Michelle Byrd has been named associate national executive director of the Producers Guild of America. She’d previously been the PGA East’s managing director, and will remain based in New York. In her new role, the guild said, she’ll assist the PGA leadership’s “expansion, reach, vision and operations of the guild and its key programs.”
The guild said its current priorities include its ongoing efforts “to create standard protocols for productions during Covid-19; increasing diversity in membership through One Guild, as well as creating new programming and educational initiatives that serve this goal; the Producers Mark; green production initiatives; the annual PGA Awards; and the PGA Foundation’s Independent Production Safety Initiative.”
“It is a privilege,” Byrd said, “to work closely with the guild’s national leadership, presidents Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher, and national executive directors Susan Sprung and Vance Van Petten, to bring a fresh...
The guild said its current priorities include its ongoing efforts “to create standard protocols for productions during Covid-19; increasing diversity in membership through One Guild, as well as creating new programming and educational initiatives that serve this goal; the Producers Mark; green production initiatives; the annual PGA Awards; and the PGA Foundation’s Independent Production Safety Initiative.”
“It is a privilege,” Byrd said, “to work closely with the guild’s national leadership, presidents Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher, and national executive directors Susan Sprung and Vance Van Petten, to bring a fresh...
- 6/23/2020
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
Byrd previously served as managing director, PGA East.
Independent world veteran Michelle Byrd has been promoted to associate national executive director at the Producers Guild Of America (PGA).
Byrd previously served as managing director, PGA East and in her new post will work alongside national executive directors Susan Sprung and Vance Van Petten to lead the expansion, reach, vision and operations of the Guild and its key programmes.
Current priorities include the Guild’s efforts to create standard protocols for productions during the pandemic, increase diversity in membership through One Guild and create new programming and educational initiatives to serve...
Independent world veteran Michelle Byrd has been promoted to associate national executive director at the Producers Guild Of America (PGA).
Byrd previously served as managing director, PGA East and in her new post will work alongside national executive directors Susan Sprung and Vance Van Petten to lead the expansion, reach, vision and operations of the Guild and its key programmes.
Current priorities include the Guild’s efforts to create standard protocols for productions during the pandemic, increase diversity in membership through One Guild and create new programming and educational initiatives to serve...
- 6/23/2020
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
For all of its political awards speeches and left-leaning views, there is no denying Hollywood is a wasteful industry with an extremely high-impact on the environment. That’s something the Producers Guild of America is hoping to curtail, which is why they’ve partnered with 7 major studios to release what they’ve dubbed a Green Production Guide.
Read More: PGA Hires Michelle Byrd for Newly Created Managing Director, PGA East Position
Using research from Disney, Amblin, 20th Century Fox, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Sony, and Warner Bros., the new toolkit offers free resources to film and television professionals looking to lower their environmental impact. Tools include a carbon calculator which tracks use of high-impact purchases such as water and paper, a database of eco-friendly vendors, and a fast-track to obtaining a “Green Seal” of approval from the Environmental Media Association (Ema).
“The most effective way to advance sustainable production is to align best practices,...
Read More: PGA Hires Michelle Byrd for Newly Created Managing Director, PGA East Position
Using research from Disney, Amblin, 20th Century Fox, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Sony, and Warner Bros., the new toolkit offers free resources to film and television professionals looking to lower their environmental impact. Tools include a carbon calculator which tracks use of high-impact purchases such as water and paper, a database of eco-friendly vendors, and a fast-track to obtaining a “Green Seal” of approval from the Environmental Media Association (Ema).
“The most effective way to advance sustainable production is to align best practices,...
- 6/14/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Former Ifp executive director will operate from New York offices.
Michelle Byrd has been hired as managing director of PGA East and will oversee operations from the New York office.
The appointment follows an executive search by PGA East chairs William Horberg and Kay Rothman, with the support of presidents Gary Lucchesi and Lori McCreary, national executive director and COO Vance Van Petten, and associate national executive director and COO Susan Sprung.
Byrd will report to La-based Van Petten and Sprung.
She most recently ran her own consulting practice, providing services to Ghetto Film School, Green Beetz, and Museum Of The Moving Image, among others.
Prior to that, she served as co-president of Games For Change, and oversaw the Games For Change Festival, and served as an executive producer on Half The Sky Movement games.
She also served as executive director of Ifp and helped to establish programming and partnerships, including a collaboration...
Michelle Byrd has been hired as managing director of PGA East and will oversee operations from the New York office.
The appointment follows an executive search by PGA East chairs William Horberg and Kay Rothman, with the support of presidents Gary Lucchesi and Lori McCreary, national executive director and COO Vance Van Petten, and associate national executive director and COO Susan Sprung.
Byrd will report to La-based Van Petten and Sprung.
She most recently ran her own consulting practice, providing services to Ghetto Film School, Green Beetz, and Museum Of The Moving Image, among others.
Prior to that, she served as co-president of Games For Change, and oversaw the Games For Change Festival, and served as an executive producer on Half The Sky Movement games.
