Brooklyn’s DUMBO is home to the Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP), the nation’s oldest and largest not-for-profit advocacy organization for independent filmmakers.

It has championed such recent newcomers on the indie scene as Debra Granik (“Down to the Bone”), Miranda July (“Me, You and Everyone We Know”), and Ryan Fleck & Anna Boden (“Half Nelson”).

Based in DUMBO, IFP offers creative, technological and business support to filmmakers through robust programming that includes film festivals, awards, labs, and  more.


It’s known best by its offspring: Filmmaker magazine, Independent Film Week, Envision, Gotham Independent Film Awards, the Independent Filmmaker Labs and most recently the Made in NY Media Center by IFP, also located nearby in DUMBO.

The size of a David with the clout of a Goliath, the organization boasts a current network of about 10,000 filmmakers and is credited with helping artists to develop and launch as many as 350 new feature and documentary works a year — note, that’s almost one flick for every non-holiday day in the calendar.

IFP moves as the industry moves, which today is in the direction of new multi-media technologies. And so it is a flare of sorts that their self described mission is no longer limited only to "filmmakers," but has expanded to embrace "storytelling." Their 21st century mission, according to a spokesperson, is "championing the future of storytelling by connecting artists with essential resources at all stages of development and distribution."

Better known amongst the community of filmmakers, and, in the new parlance, among contemporary "storytellers" than in the general public,  IFP has supported thousands of filmmakers in the world of independent films since its inception in 1979.

(Thirty years is a long time; many movie buffs may not have firsthand memories of the days of Hollywood-only films. Suffice it to say the indie film movement has, thankfully,  pushed the envelope on the spectrum of choice for viewers. At its best —which is only sometimes — it has addressed film as a potential art form, and as an instrument of social change as well as lucrative corporate entertainment. It's taken risks on both content and form; expanded moviegoers' minds; replaced a US-centric perspective with a global mindset;  braved controversy and challenged social cliches; accomplished the art of being playful and intelligent at the same time; indulged in the oddball; supported risky ventures; found a home for unusual talents, and helped elevate documentaries to an art form. Among other impacts, that is.)  

Past IFP collaborations have helped launch such names as Charles Burnett, Todd Haynes, Mira Nair, Michael Moore, Joel and Ethan Coen, Kevin Smith, and Todd Solondz. Not surprisingly, given this list of luminaries,  IFP has long played a role for many independently made movies that end up on the increasingly popular independent film festival circuit. IFP is part of the synergistic  film/festival cycle that feeds and fuels, and in turn is fueled by such mega-watt events as Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca, Cannes, Berlin and other well known festivals around the globe.

Joana Vicente is both Executive Director of IFP and the exciting new offshoot, the  Made in NY Media Center by IFP. 

10 Things You Can Do at the Media Center

Individual Membership

Anyone, whether you are a wannabe filmmaker, a member of the public, a retiree or art student, can become a member of IFP.

Annual membership costs $100 and, as with joining BAM or any major museum, members get certain perks. You can go to events where professionals mingle, get invitations to indie film screenings, access hundreds of hours of educational videos and podcasts and more. Check the website for updates, but in general, your annual membership affords:

• Movies!  Members get access to a bi-weekly “Screen Savers” screening series, featuring under-the-radar festival gems, high-profile new releases, and exclusive previews of upcoming TV and web series. You can also attend some of the dozens of free NYC Spirit Award nomination screenings, though these films, seats allotted on a first-come, first-served basis. (This is particularly interesting for neighborhood residents, at least until DUMBO finally gets a movie theater all its own.)
• Networking and social/professional events: Access to monthly “Unite/Create” meetups with fellow creatives and industry leaders, including a monthly special guest.
• Educational programs: Access to monthly “Independence Expanded” panels at the Media Center. Learn about innovations and challenges facing contemporary storytellers through panel discussions, case studies, one-on-one debates, and group conversations.
• And, if you happen to be an aspiring filmmaker, there are additional professional perks, ranging from limited marketing support for your film’s theatrical release to useful discounts on production insurance, equipment, and trade publications.

Magicians of the Narrative: Film & Storytelling Meets Technology in Brooklyn