10th Anniversary of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles Comes with Latino & Hispanic Cinema Film Festival, September 16Ficg in L.A. is not the only Latino Film Festival in Los Angeles, a city populated almost 50% by Latinos. NewFilmmakers Los Angeles and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences spotlight emerging global filmmakers at the Annual Latino & Hispanic Cinema Film Festival honoring Hispanic Heritage Month this September.
Celebrating 10 Years, NewFilmmakers Los Angeles continues to champion and promote the works of global emerging filmmakers. With the goal of showcasing, supporting and connecting emerging filmmakers, Nfmla has rapidly expanded to become much more than a monthly film festival for shorts.
As a monthly event, founder Larry Laboe and Susie Kim consistently support emerging filmmakers in much the same way as NewFilmmakers New York does on a weekly basis. In New York, NewFilmmakers New York is a part of the Anthology Film Archives founded in 1998 by Jonas Mekas.
Celebrating 10 Years, NewFilmmakers Los Angeles continues to champion and promote the works of global emerging filmmakers. With the goal of showcasing, supporting and connecting emerging filmmakers, Nfmla has rapidly expanded to become much more than a monthly film festival for shorts.
As a monthly event, founder Larry Laboe and Susie Kim consistently support emerging filmmakers in much the same way as NewFilmmakers New York does on a weekly basis. In New York, NewFilmmakers New York is a part of the Anthology Film Archives founded in 1998 by Jonas Mekas.
- 8/17/2017
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
A few months ago we told you about a great and young non-profit in Los Angeles that is constantly working to create spaces for emerging talent to showcase both short and feature length works for local audiences. NewFilmmakers Los Angeles hosts a monthly event that aim to help filmmakers launch their careers, connect with crucial support, and exchange ideas with each other and attendees.
Read More: Endless Indie Talent: Larry Laboe on NewFilmmakers Los Angeles
This week NewFilmmakers L.A. is taking part in a weeklong series of diverse events across L.A entitled BritWeek, which celebrate the rich culture of our neighbors across the pond. First on Monday April 27th at the At&T Center in Downtown, NewFilmmakers will host three feature length programs consisting of both recent British and international shorts
Then on April 30th the organization will screen Thomas Vinterberg’s latest film “Far From the Madding Crowd” ahead of its theatrical release in collaboration with Fox Searchlight and Melnitz Movies at UCLA's James Bridges Theater.
We had the chance to reconnect with Larry Laboe, co-director of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles and James Defebaugh, who co-programmed the event with Nfmla Artistic Director Susie Kim and the Nfmla Programming team, to talk about this exciting new program.
Tickets for the event on April 27th can be purchased Here!
Aguilar: How this particular initiative come about and what are some of the elements that make distinct from other NewFilmmakers programs?
Larry Laboe: Our programs usually consist of two feature lengths programs that are made up of shorts and then one feature, but for this one we are doing all shorts the whole night. It’s 13 shorts for our first event on the 27th. Two of the programs are all English films and the third program is made up of international shorts. We have a film from Argentina, a film from Brazil, and two from the U.S. I’m particularly excited about a film titled “The Girlfriend Game”
As you know a huge goal in our organization is to showcase international films. We feel that as a festival in Los Angeles is important to help people in the city experiences films from all over the world. Our initiatives have always focuses on highlighting films from different parts of the world. This year we decided we wanted to do a British film program.
We reached out to Brit Week, and actually one of the NewFilmmakers board members is also BritWeek and BAFTA committee member as well. He had a relationship with Brit Week and we pitched them the idea for this program and they were really excited about it, particularly because they didn’t have any other film programs as part of BritWeek. As you might know Brit Week is a celebration of British art and culture in Los Angeles that includes exhibitions, musical performances, and other events that make it a very well rounded experience.
This initiative grew into a two-part event. We are doing the program I just mentioned and the Fox Searchlight movie “Far from the Madding Crowd.” We wanted to show a film that more people from the community would feel compelled to come out and see based on the talent that was involved in making the film, As we were researching what indie labels had new films coming out that could work with our program. We got in touch with Fox Searchlight and they were very excited to take part. Obviously this film is an English film, so it was a really fit.
