Program Overview

In the second year of an exciting collaboration, the Tribeca Film Institute® (TFI) will lead an expanded two-day Talent Lab for Southeast Asian filmmakers on grant writing and project pitching at the 8th Luang Prabang Film Festival, which will take place 8-13 December 2017.

After sessions of instruction, practice, and a pitch forum with feedback given by various industry professionals, one project showing great promise will be selected by a jury to attend the TFI Network market, which will take place in New York City during the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival®. There, TFI will arrange meetings for the filmmaker with editors, distributors, and financiers. TFI will then mentor him or her through the completion of the project. The selected project will receive an airfare stipend of $1,500 to travel to New York City, and hotel accommodation for the length of the TFI Network. All participants in the Talent Lab will also receive preferential consideration for any of TFI\\\’s grants.

Additionally, Aurora Media Holdings, one of Southeast Asia\\\’s leading media and entertainment asset incubation, investment and management specialists will select one project to receive their Aurora Producing Award with a $10,000 cash investment to go towards the production of the completed film project. The award, which aims to discover and co-produce the best feature concepts and filmmakers, has now been a notable feature in some of the most influential project markets and film events in Asia over the past few years.

2017 Talent Lab Projects

The 10 selected projects, which are in various stages of production, come from six countries from the ASEAN region: Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand. The pool is equal parts documentary and narrative features, with five projects of both genres participating. Attendees taking part in the Talent Lab will include directors, writers, and producers behind the films.

The participating projects include

  • Autobiography (Indonesia), represented by Makbul Mubarak (director) and Yulia Evina Bhara (producer)
  • Bai Bibyaon, Lady Warrior of the Lumad (Philippines), represented by Cenón Obispo Palomares (director, writer)
  • Cat Island (Philippines), represented by Siege Ledesma (director, writer) and Ang Alemberg (producer)
  • Doi Boy (Thailand), represented by Nontawat Numbenchapol (director, writer)
  • Going Straight (Philippines), represented by Kristoffer Brugada (director)
  • It Wasn\’t an Accident (Myanmar), represented by Soe Moe Aung (director)
  • Luzviminda (Philippines), represented by Inshallah Montero (director)
  • Raising a Beast (Laos), represented by Xaisongkham Induangchanthy (director, writer) and Abigail Lazaro (producer)
  • Song of the Homeland (Thailand), represented by Preecha Srisuwan (director, cinematographer)
  • Wilderness (Malaysia), represented by Nadira Ilana (director, scriptwriter)
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Activities During the Talent Lab on 9-10 December 2017

1. Learning How to Pitch

Filmmakers complete an exercise to talk about their projects and begin to hone their pitches in a clear and engaging way. The session will be a practical, back-to-basics approach to clarify what the filmmakers\’ stories are about, and what they are looking to convey to help to keep their pitch focused.

2. Practicing the Pitch

Filmmakers volunteer to present their pitches to the group, and TFI will provide feedback on pitches and improvised meetings. TFI will help review questionnaires for the projects and comment if the pitch accomplished the story they are trying to tell. Other projects can weigh in for peer-to-peer review.

3. Group Lunch and Informal Meetings

TFI and other invited industry meet with filmmakers in an informal round-table setting, providing more opportunity to discuss the projects and pitches. After the pitch forum, attending industry professionals are welcome to schedule one-on-one meetings with filmmakers.

4. Public Discussion: FundingGrants Info Session

TFI will lead a short session on funds available to filmmakers, with dates and the processes to apply. TFI will speak to the \”do\’s and dont\’s\” on writing a grant application and tips on taking a funding meeting. TFI will present examples of successful applications, and give advice on improvements, with a Q&A discussion included. All participating filmmakers, including those with both documentary and scripted projects, will receive priority status for TFI grant programs in the future.

5. Pitch Forum

Each project will pitch in front of a group of invited influential media professionals, having refined their pitch with feedback from the workshop. Working alongside a jury of various industry professionals, TFI will form a panel to provide detailed notes on each pitch. The jury will choose one project to join the 2018 TFI Network market.

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