As part of The Independent Film Channel's (IFC) mission to encourage and foster emerging filmmakers, IFC and the California Institute for the Arts have partnered to create the network's first ever fellowship program to support the education of up-and-coming student filmmakers. IFC will contribute $20,000 towards the studies of four qualifying California Institute of the Arts students per year.
Caroline Bock, Senior Vice President, IFC Marketing, comments, "We are thrilled to work with talented students from CalArts and to pursue a relationship, which fosters the network's brand as the leading independent film network and the students' education."
Steven Lavine, President, California Institute of the Arts, adds, "IFC and CalArts share a commitment to the independent creative voice. We were initially brought together by Joe Cohen, Executive Vice President of Madison Square Garden Real Estate Development, and the parent of a current CalArts student who saw the mutually beneficial potential of an IFC/CalArts joint project. I hope this initiative will be the beginning of a deep and lasting collaboration in support of gifted artists."
During the program, students will collaborate with the IFC On-Air production team, Caroline Bock and Stuart Selig, Vice President, IFC Video Services and CalArts alumnus, in the development process of IFC identification spots from storyboards to production. The final project will be at least one 10-second or two 5-second spots.
The first IFC fellowships have been awarded to Jon Foulk, Sara Cumings, Dan Mendoza and Michael Fleming. Enrolled in his first year of the Master of Fine Arts program, Jon Foulk is focusing on experimental animation and hales from Kansas City, Missouri. Originally from Glendale, California, Sara Cumings is a senior studying graphic design and graduates this May. From Lakewood, California, Dan Mendoza is in his fourth year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program and is emphasizing in character animation. Also a fourth year student in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, Michael Fleming is from San Francisco, California and is concentrating in experimental animation.
The California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) was created in 1961 as the nation's first art institute granting undergraduate and graduate degrees in both the visual and the performing arts. CalArts is unique for having an equal focus on the visual and the performing arts; with schools of Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music and Theater all housed under one roof. With a faculty comprised of working, professional artists who pursue their own artmaking while serving as mentors to their students, CalArts is dedicated to creating and sustaining an environment that fosters innovation and excellence in the arts in broadest context possible.
The Independent Film Channel (IFC), managed and operated by Bravo Networks, is the first and most widely distributed channel dedicated to independent film presented 24 hours a day, uncut and commercial-free. IFC Entertainment, a division of IFC, consists of IFC Productions, a feature film production company; IFC Films, a theatrical film distribution company; Next Wave Films, established to provide finishing funds and other vital support to emerging filmmakers; and IFC Originals, which produces cutting-edge original programming for the network. In addition, IFC Productions launched InDigEnt, an initiative that helps established filmmakers shoot productions on digital video.
IFC is owned and managed by Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc., a leader in news, sports and entertainment programming. A subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC) and NBC, Rainbow manages American Movie Classics, WE: Women's Entertainment, Bravo, The Independent Film Channel, MuchMusic USA, Rainbow Sports Networks, News 12 Networks, and MetroChannels as well as the Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation and Rainbow Network Communications. In addition, Rainbow is a fifty-percent partner in FOX Sports Net. IFC is one of the assets included in the Rainbow Media Group tracking stock (NYSE:RMG), a series of Cablevision common stock. MGM (NYSE:MGM) owns a 20% stake in four of Rainbow's national networks – AMC, Bravo, IFC, and WE: Women's Entertainment.