Aguilar: Tells us more about the diverse British shorts included in the extensive program
James Defebaugh: We are really excited about this screenings. We feel like this program really represents a huge variety of what U.K. cinema has to offer in an array of genres. There is a film called “Anemone,” which is a beautiful portrait of a forbidden love that has some fantastic performances by its cast. We have “Madeleine Makes a Man,” which is a whimsical, fairy tale-like retelling of Frankenstein in which the lead character is trying to create the ideal romantic partner.
There are also a couple of interesting character driven dramas, one is titled “I’m in the Corner with the Bluebells” about two siblings who meet for the first time which find themselves with a this sort of genetic attraction, which is uncomfortable but very interesting and it’s beautifully shot. There is also “Stalemate,” a historical character driven work that takes place on Christmas Day during Wwi
We have two science fiction pieces, one of them is "Perfect State," a dystopian view of the U.K. in which the government has sold out to major corporations that run all the public services, and then there is "Roadside,"which is a post-apocalyptic short that feel very kinetic and has several successful action sequences. We have a couple of comedies.
One is “The Trouble Downstairs” a comedic mystery about a guy who is trying to figure out the culprit behind his Chlamydia, and then we have “Anita’s Birthday Wish” about a teacher whose birthday is coming up and who is bored and looking for something interesting to do. She decides to smoke pot but realizes that she has solicited the pot from one of her students, which is evidently an awkward situation. We have a big range of what U.K. filmmakers have to offer.
Aguilar: What are some highlights of the non-British program that will be screening alongside the films you already mentioned?
James Defebaugh: For the other program we have some great international films. We have one from Brazil called “The Passenger,” which is about a man’s displacement, which takes him on a journey of self-discovery throughout his homeland after his wife’s death. We have a really great film from Argentina called "Esperame" based on Dante’s Divine Comedy but sues corporate imagery in a metaphorical manner to retell that story.
There is also the one Larry mentioned earlier called “The Girlfriend Game,” which is an erotic thriller with a twisted game that a couple plays at bars. It’s tone and subject matter feels like “Gone Girl” in terms of the sexual tension. This film feature Ryan Eggold who starts in NBC’s “The Blacklist” and Sarah Roemer who was in the film “Disturbia”
Larry Laboe: Ryan Eggold actually has a special relationship with NewFilmmakers. We screened a short that he directed, and we’ve screened a few shorts that he starred in. It’s really exciting to see him back again at the festival. Specifically regarding “The Girlfriend Game,” the guy who produced it, Alejandro de Leon, has produced other great shorts. I’m really excited about him as a producer. One of the shorts he’s produced is called "The Strange Thing About the Johnsons," which I was really impressed by. He was also Upm of the short “Narcocorrido," which won a Student Academy Award in 2012. I particularly expect to see great things from Alejandro.
Aguilar: Why is it crucial for NewFilmmakers to balance special programs like this with films from diverse regions and backgrounds?
Larry Laboe: We do a lot of special themed programs, from Latino film programs, to African American film programs, or programs like this British one, but the reason why during these events you see a program made up of films from around the world is because we don’t want to put people inside a box. We do want to honor storytellers from different backgrounds but we don’t to make it so that storytellers become stereotyped or labeled based on being Latino, or British, or female. It’s great to honor different types of filmmakers but I think we have to be careful not to put too much of a label on it. When you see programs from NewFilmmakers that are special programs we typically like to mix it up.
James Defebaugh: We want to spotlight films that come from a specific cultural place but we also want to make sure we support indie filmmaking as a whole.
Larry Laboe: We want to support diversity all around.
Read More: Endless Indie Talent: Larry Laboe on NewFilmmakers Los Angeles
This week NewFilmmakers L.A. is taking part in a weeklong series of diverse events across L.A entitled BritWeek, which celebrate the rich culture of our neighbors across the pond. First on Monday April 27th at the At&T Center in Downtown, NewFilmmakers will host three feature length programs consisting of both recent British and international shorts
Then on April 30th the organization will screen Thomas Vinterberg’s latest film “Far From the Madding Crowd” ahead of its theatrical release in collaboration with Fox Searchlight and Melnitz Movies at UCLA's James Bridges Theater.
We had the chance to reconnect with Larry Laboe, co-director of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles and James Defebaugh, who co-programmed the event with Nfmla Artistic Director Susie Kim and the Nfmla Programming team, to talk about this exciting new program.
Tickets for the event on April 27th can be purchased Here!
Aguilar: How this particular initiative come about and what are some of the elements that make distinct from other NewFilmmakers programs?
