BTS - an inside look at the IFP rough cut lab

Posted by lw

September 26, 2007

In a special multi-part series along with live updates from the IFP Film Market, filmmaker Tom Quinn (The New Year Parade) will document his journey as part of the IFP’s narrative rough cut lab. Selected out of hundreds of submissions Tom’s film joins 10 other projects as the IFP helps to pull back the curtain on post, festivals and distribution.

This past June, I was fortunate enough to attend the IFP Narrative Rough Cut Lab with my film The New Year Parade. Led by Scott Macaulay (Producer, Forensic Films and Editor, Filmmaker Magazine) and Gretchen McGowan (Executive in Charge of Production, HDNet Films), the lab was an incredible opportunity to workshop our film with composers, editors, publicists, sales agents, and other filmmakers. Armed with their detailed feedback, I returned home to continue postproduction.

The New Year Parade follows Jack and Kat McMonogul in the year following their parents’ separation. As the months pass, and their parents’ actions come to light, Jack and Kat deal with the fallout from their parents’ breakup and decide what it means for their own futures. The film was shot with an amazing cast of non-actors over the course of two years in South Philadelphia.

As a continuation of the labs, IFP is bringing the ten directors to the IFP Market. The week will include pre-arranged meetings with sales agents, producers, festival programmers, and distributors as well as several exciting panels and workshops. On Wednesday, IFP will screen five minutes of each film at an industry-only event before a public rooftop screening that night.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been preparing for the Market in several ways:

1. Defining my goals: Because the Market is potentially overwhelming, it helps to set very specific short and long-term goals. Over the next four to six months, I want to position The New Year Parade for a strong festival premiere. Of course face time with festival programmers will be important. In addition, I want to connect with editors, producers, and other filmmakers willing to give honest feedback as I work toward my fine cut. The most valuable aspect of the Rough Cut Labs was this kind of mentorship, which I hope to continue.

2. Getting Informed: The IFP has worked hard to gather hundreds of amazing film professionals for the week, with several agreeing to meet one-on-one. If companies are being generous with their time, I want to be as informed as possible. While it may be tempting to view each meeting as an opportunity to sell the film, the real value is in exchanging ideas and information, building long-term relationships, and cultivating a career.

In order to keep my head straight and nerves calm, I’ve been assembling a binder on the professionals I’d like to meet with, their backgrounds, and any questions I may have. IFP has provided a directory of company representatives in attendance, their needs, and contact information, which I have been familiarizing myself with.

3. Informing Others: During the Market, I will be getting the word out in three ways:

a. The Pitch: Can I succinctly describe my film in less than a minute? I will be speaking to many busy people in the coming days, so having a polished, engaging delivery is essential.

b. Postcards: During the week our postcard will act as a “visual one-liner.” It was important to find a striking image that represented themes and style of the film. Because much of our film is about characters in their environment, we wanted to continue that approach in our imagery. The back of the postcard includes a summary and space for screening times.

c. Press Kit: The press kit will act as a ‘take home’ reminder for those interested in more information. It should include primary crew bios, a summary, key images, and contact information. (You can find a great online example at: http://www.lanceweiler.com/presskit/).

I’m excited to show others the project we’ve worked so hard on, and to catch up with the other lab filmmakers who are a very talented and diverse group. I’ll drop a line next week with more.

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