Hello from New York.
Tara Wray here blogging the start of
Independent Film Week. This morning
Cartoon College producer/my soon-to-be-husband
Josh Melrod and I picked up our badges and registered so now it’s off to the races. I ran into some familiar faces right off the bat: editor
Andrew Blackwell (who is at IFW with
The Graves of Putumayo; he also teaches at
The Edit Center) and
Juna Skenderi, director of this year’s industry video library who worked with me in the library in 2006.
I haven’t been back to New York (where we lived for almost seven years) since I left for Vermont in April 2007 to begin production on
Cartoon College. This city is mad! Literally. Josh and I are staying two blocks from Bellevue, just in case.
Anyway, this afternoon I went to the Doc Spot orientation, hosted by
Milton Tabbot. It was part orientation, part panel discussion.
Ryan Harrington, head of
IndiePix provided the industry point of view and the crew from the doc
21 Below were there to share their experience at last year’s market. The focus was on being prepared for our upcoming meetings (which I’ll talk more about in my next post), and also managing expectations—something I’m working on. Both Ryan and Milton reminded us filmmakers to keep it simple, stupid. Actually, they just said keep it simple; the stupid was mine.
Ryan spoke about what industry people want from those of us who will be pitching docs-in-progress: character, story, and commercial viability, especially commercial viability. IFW, Ryan said, is one of the only times when industry people are a captive audience to filmmakers—it’s his busiest week of the year; it's at IFW that he'll get a first peek at docs that'll be in front of audiences for the next two years. He also stressed the importance of being able to pitch your movie in a single sentence. Industry people and festival coordinators hear between fifty and a hundred thousand pitches at IFW, so if you can’t get their attention right away they’re likely to zone out or take that incoming call. Tonight I’m going to work on boiling my pitch down to something so concise it’ll be like a slap in the face! The team from
21 Below talked about cramming as much as you possibly can into your IFW experience. Last year they successfully obtained finishing funds after making some important connections at peripheral events: lunches, cocktail parties, speed-dating sessions.
Also mentioned: bring a laptop (and headphones) with you to your doc meetings, so you can show your trailer. Ryan seconded. He said the industry people we’re meeting might not remember having seen it (or they might not have watched it at all – OMG!!), and besides, it’s best to let the work speak for itself.
Tonight we’ll be going to bed early in preparation for a busy day tomorrow. In my next post I’ll report on the start of industry meetings, which are like the bacon in the IFW BLT.
(Portions of this post ghost-written by Josh Melrod)
Comments (4)
Good luck, Tara!
Have fun!
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posted by @ 9/15/2008 7:41 AM
Can't wait to see more of your work. I just finished viewing your doc. I was so moved by it and consider it a major work on so many different levels. I have to chunk it down into manageable pieces because there was just so much to think about but I will share one comment.......it is very apparent how deeply you are loved.
Jeanne Debus
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posted by @ 8/05/2009 9:47 PM
It is one thing to have a doc inside you and another to complete the journey. Great JOB! I have learned from life - that things are not always as they seem - I did not live your life and I don't want to seem like I understand it at all -but it is clear to me that your mother had problems - while sometimes coherent - sometimes she was not - I think some anger should be directed at family or child welfare services - I don't think your mother was capable of giving you a normal life if she wanted to or not. She was just not mentally able. I do think she gave you a precious gift - a couple really - one - the strength to take care of yourself - while she robbed your a childhood - and for that I am sorry - she did give you the skills to make it on your own - she also gave you the inspiriation of Manhattan Ks. I believe in destiny and that while your life stunk - it gave you this opportunity. Great job and congrats on your success. Hopefully you can work through the issues and make the best of it.
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posted by Connie's Conundrum @ 8/26/2009 2:00 PM
Hello there Tara!
I just watched your documentary,and was struck
by the beauty of it.
Thank you so much for giving my an
inspiring evening!
Greetings from Holland,
Richard*
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posted by @ 10/14/2009 5:28 PM