Larry Laboe: Our programs usually consist of two feature lengths programs that are made up of shorts and then one feature, but for this one we are doing all shorts the whole night. It’s 13 shorts for our first event on the 27th. Two of the programs are all English films and the third program is made up of international shorts. We have a film from Argentina, a film from Brazil, and two from the U.S. I’m particularly excited about a film titled “The Girlfriend Game”
As you know a huge goal in our organization is to showcase international films. We feel that as a festival in Los Angeles is important to help people in the city experiences films from all over the world. Our initiatives have always focuses on highlighting films from different parts of the world. This year we decided we wanted to do a British film program.
We reached out to Brit Week, and actually one of the NewFilmmakers board members is also BritWeek and BAFTA committee member as well. He had a relationship with Brit Week and we pitched them the idea for this program and they were really excited about it, particularly because they didn’t have any other film programs as part of BritWeek. As you might know Brit Week is a celebration of British art and culture in Los Angeles that includes exhibitions, musical performances, and other events that make it a very well rounded experience.
This initiative grew into a two-part event. We are doing the program I just mentioned and the Fox Searchlight movie “Far from the Madding Crowd.” We wanted to show a film that more people from the community would feel compelled to come out and see based on the talent that was involved in making the film, As we were researching what indie labels had new films coming out that could work with our program. We got in touch with Fox Searchlight and they were very excited to take part. Obviously this film is an English film, so it was a really fit.
Aguilar: Tells us more about the diverse British shorts included in the extensive program
James Defebaugh: We are really excited about this screenings. We feel like this program really represents a huge variety of what U.K. cinema has to offer in an array of genres. There is a film called “Anemone,” which is a beautiful portrait of a forbidden love that has some fantastic performances by its cast. We have “Madeleine Makes a Man,” which is a whimsical, fairy tale-like retelling of Frankenstein in which the lead character is trying to create the ideal romantic partner.
There are also a couple of interesting character driven dramas, one is titled “I’m in the Corner with the Bluebells” about two siblings who meet for the first time which find themselves with a this sort of genetic attraction, which is uncomfortable but very interesting and it’s beautifully shot. There is also “Stalemate,” a historical character driven work that takes place on Christmas Day during Wwi
We have two science fiction pieces, one of them is "Perfect State," a dystopian view of the U.K. in which the government has sold out to major corporations that run all the public services, and then there is "Roadside,"which is a post-apocalyptic short that feel very kinetic and has several successful action sequences. We have a couple of comedies.
One is “The Trouble Downstairs” a comedic mystery about a guy who is trying to figure out the culprit behind his Chlamydia, and then we have “Anita’s Birthday Wish” about a teacher whose birthday is coming up and who is bored and looking for something interesting to do. She decides to smoke pot but realizes that she has solicited the pot from one of her students, which is evidently an awkward situation. We have a big range of what U.K. filmmakers have to offer.
Aguilar: What are some highlights of the non-British program that will be screening alongside the films you already mentioned?
James Defebaugh: For the other program we have some great international films. We have one from Brazil called “The Passenger,” which is about a man’s displacement, which takes him on a journey of self-discovery throughout his homeland after his wife’s death. We have a really great film from Argentina called "Esperame" based on Dante’s Divine Comedy but sues corporate imagery in a metaphorical manner to retell that story.
There is also the one Larry mentioned earlier called “The Girlfriend Game,” which is an erotic thriller with a twisted game that a couple plays at bars. It’s tone and subject matter feels like “Gone Girl” in terms of the sexual tension. This film feature Ryan Eggold who starts in NBC’s “The Blacklist” and Sarah Roemer who was in the film “Disturbia”
Larry Laboe: Ryan Eggold actually has a special relationship with NewFilmmakers. We screened a short that he directed, and we’ve screened a few shorts that he starred in. It’s really exciting to see him back again at the festival. Specifically regarding “The Girlfriend Game,” the guy who produced it, Alejandro de Leon, has produced other great shorts. I’m really excited about him as a producer. One of the shorts he’s produced is called "The Strange Thing About the Johnsons," which I was really impressed by. He was also Upm of the short “Narcocorrido," which won a Student Academy Award in 2012. I particularly expect to see great things from Alejandro.
Aguilar: Why is it crucial for NewFilmmakers to balance special programs like this with films from diverse regions and backgrounds?
