A special IFP Industry Connect program with producers Lydia Dean Pilcher, Michael Roiff and Peter Saraf

Saturday, April 28, 2007
3:00 – 4:30 pm panel / reception follows
Tickets $25 - All proceeds will be donated to the Adrienne Shelly Foundation

Producing a feature is never easy, particularly the first time around as WAITRESS producer Michael Roiff did. WAITRESS is the upcoming Fox Searchlight release, written and directed by the late Adrienne Shelly.

All independent films begin with the vision of a passionate group of collaborators, whether it’s their first project or their 50th. All projects face the same core challenges – from developing material, finding the money, building strong collaborative teams, and ultimately, taking the project from script to screen. Find out how Roiff fared as he shares his experiences on producing his first film with some of New York’s leading indie producers.

Joining Roiff are veteran producers Lydia Dean Pilcher and Peter Saraf. Pilcher’s credits include seven collaborations with filmmaker Mira Nair (including their current release, The Namesake), Alison Maclean’s Jesus’ Son, and upcoming Wes Anderson film, The Darjeeling Limited. Whether serving as producer (as he did on Little Miss Sunshine and Liev Schreiber’s directorial debut, Everything Is Illuminated) or executive producer (Spike Jonze’s Adaptation), Saraf and his colleagues at Big Beach are in the more enviable position of also being able to partially finance a project.

Location: Helen Mills Theater
137 West 26th Street (btwn 6th and 7th)

To purchase tickets: Call (212)465-8200 x218 or email rsvp@ifp.org