She also served as executive director of Ifp and helped to establish programming and partnerships, including a collaboration...
- 4/21/2017
- ScreenDaily
Michelle Byrd has been hired by the Producers Guild of America’s national board of directors to fill the newly created Managing Director of the PGA East position. The veteran executive will oversee the guild’s East Coast operations from the PGA’s… Continue Reading →...
- 4/21/2017
- by shadowandact
- ShadowAndAct
Michelle Byrd has been named to the newly created position of managing director, PGA East, the Producers Guild of America announced Friday. When she steps into the new post on May 8, she will oversee East Coast operations from the PGA’s New York office and will report to Vance Van Petten, national executive director and COO, and Susan Sprung, associate national executive director and COO.
Byrd previously served for 12 years, from 1997 to 2009, as executive director of Ifp, the Independent Filmmaker Project, where she relocated Ifp’s annual Gotham Awards to the start of awards season. From 2010 to...
Byrd previously served for 12 years, from 1997 to 2009, as executive director of Ifp, the Independent Filmmaker Project, where she relocated Ifp’s annual Gotham Awards to the start of awards season. From 2010 to...
- 4/21/2017
- by Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Producers Guild of America’s (PGA) National Board of Directors has announced today the hiring of Michelle Byrd as Managing Director, PGA East, a newly created position within the guild. Byrd was appointed after an extensive search led by PGA East Chairs William Horberg and Kay Rothman, and with the support of PGA Presidents Gary Lucchesi and Lori McCreary, PGA National Executive Director/COO Vance Van Petten, and PGA Associate National Executive Director/COO Susan Sprung.
She will oversee east coast operations from the PGA’s New York office.
Byrd’s experience in the industry is extensive. Prior to her new position at the PGA, she worked in the non-profit media organization space, and has been involved with orgs serving film, digital, and games. She served 12 years (1997-2009) as Executive Director of the Independent Filmmaker Project, during which she collaborated with the United Nations and re-positioned Ifp’s signature...
She will oversee east coast operations from the PGA’s New York office.
Byrd’s experience in the industry is extensive. Prior to her new position at the PGA, she worked in the non-profit media organization space, and has been involved with orgs serving film, digital, and games. She served 12 years (1997-2009) as Executive Director of the Independent Filmmaker Project, during which she collaborated with the United Nations and re-positioned Ifp’s signature...
- 4/21/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Michelle Byrd, the former longtime executive director at Independent Film Project, has been tapped by the PGA national board of directors to become managing director of PGA East. In the newly created position she will oversee East Coast operations from the producers guild’s New York office. She starts May 8. The hire comes after a search led by PGA East chairs William Horberg and Kay Rothman. She will report to PGA national executive director/COO Vance Van Petten, and PGA…...
- 4/21/2017
- Deadline TV
Michelle Byrd, the former longtime executive director at Independent Film Project, has been tapped by the PGA national board of directors to become managing director of PGA East. In the newly created position she will oversee East Coast operations from the producers guild’s New York office. She starts May 8. The hire comes after a search led by PGA East chairs William Horberg and Kay Rothman. She will report to PGA national executive director/COO Vance Van Petten, and PGA…...
- 4/21/2017
- Deadline
After starring in director Hal Hartley's hits such as The Unbelievable Truth and Trust in the early '90s, Adrienne Shelly became known as the original indie queen and gained a huge fan following. Driven to do even more in the film world, she began writing her own screenplays and directing her own movies, including Waitress, which became a hit 2007 movie and is now a smash musical on Broadway - nominated for four Tony Awards. Even though Shelly was happily married to marketing company owner Andy Ostroy, 56, and had a daughter she adored, Sophie, now 12, the film and the...
- 5/7/2016
- by K.C. Baker, @kcbaker77777
- PEOPLE.com
After starring in director Hal Hartley's hits such as The Unbelievable Truth and Trust in the early '90s, Adrienne Shelly became known as the original indie queen and gained a huge fan following. Driven to do even more in the film world, she began writing her own screenplays and directing her own movies, including Waitress, which became a hit 2007 movie and is now a smash musical on Broadway - nominated for four Tony Awards. Even though Shelly was happily married to marketing company owner Andy Ostroy, 56, and had a daughter she adored, Sophie, now 12, the film and the...
- 5/7/2016
- by K.C. Baker, @kcbaker77777
- PEOPLE.com
Six interactive non-fiction transmedia projects awarded a total of $400,000.
The Tribeca Film Institute (Tfi) has announced the grant recipients for the 2013 Tfi New Media Fund.
In partnership with the Ford Foundation’s JustFilms Initiative, the six interactive non-fiction transmedia projects from around the world were awarded between $50,000 and $100,000 apiece with funding effective immediately. Total funding equalled $400,000.
The recipients will also take part in regular peer-to-peer meetings and a lab focused on interactive storytelling to help them develop their projects and build engagement with audiences.