Larry Laboe: We do a lot of special themed programs, from Latino film programs, to African American film programs, or programs like this British one, but the reason why during these events you see a program made up of films from around the world is because we don’t want to put people inside a box. We do want to honor storytellers from different backgrounds but we don’t to make it so that storytellers become stereotyped or labeled based on being Latino, or British, or female. It’s great to honor different types of filmmakers but I think we have to be careful not to put too much of a label on it. When you see programs from NewFilmmakers that are special programs we typically like to mix it up.
James Defebaugh: We want to spotlight films that come from a specific cultural place but we also want to make sure we support indie filmmaking as a whole.
Larry Laboe: We want to support diversity all around.
- 4/26/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
In spite of the great number of festivals and film-related events that concentrate their efforts on the endlessly creative city of Los Angeles, it seems like there is always a need for more platforms and spaces for filmmakers to showcase their work and develop their careers. Being home to all of the major studios, numerous distribution companies, and non-profit organizations, the city is still the top destination for anyone trying to make a career in this volatile industry.
Taking into account this constant supply of new work and the lack of an equally constant place to show it, Larry Laboe decided to create the film festival/film organization, NewFilmmakers Los Angeles, modeled after one by the same name in New York. Although the concept was essentially identical – a monthly film festival to showcase independent cinema- Laboe knew that an industry component was required to make of this new venture a success. Within a few years, NewFilmmakers Los Angeles has grown to become a unique vehicle for artists to launch their careers, connect with crucial support, and exchange ideas with each other and with audiences.
As Executive Director of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles Mr. Laboe continues to develop innovative partnerships and strategic relationships that benefit the filmmaking community. With the help of a small but dedicated team, which includes Artistic Director and Co-Founder Susie Kim, NewFilmmakers Los Angeles is a refreshing and multifaceted tool for filmmakers, industry professionals, and film lovers alike.
Mr. Laboe talked to us recently about these and other unique opportunities offered by NewFilmmakers Los Angeles.
Carlos Aguilar: Could you explain the essentials about what NewFilmmakers is, what you guys do, and how you got involved with this project?
Larry Laboe: NewFilmmakers as an organization has been around since 1998 in New York City. The NewFilmmakers New York program is part of the Anthology Film Archives, which is a center for promoting independent filmmakers and helping to preserve work by independent and experimental filmmakers. It’s been going on there for well over 16 years now. When I moved out to Los Angeles I had been a patron of NewFilmmakers New York for a long time. I really loved the sense of community it gave independent filmmakers in NYC. I really loved the programming and how eclectic and different it was. It was very unique compared to anything I had ever experienced before.
At the time I was somebody who would go to almost every film festival in the U.S. I was also a filmmaker, and somebody that simply loved to watch movies. I had experienced Tribeca Film Festival, SXSW, Sundance, AFI Fest, Laiff, and I just felt this uniqueness about NewFilmmakers and it’s format. It exhibited its films throughout the year instead of being an annual festival that screens films for a certain number of consecutive days.
What I found through my exploration with NewFilmmakers New York was that this festival was able to showcase more films throughout the year by doing it as a monthly festival. It was also able to highlight each filmmaker and their film more than at a traditional festival because you come to an event that is about 10 to 15 film instead of a weeklong event that’s about 200 films. That’s what I loved about the program.
When I moved to L.A. I immediately joined Film Independent, but even with them in town and many others that support film, I felt like there was a place for an organization like NewFilmmakers in Los Angeles. There wasn’t any consistent, truly independent film programming throughout the year. I found that Film Independent had their screening series but it was more about Fox Searchlight or Paramount Vantage movies. These are not what I would consider “new filmmakers” because a lot of the filmmakers they highlight have studio support or had done a lot of work in the past that sets them at a different level than a true new filmmaker.
The work we highlight is not amateur work, or student films, or first time filmmakers, it’s just truly independent film that is at the same level of what you would see at Sundance or SXSW. They are just filmmakers that still need a chance to get their voice out to an audience and to share their stories.
Many of the films that we screen go on to play at major festivals. They go on to win Academy Awards, student Academy Awards, and dozens of other prizes in other well-respected events. The content really can stand on its own. We really try to choose based on unique storytelling, but also filmmaking that shows we can really help the filmmaker take the next step in their career. We want to highlight films that we can show to the industry and potentially work with that filmmaker on developing their content or getting distribution for their film.
Aguilar: What’s would you say are the main differences between the programming and initiatives in New York and Los Angeles?
