The Film Panel Notetaker

The Crowdstarter Revolution: How to Build an Audience
Master class presentation at IFP’s Independent Film Week on 9/21/11
Notes by Erin Essenmacher

“Get Over Yourself.”
That’s how Paola Freccero from Crowdstarter opened her Master Class presentation on how to build an audience at this year’s IFP Independent Film Week filmmaker conference.

“I’m going to be coming back to that [...]

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Notes from IFP’s Independent Filmmaker Conference 2009Fashion Institute of TechnologyNew York, NY
IFP’s annual Independent Filmmaker Conference returned this year to New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, Sept. 19-23. I attended panels on the first two days on Saturday, Sept. 19, and Sunday, Sept. 20. Instead of my mostly usual highlights from the transcripts of [...]

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I wanted to alert you to two new documentaries that will be screening at Rooftop Films in September during IFP’s Independent Film Week in New York. First on Sept. 12 is David Teague’s Intifada NYC, and second on Sept. 19 is Cambria Matlow’s and Morgan Robinson’s Burning in the Sun. I have been eagerly awaiting [...]

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Independent Film WeekCase Study: Documentary Marketing – Beautiful Losers & I.O.U.S.A.September 18, 2008
This panel was about how to consider the marketing dimensions of a film. To think through how to secure fan, organizational and subject support. Every film is unique and marketing is expression of film’s core values.Case Study: Beautiful LosersThe film’s subjects were urban [...]

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No Borders Case Study with John HadityIndependent Film WeekWednesday, September 17, 2008FIT – Katie Murphy Amphitheater – New York, NY

Last Wednesday at Independent Film Week, No Borders International Co-Production Market presented a Case Study on Single Picture Financing with John Hadity, President and CEO of Hadity & Associates, Inc., a consultancy firm that specializes in [...]

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The State of the IndustryIndependent Film WeekTuesday, September 16, 2008FIT – Haft Auditorium – New York, NY

Last Tuesday at the Independent Filmmaker Conference, Variety’s Anne Thompson moderated a discussion with indie film distribution stalwart Bob Berney, who lead Warner Bros.’ specialty division Picturehouse, which was recently relinquished into the larger fabric of the company. [...]

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A Conversation with Kevin SmithIndependent Film WeekSunday, September 14, 2008FIT – Haft Auditorium – New York, NY
Filmmaker Kevin Smith, whose new film Zack and Miri Make a Porno opens in theaters this Halloween, came to the Independent Filmmaker Conference to talk about his new film, his career, his upcoming politically-driven film Red State, and to [...]

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Funding Blueprints for DocsIndependent Film WeekThursday, September 18, 200810:00am – 11:00amFIT – Haft Auditorium – New York, NY
I’m currently unable to post the names and companies of the panelists because they ran out of little books and the website version of panel descriptions is difficult.
My first impression of this panel was that it was 100% [...]

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A Conversation with Robert GreenwaldIndependent Film WeekThursday, September 18, 200811:30am – 12:30pmFIT – Haft Auditorium – New York, NY
Robert Greenwald, Brave New FilmsIraq for SaleWALMART: The High Cost of Low PriceOutFoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism

Robert Greenwald is a prolific genius. I’ve seen several of his documentaries and they’ve all been smart, humane, and compelling—though [...]

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Independent Film WeekWorking with Doc SubjectsSeptember 18, 2008
Again, this panel was composed of all Femmes who each provided clips exhibiting their wonderful films. In each, it was clear that they had to make their subjects a part of the film to accomplish it. Ethics is in the bloodstream of a filmmaker.
Most of Nina Davenport’s previous [...]

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