AFTER A LONG PAUSE LITTLE BIG ANNOUNCE  THEIR LIVE RETURN TO AMERICA LA-BASED PUNK-POP-RAVE BAND FROM SAINT PETERSBURG WILL CELEBRATE THEIR 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY ON APRIL 1, 2023 Today, the influential punk-pop-rave band Little Big announce an 18-date American tour in June and they will be celebrating their 10 year anniversary on 1 April 2023. Known for their super-viral iconic music videos, Little Big’s frontpeople Ilya “Ilich” Prusikin and Sonya Tayurskaya are thrilled to bring their spectacular live shows to USA, starting in Miami on June 8th. (see dates below). The Saint Petersburg born band has an avid worldwide fanbase and is known for their collaborations with international artists such as Oliver Tree, Tommy Cash, Finch Asozial, Dillon Francis, Clean Bandit and Sacha Baron Cohen. The super-viral audio-visual band promise to release new music in 2023 (details tba). Their music videos count over 3 billion views and “Skibidi” became their most popular video with more than 667 million views. Their single “UNO” is also a record breaker — it became the most viewed video in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest with an impressive 264 million views. Last year, on March 3rd, 2022, Little Big packed up their bags and left their […]

With so many stories to tell and so many people to tell them, how do you get noticed in a crowd and get access to the resources needed to make your movie? Film Independent’s Artist Development programs can help take your project and career to the next level. This year we’re celebrating the 30th anniversary of Film Independent Artist Development and, following April’s online seminar, we’re pleased to offer an in-person session with our Artist Development staff. They’ll be discussing Film Independent’s Project Involve and Screenwriting Lab, applications for which open on June 5 and July 3, respectively. Learn what types of projects we typically look for, what opportunities our Artist Development programs can provide, what makes an application stand out, and some dos and don’ts when applying. Speakers include Francisco Velasquez (Associate Director, Project Involve), Joenique Rose (Project Involve Associate) and Ashley Flores (Fiction Programs Associate). Not a Member? Join now. Accessibility Film Independent is committed to hosting events that are accessible. For inquiries regarding accessibility, or to request an accommodation, please contact us at accessibility@filmindependent.org or 323 556 9305.

Regulars at our Filmmaker Tuesday events will know that we’re big proponents of hiring a payroll company to handle production accounting. But how you set up your production entity matters… You’ll have to decide who will be the Employer of Record – you or your payroll firm. On union shoots, below-the-line wages will make up 35% of your budget and you’ll be responsible for paying fringes too, like workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance. However, depending on the state you shoot in, you may be able to tap into significant savings. Join us for an eye-opening presentation unpacking the legalities of Employer of Record and demystifying fringes with our colleagues at GreenSlate. About the Presenters Mike Leiba is the President and Chief Operating Officer of GreenSlate, a leading provider of payroll and production accounting solutions for the entertainment industry. He oversees the day-to-day operations of all client services for the company. He has been a leader in designing, executing and perfecting the service delivery of the Agency Payroll Model for independent filmmakers. His work over the last 20 years has helped filmmakers realize over $700 million in savings in their budgets. Celeste Jackson is an SVP at GreenSlate, overseeing Client Relationship Management. She joined […]

Arts Circle and Film Lover Members, you and a guest are invited to join us for a special screening of Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields, followed by an in-person conversation with director Lana Wilson and producer Christine O’Malley, moderated by Angela Lee (Director of Artist Development, Film Independent). Beverages will be served prior to the screening, starting at 7:00 pm PT. Lana Wilson and Christine O’Malley are both Film Independent Fellows, having participated in our Fast Track program in 2015 and 2012, respectively. Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields was an official selection of the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. This year we’re celebrating #AD30, in recognition of our three-decade journey working with and for independent artists. Join the celebration and donate today to support our next 30 years of Artist Development. Brooke Shields, 80s icon and household name, was a child model before she came to prominence in Louis Malle’s controversial film Pretty Baby at age 12. With a series of provocative Calvin Klein jeans ads and leading roles in 1980s teensploitation hits The Blue Lagoon and Endless Love, Shields’ early career was defined by a sexuality that she could neither claim nor comprehend. In this two-part documentary, director Lana Wilson (Miss Americana, 2020 Sundance Film Festival) reveals Shields’ story through media appearances and archival footage, bringing full context to the time when Shields […]