Selected from a pool of 285 submissions, the projects selected are as follows:
Chasing the Sun
Key participants: Paul Shoebridge, Michael Simons (The Goggles)
The Yes Men are Revolting
Key participants: Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno, Laura Nix, Mary Notari, The Public Society, Glocal
Who is Dayani Cristal?
Key participants: Gael Garcia Bernal, Marc Silver, Lina Srivastava
This is My Backyard (Logs of War)
Key participants: Anjali Nayar, Jude Mwenda...
The Tribeca Film Institute (Tfi) has announced the grant recipients for the 2013 Tfi New Media Fund.
In partnership with the Ford Foundation’s JustFilms Initiative, the six interactive non-fiction transmedia projects from around the world were awarded between $50,000 and $100,000 apiece with funding effective immediately. Total funding equalled $400,000.
The recipients will also take part in regular peer-to-peer meetings and a lab focused on interactive storytelling to help them develop their projects and build engagement with audiences.
Selected from a pool of 285 submissions, the projects selected are as follows:
Chasing the Sun
Key participants: Paul Shoebridge, Michael Simons (The Goggles)
The Yes Men are Revolting
Key participants: Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno, Laura Nix, Mary Notari, The Public Society, Glocal
Who is Dayani Cristal?
Key participants: Gael Garcia Bernal, Marc Silver, Lina Srivastava
This is My Backyard (Logs of War)
Key participants: Anjali Nayar, Jude Mwenda...
- 6/27/2013
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
Tuesday night Facebook hosted a panel discussion about social issue-oriented transmedia at their office in midtown Manhattan. The event was co-sponsored by the Tides Foundation, a San Francisco nonprofit that funds philanthropic ventures, and featured Beth Janson, executive director of the Tribeca Film Institute and representing its All Access program, Didi Bethurum of the social action campaign 10×10 and the documentary Girl Rising, Michelle Byrd of Games for Change, and Libby Leffler, Facebook’s Strategic Partner Manager who interfaces with nonprofits, charities, and philanthropic causes. A lot of the work discussed by the panel comes in the wake of the Half …...
- 3/22/2013
- by Randy Astle
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
What a difference a year makes. Last year at Tiff I attended the reception for the launch of the Hollywood Suite Broadcasting by Catherine Tait, Jeff Sackman, Jay Switzer, Michael McLaughlin and David Kines. Hollywood Suite is four Canadian wide new HD channels featuring commercial free HD movies 24/7, uncut and unedited. Both Warner Bros. and MGM launched last year. One year later they are announcing that Sony Movie Channel and Axn Movies are also moving into residence on the channels (replacing Hollywood Storm and Hollywood Festival.) 450 different movies are available every month on TV on demand, online and on mobile for one low monthly fee. The cost of $4.99 per month stands in stark contrast to HBO and Showtime costs of $18 per month.
Catherine is widely known on the international circuit. She was responsible for getting the New York Independent Feature Project up to the level that it has maintained throughout the tenure of Michelle Byrd and currently by Joane Vicente, who is taking it upwards once again to new heights.
Catherine's career in the film and television business spans two decades and includes leadership in the American independent film industry as well as in film and television financing and public company management. She is President of Duopoly, an independent production company that also provides business strategy services to the film and television industry. At Duopoly, she has executive produced a number of television programs including Pure Pwnage (a comedy based on Internet phenomenon www.purepwnage.com for Showcase), Chilly Beach (65 episodes of comedy animation for CBC), Yam Roll (39 episodes for CBC and Cartoon Network), as well as Lucky, a Sundance documentary which sold to HBO. Prior to founding Duopoly, Catherine was President and Chief Operating Officer of Salter Street Films, a publicly-traded television production & distribution company which produced hit programming such as This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Michael Moore's Bowling For Columbine. Catherine serves on the Boards of March Entertainment and Paperny Films; she is a past Director of eOne Entertainment's Canadian Board, of Aliant, of Chum Ltd, and was Chair of the Independent Feature Project in New York.
Catherine is also the founder of iThenic, an online and mobile video destination site, launched in 2006, that aggregates, produces and distributes web series and short-form video content. The company is headquartered in Toronto with offices in New York City and backed by three engaged and prominent shareholders: eOne Entertainment, Canada's largest entertainment company, the founders of iThentic LLC (led by Catherine Tait), and Smiley Guy Studios, an award winning animation and new media studio. Smiley Guy Studios is the operating partner with Jonas Diamond as CEO and Catherine Tait as Chair of the company.
iThentic strives to unite communities that include the creators, curators and viewers. The management team has a depth of experience in global production, distribution and marketing and is connected to a powerful international network of writers, directors, producers, animators and artists. This ensures that iThentic showcases the very best new work. iThentic's creative network is rooted in the independent film and television industry and has generated some of the most groundbreaking entertainment of the last two decades.
This year, iThentic launched its highly successful interactive web-series Guidestones on Hulu. Guidestones won a 2012 Rockie Award for Best Web Fiction Series and is now in production on season two. In addition, Catherine represented the Canadian comedy hit Roller Town (Slamdance 2012) written by and starring Picnicface's Mark Little, Scott Vrooman and Andy Bush and directed by Andy Bush. Roller Town has been sold to VOD leader Gravitas Ventures and is available now.
