A group of independent filmmakers from Naperville will host the city’s first annual Independent Film Festival September of 2008?but with a big, helpful difference from other festivals.
“The main mission is to bring filmmakers from around the world together,” says festival co-founder Edmond Coisson. “The second goal is to help filmmakers improve their films.”
The festival was started with the hopes of helping up-and-coming filmmakers improve their work through constructive criticism.
Naperville resident Coisson is an established actor, writer, director and heads Our Path Motion Picture Productions. He and his wife, Glessna, became frustrated with the film festival system and decided to approach it in a different way.
Festivals traditionally judge films on merit but do not aid filmmakers with the ratification process through critique.
The festival will feature two jury panels?. The first will be comprised of filmmakers, critics, stage and screen actors and directors.
The other will feature a mix of industry specialists from lighting to sound engineers to view the films in more depth.
The panels will critique all angles of the submissions and the finalists will each receive a letter with constructive criticism mapping out the problems and possible solutions.
“As a filmmaker you need to look at what you’ve done in every angle,” says Coisson. “My goal is that if in a year I can help improve a film that was screened then the festival was a success to me. There is always room for improvement.”
