Film Organizations

Located in Seattle, the Northwest Film Forum (NWFF) is an invaluable resource for independent filmmakers in the Pacific Northwest, providing production grants and access to equipment and post-production facilities. The Independent spoke with film programmer Adam Sekuler to get the scoop on how NWFF puts together its exhibition calendar and their support programs for regional filmmakers, as well as some thoughts on the future of independent film distribution.

You'll likely be surprised when you find out exactly what types of films the Playboy Foundation is passionate about making. A hint? Nudity is not a requirement.

In a special report for The Independent, Beth Brosnan speaks with students and staff of Ciné Institute, Haiti's only professional film school, about life after the region's devastating earthquake. Brosnan explores how, months later, they're using filmmaking techniques to cope with tragedy, rebuild, and even thrive in the face of adversity.

They come from all walks of life, and each has a different story to tell. Some have found success, while others are just beginning their careers. And although their filmmaking reflects this diversity, they all have one major thing in common (other than being on this list): talent. Be sure to take notes as you read...you'll want to remember these filmmakers.

In the second installment of The Independent's new Film-Friendly States series, Angela Wu explores why, if you're an independent filmmaker, Utah offers much more than Sundance.

At the Enzian Theater in Maitland, Florida, you can cozy up to the screen with a glass of wine or cold bottle of beer. But adult beverages alone do not keep the crowds happy. According to programming director Matthew Curtis, it's the quality of films. "They trust what we put on the screen," he told The Independent. Curtis gives the inside scoop on how filmmakers should approach Enzian with their latest projects.

As of October 15th, Managing Editor Erin Trahan will be serving as the Interim Executive Director of Independent Media Productions (IMP), the nonprofit organization that oversees publication of www.independent-magazine.org. We welcome your feedback and support of The Independent as we look ahead.

A one-stop update on independent film awards for 2008, including a roundup of winners from the Gotham Independent Film Awards, The Alliance of Women Film Journalists: The EDM Awards, Film Independent's Spirit Awards and a list of the nominees for The Cinema Eye Awards. Some standout films among the list include Courtney Hunt's Frozen River (view trailer here) and Carl Deal and Tia Lessin's Trouble the Water (view trailer here).

The creation of the Independent Television Service in the mid-1990s as a source of funding for independent filmmakers was seen at the time as one of the great successes in the independent film movement. Today, the organization has a budget exceeding $12 million, and provides key funding to hundreds of films each year, including approving many outright grants in the six-figure range. All ITVS projects are supposed to completed and groomed for public television—but, in fact, one in three films funded by ITVS do not make to a major PBS series. Why is that? In more than a dozen interviews with filmmakers and people familiar with ITVS, some complaints emerge: namely, that ITVS is an overbearing funding partner that deploys "bulldog" lawyers and shrouds the funding process in secrecy. The Independent's Michele Meek takes a look at the organization and the independent filmmakers who rely on it, to find out what's going on.

Filmmakers, writers and other freelancers are often ineligible for health insurance through a company. But there are still plenty of options out there, if you know how to find them. So The Independent put together this list, broken down by state with the aim of helping artists learn their insurance options.