Thinking of applying to our 2024 Episodic Directing Intensive? The non-Member deadline to apply is coming up: Monday, March 4. In this special guest post, we asked 2022 participant and Project Involve Fellow Winter Dunn to share her experiences. Lights, camera, action!
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For anyone who’s made the leap to the City of Angels from somewhere else, the road can be quite a solitary one. I made my way here from New York armed with a Theater degree and a burning desire to bring to life the stories that danced in my imagination. The looming question for me was whether others would connect with the vivid images I was so passionate about, and if I’d ever find the right collaborators to turn my internal cinematic visions into external reality. In the midst of this uncertainty, I crossed paths with Film Independent, and from that point forward, my journey took a whole new turn.
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For anyone who’s made the leap to the City of Angels from somewhere else, the road can be quite a solitary one. I made my way here from New York armed with a Theater degree and a burning desire to bring to life the stories that danced in my imagination. The looming question for me was whether others would connect with the vivid images I was so passionate about, and if I’d ever find the right collaborators to turn my internal cinematic visions into external reality. In the midst of this uncertainty, I crossed paths with Film Independent, and from that point forward, my journey took a whole new turn.
- 2/22/2024
- by Winter Dunn
- Film Independent News & More
Paramount Animation, Nickelodeon Animation and the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” filmmakers partnered with non-profit Reel Start and animation/visual effects academy Exceptional Minds to debut the animated short “Tree’s Blood.” The premiere took place at Nickelodeon Animation Studio in Burbank.
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” writer-producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg attended the screening, as did producer James Weaver and cinematographer Kent Seki. Rose Byrne and Ayo Edebiri, who star together in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” also voice characters in “Tree’s Blood.”
“Tree’s Blood” was produced from a partnership between Reel Start and Exceptional Minds. The initiative allows Reel Start’s students to create shorts with animation services provided by Exceptional Minds.
Indeed, Hillman Grad, 271 Films Announce Ten Rising Voices Filmmakers for Season Four
Hiring platform Indeed, Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad and Doménica and Constanza Castro’s 271 Films have announced the ten filmmakers selected for the fourth...
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” writer-producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg attended the screening, as did producer James Weaver and cinematographer Kent Seki. Rose Byrne and Ayo Edebiri, who star together in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” also voice characters in “Tree’s Blood.”
“Tree’s Blood” was produced from a partnership between Reel Start and Exceptional Minds. The initiative allows Reel Start’s students to create shorts with animation services provided by Exceptional Minds.
Indeed, Hillman Grad, 271 Films Announce Ten Rising Voices Filmmakers for Season Four
Hiring platform Indeed, Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad and Doménica and Constanza Castro’s 271 Films have announced the ten filmmakers selected for the fourth...
- 12/13/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay, Valerie Wu and Caroline Brew
- Variety Film + TV
It is no secret that technology now advances rapidly and dramatically, constantly changing the pace at which we’re able to process our surroundings, perspective, and experiences—as well as the way we reflect those experiences back at others. After nearly a century of being an elite, expensive pursuit, tech has made filmmaking an accessible medium for everyone. And during this year’s Global Media Makers LA Residency, five international filmmakers had the opportunity to explore the city through short films made in the annual iPhone Collaborative Workshop—using nothing but an iPhone 14 and their own unique POVs.
Global Media Makes (Gmm) is, of course, a cultural exchange program, supported through a partnership between Film Independent and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. This year, Gmm welcomed a diverse group of filmmakers from 15 countries in Asia and Africa. For many, it was their first...
Global Media Makes (Gmm) is, of course, a cultural exchange program, supported through a partnership between Film Independent and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. This year, Gmm welcomed a diverse group of filmmakers from 15 countries in Asia and Africa. For many, it was their first...
- 8/11/2023
- by Imani Davis
- Film Independent News & More
For 30 years, Project Involve has been nurturing the careers and creative voices of emerging filmmakers hailing from underrepresent communities, as well as producing a wide array award-winning short films. Applications for Project Involve 2024 are now open. The regular deadline is July 10, while Film Independent Members have until July 24.
In this special guest post, 2021 Project Involve Fellow Charmaine Cleveland talks about her experience of the program, which resulted in the production of Dear Mama, based on her original script. Directed by Winter Dunn, the film screened at SXSW and won the NAACP Image Award for Best Short Film, among other honors.
Writing is often considered a lonely and solitary craft. Couple that with the fact that 2020 brought with it an even bigger wave of loneliness, amid the Covid-19 pandemic and curfews from mass protests. Isolation had quickly become an overarching theme for the year. In the months following lockdown, I was...
