Earlier this month, FilmL.A. sent a team to the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT. The purpose of the trip was to network with film and TV decision makers and help market Los Angeles as a film destination. The trip marked FilmL.A.’s third year at Sundance, and arguably, our most successful.
This year, FilmL.A. partnered with the Sundance Institute to organize an invitation-only Producer’s Brunch on January 18. Attended by more than 100 film producers, executives and members of the entertainment trade media, the brunch offered a unique chance to network and celebrate the benefits of filming in California.
“We saw an incredible opportunity to pitch filming in Los Angeles directly to industry decision makers,” said FilmL.A. President, Paul Audley. “We wanted to give attendees a space where they could relax, plan their Festival schedules and network in a casual setting.”
In addition to the brunch, FilmL.A. also set up shop at the Sundance Filmmakers Lodge on January 20 with a table full of promotional collateral. Among the publications on offer were copies of the California Film Commission’s brand-new magazine, Location California.
Location California was created by the California Film Commission in an effort to highlight the very best production talent, infrastructure and locations California has to offer. The 83-page, content-rich journal features a series of production case studies, iconic location photos, and an overview of how California is leading the charge toward sustainable production. FilmL.A. took out a full-page ad on page 36 of the issue, encouraging filmmakers to bring their projects to L.A.
Marketing the L.A. region to filmmakers wasn’t the only reason FilmL.A. staffers traveled to Sundance. They also went to support the L.A. and California-based films being screened at the Festival. A huge win for the region culminated in a deal between Sony Pictures Classics and Damien Chazelle for the L.A. made film Whiplash. The film screened on January 16 at the Eccles Theatre to a very receptive crowd. Whiplash took home the top audience and grand jury awards in the U.S. dramatic competition.
Other California-based productions that screened at the Festival included: Gregory Go Boom (Salton Sea, CA), A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (Taft, CA); Camp X-Ray (Los Angeles, CA), Life After Beth (Los Angeles, CA), Ceasar’s Last Fast (Los Angeles, CA), No No: A Documentary (Los Angeles, CA), The Case Against 8 (Los Angeles, CA), White Bird in a Blizzard (Los Angeles, CA), Imperial Dreams (Los Angeles, CA), Cooties (Los Angeles, CA), The Girl From Nagasaki (Los Angeles, CA), and Low Down (Los Angeles, CA).
Our congratulations and thanks go out to all of these films’ creators, cast members and crews. It was a pleasure being there to support you, and we hope you’ll consider filming future projects here at home in the Golden State.