To take advantage of the special pricing, go to our member signup form, select Student pricing, enter “SPIRIT12″ in the Company field, enter the Verification Code, and click Submit Form.  Follow instructuctions from there.

The FIRST Round DEADLINE of December 15th is fast approaching!  If you wish to apply, please send in your application soon!!!

Finalists will be notified by January 6th, 2011.

Here’s a list of the 2011 Production Fund Competition Sponsors:

An in-kind donation of motion picture camera and camera support equipment from Fletcher Chicago, with a rental value of up to $13,000.00.

An in-kind donation of motion picture film from Eastman Kodak Company, valued at $5,000.00. The 10% IFP discount will apply to any additional film purchase.

An in-kind donation of laboratory services, including processing, prep and dailies transfer of 10,000′ of 35mm color negative or 20,000′ of 16mm color negative from Filmworkers/Astro Lab.

An in-kind donation of post-production services from Black Cat Productions.

An in-kind donation of final color correction from Filmworkers Club.

Free rental of a production vehicle (cube truck or cargo van) for a maximum of five days (dependent on availability) from RSL Rentals, Ltd. The Production Fund recipient will also receive free rental on sound pads and blankets.

An in-kind donation of casting services provided by Paskal & Rudnicke Casting. This is for principal roles only and included one prep, one audition session, one call back and the booking of talent.

An in-kind donation of grip/electric equipment and consultation services, valued up to $5,000 from Humble Pie Films.

An in-kind donation of walkie-talkies and misc. rental gear including tables, chairs, and traffic cones for five (5) days from A to B Rentals, Inc.

In-kind consultation services with a stunt coordinator in regard to stunt work and safety issues from Midwest Stunts.

Locations services provided by the Illinois Film Office. The Film Office staff will advise filmmaker on possible locations and provide one day of actual location scouting services and one day of transportation for technical scouting.

Exhibition at IFP/Chicago sponsored screenings and other regional events.

Mentoring and consulting services by the DGA, Chicago Film Office and IFP/Chicago Board Members.

Hello!  You have arrived to the “Everything you needed to know about the IFP/Chicago Production Fund…but were afraid to ask” page!  Download these links below!

Production Fund 2012 Application

Production Fund Budget Sample

IFP/Chicago is pleased to invite IFP members and friends to a free screening of Justin Hayward’s “Wretched,” the premiere of the IFP/Chicago Production Fund Film for 2010.  The film will be preceded by a short presentation by Bob Mastronardi of Kodak. 

“Wretched”

When ten-year-old Sarah’s estranged parents clash over simply saving a seat in a busy cafeteria, the quick minded little girl is forced to settle the silly squabble diplomatically and thus demonstrating the role blurring of parent and child in this modern American culture. 

Directed By Justin Hayward

Produced By Leigh Jones 

Sunday September 18, 2011 at 1:00 pm 

Gene Siskel Film Center

164 North State Street, Chicago

Screening is FREE to all!

The Chicago premiere of “A Good Man,” co-directed by Bob Hercules and Gordon Quinn, will make it’s Chicago premiere September 23 at the Gene Siskel Film Center (and then have a one-week run).  The film, co-produced by American Masters, Kartemquin Films and Media Process Group, chronicles acclaimed choreographer Bill T. Jones over two years as he struggles to create a dance/theater work about the legacy of Abraham Lincoln.  The film premiered at this year’s Full Frame Film Festival and will be broadcast on PBS’ American Masters on November 11.  

At the Sept. 23, 8:15PM  screening Hercules, Quinn, D.P. Keith Walker and editor David E. Simpson will be present for a Q/A.  

For tickets:  Siskel Film Center

the SALONATHON

Monday, August 8 @ Beauty Bar (1444 W Chicago)

Screening begins at 9PM

Hosted bar from 8-9PM with RSVP to:  chicagorsvp@thebeautybar.c​om

Come watch Fantastical, Funny, Friendly, Freakish Films from the 2011 Festival!
Local Filmmakers! the rock and the roll, animation, humor, drama and a chromographic 3D movie!

All night Drink Specials:
$3 Drafts, & per usual $10 Martini + Manicures

Come celebrate another great year with the Chicago Underground!

Each year, CUFF reveals a unique programming niche of films that ignore limitations of genre and are made with passion and drive. Audiences this year were again captivated by an array of films that included sixteen different programs of narrative, documentary and experimental film and video, question and answer sessions with many of the featured filmmakers, and a journey into the world of underground film.

Competitions were held in a variety of categories determined by the festival jury and winners were presented with handmade art pieces designed by Chicago artist Luke Breckon.