In this special guest post, 2021 Project Involve Fellow Charmaine Cleveland talks about her experience of the program, which resulted in the production of Dear Mama, based on her original script. Directed by Winter Dunn, the film screened at SXSW and won the NAACP Image Award for Best Short Film, among other honors.
Writing is often considered a lonely and solitary craft. Couple that with the fact that 2020 brought with it an even bigger wave of loneliness, amid the Covid-19 pandemic and curfews from mass protests. Isolation had quickly become an overarching theme for the year. In the months following lockdown, I was...
- 6/9/2023
- by Charmaine Cleveland
- Film Independent News & More
In partnership with Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland, SeriesFest has awarded its 2022 Women Directing Mentorship to Gia-Rayne B. Harris.
The program first launched in 2018 and pairs rising female directors with established episodic directors on Shondaland-produced series. Previous winners include Jennifer Morris (2021), who recently finished shadowing on ABC’s “Station 19,” and Tamika Miller (2020), who has since directed two “Station 19” episodes.
Harris, a writer-director from Mississippi, is a graduate of the AFI directing program and has directed 12 short films, premiering several at Outfest, the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), NewFest, AFI Fest and the Pan African Film Festival. She was named a finalist for the HBO Short Film Award at ABFF, and her short film “Pens and Pencils” will debut on HBO in spring 2023. Additionally, she has been set to make her TV directing debut on “Chicago Pd” in 2023 after joining the NBCULaunch Female Forward Program.
Harris is repped by Heroes and Villains Entertainment.
The program first launched in 2018 and pairs rising female directors with established episodic directors on Shondaland-produced series. Previous winners include Jennifer Morris (2021), who recently finished shadowing on ABC’s “Station 19,” and Tamika Miller (2020), who has since directed two “Station 19” episodes.
Harris, a writer-director from Mississippi, is a graduate of the AFI directing program and has directed 12 short films, premiering several at Outfest, the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), NewFest, AFI Fest and the Pan African Film Festival. She was named a finalist for the HBO Short Film Award at ABFF, and her short film “Pens and Pencils” will debut on HBO in spring 2023. Additionally, she has been set to make her TV directing debut on “Chicago Pd” in 2023 after joining the NBCULaunch Female Forward Program.
Harris is repped by Heroes and Villains Entertainment.
- 12/8/2022
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
Film Independent today unveiled the three short films directed by fellows selected to participate in its Global Media Makers Spring 2022 LA Residency. (Watch them here.)
A mentoring initiative and cultural exchange program that fosters relationships between filmmakers and industry professionals in the U.S. and abroad, Gmm is produced in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The shorts emerged from a collaborative workshop where Fellows were paired with local Film Independent Fellows to create a short, impressionistic, film shot on iPhone, which encompasses their personal views of Los Angeles. The local Fellows participating were Nicholas Naiem Bouier, Winter Dunn, Gem Little, Martina Silcock and Katherine Fairfax Wright.
“Providing our Gmm Fellows a space and time to explore our city of Los Angeles, guided by a local Film Independent Fellow, is central to the mission of the program: building bridges and fostering...
A mentoring initiative and cultural exchange program that fosters relationships between filmmakers and industry professionals in the U.S. and abroad, Gmm is produced in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The shorts emerged from a collaborative workshop where Fellows were paired with local Film Independent Fellows to create a short, impressionistic, film shot on iPhone, which encompasses their personal views of Los Angeles. The local Fellows participating were Nicholas Naiem Bouier, Winter Dunn, Gem Little, Martina Silcock and Katherine Fairfax Wright.
“Providing our Gmm Fellows a space and time to explore our city of Los Angeles, guided by a local Film Independent Fellow, is central to the mission of the program: building bridges and fostering...
- 8/16/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Issa Rae and Deniese Davis’ ColorCreative Management is expanding its team, re-upping manager Ashley Calloway and adding former Rise Management’s Jordan Moncada as a talent and literary manager to the growing entertainment firm. The re-up and staff addition were announced Monday by Talitha Watkins, President & Head of ColorCreative.
Prior to joining ColorCreative Management, Calloway was an Account Manager at Studio71 where she executed high value brand campaigns for digital and traditional talent; brands included Disney, Amazon, Fox and more. Calloway also spent 3 ½ years working at Creative Artists Agency for high level agents in TV Unscripted, TV Scripted Packaging and Talent.
As a talent and literary manager at ColorCreative, Moncada is focused on representing multi-hyphenates that tell authentic stories and are passionate about making a larger impact on the world outside of the entertainment industry. She comes to ColorCreative after five years at Rise Management, where she was promoted...
Prior to joining ColorCreative Management, Calloway was an Account Manager at Studio71 where she executed high value brand campaigns for digital and traditional talent; brands included Disney, Amazon, Fox and more. Calloway also spent 3 ½ years working at Creative Artists Agency for high level agents in TV Unscripted, TV Scripted Packaging and Talent.