Larry Laboe: NewFilmmakers New York started out being a monthly festival and it eventually turned into a weekly festival. Now they screen on a weekly basis. There is a lot of value that comes from the weekly programming. Here in L.A. we screen anywhere from 150 to 200 films a year, and they probably screen over 300 films a year.
In New York, the mentality with the programming is a bit different. They are more about highlighting experimental film, and we are more about highlighting unique storytelling that really offers a chance for that filmmaker to succeed and move on to bigger and better things. We are more about empowering people with industry tools, helping them develop relationships, and connecting with other creative people.
We would never try to do a weekly event just because it would be counterproductive to our monthly festival and to staying true to only showcasing a smaller number of filmmakers once each month. That’s the main difference. We also have a lot more corporate sponsorships. We have a lot of industry partnerships with companies like Sony Pictures Entertainment, SAG-aftra, Film L.A, Warner Brothers, and Disney. We are just more about the development of someone’s career and they are more about giving audiences a forum where they can both show they work and come and see work by independent filmmakers throughout the year,
Aguilar: With numerous film organizations based in Los Angeles, what makes NewFilmmakers stand out from the crowd? What unique opportunities do you offer filmmakers?
Larry Laboe: We are the only organization besides Hollywood Shorts that does a monthly festival. What sets us apart is that we screen shorts, features, and documentaries. We have a very premium 500-seat venue in Downtown L.A. We are really about showcasing a really small number of films each month. It’s a dedicated forum for those 10 or 15 filmmakers in each particular month. An annual festival can’t highlight 10 to 15 films in an 800-word press release because they have 150 to 200 filmmakers they are showcasing, but we can.
We definitely have an opportunity as a festival to focus more on each film, to pitch press more because we have more time. We have a chance to break apart each story and select different aspects of the story that might be appealing to press. Another important element we offer is a sizeable audience. With a lot of annual festivals you are sharing the audience with 4 or 5 screenings, and with out festival we never have overlapping screenings. There are always 3 screenings at each festival showcase. They are scheduled back to back to back, so our theater is generally always full.
Most of the filmmakers we have at our festival who have been at other festivals have an amazing response to what we do. They often say things like, “This is the best screening I’ve had,” “This was the biggest audience I’ve ever had,” “The promotion that you guys did for my film was amazing.“ We go out of our way in terms of our press release to make sure it gets as many pickups as possible. Our theater is also listed on Google as a local theater under the name “NewFilmmakers Los Angeles” alongside every AMC and other major chains. All of the films that we are showcasing at our monthly festival are listed on Fandango, MovieTickets.com, Google Movies, etc.
We are trying to change the stigma of an independent film being so much different form a studio film. We want to put our movies alongside movies that wide audiences are coming across and discovering online. We make sure that all our films get listed on those sites with synopses, trailers, director’s information, writer’s information, producer’s information and the cast.
Lastly, our online promotions for each film are very targeted. Our email list is over 67,000 subscribers. We have a huge following of moviegoers in L.A. that really want to come out and see films. It ranges from consumer moviegoers, to industry figures, distributors, production companies, producers, management companies, agencies, composers, cinematographers, editors, and many other people that are passionate about independent film.
Aguilar: What are some the partnerships and initiatives NewFilmmakers Los Angeles has set up to help filmmakers not only be part of this festival but develop their careers? Are any of these programs targeted to underrepresented segments of the population?
Larry Laboe: This year we are focusing on three different categories. We are focusing on documentary programming, we are focusing on programming films by Latino filmmakers, and we are focusing on programming work by female filmmakers. We are a very collaborative organization. We love all these other film festivals that take place annually. They are amazing for the filmmakers’ careers as well. We partner every year with AFI Fest, and with Film Independent for the Laiff among many others.
Regarding the three areas that we are focusing on this year I specifically would like to talk about our Latino focus. We’ve partnered with Nuvo TV, and they have a specific program called Nu Point of View: The Emergent Latino Filmmakers, which is an amazing opportunity. We’ve partnered with them for this initiative, which gives the filmmakers the opportunity to have their film screened on Nuvo TV, which is in over 35 million U.S. households. If selected Nuvo TV pays them a licensing fee to show the film.
As part of this partnership with NewFilmmakers, Nuvo is taking a first look at all the Latino finished films that we screen as part of our festival. To take it a step further we also organize two events a year with Nuvo TV to showcase Latino filmmakers and to spread the word about the films we are screening. They support all of our films with listings on the Nuvo TV website. I think this is a great example of the kind of collaborations we do to expand opportunities for our filmmakers.
