RIT on TV News: Filmmakers Award

R News reports on the X-Factor Filmmakers Fund, an RIT awards program intended to encourage more women to pursue careers in the film industry.

Anchor: This year's Rochester High Falls International Film Festival will offer a first for women filmmakers. An RIT student director is announcing the winner of a new award designed to help filmmakers hone their craft. Virginia Butler is here with more on the the X-Factor Filmmakers Fund.
Virginia: Joining me is Lauren Tracey. She's a co-founder of X-Factor Filmmakers Fund and is a senior at RIT. We're going to be looking at one of the films you've created. So you know the special challenges that not only filmmakers but women in film meet. Tell us about your film and those challenges.
Lauren: My film is called 427 suitcases. I'm co-directing, writing and editing with a friend, Lindsey Timko, and today's actually our first screening at RIT, so that's exciting. In terms of females making films, it's kind of a rare thing. There are a lot of male directors. Specifically we're targeting directors and getting women into that field, and there just aren't a lot out there.
Virginia: And you're partnering with High Falls Film Festival to put out this award. You're also raising funds to make sure it's a useful award. You want to raise about $5000.
Lauren: That is our goal, about $5000 by the spring. We have to sell t-shirts to do that. I'm actually wearing one of them right now, and this was actually designed by a student at RIT who's a graphic designer, so it's been kind of a collaborative thing. Two designers that worked with us from RIT are also females, so there's that link. High Falls is a women's film festival specifically, so it was nice to partner with them and basically they will give away the scholarship there at the festival in May to an RIT female film student.
Virginia: Okay, so there are two t-shirts available that people can buy to raise funds for this. Also, you're accepting private donations.
Lauren: There are a lot of designs on the site. These are actually two that we have here that are printed, but I think we have about six designs on the website right now that are available. More hopefully coming. We'll be designing all the time. So basically we need to sell those to raise money or people can donate.
Virginia: Okay, so for folks who want more information or to make donations or to buy shirts, which is also making donations, you can go to our website, RNews.com, and we'll provide you with a link. Thanks for coming in.

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Education

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• Animation