|
|||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
The POWER UP Filmmaking Grant Program is a very distinctive educational experience. POWER UP does not simply turn over funding to the Grant recipients. Instead, POWER UP – just as a large entertainment studio – develops, produces and distributes the films made through the grant program itself. This distinctive program teaches the recipient writers and directors - not only how to make a high quality, engaging films - but, more importantly, how to work creatively and productively within a professional studio system. POWER UP’s Grant recipients learn how to execute their vision within the confines of labor laws, intellectual property laws, budgets, business requirements and “the studio” maintaining final cut and final creative control all while maintaining a professional demeanor and exercising professional courtesy. Grant recipients also use professional level film production equipment and learn to elevate their creative and professional standards to work collaboratively on creative decisions in an environment that mirrors that of the for-profit entertainment studio system. In sum, this process takes the POWER UP Grant recipients through an accelerated education about, not only the creative tools, but also the business and interpersonal skills necessary to work within a limited budget, corporate structure and creative guidelines set by those in charge. For the past four years POWER UP has produced award winning short films under the creative guidance of Executive Producers Stacy Codikow (Under the Hula Moon, D.E.B.S.) and Lisa Thrasher (Memoirs of an Evil Stepmother), both of whom are full-time volunteers. In total, POWER UP has awarded over $1,500,000 - via a mixture of monetary sponsorships & donations and donated in-kind services from the studios, industry professionals and production houses - on the films made through the POWER UP Film Production Grant Program. POWER UP’s success has been tremendous. Each year a film made through the POWER UP Filmmaking Grant Production Program has been an official selection of the Sundance Film Festival: 2002 was Jamie Babbit's STUCK; 2003 was Angela Robinson's D.E.B.S; 2004 was Colette Burson's LITTLE BLACK BOOT, written by Cherien Dabis; and, 2005 was Jamie Donahue's BILLY'S DAD IS A FUDGEPACKER. Over 75 national and international awards have been garnered by the POWER UP films, which have played hundreds of festivals including Berlin International Film Festival, HBO’s USA Comedy Festival, Telluride Film Festival and the Oberhausen International Short Film Festival. POWER UP Filmmaking Grant director recipients Jessica Sharzer and Angela Robinson went on to be offered their first feature film directing position as a direct result of their POWER UP film. Both of those feature films premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. The success of the POWER UP Filmmaking Grant writer and director recipients is evident; to date six feature films have been completed, pilots have been sold, and writers have been staffed on TV shows. POWER UP’s members
are men and women, gay and straight, who share a singular purpose -
to promote diversity by supporting the mission. |
|
