Portrait Rough Cuts: Signs It is the Season
Last-Chance Screenings, Holiday Fairs, Binge Watching, Grant Deadlines, ho, ho, ho
Happy December — and welcome to everyone who has joined us through peer referrals since last week.
To the animators among us: Tomorrow marks the 57th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas.
To the documentarians: The project was a Charlie-Brown-style Hail Mary, born out of a failed documentary that producer Lee Mendelson tried to make about Charles Schultz.
To everyone grinding it out through the end of the year: Everyone was sure A Charlie Brown Christmas would flop — that the music (the music!), the pacing, and the plotting were all wrong.
We hope Portrait helps you find the producer, animator, and composer for your next wildly stupid idea. And that it, too, leads you to a Peabody, an Emmy, and 50+ years of holiday spirit.
— Jean Ellen and Kasia
Co-Founders, Portrait
Speaking of ideas…
… you’ve had some great ones for Portrait, and we made them happen!
A few we’d like to highlight:
You can now set your Portrait portfolio to “public” so you can share it as your default portfolio or use it as a more up-to-date, dynamic complement to your personal website. Change this under “My Info” on your portfolio page. Hat tip to the many, many, many people who asked for this.
You can now set dates for your projects any way you want’em: premiere date, date range, no date. H/T Mike Schmidt and Josh Freund
Looking at others’ portfolios now opens in a new tab, so you don’t lose your search or a message-in-progress. H/T Sam Price-Waldman and Josh Freund
ICYMI — for the early adopters: You can now add custom thumbnails, TikTok embeds, and click the organizational logos on any portfolio to find folks within that network. H/T Nick Kraus, Henry Goldman, and Elise Kelly for these!
Log in to give these new features a whirl.
While you’re there, search for friends — there are so many new people every day, we guarantee someone you know has come on board since you last checked — and share something you’d like them to see before the end of the year.
Roll of Honor
Premieres, Awards, and Standout Member Work to Watch this Week
Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power: Last Theatrical Screenings Today
Directed by Portrait member Geeta Gandbhir, Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power ends its theatrical run today in New York, LA, Chicago, Detroit and New Orleans — which means you still have a chance to see it tonight.
From the Los Angeles Times:
… what Pollard and Gandbhir achieve with their film is a sharp focus not just on collective action, but a method of storytelling that is exacting in its look at a precise moment of previously overlooked political history.
The film is also a NYT Critics Pick. Find full screening details here.
Roll of Honor II: Holiday Roundup Edition
The Holiday Fair
For all you New Yorkers: Pioneer Works, a cultural center in Red Hook, is hosting its monthly “Second Sundays” event this weekend, featuring live music, dance, food, and artists’ open studios. Behind on gifts? This weekend includes a pop-up shop with locally-made ceramics, artist editions, and clothing.
RSVP here — and ask Pioneer Works producer and Portrait member Meredith Smith for more details!
The Holiday Commercial
Portrait member and artistic director Hannah Churn’s agency Duke & Duck just unveiled its holiday campaign with Nestle and artists from around the world. Check out those sweet transitions.
The Holiday Binge
If you love a good superhero story and missed this season of DC’s Titans, the holidays may be your chance for a superhero binge. Reviewed by many as the best season of the show to date, the mid-season cliff-hanging finale — directed by Portrait member Jen McGowan — will leave you actually excited for January.
The Holiday Spirit
The Brent Renaud Foundation has just launched its website and announced its inaugural mentor program, including Portrait member Stephen Bailey as one of its mentors. The Foundation was created this year to honor Brent Renaud, who was killed in Ukraine while filming the humanitarian crisis.
Stephen encourages everyone to check out the foundation and learn ways to support.
Window of Opportunity
Weekly Jobs, Grants, Labs, Gear, Festivals, and More
Sundance Programming Announced! Now let’s think about Housing…
Some of you now know: you are headed to Park City.
Congratulations to all who will be premiering their films, screening their work, and taking part in the Festival, including:
Portrait member Daniel Lombroso, Producer, Liturgy of Anti-Tank Obstacles
Portrait member Michael Crommett, Director of Photography, Going Varsity in Mariachi
You’ve got your plan; now you need your crash pad — for the day or for the weekend.
Free Housing for 5 filmmakers at the Portrait House. Apply by Dec. 23rd. Share with friends who need a place to stay.
Portrait House Lounge. Sign up and we’ll invite you to re-charge at our house, right off the main strip, and join our programming. Share with friends to create a group home base near the action.
Coming Soon / Closing Soon: Grants + Intensives
Women in Film Financing Intensive: Application opens December 12th
One World Global Short Docs Program: Application deadline December 13th
Big Sky Works-In-Progress Pitch Program: Application deadline December 31st
Points North $100,000 Fellowship: Application deadline January 13th
Jobs Roundup
Impact Producer, Optimist (Reach out to Portrait member Chris Temple to learn more about this opportunity!)
Executive Producer, NBCUniversal
Development Director, International Women’s Media Foundation
Producer, CNN Audio
End Credits Scene of the Week
Here’s hoping your first holiday shindig is as killer as a Peanuts Dance-Off.
(Kasia is the girl in green. Jean Ellen, sadly, is Sally.)
Until next week,
JE + K