In the 1990s and 2000s, May (and specifically Memorial Day) typically marked the beginning of Summer Movie Season. Multiplexes nationwide were packed to the emergency exits with big names, big explosions and (presumably) big box office. The film industry has changed since then, obviously, and summer no longer packs the same high-octane punch that it once did. But in this evolution, release schedule space has opened up for a stellar month of Don’t-Miss Indies titles.   JEANNE DU BARRY When You Can Watch: May 3  Where You Can Watch: Theaters Director: Maiwenn  Cast: Maiwenn, John ..read more

“We are not there to be the sex police. We actually want it to look really good and we’re very highly trained in how to do that” –Rebecca Johannsen, on the role of an intimacy coordinator  As the film community continues to process the fallout of the #MeToo movement and keeps growing in its awareness of the trauma caused by the mishandling of actors on set, a critical new production role has emerged: the intimacy coordinator (IC). But while the role has been largely welcomed by the industry since it started appearing on call sheets in 2017 the job is still widely misunderstood. To teach o ..read more

From the sweeping vistas of The Searchers to the towering Transformers of Age of Extinction, the mesas and monuments of Utah’s southern half have been a regular presence in film since the earliest days of the medium. In fact, throughout 2024 the “Beehive State” has been celebrating its considerable cinematic heritage with the retrospective exhibition “100 Years of Utah Film and Television” on display now at the Capitol Building in Salt Lake City. But balancing responsible land use with tourism and commercial exploitation is forever a hot topic in Utah—a regular theme in Western states—and ther ..read more

In celebration of Earth Day yesterday, we’re reposting this recap of of our 2019 Green Set session. The Green Set—with new info and best practices for 2024—returns to Filmmaker Tuesday next week, Tuesday August 30. Special thanks to blogger Meri Hilalian. *** A film set is a remarkable place, with infinite possibilities: a societal microcosm full of creative craftspeople performing their individual roles. Everyone on set plays their part and works hard (making movies is hard work, after all) to create a smooth workflow and contribute to their project’s success. But too often, film se ..read more

Not everyone thrives in your typical industry-networking type environment. This can be particularly true of introverted right-brained creatives: there you’ll be, just  awkwardly standing there against the wall in the chain hotel lobby  bar during the mixer, your adhesive name tag clinging to the fibrous tendrils of your cardigan as you spend four hours maniacally nursing the same club soda on the rocks. Sometimes, a little structure and formality can sweep out the cobwebs of social anxiety and help clear the way for you to fully express your storytelling ideas and precognition of the ..read more

Exterior. Establishing: Film Independent HQ. Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles. PRELAP the sounds of passionate conversation and laughter. CUT TO: Interior, Conference Room, Film Independent HQ. Seven new screenwriting FELLOWS are arrayed around a table, the Hollywood Sign visible on the distant hills outside the window. They’re here to develop six deeply personal and wholly original feature film projects under the steady guiding hand of Film Independent’s SCREENWRITING LAB (31, strong-willed but nurturing; seasoned but not too stuffy it can’t still cut the rug, especially when an open bar is in ..read more

It’s true! No, seriously: it’s true. And by “it” we of course mean the stories at the heart of Film Independent’s 2024 Doc Story Lab. A one-week intensive designed to provide support for filmmakers whose projects are in post-production, the Doc Story Lab is one of two Documentary Labs amid the larger Film Independent Artist Development umbrella of talent incubators, which for over 30 years have been the place to spot future media-visionary movers-and-shakers. This year’s participants will engage in five days’ worth of workshops, guest speaker sessions, and one-on-one mentorship with ..read more

Film Independent’s Fiscal Sponsorship program supports an inclusive variety of projects, narrative and nonfiction, shorts and features, as well as the occasional new media project, special event or advocacy initiative. Each month, our Fiscal Spotlight column introduces three new fiscally-sponsored projects worth supporting. But maybe you’re curious how some of those prior subjects have turned out? That’s right: it’s time for another FiSpo Update highlighting the recent achievements of previous Fiscal Spotlight subjects. Curious how it all works? See below: Film Independent’s Fiscal Sponsorshi ..read more

If you’re as deeply immersed in the particulars of the independent film world as we are, you’ve probably sensed a sort of crisis of career sustainability recently boiling over. More and more, indie makers across all disciplines are finding it difficult to build protections around the financial aspects of their work. Why, it’s almost (almost!) like budding auteurs are flushed out of the soft surroundings of film school into the real world with no training in basic business fundamentals–the kind any independent contractor might need, as a matter of course. Luckily there are folks stepping in to ..read more

The world is heating up out there, but the gusts and erratic temperature swings of early Spring can often be deceiving. One minute it looks sunny and warm, the next you’re stranded on a long walk in just basketball shorts when a sudden chill descends. Or it looks nasty, and all of a sudden you’re overdressed in 80-degree heat. It might be best to stay safely within the confines of your local art house or home theater with some Don’t-Miss Indies instead.   MONKEY MAN When You Can Watch:  April 5  Where You Can Watch: Theaters   Directors: Dev Patel  Cast: Dev Patel, Sh ..read more