...
Catherine is widely known on the international circuit. She was responsible for getting the New York Independent Feature Project up to the level that it has maintained throughout the tenure of Michelle Byrd and currently by Joane Vicente, who is taking it upwards once again to new heights.
Catherine's career in the film and television business spans two decades and includes leadership in the American independent film industry as well as in film and television financing and public company management. She is President of Duopoly, an independent production company that also provides business strategy services to the film and television industry. At Duopoly, she has executive produced a number of television programs including Pure Pwnage (a comedy based on Internet phenomenon www.purepwnage.com for Showcase), Chilly Beach (65 episodes of comedy animation for CBC), Yam Roll (39 episodes for CBC and Cartoon Network), as well as Lucky, a Sundance documentary which sold to HBO. Prior to founding Duopoly, Catherine was President and Chief Operating Officer of Salter Street Films, a publicly-traded television production & distribution company which produced hit programming such as This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Michael Moore's Bowling For Columbine. Catherine serves on the Boards of March Entertainment and Paperny Films; she is a past Director of eOne Entertainment's Canadian Board, of Aliant, of Chum Ltd, and was Chair of the Independent Feature Project in New York.
Catherine is also the founder of iThenic, an online and mobile video destination site, launched in 2006, that aggregates, produces and distributes web series and short-form video content. The company is headquartered in Toronto with offices in New York City and backed by three engaged and prominent shareholders: eOne Entertainment, Canada's largest entertainment company, the founders of iThentic LLC (led by Catherine Tait), and Smiley Guy Studios, an award winning animation and new media studio. Smiley Guy Studios is the operating partner with Jonas Diamond as CEO and Catherine Tait as Chair of the company.
iThentic strives to unite communities that include the creators, curators and viewers. The management team has a depth of experience in global production, distribution and marketing and is connected to a powerful international network of writers, directors, producers, animators and artists. This ensures that iThentic showcases the very best new work. iThentic's creative network is rooted in the independent film and television industry and has generated some of the most groundbreaking entertainment of the last two decades.
This year, iThentic launched its highly successful interactive web-series Guidestones on Hulu. Guidestones won a 2012 Rockie Award for Best Web Fiction Series and is now in production on season two. In addition, Catherine represented the Canadian comedy hit Roller Town (Slamdance 2012) written by and starring Picnicface's Mark Little, Scott Vrooman and Andy Bush and directed by Andy Bush. Roller Town has been sold to VOD leader Gravitas Ventures and is available now.
...
- 9/7/2012
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Here’s news I’m just coming across — former Ifp Executive Director Michelle Byrd has joined the non-profit Games for Change as Co-President. Congratulations to Michelle, and I look forward to following the organization’s next endeavors. From the press release: For Immediate Release – New York, NY (July 12, 2010) – The Board of Directors of Games for Change announced today the appointment of Asi Burak and Michelle Byrd as Co-Presidents of Games for Change, the leading global advocate for making and supporting digital social impact games. Mr. Burak and Ms. Byrd will work together on the strategic vision of the organization and will jointly oversee all programmatic initiatives. Mr. Burak will take the lead on curation,...
- 7/18/2010
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
I am reprinting below a letter I received from Joana Vicente, Acting Director of the IFP, which publishes this magazine. Please consider joining the IFP and taking part in its activities over the coming year. It has been a time of many changes in the independent film scene; both scary and exciting. Through it all, independent filmmakers of all stripes keep pushing forward, making great work that moves, inspires, and amuses countless people around the world. It has been a year of changes at Ifp as well. After 12 years at Ifp's helm, Executive Director, Michelle Byrd, stepped down to pursue other ventures, and I happily stepped in, after four and half years as a Board member, as the Interim Executive Director. As I reflect on this past...
- 12/23/2009
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
By IndieWire
Longtime independent film producer Joana Vicente, a member of the executive search committee for a new head of the Independent Film Project, has been named interim head of the organization.
She will join Ifp next week to work on the transition with Michelle Byrd and will lead the New York-based independent film organization until a permanent replacement can be found.
Read more at IndieWire.
Longtime independent film producer Joana Vicente, a member of the executive search committee for a new head of the Independent Film Project, has been named interim head of the organization.
She will join Ifp next week to work on the transition with Michelle Byrd and will lead the New York-based independent film organization until a permanent replacement can be found.
Read more at IndieWire.
- 11/24/2009
- by Lisa Horowitz
- The Wrap
As the search for a new Ifp executive director continues, indie film producer Joana Vicente (who with her husband Jason Kliot have made independent movies with their labels, Open City Films, Blow Up Pictures and HDNet Films) has been named the interim head of the non-profit organization according to a release sent out today. Vicente, who is a member of the committee looking for a new head of the Ifp, will join Ifp next week to work on the transition with Michelle Byrd, who has lead the organization for the last 12 years and announced her departure back in June. The Ifp is the publisher of Filmmaker Magazine.