We also just established a partnership with a new company called FilmBundle, which is a company that distributes packages of short films online. They generally include 5 to 10 films per package, and it allows the audience to pay what they want for the film bundle. You can pay as little as 10 cents or as much as $1000, whatever you want to contribute. Out of this donation FilmBundle takes a cut, the filmmakers get a cut, and a non-profit film organization gets a cut, but the audiences chooses how much they want each one of them to get. When you pay you can choose how much FilmBundle gets, how much the filmmaker gets, and how much the non-profit involved in creating that bundle gets. We partner up with really unique companies like this.
Another distribution opportunity we have for a out filmmakers is our partnership with ShortsHD, which has a U.S. channel for short films on DirecTV, At&T Uverse, Century Link, Frontier, and Google Fiber. ShortsHD also has a European channel for shorts. All of the films that we screen get a first look by Shorts HD. We are constantly working on opportunities like that for our filmmakers. We have a ton of prizes both cash and in production equipment, services, and additional filmmaking tools that help filmmakers throughout the year. A lot of the resources we get are in kind services from entertainment related companies or in kind donations to provide food and drinks at the events. We do it all with a very small staff and with little resources. Filmmakers that have come to the festival know this and are very appreciative of our efforts.
Aguilar: Where do the films come from? Does the programming focus on films made in L.A or are there films that come from abroad?
Larry Laboe: Our first mandate is to program a minimum of 20% of all the films we screen from international submissions. Our second mandate is to program another 20% of U.S. films from places outside of California. The other 60% we designate for L.A. local films. Being a Los Angeles organization we definitely wan to be supportive of local filmmakers but being an organization that is all about sharing films worldwide we also like to include films that represent international voices. We have a programming team made up of 8 people and a programming director, Susie Kim. All of the films that come into the festival are watched by a minimum of three people.
Aguilar: How much are tickets for NewFilmmakers Los Angeles screenings? What are the fees for filmmakers interested I submitting their films for consideration?
Larry Laboe: Another thing we do to make it as accessible as possible to everybody is to keep our tickets at $5. We try to keep the ticket prices lower than any festival that isn’t free. Our film submission prices are also low. There is a $25 submission fee for anyone who made their film in L.A, $30 student submission fee, $35 short fee, and $40 feature fee. Those prices don’t change throughout the year. For us is all about trying to include everybody and to create opportunities for filmmakers.
NewFilmmakers Los Angeles Upcoming Screening will take place on December 13th for tickets and more information visit Here...
Taking into account this constant supply of new work and the lack of an equally constant place to show it, Larry Laboe decided to create the film festival/film organization, NewFilmmakers Los Angeles, modeled after one by the same name in New York. Although the concept was essentially identical – a monthly film festival to showcase independent cinema- Laboe knew that an industry component was required to make of this new venture a success. Within a few years, NewFilmmakers Los Angeles has grown to become a unique vehicle for artists to launch their careers, connect with crucial support, and exchange ideas with each other and with audiences.
As Executive Director of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles Mr. Laboe continues to develop innovative partnerships and strategic relationships that benefit the filmmaking community. With the help of a small but dedicated team, which includes Artistic Director and Co-Founder Susie Kim, NewFilmmakers Los Angeles is a refreshing and multifaceted tool for filmmakers, industry professionals, and film lovers alike.
Mr. Laboe talked to us recently about these and other unique opportunities offered by NewFilmmakers Los Angeles.
Carlos Aguilar: Could you explain the essentials about what NewFilmmakers is, what you guys do, and how you got involved with this project?
Larry Laboe: NewFilmmakers as an organization has been around since 1998 in New York City. The NewFilmmakers New York program is part of the Anthology Film Archives, which is a center for promoting independent filmmakers and helping to preserve work by independent and experimental filmmakers. It’s been going on there for well over 16 years now. When I moved out to Los Angeles I had been a patron of NewFilmmakers New York for a long time. I really loved the sense of community it gave independent filmmakers in NYC. I really loved the programming and how eclectic and different it was. It was very unique compared to anything I had ever experienced before.
