FEBRUARY 2009 21
their voices, and their amazing talent.” fi lm festival strategy, presenting their
work, or seeking careers in the fi lm
In addition, six fellows and their industry.
fi lms were nominated for Spirit
Awards, including Courtney Hunt Tze Chun was a fellow with Film In-
for Frozen River, Lance Hammer dependent’s Project:Involve pro-
for Ballast, Ramin Baharani for gram, which seeks to increase
Chop Shop, producer Neil Kopp for diversity among the ranks in Hol-
Wendy and Lucy, Darius Marder for lywood. Chun has directed 12
Loot and Sean Baker for Take Out shorts and written nine feature
and Prince of Broadway. screenplays since graduating
from Columbia University in 2002.
Dabis was also adamant about Jeremy Kipp-Walker of Journey-
shooting on fi lm but in order to save man Films is producing his fea-
money, her producers were pres- ture, You`re A Big Girl Now, a
suring her to use HD. Through Film period fi lm set in Singapore.
Independent, Dabis received $10,000 Although he participated in
worth of Kodak fi lm.
Courtney Hunt
Project:Involve for only a few
months, Chun said he is still
“We wanted the style to be Altman- reaping the benefi ts.
esque, alive and natural,” she said.
“When we got the Kodak grant the pro- “Before I did the festival run
ducers said, ‘we can do this.’” with my short fi lm Window-
breaker, I didn’t really know
Fellow Courtney Hunt, whose criti- that many fi lmmakers, and
cally acclaimed fi lm Frozen River re- one of the most amazing things
ceived six Spirit Award nomination, about the last two years is being
credits Film Independent with devel- immersed in this community,” he
oping a key relationship. Her short said. “Film Independent is a big
fi lm was screened during the Los part of that.”
Angeles Film Festival in 2005 where
she was introduced to agents, such Welsh said watching these fi lmmak-
as the William Morris Agency’s Je- ers fi nd their voices and fi nish their
rome Duboz, and other industry projects is gratifying. Seeing them
insiders. Hunt was also in the Fast compete in top fi lm festivals, land
Track program at the LA Film Fes- nominations and awards is icing on
tival in 2006. the cake.
Two years later when she got a call “These fi lmmakers spend years devel-
from the William Morris Agency oping their craft and their projects,” he
because of Frozen River, it was said. “To see them recognized for their
Duboz who signed her. work is so exciting. Helping them make
their fi lms, and helping those fi lms fi nd
“It didn’t happen over night but their audiences, are the reasons the Tal-
you form the beginnings of a ent Development Department and Film
relationship and as long as you
tze Chun
Independent exist.”
keep producing work, you grow
them,” said Hunt.
Fellows receive a complimentary membership to Film Inde-
pendent, a pass to the Los Angeles Film Festival, and year
round institutional support. Film Independent’s programs
are designed to compliment each other by helping fi lmmak-
ers throughout each stage of development—whether they
are working on a new script, seeking fi nancing, devising a
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