- 11/24/2009
- by Jason Guerrasio
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Longtime independent film producer Joana Vicente, a member of the executive search committee for a new head of the Ifp, has been named the interim head of the organization. She will join Ifp next week to work on the transition with Michelle Byrd and will lead the New York based independent film organization until a permanent replacement can be found. The move to appoint an interim leader - rather than a …...
- 11/24/2009
- Indiewire
On Monday, October 19, the Independent Filmmaker Project has announced the nominees for the 19th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards, unraveling the dominance of "The Hurt Locker" and "Big Fan". Both feature films received the most nominations with three gongs each, and will battle it out in two categories, Best Feature and Breakthrough Actor.
In the Best Feature category, the two are up against Cherien Dabis' "Amreeka", Sebastian Silva's "The Maid" and the Coen brothers' "A Serious Man". As for the actor title, "Hurt Locker" enlisted Jeremy Renner and "Big Fan" put Patton Oswalt in competition with Ben Foster, Catalina Saavedra and Soulemane Sy Savane.
The third nod "Hurt Locker" collected is for Best Ensemble Performance, placing it to compete against "Adventureland" and "Cold Souls" among other movies. Meanwhile, "Big Fan" lands its third nomination for its director Robert Siegel. In the particular category, Siegel is listed against Cruz Angeles,...
In the Best Feature category, the two are up against Cherien Dabis' "Amreeka", Sebastian Silva's "The Maid" and the Coen brothers' "A Serious Man". As for the actor title, "Hurt Locker" enlisted Jeremy Renner and "Big Fan" put Patton Oswalt in competition with Ben Foster, Catalina Saavedra and Soulemane Sy Savane.
The third nod "Hurt Locker" collected is for Best Ensemble Performance, placing it to compete against "Adventureland" and "Cold Souls" among other movies. Meanwhile, "Big Fan" lands its third nomination for its director Robert Siegel. In the particular category, Siegel is listed against Cruz Angeles,...
- 10/20/2009
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Gotham Independent Film Awards to Announce Nominees Monday The Independent Filmmaker Project (Ifp) has announced that “At the Movies” and New York Times film critic A.O. Scott will announce the nominees for the 19th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards on Monday. In a prepared statement, Michelle Byrd, executive director of Ifp, said “A.O. Scott is one of the savviest film critics on the planet, and there’s no one we’d rather have …...
- 10/15/2009
- Indiewire
Last week, America's indie film community took a long, hard look at its precarious state.
After industry pros flew back home from the Toronto International Film Festival -- heads throbbing from too many drinks, not enough sleep and the lackluster marketplace, where few films were bought and sold -- many headed straight to the Ifp's annual Independent Film Week and Conference, a 31-year-old event where people like Jim Jarmusch, the Coen brothers, Michael Moore, Whit Stillman, Todd Haynes and Todd Solondz first stepped through the industry's door. Capping off the run of whining and redefining was an "Indie Film Summit," a meeting of some 60 significant distributors, producers and other insiders at the Museum of Modern Art, all looking for answers in these tumultuous times, when economic and technological changes have irrevocably shattered the conventional models of making and distributing movies.
For first-time filmmakers entering the business during this moment of upheaval,...
After industry pros flew back home from the Toronto International Film Festival -- heads throbbing from too many drinks, not enough sleep and the lackluster marketplace, where few films were bought and sold -- many headed straight to the Ifp's annual Independent Film Week and Conference, a 31-year-old event where people like Jim Jarmusch, the Coen brothers, Michael Moore, Whit Stillman, Todd Haynes and Todd Solondz first stepped through the industry's door. Capping off the run of whining and redefining was an "Indie Film Summit," a meeting of some 60 significant distributors, producers and other insiders at the Museum of Modern Art, all looking for answers in these tumultuous times, when economic and technological changes have irrevocably shattered the conventional models of making and distributing movies.
For first-time filmmakers entering the business during this moment of upheaval,...
- 10/5/2009
- by Anthony Kaufman
- ifc.com
The Independent Filmmaker Project (Ifp) are making me happy today announcing today that director Kathryn Bigelow, actors Natalie Portman and Stanley Tucci, and producers Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, will each be presented with a career Tribute at the 19th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards on Monday November 30th in New York. Earlier today I made note in my latest Oscar predictions I was feeling Stanley Tucci was something of a hot property following his fantastic performance in Julie and Julia and my anticipation for his upcoming role in Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones and this just adds fuel to the fire. Michelle Byrd, executive director of Ifp released comments on each honoree with the following notes. Natalie Portman From a young age it has always been obvious that Natalie was a unique talent... Her maturity was evident from the beginning, both in the roles she chose and the quality of her performances.
- 9/24/2009
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Telefilm Canada will screen the latest edition of its Perspective Canada Showreel, and the U.K. Film Council will present its New Cinema Fund Showcase on Sept. 22 and Sept. 23, respectively, as part of Ifp's 31st annual Independent Film Week, running Sept. 19-24 in New York.
