New York Unveils New Media Center To Be Run By IFP

The Independent Filmmaker Project is developing a new center in New York that is designed to develop media projects by offering affordable workspace and educational programs.

The new facility, to be called The Made in New York Media Center will be located at 20 Jay Street in Brooklyn, in an area that has been dubbed “Silicon Alley” because of a concentration of start-ups and tech companies. It is expected to open in the spring.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Media & Entertainment Commissioner Katherine Oliver and New York City Economic Development Corporation president Seth Pinsky unveiled plans for the project today.

The center is intended to bring together filmmakers, content creators, and entrepreneurs under one roof, bringing together traditional media and emerging technologies.

IFP will be responsible for implementing, marketing, and managing the center, which will have an on-site café and screening room. The indie film organization is partnering with General Assembly, an education company, to provide a variety of classes, workshops and educational programming. General Assembly will manage courses covering technology, entrepreneurship, and design, while IFP will lead courses on creativity and craft and cross-media strategy. The courses, which will be open to the public, will be designed to address the needs of creative and tech professionals in various stages of their careers.

“The Made in NY Media Center will allow us to continue to evolve and meet new challenges in the changing media landscape. By providing affordable workspace, networking events and educational seminars, New Yorkers will be primed to compete for new jobs emerging from this field,” Bloomberg said at a Brooklyn press conference.

"The Media Center will be an incubator for great stories and a showcase for new works whether they're told through film, digital, games or apps," Joana Vicente, IFP executive director, said. "Regardless of what tools are used, we'll be doing what we've done for 30 years: curating stories, supporting artists and connecting storytellers to investors, audiences and other artists.  At IFP, we are thrilled.”

Jon Miller, former chief digital officer, chairman and CEO, Digital Media Group for News Corp and former chairman and CEO of AOL, will head a newly formed advisory board for the center. In addition, IFP will partner with other educational institutions and technology companies, including MIT, CUNY, Parsons New School for Design, Playmatics and Starlight Runner.