IFP/New Yorkwill be introducing the mentorship programme IFP Rough Cuts Lab to its IFPmarket and conference, which runs from Sept 18-23.

The Lab willfeature a series of structured meetings and seminars designed to helpfilmmakers complete works-in-progress before they enter the marketplace.

A team ofmentors comprising producers, directors, editors and the like will screen eightor nine projects selected for the programme, and the chosen filmmakers willmeet advisors in late July/early August.

All participantsand their appropriate creative team members will travel to New York City forIFP market week, where they will project the latest cuts of their projects inthe programme. Projects will not screen for the industry during market week.

Participantswill also take part in a series of moderated workshops on festival strategiesand the roles of producers' reps and international sales agents.

The programme isopen only to filmmakers who have shot all or a substantial amount of thefootage required for their feature film. Alternatively a show reel with asubstantial amount of footage and the project's screenplay can be submitted.

"Through thedirect intervention of mentors during a point in the filmmaking process whenfinancial and creative resources are often severely taxed, we hope theprogramme will challenge filmmakers to realise the full potential of theirfootage and stories," IFP/New York executive director Michelle Byrd said in astatement.

"Additionally,we hope to shore up the network of support for selected filmmakers on theirjourney toward completion and ultimately reaching their audiences."

The IFP Rough Cuts Labreplaces the IFP Market's narrative work-in-progress section, which used toshowcase rough cuts for the industry.