Both screenings are by invitation only and restricted to registered industry attending the Ifp event.
"Ifp is pleased to provide a platform in the U.S. for two of our longest-standing international partners to present excerpts from soon-to-be-completed work to buyers and festival programmers attending Ifp's Independent Film Week," said Michelle Byrd, Ifp executive director.
Both Telefilm Canada and the U.K. Film Council's New Cinema Fund are partners on Ifp's annual No Borders International Co-Production Market, which is held during Independent Film Week.
Both screenings are by invitation only and restricted to registered industry attending the Ifp event.
"Ifp is pleased to provide a platform in the U.S. for two of our longest-standing international partners to present excerpts from soon-to-be-completed work to buyers and festival programmers attending Ifp's Independent Film Week," said Michelle Byrd, Ifp executive director.
Both Telefilm Canada and the U.K. Film Council's New Cinema Fund are partners on Ifp's annual No Borders International Co-Production Market, which is held during Independent Film Week.
Cologne, Germany -- The credit crisis could have a sliver lining for European producers as cash-strapped U.S. filmmakers are forced to turn to the international marketplace to finance their projects.
Speaking at the opening panel of the International Film Conference in Cologne on Monday, indie film veteran including Bleiberg Entertainment CEO Ehud Bleiberg, Ifp executive director Michelle Byrd and Oscar-winning producer Peter Herrmann ("Nowhere in Africa") agreed that, in the indie film world, the center of gravity might be shifting towards Europe.
"The traditional way of financing independent films in the U.S. isn't working anymore," said Bleiberg, suggesting that U.S. independents need to embrace international co-production if they hope both to get their films made, and have a chance of recouping their investment.
"With tax and other incentives in the U.S. you can maybe cover 30% of your risk, but you still have to recoup 70%," Bleiberg said.
Speaking at the opening panel of the International Film Conference in Cologne on Monday, indie film veteran including Bleiberg Entertainment CEO Ehud Bleiberg, Ifp executive director Michelle Byrd and Oscar-winning producer Peter Herrmann ("Nowhere in Africa") agreed that, in the indie film world, the center of gravity might be shifting towards Europe.
"The traditional way of financing independent films in the U.S. isn't working anymore," said Bleiberg, suggesting that U.S. independents need to embrace international co-production if they hope both to get their films made, and have a chance of recouping their investment.
"With tax and other incentives in the U.S. you can maybe cover 30% of your risk, but you still have to recoup 70%," Bleiberg said.
- 6/22/2009
- by By Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Ifp has announced today that executive director Michelle Byrd will be stepping down when her contract expires on Dec. 31. Byrd has been with the organization since 1992 when she was in charge of a number of membership and programming responsibilities before being promoted to deputy director in February 1996 and then executive director in April 1997. The Ifp is the publisher of Filmmaker Magazine. From the release: In her role as Executive Director she has overseen the strategic direction and growth of all of Ifp’s activities, including: - re-positioning the founding program (now called Independent Film Week™) and its shift away from completed work into a multi-day Project Forum for work still in development; - ...
- 6/5/2009
- by Jason Guerrasio
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Michelle Byrd is stepping down as executive director of the New York-based Independent Feature Project after 12 years in the post.
The IFP's board of directors announced Friday that she will leave at the end of the year when her contract with the organization that supports independent filmmakers expires.
Byrd first joined IFP in 1992 to handle membership and programming. She was promoted to deputy director in 1996 and then exec director in 1997. In that role, she oversaw the strategic direction and growth of all of IFP's activities.
"I informed the board of my decision to depart last November so that I could openly have meetings about my next professional journey and spend a solid year working with the board and staff to ensure a positive and smooth transition," Byrd said.
"This is a community organization about which I care deeply and all of us are working collaboratively to ensure that...
The IFP's board of directors announced Friday that she will leave at the end of the year when her contract with the organization that supports independent filmmakers expires.
Byrd first joined IFP in 1992 to handle membership and programming. She was promoted to deputy director in 1996 and then exec director in 1997. In that role, she oversaw the strategic direction and growth of all of IFP's activities.
"I informed the board of my decision to depart last November so that I could openly have meetings about my next professional journey and spend a solid year working with the board and staff to ensure a positive and smooth transition," Byrd said.
"This is a community organization about which I care deeply and all of us are working collaboratively to ensure that...
- 6/5/2009
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Trevor Groth continues as CineVegas as Artistic Director and Mike Plante has been named Director of Programming. After Groth's recent appointment as Sundance's Director of Programming there had been a question about his continuing involvement with CineVegas.
Michelle Byrd is leaving the top post of he Independent Feature Project at the end of the year. A successor is being sought through Time Warner’s Worldwide Recruitment & Executive Search.
Rose Einstein and 10 others have been let go from Hollywood Reporter.