At the time I was somebody who would go to almost every film festival in the U.S. I was also a filmmaker, and somebody that simply loved to watch movies. I had experienced Tribeca Film Festival, SXSW, Sundance, AFI Fest, Laiff, and I just felt this uniqueness about NewFilmmakers and it’s format. It exhibited its films throughout the year instead of being an annual festival that screens films for a certain number of consecutive days.
What I found through my exploration with NewFilmmakers New York was that this festival was able to showcase more films throughout the year by doing it as a monthly festival. It was also able to highlight each filmmaker and their film more than at a traditional festival because you come to an event that is about 10 to 15 film instead of a weeklong event that’s about 200 films. That’s what I loved about the program.
When I moved to L.A. I immediately joined Film Independent, but even with them in town and many others that support film, I felt like there was a place for an organization like NewFilmmakers in Los Angeles. There wasn’t any consistent, truly independent film programming throughout the year. I found that Film Independent had their screening series but it was more about Fox Searchlight or Paramount Vantage movies. These are not what I would consider “new filmmakers” because a lot of the filmmakers they highlight have studio support or had done a lot of work in the past that sets them at a different level than a true new filmmaker.
The work we highlight is not amateur work, or student films, or first time filmmakers, it’s just truly independent film that is at the same level of what you would see at Sundance or SXSW. They are just filmmakers that still need a chance to get their voice out to an audience and to share their stories.
Many of the films that we screen go on to play at major festivals. They go on to win Academy Awards, student Academy Awards, and dozens of other prizes in other well-respected events. The content really can stand on its own. We really try to choose based on unique storytelling, but also filmmaking that shows we can really help the filmmaker take the next step in their career. We want to highlight films that we can show to the industry and potentially work with that filmmaker on developing their content or getting distribution for their film.
Aguilar: What’s would you say are the main differences between the programming and initiatives in New York and Los Angeles?
Larry Laboe: NewFilmmakers New York started out being a monthly festival and it eventually turned into a weekly festival. Now they screen on a weekly basis. There is a lot of value that comes from the weekly programming. Here in L.A. we screen anywhere from 150 to 200 films a year, and they probably screen over 300 films a year.
In New York, the mentality with the programming is a bit different. They are more about highlighting experimental film, and we are more about highlighting unique storytelling that really offers a chance for that filmmaker to succeed and move on to bigger and better things. We are more about empowering people with industry tools, helping them develop relationships, and connecting with other creative people.
We would never try to do a weekly event just because it would be counterproductive to our monthly festival and to staying true to only showcasing a smaller number of filmmakers once each month. That’s the main difference. We also have a lot more corporate sponsorships. We have a lot of industry partnerships with companies like Sony Pictures Entertainment, SAG-aftra, Film L.A, Warner Brothers, and Disney. We are just more about the development of someone’s career and they are more about giving audiences a forum where they can both show they work and come and see work by independent filmmakers throughout the year,
Aguilar: With numerous film organizations based in Los Angeles, what makes NewFilmmakers stand out from the crowd? What unique opportunities do you offer filmmakers?
Larry Laboe: We are the only organization besides Hollywood Shorts that does a monthly festival. What sets us apart is that we screen shorts, features, and documentaries. We have a very premium 500-seat venue in Downtown L.A. We are really about showcasing a really small number of films each month. It’s a dedicated forum for those 10 or 15 filmmakers in each particular month. An annual festival can’t highlight 10 to 15 films in an 800-word press release because they have 150 to 200 filmmakers they are showcasing, but we can.
We definitely have an opportunity as a festival to focus more on each film, to pitch press more because we have more time. We have a chance to break apart each story and select different aspects of the story that might be appealing to press. Another important element we offer is a sizeable audience. With a lot of annual festivals you are sharing the audience with 4 or 5 screenings, and with out festival we never have overlapping screenings. There are always 3 screenings at each festival showcase. They are scheduled back to back to back, so our theater is generally always full.
Most of the filmmakers we have at our festival who have been at other festivals have an amazing response to what we do. They often say things like, “This is the best screening I’ve had,” “This was the biggest audience I’ve ever had,” “The promotion that you guys did for my film was amazing.“ We go out of our way in terms of our press release to make sure it gets as many pickups as possible. Our theater is also listed on Google as a local theater under the name “NewFilmmakers Los Angeles” alongside every AMC and other major chains. All of the films that we are showcasing at our monthly festival are listed on Fandango, MovieTickets.com, Google Movies, etc.
