NYC Mayor's Office of Media & Entertainment Launches Fellowship Program to Support Diversity among Storytellers

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Made in NY Media Center by IFP, in Partnership with NYC Mayor's Office of Media & Entertainment and NYCEDC, Launches Fellowship Program to Support Diversity among Storytellers and Entrepreneurs

Fellows Will Have Access to Incubator Space, Mentoring Opportunities, and Networking Events to Foster a Collaborative Environment in Which to Create Media Projects

August 10, 2015 - Media and Entertainment Commissioner Cynthia López, the Made in NY Media Center by IFP, and NYCEDC have announced the creation of ten Made in NY Fellowships, a year-long program that will provide expanded resources and opportunities for New Yorkers to bring their media projects to the next level. The Made in NY Fellowship Program seeks to foster a diverse media industry, recognizing that different experiences, perspectives, and cultures are critical to advancements in innovation and creativity. Ten Fellowships will be available to those working on projects in documentary filmmaking, narrative filmmaking, gaming, post-production, animation, virtual reality, and media/technology.

“Through these Made in NY Fellowships, we will help further strengthen the City’s thriving media and entertainment industry by supporting creative New Yorkers of all backgrounds to share their unique perspectives and tell their stories,” said Commissioner Cynthia López, Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. “Fellows will gain access to the resources they need to generate new ideas and elevate their innovative projects while collaborating with their peers in the creative environment that exists at the Made in NY Media Center by IFP.”

“The strength of the Media Center is based on original and diverse ways of thinking,” said Joana Vicente, Executive Director of IFP and the Made in NY Media Center by IFP. “Since we opened our doors in 2013, we’ve aimed to bring together creative professionals and entrepreneurs from different backgrounds to express new ideas and develop innovative ways of storytelling. We are proud to be honoring that commitment as we expand our partnership with the Mayor’s Office.”

“The Made in NY Media Center by IFP already provides dozens of innovators with the space, equipment, and knowledge they need to grow their businesses,” said NYCEDC President Maria Torres-Springer. “Our City’s economic success has always been fueled by the diversity of its people and businesses, and this Fellowship will build upon the incubator’s success, providing a group of talented artists from a variety of backgrounds with the opportunities and tools to take their projects to the next level and to earn jobs in creative fields right here in New York City.”

Recipients of the Made in NY Fellowship will receive 12 months of incubator membership at the Made in NY Media Center by IFP. Located in DUMBO, Brooklyn, the Media Center is a co-working space and exhibition venue designed to connect the next generation of artists, innovators, and entrepreneurs through education, events, and industry resources. It was developed through a partnership between Independent Filmmaker Project, the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation.

As part of the program, fellows will also be mentored by industry leaders and knowledgeable Made in NY media Center and IFP staff, participate in classes, and have the opportunity to attend a variety of networking and industry events. They will also be provided with space at the Media Center where they can cultivate their work in a collaborative environment. Individual entrepreneurs as well as both for-profit and non-profit companies will be eligible to apply, including registered businesses.

To apply for a Made in NY Fellowship, visit nymediacenter.com. Applications are due by 11:59pm Eastern time on September 30. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to present in front of a review panel made up of Made in NY Media Center and IFP Staff and industry leaders, including JoanaVicente; Sabrina Dridje, Director of the Made in NY Media Center by IFP; Shana Dressler, Program Director of 30 Weeks and Founder of the Social Innovators Collective; and Barin Nahvi Rovzar, Executive Director of R&D and Strategy at Hearst Corporation.

The ten Fellowships will be named in October in conjunction with the second anniversary of the Made in NY Media Center by IFP. The fellowships will start November 2.

About the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment
The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment serves as the one-stop shop for the entertainment industry, promoting the City of New York as a thriving center of creativity, issuing permits for productions filming on public property, and facilitating production throughout the five boroughs. Today, the City hosts record levels of episodic television series as well as hundreds of films each year. Last year, more than 240 films shot in New York City, and during the 2014-2015 season, 46 episodic series were produced in the City. The City’s production industry employs 130,000 New Yorkers and contributes billions of dollars to the local economy.

About the Made in NY Media Center by IFP
The Made in NY Media Center by IFP was developed through a unique partnership between Independent Filmmaker Project, the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation. The Made in NY Media Center by IFP is where storytellers from multiple disciplines, industries, and platforms create, collaborate, connect, and incubate across a spectrum of programs, events, and experiences. The Media Center brings together innovators in film, video, gaming, technology, and more through education, mentorship, entrepreneurship, and content creation. Since opening its doors, the Media Center has held more than 100 classes and 300 events serving more than 25,000 people in its classrooms, media gallery, theater, café, incubator, and community member spaces. For more information, visit nymediacenter.com.

About IFP
The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) champions the future of storytelling by connecting artists with essential resources at all stages of development and distribution. The organization fosters a vibrant and sustainable independent storytelling community through its year-round programs, which include Independent Film Week, Filmmaker Magazine, the Gotham Independent Film Awards, and the Made in NY Media Center by IFP, a new incubator space developed with the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. IFP represents a growing network of 10,000 storytellers around the world and plays a key role in developing 350 new feature and documentary works each year. During its 35-year-history, IFP has supported over 8,000 projects and offered resources to more than 20,000 filmmakers, including Debra Granik, Laura Poitras, Dee Rees, Gillian Robespierre and Benh Zeitlin. For more information, visit ifp.org.