Stephen Gilula and Nancy Utley’s have been named Presidents of Fox Searchlight following the departure last March of Peter Rice. Gilula and Utley, who served as COOs since 2006, have signed new multi-year deals and report directly to Fox Filmed Entertainment chairmen Tom Rothman and Jim Gianopulos.
William Morris Independent’s heads Cassian Elwes and Rena Ronson have left the merged William Morris Endeavor (Wme) Entertainment. Endeavor Independent head Graham Taylor...
Michelle Byrd is leaving the top post of he Independent Feature Project at the end of the year. A successor is being sought through Time Warner’s Worldwide Recruitment & Executive Search.
Rose Einstein and 10 others have been let go from Hollywood Reporter.
Stephen Gilula and Nancy Utley’s have been named Presidents of Fox Searchlight following the departure last March of Peter Rice. Gilula and Utley, who served as COOs since 2006, have signed new multi-year deals and report directly to Fox Filmed Entertainment chairmen Tom Rothman and Jim Gianopulos.
William Morris Independent’s heads Cassian Elwes and Rena Ronson have left the merged William Morris Endeavor (Wme) Entertainment. Endeavor Independent head Graham Taylor...
- 5/28/2009
- by Sydney@SydneysBuzz.com (Sydney)
- Sydney's Buzz
The Independent Filmmaker Project, which publishes this magazine, welcomed Oscilloscope founder Adam Yauch (also a member of the Beastie Boys) to its board of directors last night with a cocktail reception hosted by Deluxe Laboratories here in New York. The new Deluxe facility is stunning and the reception, which also marked the DVD release of Kelly Reichardt's Wendy and Lucy, was followed by a screening of the film. Attendees included quite a few directors, including Oren Moverman, Todd Rohal, Ryan Fleck & Anna Boden, Ira Sachs, Jenny Livingston, as well as Yauch, the Ifp's Michelle Byrd, and Wendy and Lucy producer Anish Savjani. (Yauch, Byrd and Savjani are pictured below right.) The event also offered me my first glimpse of...
- 5/6/2009
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
New York-based Ifp will relaunch its Script to Screen filmmaking conference after a five-year sabbatical on March 7.
The two-day event will open with a conversation between Focus CEO James Schamus and Filmmaker Magazine editor Scott Macaulay.
The conference, hosted by the New York Film Academy, will close with a conversation with Lee Daniels, director of the Sundance prize winner "Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire."
"The landscape for writers has changed so dramatically since the program last took place," Ifp executive director Michelle Byrd said. "There's a real appetite from a new generation of content creators looking to connect and learn how others in the New York community are finding their niche."...
The two-day event will open with a conversation between Focus CEO James Schamus and Filmmaker Magazine editor Scott Macaulay.
The conference, hosted by the New York Film Academy, will close with a conversation with Lee Daniels, director of the Sundance prize winner "Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire."
"The landscape for writers has changed so dramatically since the program last took place," Ifp executive director Michelle Byrd said. "There's a real appetite from a new generation of content creators looking to connect and learn how others in the New York community are finding their niche."...
- 2/17/2009
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- Marcia Gay Harden, Sandra Oh, Quentin Tarantino, Jason Reitman and Alan Alda topline the list of the 24 jurors selected to award prizes at this month's Sundance Film Festival.
The six juries overseeing competition categories also feature well-known names from the indie film world, including Melonie Diaz, Mary Harron, Diego Luna, Michelle Byrd and Eugene Jarecki.
Harden, Luna and Oh will join directors Harron ("American Psycho") and Tarantino to choose the dramatic competition grand jury prize.
IFP executive director Byrd will join directors Heidi Ewing ("Jesus Camp"), Jarecki ("Why We Fight") Steven Okazaki ("Rehab") and Annie Sundberg ("The Devil Came on Horseback") in selecting the documentary competition grand jury prize.
Indie directors Shunji Iwai of Japan, Lucrecia Martel of Argentina and Jan Schuette of Germany will jury the world dramatic competition. Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival executive director Ilda Santiago, European Documentary Network director Leena Pasanen and "My Kid Could Paint That" helmer Amir Bar-Lev will select the world documentary competition winner.
The six juries overseeing competition categories also feature well-known names from the indie film world, including Melonie Diaz, Mary Harron, Diego Luna, Michelle Byrd and Eugene Jarecki.
Harden, Luna and Oh will join directors Harron ("American Psycho") and Tarantino to choose the dramatic competition grand jury prize.
IFP executive director Byrd will join directors Heidi Ewing ("Jesus Camp"), Jarecki ("Why We Fight") Steven Okazaki ("Rehab") and Annie Sundberg ("The Devil Came on Horseback") in selecting the documentary competition grand jury prize.
Indie directors Shunji Iwai of Japan, Lucrecia Martel of Argentina and Jan Schuette of Germany will jury the world dramatic competition. Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival executive director Ilda Santiago, European Documentary Network director Leena Pasanen and "My Kid Could Paint That" helmer Amir Bar-Lev will select the world documentary competition winner.
