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JUNE 2, 2014: "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, LAUREN?" – A List OF RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS THANKS TO SETH GODIN
On Saturday, my dad suggested I apply to Seth Godin's one week Agenda Session summer workshop and I said, "Yes." The first big question Seth asked in the application was, "What have you done?" Whoa. In order to brainstorm this behemoth, I needed to write. Here's what came out after some perspective from my brilliant friend/boyfriend Corey Hoffstein.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, LAUREN?"
1. I've started a badass company with a mission.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, LAUREN?"
1. I've started a badass company with a mission.
Female filmmakers, which I am myself, are a minority in the world of entertainment. Less than 10% of mainstream directors are women and just 15% of protagonists in Hollywood movies are female. I found this gender imbalance unacceptable in a world where our culture and youth are shaped by movies and TV.
So while in film school I created a company that both financially and logistically supported women filmmakers. We partnered with NYU, Avid Technology and others film schools, festivals and companies to give away awards to deserving female creators. Even cooler, my dad (a Creative Director in branding and design) was – and still is – my business partner in that company called X-Factor Filmmakers.
The company has evolved over the years and we have recently relaunched it as a studio that produces and curates badass female-driven entertainment. Our first feature film, currently in development, will be a coming-of-age thriller about two badass girls in the desert. It’s called ‘Sweet Desert Palm’.
X-Factor Filmmakers THEN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyL0Q8nOAIE
X-Factor Filmmakers NOW: http://www.xfactorfilm.com/
So while in film school I created a company that both financially and logistically supported women filmmakers. We partnered with NYU, Avid Technology and others film schools, festivals and companies to give away awards to deserving female creators. Even cooler, my dad (a Creative Director in branding and design) was – and still is – my business partner in that company called X-Factor Filmmakers.
The company has evolved over the years and we have recently relaunched it as a studio that produces and curates badass female-driven entertainment. Our first feature film, currently in development, will be a coming-of-age thriller about two badass girls in the desert. It’s called ‘Sweet Desert Palm’.
X-Factor Filmmakers THEN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyL0Q8nOAIE
X-Factor Filmmakers NOW: http://www.xfactorfilm.com/
2. I've written my/our first feature film.
After two years of hard emotional and logistical work, fifteen drafts and incessant feedback, I am both happy and finished with the ‘Sweet Desert Palm’ script – which our team intends to produce this fall. As a perfectionist I am most proud of the fact that I love this story which is both driven by emotion yet is intensely suspenseful, extremely visual and exciting to read. If you’d like to take a gander, please let me know.
Before ‘Sweet Desert Palm’ was written, I and a producer friend of mine got a bunch of experienced actors to come to the desert with us – for no money – and shoot a fake trailer for the film in 100+ degree desert heat. Yes, we are all still friends.
Watch our concept teaser trailer at the film's official website (which my dad designed to help attract fans and industry players before the movie is made): http://www.sweetdesertpalm.com/
After two years of hard emotional and logistical work, fifteen drafts and incessant feedback, I am both happy and finished with the ‘Sweet Desert Palm’ script – which our team intends to produce this fall. As a perfectionist I am most proud of the fact that I love this story which is both driven by emotion yet is intensely suspenseful, extremely visual and exciting to read. If you’d like to take a gander, please let me know.
Before ‘Sweet Desert Palm’ was written, I and a producer friend of mine got a bunch of experienced actors to come to the desert with us – for no money – and shoot a fake trailer for the film in 100+ degree desert heat. Yes, we are all still friends.
Watch our concept teaser trailer at the film's official website (which my dad designed to help attract fans and industry players before the movie is made): http://www.sweetdesertpalm.com/
3. I'm attending a real-life, makeshift, self-taught business school.
- Last fall X-Factor Filmmakers was a finalist in the inaugural Dogfish Accelerator in NYC. This program is the first ever incubator for film producing teams and film companies and is run by James Belfer, an Executive Producer on films such as the Sundance Film Festival winner 'Like Crazy', the thriller 'Compliance' and the recent 'Prince Avalanche' with Emile Hirsch and Paul Rudd. We fell just short of the the top eight teams that got into James' accelerator however, I was invited to attend the program and learn from the sidelines. I ended up coming out of the experience with James as a mentor to X-Factor Filmmakers and he joined the 'Sweet Desert Palm' team as Executive Producer.
