FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 20, 2014

PARK CITY – CreativeFuture and HP are partnering at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival on a series of panels and workshops at The Sundance House Presented by HP, reflecting a shared commitment to technology that empowers artists to bring groundbreaking storytelling to audiences.

CreativeFuture is also presenting the inaugural Horizon Award, along with co-sponsors The Black List, The Creative Mind Group, Indiegogo, The Sundance Institute, Twitter, Vimeo, and Women in Film. The Horizon Award was created by producers Cassian Elwes, Lynette Howell, and Christine Vachon to recognize and provide mentorship to talented, up-and-coming female filmmakers.

The Sundance House Presented by HP (also known as the Kimball Arts Center) is located at 638 Park Avenue in Park City (corner of Main and Heber).

SATURDAY, JANUARY 24

10:30 AM – NOON MT

Panel: Creativity Matters: A Discussion on the Cultural, Ethical, and Economic Implications of Creativity (part of official Sundance program)

Description: From film and television, to books and music, to software and video games, the digital revolution has transformed nearly every aspect of how audiences and fans access creative works. Panelists will discuss the cultural and economic value of creativity, how individual creatives can protect their work at all stages in the creative process, and how the creative community must unite and advocate for the fundamental rights of creators to be compensated for their work.

Panelists: Cassian Elwes, Producer (Margin Call, Dallas Buyers Club, All is Lost); David Ginsberg, CTO, Sundance Institute; Steve Poehlein, Digital Media Practice Executive, HP Enterprise Services; and Ruth Vitale, Executive Director, CreativeFuture – moderated by Josh Dickey, Entertainment Editor, Mashable.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 25

10:30 AM – NOON MT

Panel: Sundance Then and Now – The Changing Nature of Being a Filmmaker in the Digital Age (part of official Sundance program)

Description: How have technological advancements in filmmaking and distribution and changes in how films are marketed to audiences impacted the creative process? Sundance veterans and newcomers will share personal experiences spanning several decades and discuss how filmmakers can embrace this new reality while continuing to push the boundaries of independent film.

Panelists: Nikole Beckwith, Writer/Director (Stockholm, Pennsylvania); Chloe Zhao, Writer/Director (Songs My Brothers Taught Me); Eugene Jarecki, Director/Producer and two-time Sundance Grand Jury Prize-Winner (Why We Fight, The House I live In, Freakanomics); Paul Federbush, International Director, Feature Film Program, Sundance Institute; and Ruth Vitale, Executive Director, CreativeFuture – moderated by Franklin Leonard, Founder, The Black List.

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM MT

Artist Workshop: Pitching and Marketing the Independent Film

Description: This how-to guide for filmmakers on pitching and publicizing projects will feature examples of well-packaged pitches and publicity strategies from throughout the pre-production, festival circuit, and release stages. The workshop will be presented by Mark Pogachefsky, Co-founder and President of MPRM Communications, and Adam Krentzman, former CAA Agent and current Director of Community Outreach at CreativeFuture.

MONDAY, JANUARY 26

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM MT

Conversation: The Making of I Smile Back

Description: A conversation with Adam Salky, director of I Smile Back, which was selected for the 2015 U.S. Dramatic Competition. Salky (Dare, 2009 Sundance Grand Jury Prize nominee) will be joined by co-writers Amy Koppelman and Paige Dylan and producer Michael Harrop.

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM MT

Presentation of the Horizon Award

Description: Reception to present the inaugural Horizon Award, which recognizes talented, up-and-coming female filmmakers. The award and a $10,000 check will be presented to the winning filmmaker by Sharon Waxman, CEO and Editor in Chief of The Wrap, along with CreativeFuture Executive Director Ruth Vitale and the Horizon Award founders – producers Cassian Elwes, Lynette Howell, and Christine Vachon. The Horizon Award is sponsored by The Black List, The Creative Mind Group, CreativeFuture, Indiegogo, The Sundance Institute, Twitter, Vimeo, and Women in Film. The winning short, selected from more than 400 submissions, will premier at the reception.

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About CreativeFuture

CreativeFuture is a coalition made up of more than 350 companies and organizations – encompassing film, television, music, and book publishing – that promotes the value of creativity, expanded digital access to legitimate content, and the fundamental right of creators to determine how their works are distributed. For more information, visit www.CreativeFuture.org.

About HP


HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. With the broadest technology portfolio spanning printing, personal systems, software, services and IT infrastructure, HP delivers solutions for customers’ most complex challenges in every region of the world. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com.

Contact:
Guido Gotz
MPRM Communications
323.933.3399
ggotz@mprm.com