News & Notes — VTIFF Partners with River Arts to Produce 2013 Stowe Story Labs

The Vermont International Film Festival (VTIFF), slated to run in Burlington, VT from Oct 11 – 20, and River Arts have formed a partnership to promote River Arts’ Stowe Story Labs, running from September 14 – 16, 2013. Successful participants at SSL will be entitled to a VTIFF pass at half price.

Stowe Story Labs is a chance for up to twenty screenwriters, filmmakers and creative producers to join a conversation about how we look at and talk about our stories, get films made and reach audiences.

Industry Participants will include facilitator David Pope, a London-based filmmaker, script consultant and educator. Workshops and discussions will be led by David and include award-winning New York based producer Jay van Hoy, a partner in the production company Parts & Labor, producer of the Academy Award winning film The Beginners; Chris Millis, a New York-based novelist and screenwriter whose film Small Apartments participated in SXSW and was released theatrically in 2012; and Ellen Parks, an award winning New York-based casting director whose credits include Flirting with Disaster, Sideways, Secretary and Grey Gardens.

VTIFF, now in its 28th year, spotlights the best of US and international films of all styles and genres and presents the Vermont Filmmakers’ Showcase™ – the oldest and largest juried showcase for VT film & videomakers. The Showcase, usually accompanied by a symposium, keynote speakers and a reception, aims to promote and assist the creative economy of Vermont. This year, VTIFF is organizing a special, by invitation, mixer of VT film creatives, to help build connections and partnerships.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to promote the festival, which brings tremendous cinema to Burlington in the fall, and our Labs, which are designed to help regional filmmakers get their projects off the ground,” said David Rocchio, Director of the Story Labs.

“The Stowe Story Labs are a perfect complement to the festival and especially to the goals of the VT Filmmakers’ Showcase™,” said Orly Yadin, Executive Director of VTIFF, “as they aim to help filmmakers do the hard work of taking ideas for films and turn them into viable, financeable projects. We welcome this initial partnership and see many ways to expand it over time.”

This fall’s Story Labs will be hosted at Stowe’s Ten Acre Lodge and Auberge de Stowe B & B. Each inn is hosting two faculty members and hope to see participants book in as well.

River Arts, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering the arts in central Vermont is proud to sponsor this year’s inaugural Story Labs.

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