PARK CITY -- It's a new day for the independents at the MPAA. Marking the first visit of an MPAA president to the Sundance Film Festival, indie movie buff Dan Glickman made the rounds during the weekend in Park City, attending panels, screenings and meetings with the heads of the studio specialty films subsidiaries. "It's an important part of my job to reach out to all parts of the film industry," he said. "Sundance is an intellectual ferment for new filmmakers where a lot of independent business is done. It's a good opportunity to show the flag and listen to their concerns." While in Park City, Glickman met with Focus Features co-president David Linde, Warner Independent Pictures president Mark Gill, Sony Pictures Classics co-presidents Michael Barker and Tom Bernard, Paramount specialty division president John Lesher, Picturehouse president Bob Berney, Strand Releasing president Marcus Hu, producer Ted Hope, IFP director Michelle Byrd and FIND director Dawn Hudson, among others.
- 1/23/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IFP will honor director Jim Jarmusch with a special tribute recognizing his body of work at the 15th annual Gotham Awards, set for Nov. 30 in New York. "We have wanted to celebrate Jim Jarmusch's impressive work for quite some time as part of the Gotham Awards," IFP executive director Michelle Byrd said Thursday. Jarmusch's career ranges from his 1980 directorial debut, Permanent Vacation, to his latest film, Broken Flowers, which Focus Features released in August.
- 11/10/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The final chapter of the divorce between the New York-based Independent Feature Project (IFP) and Los Angeles' Film Independent (FIND) was completed with Thursday's announcement by IFP board chairman Ira Deutschman that IFP is now the sole publisher of Filmmaker Magazine. The quarterly, which covers the independent filmmaking community, has also named a new publisher, Jay Milla, who replaces outgoing Filmmaker veteran Stephen Gallagher, who is pursuing his graduate education. This final dissolution, including the removal of FIND from IFP's Web site, brings into focus the reasons the two groups parted ways this year. Despite their many differences, IFP executive director Michelle Byrd and FIND executive director Dawn Hudson said that they both preferred to have one organization running Filmmaker and ifp.org. And both cited their admiration for longtime editor-in-chief Scott Macaulay, who will continue in his position. He has always run the magazine, which boasts a national circulation of 27,000 evenly divided between the West and East Coast, as an independent entity free from editorial interference.
- 10/13/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The 27th annual IFP Film Market, which kicks off Sunday in New York, will feature 199 projects -- primarily documentary and shorts -- selected from 1,407 submitted. Executive director Michelle Byrd said that the event's organizers expect an increase in attendees for the event, which runs through Thursday, since "In making the transition from a principally screenings-driven forum four years ago to a principally meetings-driven forum today, we've seen a surge in industry attendance. With more than 600 (companies and members of) the industry already registered, 30% of those will also take part in the more than 1,500 buyer-driven meetings facilitated by IFP throughout the week. That's 68% more meetings scheduled than in 2004."...
- 9/15/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Matt Dillon has been tapped to receive a Gotham Award at the 15th annual ceremony Nov. 30. Marking a change in format from previous years, the Crash star will be the only individual to be feted for a body of work during the show, IFP said Friday. "We've all watched Matt grow up on camera, but I don't know how many of us have really stopped and taken a long look at the tremendously accomplished body of work that he continues to build," IFP executive director Michelle Byrd said. "That's what we hope to recognize and celebrate at this year's Gotham Awards by anchoring the show around a sole tribute, instead of four, as we've had in years past."...
NEW YORK -- A high-profile sampling of independent producers is scheduled to testify today in federal court in New York in support of a request for a preliminary restraining order that would lift the MPAA screener ban. According to preliminary lists of proposed witnesses that have been exchanged between the attorneys representing both sides in the case, among those witnesses scheduled to appear in support of the plaintiff's case are This Is That's Ted Hope, Antidote International Films' Jeff Levy-Hinte, IFP/New York executive director Michelle Byrd and IFP/Los Angeles executive director Dawn Hudson. MPAA head Jack Valenti is scheduled to testify for the defendants, according to the documents. It remains unclear whether specialty film honchos from Miramax Films' Harvey Weinstein to Sony Pictures Classics' Tom Bernard will show up at the U.S. District Court in Manhattan in response to subpoenas that were served earlier this week.
- 12/3/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
MPAA head Jack Valenti met Thursday at the Peninsula hotel in Beverly Hills with a series of groups seeking a further modification of the MPAA's new screener policy, which currently allows the major studios to send watermarked videocassettes only to members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Although representatives from the groups -- which included the IFP, the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. and the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. -- all described their respective meetings as cordial, studio sources suggested that the existing policy is not likely to change. IFP/Los Angeles exec director Dawn Hudson and IFP/NY exec director Michelle Byrd headed the indie delegation, which also included director Bill Condon and producer Ron Yerxa, and asked for a complete rollback of the screener ban. "We spoke about how important it is to level the playing field so that all work can be considered and recognized during awards season -- and screeners have been the great equalizer," they said in a statement after the meeting.
- 11/7/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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