Written by Precious Ringor
Applications for Full Spectrum Feature’s Chicago Independent Producers Lab (CIPL) are now open until January 17, 2021. The program is sponsored and funded by the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Chicago Film Office’s Independent Film Initiative. Designed to identify emerging producers in the local industry, the program intends to increase the number of independent producers in Chicago by helping build their skills and providing them the tools to operate effectively in the system of independent filmmaking. At the end of the program, participants have the opportunity to present their projects to industry professionals and broaden their network.
The 5-month lab series celebrated last year’s inauguration by featuring various workshops that addressed different aspects of independent producing. Past workshops include “Sustainable Filmmaking in 2020,” “Creative Development,” “Business & Legal,” and “Pitching, Sales, & Distribution.” CIPL will also feature a group of advisors from different film organizations like Sundance Institute, Tribeca Institute, and Kickstarter to name a few.
“We’re developing people with the kind of model system we believe in,” producer Jason Matsumoto explains the reason behind the lab’s programming, “we do this to build as much equity and thought – to train people to think of producing films that amplify filmmaker’s voices.”
Similarly, the organization launched their Film Festival Leadership Lab last July. In partnership with Film Festival Alliance, the ten-week program will host eight fellows in a series of weekly professional development workshops. The purpose of the program is to be a launchpad for successful careers in the film festival industry. Program participants are selected during a delicate 3-4-month process. Over the course of the lab, each participant is given a project that will do with the development of the film festival function within their current/future jobs. By providing mentorship, participants are able to think about operational models and understand the role of festivals in the larger infrastructure of the film industry.
“We are really interested in making sure workshops include conversations about implicit bias, racial equity, and things like access for differently abled people,” explains Matsumoto, “all these are packaged into the program that’s intended to be a leadership development platform for up and coming film festival folks”
For more information on how to apply to the Producer’s lab, see https://www.fullspectrumfeatures.com/producers-lab
To support Full Spectrum Features, consider donating on https://www.fullspectrumfeatures.com/donate – Full Spectrum Features is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is committed to supporting and producing the works of women, LGBTQ, and minority communities. Donations benefit programs like CIPL and the Leadership Lab which provide assistance to up and coming artists in the industry.