NYWIFT Blog

What’s in Your Toolkit: Nan Gill-Wilson

Producer Nan Gill-Wilson shares the path of her varied career, the story behind her partnership with David Wilson, and how she is coping during COVID-19. 

“Call Your Mother” Panel: Top Takeaways

Leah Curney looks back on her favorite humorous - and heartfelt - moments from NYWIFT's "Call Your Mother" comedy panel.

Wild Nights with Emily: A Retake on What You May Have Believed about Emily Dickinson

What happens when an esteemed comic actress like Molly Shannon, a screenwriter with a quirky perspective and a penchant for cinematic originality, political causes and literary scholarship, and a legendary American poet who some say has been misunderstood and misinterpreted by decades of academic critics collaborate?

"Wild Nights with Emily" happens. The unique film, thoroughly original and entertaining, is inspired by the life of Emily Dickinson. It’s also a creative spin on a literature professor’s reinterpretation of Emily Dickinson’s life and personal relationships. 

What’s in Your Toolkit: Kristin Reiber Harris

Artist, animator, and educator Kristin Reiber Harris shares with us what's in her animation toolkit, and how she's staying centered while sheltering in place during COVID-19. 

AmeRican Poet Tato Laviera: Affirmation in the words, rhythms and blended language of an influential Nuyorican poet

Poet Tato Laviera pushed the boundaries of language, inspired the spoken word movement, and defined the Nuyorican experience. As an artist he innovated: he combined music, theater, poetry, dance, the power of dramatic contrasts and a commitment to social activism to create a new type of poetry. As both a poet and performer, he documented his own experience and affirmed his community’s worth, redefined its sense of identity. NYWIFT member Vivian Hernandez Ortiz discusses her film about Tato's legacy, which screens as part of this weekend's NYWIFT Member Screening.

Top Takeaways – NYWIFT Talks: Filmmakers and Activists discuss the Black Lives Matter movement, their life’s work, and hope for the future.

In solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, NYWIFT Talks recently brought together a vibrant panel of award-winning women filmmakers and activists dedicated to fighting systemic racism to discuss their work and the social justice revolution of today.

State of the Industry: A Conversation of Lydia Darly of the Nova Frontier Film Festival and Lab

The voices of Black, Middle Eastern, and Latinx artists have long been marginalized. But at Nova Frontier Film Festival and Lab, they take center stage. Actor, filmmaker, writer, producer, and film programmer Lydia Darly discusses why she co-founded the festival (where NYWIFT is proud to present an Outstanding Female Content Creator Award), and what she hopes to see from the 2020 edition which, like so many recent events, is going virtual. 

State of the Industry: A Conversation with Theatrical Booker Clemence Taillandier

Clemence Taillandier is an independent film distribution veteran, having worked as a theatrical booker for over 15 years.  She now operates her own distribution services company and provides theatrical, festival booking and consultation services to boutique distributors including Film Movement and Distrib Films, two distributors specialized in foreign films and documentaries. She has been at the forefront of moving the cinema experience to a virtual space in the wake of COVID-19. 

What’s in Your Toolkit: Heidi Philipsen-Meissner

Heidi Philipsen-Meissner is a director, producer, writer and actress with over two decades of professional experience in international film, television and communications. She shares insight into how she manages her work in film and television while also raising two teenagers, especially now as her daughter is beginning her filmmaking career as well.

Takeaways from Demystifying Film Delivery: What Every Producer Should Know

You are a producer and due to the pandemic your project – be it in development, pre-production, production or post stage – is on hold. What can you do now to make sure all the pieces are in place when the industry opens back up? Stacey Smith of CinePointe Advisors suggests preparing for delivery. It is a crucial, final step needed to ready a film for distribution and GET PAID! However, delivery is often an afterthought in financing agreements, production budgets and workflows.

 A Look Behind the Scenes of “Unintended”

Childhood memories of summers spent in the country are typically happy ones. But for 13-year-old Lea, the main character in Unintended, one summer is fraught with tension and leads to deep unresolved issues. We sat down with the female duo behind the film to discuss its themes of childhood trauma and resilience, as well as the logistics behind its shoot in upstate New York.

NYWIFT Member’s MicroMania Film Fest Channel Reaches 80,000 Views in First Two Months

In response to Covid-19, NYWIFT member and film festival creator/founder Lukia Costello decided to take advantage of social-distancing by taking her film festival online. MicroMania Film Festival was created to be more than a one-off event and actively participates in amplifying quality independent short films

Documentary Storytelling with Sound Design – Top Takeaways

Sound design in the secret sauce that adds that magical third dimension to media projects. Well-designed audio is so seamless that it is often overlooked because it so beautifully integrates with the visuals. In our recent NYWIFT program, a panel of sound design experts explained how their craft can transform documentary storytelling.

Michele Remsen’s First Feature Film Defies the Odds

Great ideas, even when plentiful, can have a short shelf life when confronted with sobering realities. But NYWIFT Michele Remsen knows how to persevere. As co-star, producer, director, and screenwriter of an anti-romantic comedy that defies expectations, Michele was the force that made it happen: in 12 days, on a shoestring budget.

What’s in Your Toolkit: Lisa Reznik

Traditional film houses are transitioning to virtual cinema screenings since art houses have temporarily closed their doors to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Learn what Film Society of Summit Founder Lisa Reznik found in her toolkit!

The Business of Adaptations: Top Takeaways

Movies like Brokeback Mountain, The Irishman, and Little Women have more in common than mere artistry, critical acclaim or commercial success. They were all adaptations of literary works. But before getting your pens out, there’s more to it than you think. Literary works are great resources for screenwriters in search of stories, but to negotiate the business end and avoid pitfalls or potential legal liabilities, you need advice from experts. The NYWIFT Business of Adaptations for Film and TV virtual program brought a panel of industry powerhouses to weigh in.

Cynthia’s Picks: Member Screening, State of the Industry, Emergency Resources

Member Screening: We hope you’ll join us for the first virtual edition of the NYWIFT Member Screening Series this coming weekend when we show Michele Remsen’s “anti-romantic comedy” Toss It! The film is a recipient of the NYWIFT Nancy Malone Marketing and Promotion grant. We look forward to sharing more member films with you virtually...

What’s in Your Toolkit: Destiny Lilly

Destiny Lilly is a casting director working across theater, film, and television. While casting is a creative job, it also requires strong admin - lists, databases, and an impeccable memory. Destiny offers a peek inside her casting toolkit.