LOS ANGELES, CA — Sundance Institute invites filmmakers to participate in ShortsLab: L.A., its first-ever short film workshop on July 31at the Downtown Independent Theater. The three-part, all-day educational workshop will offer filmmakers first-hand insight and access into the world of story development, production, and exhibition of short films. Panelists include  representatives from The Directors Bureau, Filmmakers Alliance, Fox Digital Studios, Funny or Die, Kickstarter, Paramount Pictures, SAGIndie, Topspin Media, UTA, Wholphin, Withoutabox/IMDb, YouTube, and more.  In addition, acclaimed filmmakers and Sundance Alumni Miguel Arteta (The Good Girl), Peter Sollett (Raising Victor Vargas) and Jay Duplass (Cyrus) will share their experiences working with short-form films during their careers.

Also — for the first time — Sundance Film Festival shorts programmers will give one-on-one feedback (post-Festival) to ShortsLab attendees who submit their short films to the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.

For information or to purchase tickets visit: www.sundance.org/shortslab

ShortsLab: LA — Presented by Sundance Institute
Saturday, July 31
9:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Downtown Independent Theater — 251 South Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tickets: $150
Tickets available online only:  www.sundance.org/shortslab

• Story Development (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.): Acclaimed filmmakers and Sundance Film Festival alumni Miguel Arteta, Jay Duplass, and Peter Sollett will share their experiences working with short-form films. These tales from the trenches will focus on conceptualization and script development.

• Production (1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.): Industry professionals and special guests speak to the many challenges filmmakers face during production, including budgeting, working with unions, music rights, financing, and much more.

• Exhibition (3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.): An eclectic mix of speakers — including festival programmers, agents, managers and distributors — share advice on how to handle a completed film.

• Cocktail Mixer and Screening (5:30 p.m.): ShortsLab: L.A. caps off with an informal gathering followed by a 7:30 p.m. screening of award-winning short films from the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.

• Feedback: If a filmmaker participates in ShortsLab: L.A. and submits a short film to the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, a Festival programmer will call them post-Festival to offer individual feedback on the film.

Founded by Robert Redford in 1981, Sundance Institute is a not-for-profit organization that fosters the
development of original storytelling in film and theatre, and presents the annual Sundance Film Festival.
Internationally recognized for its artistic development programs for directors, screenwriters, producers,
film composers, playwrights and theatre artists, Sundance Institute has nurtured such projects as Angels
in America, Spring Awakening, Boys Don’t Cry and Born into Brothels.