Archive for October, 2009

SAGIndie wants to hear from you

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

Hey! We need your help!

In an effort to strengthen SAGIndie and provide you with quality information, we’re looking to gather feedback from any and all interactions you may have had with us. Be it at one of our monthly workshops, one of our fabulous festival events, or just over the phone — your opinion matters to us.

Have our workshops totally confused you? Did you enjoy the scones at our Sundance Filmmakers Brunch? Have we (appropriately) touched you in some way and inspired you to be a better producer? All feedback — positive or negative — is welcome! (although, keep in mind that a special treat may be awarded to the person who showers our National Director with the most compliments.)

So, go ahead and drop us an email at blogadmin@sagindie.org and let us hear it. Feel free to send your comments anonymously, but please include any pertinent info regarding your interaction(s) with us, such as “I was at your bowling party in NYC” or “I attended a contract workshop on November 30″ or “I called in on a Tuesday in March.” The more information we get, the better off we’ll be able to address your thoughts.

As always, thanks for your continued support. We look forward to hearing from you!

All the best,

Your friends at SAGIndie.

19th Annual Gotham Independent Film Award Nominations

Monday, October 19th, 2009

Check out the complete list of nominees for the upcoming Gotham Awards that take place on November 30th at Cipriani Wall Street in NYC. BIG FAN and THE HURT LOCKER lead the nominations.

Best Feature
Amreeka
Cherien Dabis, director; Christina Piovesan, Paul Barkin, producers (National Geographic Entertainment)
Big Fan
Robert Siegel, director; Jean Kouremetis, Elan Bogarin, producers (First Independent Pictures)
The Hurt Locker
Kathryn Bigelow, director; Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier, Greg Shapiro, producers (Summit Entertainment)
The Maid
Sebastian Silva, director; Gregorio Gonzales, producer (Elephant Eye Films)
A Serious Man
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, directors/producers (Focus Features)

Best Documentary
Food, Inc.
Robert Kenner, director; Robert Kenner, Elise Pearlstein, producers (Magnolia Pictures)
Good Hair
Jeff Stilson, director; Chris Rock, Kevin O’Donnell, Nelson George Jenny Hunter, producers (Liddell Entertainment and Roadside Attractions in association with HBO Films)
My Neighbor My Killer
Anne Aghion, director/producer (Gacaca Productions)
Paradise
Michael Almereyda, director; Michael Almereyda, Laurie Butler, producers (Post Factory Films)
Tyson
James Toback, director; James Toback, Damon Bingham, producers (Sony Pictures Classics)

Best Ensemble Performance
Adventureland
Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Martin Starr, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Ryan Reynolds (Miramax Films)
Cold Souls
Paul Giamatti, Dina Korzun, Emily Watson, Katheryn Winnick, David Strathairn (Samuel Goldwyn Films)
The Hurt Locker
Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Ralph Fiennes, Guy Pearce, David Morse, Evangeline Lilly (Summit Entertainment)
A Serious Man
Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Fred Melamed (Focus Features)
Sugar
Algenis Perez Soto, Rayniel Rufino, Michael Gaston, Andre Holland, Ann Whitney, Richard Bull, Ellary Porterfield, Jaime Tirelli (Sony Pictures Classics)

Breakthrough Director

Cruz Angeles for Don’t Let Me Drown
Frazer Bradshaw for Everything Strange and New
Noah Buschel for The Missing Person (Strand Releasing)
Derick Martini for Lymelife (Screen Media Films)
Robert Siegel for Big Fan (First Independent Pictures)

Breakthrough Actor
Ben Foster in The Messenger (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
Patton Oswalt in Big Fan (First Independent Pictures)
Jeremy Renner in The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment)
Catalina Saavedra in The Maid (Elephant Eye Films)
Soulemane Sy Savane in Goodbye Solo (Roadside Attractions)

Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You
Everything Strange and New
Frazer Bradshaw, director; Laura Techera Francia, A.D. Liano, producers
Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench
Damien Chazelle, director; Jasmine McGlade, producer
October Country
Michael Palmieri and Donal Mosher, directors/producers
You Won’t Miss Me
Ry Russo-Young, director/producer
Zero Bridge
Tariq Tapa, director; Tariq Tapa, Josee Lajoie, Hilal Ahmed Langoo, producers

SF2: SAG Foundation Short Film Showcase

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

Happy Friday!

Just wanted to let you know that the SAG Foundation in New York has launched SF2 (SAG Foundation Short Film). SF2 is a new showcase where filmmakers can screen their shorts and inspire SAG members to create their own projects produced under a SAG contract.

For more details click HERE or contact the Foundation’s NY Program Director, Franz Reynold at
freynold@sagfoundation.org.

Best wishes,

SAGIndie