As a talent and literary manager at ColorCreative, Moncada is focused on representing multi-hyphenates that tell authentic stories and are passionate about making a larger impact on the world outside of the entertainment industry. She comes to ColorCreative after five years at Rise Management, where she was promoted...
- 4/19/2021
- by Denise Petski and Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Film Independent has selected 30 filmmakers for Project Involve 2021.
This year marks the 28th iteration of Project Involve. The free nine-month program is for writers, directors, producers, editors, cinematographers, animators, programmers and entertainment executives from diverse backgrounds. During the program, participants meet one-on-one with film industry mentors, create short films, attend master workshops taught by top film professionals and industry networking events.
“Having triumphantly navigated this past year, the Project Involve team is prepared, very pleased and extremely excited to welcome the 2021 Project Involve Fellows into the Film Independent family” said Francisco Velasquez, Associate Director, Project Involve.
Project Involve alumni include Lulu Wang (The Farewell), Linda Yvette Chávez, Marvin Lemus and Aaliyah Williams (Gentefied), Effie T. Brown (Dear White People), Jon M. Chu (In the Heights) and Justin Simien (Dear White People).
Past Project Involve Mentors include Janicza Bravo, Ava DuVernay, Catherine Hardwicke, Alma Har’el, Barry Jenkins, Mako Kamitsuna, Spike Jonze,...
This year marks the 28th iteration of Project Involve. The free nine-month program is for writers, directors, producers, editors, cinematographers, animators, programmers and entertainment executives from diverse backgrounds. During the program, participants meet one-on-one with film industry mentors, create short films, attend master workshops taught by top film professionals and industry networking events.
“Having triumphantly navigated this past year, the Project Involve team is prepared, very pleased and extremely excited to welcome the 2021 Project Involve Fellows into the Film Independent family” said Francisco Velasquez, Associate Director, Project Involve.
Project Involve alumni include Lulu Wang (The Farewell), Linda Yvette Chávez, Marvin Lemus and Aaliyah Williams (Gentefied), Effie T. Brown (Dear White People), Jon M. Chu (In the Heights) and Justin Simien (Dear White People).
Past Project Involve Mentors include Janicza Bravo, Ava DuVernay, Catherine Hardwicke, Alma Har’el, Barry Jenkins, Mako Kamitsuna, Spike Jonze,...
- 2/23/2021
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
This year’s American Black Film Festival lineup is stacked with some of the top names in Hollywood as well as emerging voices including a screening of Reginald Hudlin’s The Black Godfather, a conversation with Spike Lee and his protege Stefon Bristol as well as the five finalists for HBO Short Film Competition, which is now in its 22nd year. The fest takes place June 12-16 in Miami.
The program will also include the previously announced opening night film Shaft. New Line Cinema’s reboot of the iconic character will screen at the fest ahead of its June 14 release. In addition, Netflix will screen the Chris Robinson-directed Beats, a coming-of-age drama set in Chicago’s South Side hip-hop scene starring Anthony Anderson.
“Beyond the Spider-Verse: What’s Next for Sony Pictures Animation” will be a conversation between Academy Award-winner Peter Ramsey (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), Matthew A. Cherry...
The program will also include the previously announced opening night film Shaft. New Line Cinema’s reboot of the iconic character will screen at the fest ahead of its June 14 release. In addition, Netflix will screen the Chris Robinson-directed Beats, a coming-of-age drama set in Chicago’s South Side hip-hop scene starring Anthony Anderson.
“Beyond the Spider-Verse: What’s Next for Sony Pictures Animation” will be a conversation between Academy Award-winner Peter Ramsey (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), Matthew A. Cherry...
- 6/6/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Filmmaker Numa Perrier calls Jezebel a story of “coming of womanhood…Black Womanhood.” The film, which she wrote and directed, is based on a true story and follows 19-year-old Tiffany (Tiffany Tenille) as she deals with her dying mother and tries to make ends meet by working as an internet fetish cam girl. In the clip above, we see Tiffany come at odds with her boss at her place of work as she encounters a client using the N-word. It’s a taste of what’s to come in Perrier’s feature directorial debut which will make its world premiere at SXSW in Austin March 9.
In the film, Tiffany crashes with five family members in a Las Vegas studio apartment in the last days of her mother’s life. In order to make ends meet, her older sister, a phone sex operator, introduces her to the world of internet fetish cam girls.
In the film, Tiffany crashes with five family members in a Las Vegas studio apartment in the last days of her mother’s life. In order to make ends meet, her older sister, a phone sex operator, introduces her to the world of internet fetish cam girls.
- 2/20/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
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