IFP Documentary Rough Cut Lab

While Docs In Progress can provide a great forum to screen your documentaries to the public or get one-on-one advice from a private consultation, filmmakers can often benefit by feedback from multiple sources. One great place to get additional feedback is through the IFP Documentary Rough Cut Labs which pair first-time documentary feature filmmakers with seasoned mentors. The submission deadline is this Friday, March 7. More info below:

IFP INDEPENDENT FILM LABS – Call for Entries

Given the pivotal role that festivals play in launching emerging filmmakers, IFP's Rough Cut Labs are designed to assist in tackling the creative and technical challenges of completing projects before they are submitted to festivals.

Led by seasoned independent producers, the Labs help independent filmmakers achieve the full potential of their material prior to industry exposure by providing four days of feedback and advice on the specific technical, creative and post-production issues such as editing, music selection and scoring, festival and press strategy, sales, marketing and distribution.

The program is open to all first-time documentary feature filmmakers who have completed the majority of principal photography. As a commitment to diversity, IFP seeks to ensure that at least 50% of participating projects have an inclusive range of races, genders, sexual orientations, ethnicities and physical abilities in key creative positions.

The Documentary Rough Cut Lab (May 6 – 9, 2008) is held in New York City. Full criteria and on-line application available at http://www.ifp.org/labs

Going to the IFP Market?

Are you headed to New York from September 16-19 for the annual Independent Film Project (IFP) Market? This has become one of the key events for American documentary filmmakers to get a foothold with festivals, distributors, and other industry folks by having a place to screen and promote their works in progress. Many of the docs first spotlighted at IFP have gone on to bigger and better things.

We'll be featuring a story on the IFP Market from the perspective of two Docs in Progress alums in our October online newsletter, but, in the meantime we'd also recommend you take a look at two recent articles from Agnes Varnum, one which appeared in indieWIRE and the other on RenewMedia.