This year’s Audience Award, as chosen by festival attendees, was awarded to “Some Girls Never Learn” (USA) directed by Jerzy Rose. The film was also awarded the festival’s “Made in Chicago” award by the jury. Rose also won the “Made In Chicago” in 2008 for his short film “The Universe and Young Pilot Nelson” and a best narrative short film award in 2009 for “All Ghost Women Play The Theremin.”

Jury award winners:

Best Documentary (feature):  And Again – Adele Horne
Best Documentary (short):  History Minor – Ryan Garrett
Best Experimental:  Home Movie – John Price
Best Experimental:  Slow Action – Ben Rivers
Best Narrative (feature):  The Color Wheel – Alex Ross Perry
Best Narrative (feature):  Snow on tha Bluff – Damon Russell

Honorable Mentions:


Young Bird Season – Nellie Kluz
Second Law: South Leh St. – Mike Gibisser

Chainsaw Found Jesus – Spencer Parsons
Devil’s Gate – Laura Kraning

The 2011 Chicago Underground Film Festival Jury:

Donald Harrison is Executive Director of the Ann Arbor Film Festival, the longest-running independent and experimental film festival in North America. During his tenure he has expanded the AAFF traveling tour, launched the festival’s DVD collections of short films, hosted more than 100 screenings and reviewed thousands of works under consideration. Prior to joining the AAFF in 2006, Donald worked for several years at the Film Arts Foundation in San Francisco where he also studied documentary and experimental film. He currently serves on the boards of the Michigan Theater and Arts Alliance in Ann Arbor and the advisory board for the Aurora Picture Show in Houston, TX. Donald was raised to be a professional bowler and most recently carried a 219 league average.

Chinese-born media artist Chi Jang Yin is known for her conceptual, documentary work, which comments upon the state of Chinese culture, past and present. She often imbues her work with elements from her background in photography and performance art. She received her BA and her MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2000. Her videos were recently awarded: Honorable Mention at the In-Out Festival, Poland; Best Film on Architecture at the Asolo Art Film Festival, Italy; and Second Grand Prize at the Athens International Film Festival, Ohio. Her work has screened at the 2008 Asian Art Biennial at the Taiwan National Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, the Los Angeles Film Festival, and the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA).

Ignatiy Vishnevetsky is one of the new co-hosts for Ebert’s At The Movies, a critic and essayist for MUBI.com, co-founder of the acclaimed Cine-File.info, and a contributor to the Chicago Reader. Prior to becoming a film critic, Ignatiy worked as a translator for Novoe Literaturnoe Obozrenie, Russia’s premier literary journal. Born in the Soviet Union, Ignatiy moved to America when he was eight and soon moved to Chicago “because I could find more films to see here.” Ignatiy helps program the current Cine-File Selects series at the University of Chicago’s Doc Films, the nation’s oldest film society. He also co-manages the Odd Obsession underground and alternative video store.

Irvine Welsh is an acclaimed and often controversial writer of novels, stories and stage and screenplays.  His book Trainspotting was made into a 1996 film of the same name directed by Danny Boyle which was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award and an Oscar.  Welsh comes from Edinburgh, Scotland, and lives with his American wife Elizabeth, mainly in Chicago, IL and Miami, FL. He travels a great deal and his hobbies include socialising and sporting activities.

Five laugh-filled comedy sitcoms made by Chicago filmmakers will be featured during the event.

Friday, July 29.  Shows at 7:00 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.

Admission is $10 per show.

Chicago Cultural Center Theater, 78 E. Washington

Festival line-up can be viewed at: www.witsendshorts.com

Reservation line: 312-379-8633

Nineteen comedy shorts by talented Chicago filmmakers will be featured during the event.

Thursday, July 28, 8:00 p.m.

Admission is $10. Chicago Cultural Center Theater, 78 E. Washington

Festival line-up can be viewed at: www.witsendshorts.com

Reservation line: 312-379-8633

June 23-26

Opening Night at the Gene Siskel Film Center, June 23 at 8pm.

All other shows at Chicago Filmmakers, 5243 N Clark.

The 23rd Onion City Experimental Film and Video Festival will showcase the best new experimental work from around the world. This year Onion City will present 10 programs featuring 76 films by local artists and established masters such as Thom Andersen, the Quay Brothers, Deborah Stratman, Lewis Klahr, and James Fotopoulos. The festival takes place on Thursday, June 23 at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State, and Friday through Sunday (June 24 – 26) at Chicago Filmmakers, 5243 N. Clark St. in Andersonville.

Find complete details at the festival website: www.chicagofilmmakers.org/onion_fest.