IFP has expanded its Independent Filmmaker Labs to include the 2010 Distribution Lab in collaboration with Ted Hope and Jon Reiss.

The Lab will focus exclusively on feature narratives and documentaries and the organisation is selecting 20 projects from a national pool of candidates for the year-long, immersive fellowship.

Participation will offer year-round access to IFP programming staff and Lab leaders, one-on-one mentorship with established independent producers and filmmakers, and a five-day summer intensive Completion Lab featuring workshops, case-studies and individualised sessions.

“The IFP was originally founded to help film-makers get their films seen and build the audiences necessary to help them sustain full bodies of work and lasting careers,” IFP executive director Joana Vicente said. “It is our mission to make sure new voices are heard and that film-makers are continually supported by a community of peers and professionals who can help them succeed.”

“Educating film-makers about the new distribution and marketing realities is of critical importance for our community,” Reiss, the author of Think Outside The BoxOffice: The Ultimate Guide To Film Distribution And Marketing For The Digital Era, said. “Media content creators of all types need to realise that the days in which you could merely ‘create” and let someone else distribute and market are nearly over.”