Do you have a great idea for a documentary, but are unsure how and where to start? Our Toolkit workshop is designed to help documentary filmmakers conceptualize and realize their vision. Taught by acclaimed documentary director/editor Miranda Yousef (Art for Everybody, The New Bauhaus), this four-part workshop, taking place each Wednesday, June 7–28 at Film Independent, will focus on the fundemental tenets of documentary filmmaking and give you the necessary tools to help make your project a reality. Over the course of the four sessions (three hours each), we’ll cover: Conceptualizing and developing your project Budgeting your documentary Financing and fundraising Finding your story’s characters/subjects Interview techniques Shooting verité The director/editor relationship Sound & sound design Using archival footage Legal & ethical issues Fair use best practices And much more… The workshop will also include suggested reading and a viewing list (titles readily available on Netflix and Prime). Even if you’re not currently working on a project, you can still attend and benefit from this class. Not a Member? Join now. Accessibility Film Independent is committed to hosting events that are accessible. For inquiries regarding accessibility, or to request an accommodation, please contact us at accessibility@filmindependent.org or 323 556 9305.

Arts Circle and Film Lover Members, you and a guest are invited to join us for a special screening of Flamin’ Hot, followed by an in-person conversation with writer Linda Yvette Chávez, moderated by Francisco Velasquez (Associate Director of Project Involve, Film Independent). Beverages will be served prior to the screening, starting at 7:00 pm PT. Linda Yvette Chávez, a Film Independent Fellow, was supported through our 2015 Screenwriting Lab and 2010 Project Involve program. This year we’re celebrating #AD30, in recognition of our three-decade journey working with and for independent artists. Join the celebration and donate today to support our next 30 years of Artist Development. Flamin’ Hot is the inspiring true story of Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia) who, as a Frito-Lay janitor, disrupted the food industry by channeling his Mexican American heritage to turn Flamin’ Hot Cheetos from a snack into an iconic global pop culture phenomenon. 2023, 129 minutes, color | Written by Lewis Colick and Linda Yvette Chávez | Directed by Eva Longoria | Starring Jesse Garcia, Annie Gonzalez, Dennis Haysbert, Emilio Rivera, Tony Shalhoub, Matt Walsh, Pepe Serna, Bobby Soto, Jimmy Gonzales, Brice Gonzalez, Vanessa Martinez, Fabian Alomar, Mario Ponce, Hunter Jones | Produced by DeVon Franklin Registration Information For information about Arts Circle, learn more, or contact Jennifer Murby at jmurby@filmindependent.org. […]

Designed specifically with directors and writers in mind, this special in-depth class will cover the basics of cinematography. Taught by Professor William McDonald (Head of Cinematography at UCLA’s School of Theater, Film & Television), the three-hour session will address concepts of visual storytelling through the use of lighting, lenses and focus/depth of field. Sample clips will be screened, and a strong emphasis will be placed on communication with the DP and developing a specific visual language for a project. About the instructor Professor William McDonald is the Head of Cinematography in the UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television. The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) honored him with Associate Membership, acknowledging his leading role as an educator in the field of academic cinematography. He was awarded the Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineer’s (SMPTE) Kodak Educational Award. Now in his 37th year of teaching, McDonald brings to students an enthusiasm and passion for the art and craft of cinematography. McDonald’s numerous credits as a cinematographer include both documentary and dramatic films. With his late wife, filmmaker Pamela Beere Briggs, he produced and photographed several independent documentaries, including Funny Ladies: A Portrait of Female Cartoonists, profiles of four of America’s most popular female […]