- During my stint in NYC, I road a train to Boston and started a pleasant conversation with some strangers far more experienced than myself in both life and business. When the gentleman next to me was getting off the train he turned to me and said, "Let's talk. I'm interested in investing in your company." I was floored. We are now in negotiations.
- Sick of the cyclical and solemn nature (“woe is us”) of most female filmmaker themed events, my producer, myself and two other female filmmaker friends used our sphere of influence to organize a wildly positive and well received female filmmaker event in NYC during the Tribeca Film Festival. The event was held at the private Norwood Club, was packed to the walls with 50+ people and cost us a total of under $100. It was a blast.
- On New Year's Eve I decided to apply to the number one rated incubator in Boston, despite it being overwhelmingly made up of life sciences startups. Two weeks later, the Venture Development Center accepted our independent female-driven film studio and have been pivotal business mentors to my dad and me ever since.
- With this momentum, we’ve attached another up-and-coming producer from Los Angeles to join our ‘Sweet Desert Palm’ team. Our whole team is currently producing an investor pitch video for the film that will include a multitude of experienced professionals in both film and business across Boston, NYC and LA.
By the way Seth, this post makes me feel good about everything. Special thanks to you.
–Lauren
MAR, 2014: SWEET DESERT PALM HAS AN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER!
James Belfer of Dogfish Pictures has taken on Sweet Desert Palm as Executive Producer. Before our thriller he'd made such films as:
Like Crazy - Directed by Drake Doremus & starring Felicity Jones, Anton Yelchin of Star Trek Into Darkness with a supporting role by Jennifer Lawrence. Compliance - Directed by Craig Zobel & starring Ann Dowd, Dreama Walker of Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23. Prince Avalanche - Directed by David Gordon Green & starring the incredible Paul Rudd & Emile Hirsch of Into the Wild. As we develop the studio, Belfer will also be serving as a member on the XFF Badass Board of Advisors. |
BELFER'S PREVIOUS FILMS:
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FEB, 2014: GUEST BLOGGING FOR AVID
Via Avid Blogs: My Dispatches from the 2014 Sundance Film Festival
I've been invited to guest blog for Avid Technology, one of the world's leading film editing software companies. They've asked me to record a firsthand account of my before, during and after reactions to the 2014 Sundance Film Festival from the perspective of being an independent female filmmaker in a changing industry. Read the blog posts
I've been invited to guest blog for Avid Technology, one of the world's leading film editing software companies. They've asked me to record a firsthand account of my before, during and after reactions to the 2014 Sundance Film Festival from the perspective of being an independent female filmmaker in a changing industry. Read the blog posts
JAN, 2014: WE'VE BEEN ACCEPTED!
The Venture Development Center of UMass Boston has Accepted X-Factor Filmmakers:
The prestigious mentorship and business incubator of Boston has accepted their first film company! We rang in the new year with an acceptance from the program that only takes on five teams a year and has a 95% success rate in getting their teams investment. Which is exactly what XFF and SDP needs. Happy New Year.
The prestigious mentorship and business incubator of Boston has accepted their first film company! We rang in the new year with an acceptance from the program that only takes on five teams a year and has a 95% success rate in getting their teams investment. Which is exactly what XFF and SDP needs. Happy New Year.
FALL, 2013: WE MADE THE FINALS OF DOGFISH ACCELERATOR
X-Factor Filmmakers Made the Finals!
We made it as one of the top 11 teams of the Dogfish Accelerator. We didn't make the top 8 teams who got in and received $18,000 in seed funding but, I was invited to be an associate with the program for three months in NYC. I'm going to learn all about how to start a film company and meet tons of people who are doing similar things. Time to find an apartment!
We made it as one of the top 11 teams of the Dogfish Accelerator. We didn't make the top 8 teams who got in and received $18,000 in seed funding but, I was invited to be an associate with the program for three months in NYC. I'm going to learn all about how to start a film company and meet tons of people who are doing similar things. Time to find an apartment!
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