We are trying to change the stigma of an independent film being so much different form a studio film. We want to put our movies alongside movies that wide audiences are coming across and discovering online. We make sure that all our films get listed on those sites with synopses, trailers, director’s information, writer’s information, producer’s information and the cast.
Lastly, our online promotions for each film are very targeted. Our email list is over 67,000 subscribers. We have a huge following of moviegoers in L.A. that really want to come out and see films. It ranges from consumer moviegoers, to industry figures, distributors, production companies, producers, management companies, agencies, composers, cinematographers, editors, and many other people that are passionate about independent film.
Aguilar: What are some the partnerships and initiatives NewFilmmakers Los Angeles has set up to help filmmakers not only be part of this festival but develop their careers? Are any of these programs targeted to underrepresented segments of the population?
Larry Laboe: This year we are focusing on three different categories. We are focusing on documentary programming, we are focusing on programming films by Latino filmmakers, and we are focusing on programming work by female filmmakers. We are a very collaborative organization. We love all these other film festivals that take place annually. They are amazing for the filmmakers’ careers as well. We partner every year with AFI Fest, and with Film Independent for the Laiff among many others.
Regarding the three areas that we are focusing on this year I specifically would like to talk about our Latino focus. We’ve partnered with Nuvo TV, and they have a specific program called Nu Point of View: The Emergent Latino Filmmakers, which is an amazing opportunity. We’ve partnered with them for this initiative, which gives the filmmakers the opportunity to have their film screened on Nuvo TV, which is in over 35 million U.S. households. If selected Nuvo TV pays them a licensing fee to show the film.
As part of this partnership with NewFilmmakers, Nuvo is taking a first look at all the Latino finished films that we screen as part of our festival. To take it a step further we also organize two events a year with Nuvo TV to showcase Latino filmmakers and to spread the word about the films we are screening. They support all of our films with listings on the Nuvo TV website. I think this is a great example of the kind of collaborations we do to expand opportunities for our filmmakers.
We also just established a partnership with a new company called FilmBundle, which is a company that distributes packages of short films online. They generally include 5 to 10 films per package, and it allows the audience to pay what they want for the film bundle. You can pay as little as 10 cents or as much as $1000, whatever you want to contribute. Out of this donation FilmBundle takes a cut, the filmmakers get a cut, and a non-profit film organization gets a cut, but the audiences chooses how much they want each one of them to get. When you pay you can choose how much FilmBundle gets, how much the filmmaker gets, and how much the non-profit involved in creating that bundle gets. We partner up with really unique companies like this.
Another distribution opportunity we have for a out filmmakers is our partnership with ShortsHD, which has a U.S. channel for short films on DirecTV, At&T Uverse, Century Link, Frontier, and Google Fiber. ShortsHD also has a European channel for shorts. All of the films that we screen get a first look by Shorts HD. We are constantly working on opportunities like that for our filmmakers. We have a ton of prizes both cash and in production equipment, services, and additional filmmaking tools that help filmmakers throughout the year. A lot of the resources we get are in kind services from entertainment related companies or in kind donations to provide food and drinks at the events. We do it all with a very small staff and with little resources. Filmmakers that have come to the festival know this and are very appreciative of our efforts.
Aguilar: Where do the films come from? Does the programming focus on films made in L.A or are there films that come from abroad?
Larry Laboe: Our first mandate is to program a minimum of 20% of all the films we screen from international submissions. Our second mandate is to program another 20% of U.S. films from places outside of California. The other 60% we designate for L.A. local films. Being a Los Angeles organization we definitely wan to be supportive of local filmmakers but being an organization that is all about sharing films worldwide we also like to include films that represent international voices. We have a programming team made up of 8 people and a programming director, Susie Kim. All of the films that come into the festival are watched by a minimum of three people.
Aguilar: How much are tickets for NewFilmmakers Los Angeles screenings? What are the fees for filmmakers interested I submitting their films for consideration?
Larry Laboe: Another thing we do to make it as accessible as possible to everybody is to keep our tickets at $5. We try to keep the ticket prices lower than any festival that isn’t free. Our film submission prices are also low. There is a $25 submission fee for anyone who made their film in L.A, $30 student submission fee, $35 short fee, and $40 feature fee. Those prices don’t change throughout the year. For us is all about trying to include everybody and to create opportunities for filmmakers.
NewFilmmakers Los Angeles Upcoming Screening will take place on December 13th for tickets and more information visit Here...
- 11/25/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
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