Emanuel Hoss-Desmarais directs and Pierre Evan produces. Executive producers Jeff Sackman and Berry Meyerowitz handle international sales and eOne will distribute in Canada.Aaron Sorkin will receive the Writers Guild Of America, West’s 2017 Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for television writing achievement on February 19 in recognition...
Germany’s Robert Stadlober (pictured) also stars alongside Karine Vanasse, Charlie Carrick, Shaun Benson and Ted Atherton.
Raven Banner will distribute in Canada and handles international sales on behalf of Carousel Pictures and Buffalo Gal Pictures. Leo Scherman directs and Martin Katz, Walter Gasparovic, Tyler Levine and Phyllis Laing produce.
Toni Collette and Matthew Goode have joined Montreal-based Item 7’s Birthmarked. Andreas Apergis, Michael Smiley, Fionnula Flanagan and Suzanne Clément round out the key cast on the comedy that began shooting last week outside Montreal. Emanuel Hoss-Desmarais directs and Pierre Evan produces. Executive producers Jeff Sackman and Berry Meyerowitz handle international sales and eOne will distribute in Canada.Aaron Sorkin will receive the Writers Guild Of America, West’s 2017 Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for television writing achievement on February 19 in recognition...
- 12/8/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
It is hard to find a better example of corporate sponsorship than the Puma Creative Impact Awards. Not only does it publicize and support an important group of films, but helps support outreach and social change. With the right support, not only can we make better films, but we can change the world. I can hope that more corporations learn from Puma's example and develop such opportunities; I certainly have a few ideas if they want some help. I asked Elise McCave who helped put together this important partnership to tell you a bit more about it. Last week, Channel…...
- 8/8/2011
- Hope for Film
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