2005 Sloan Film Summit
The 2005 Sloan Film Summit, presented by the Tribeca Film Institute, ran from October 5-8, 2005 for the first time in New York City. The Summit brought together emerging screenwriters and directors from top U.S. film schools and organizations that have been supported by grants from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Each year, more than 20 of the best film students at the nation’s leading film schools receive screenwriting prizes and production grants ranging from $5,000-$25,000 for incorporating science and technology into their films. More than 100 science screenplay winners and filmmakers participated in this year’s Summit, last held in Los Angeles in 2002.
For those in attendance, it was an opportunity to build a sense of community among screenwriters and filmmakers whose interests lie in making films with scientific and/or technological themes. It was an opportunity for young filmmakers to network with top industry executives – and it was also a venue to reunite with former classmates and colleagues.
In addition to daily and nightly networking events, Sloan Film Summit participants were treated to several panel discussions on topics relevant to them:
“Science as Entertainment,” featuring Ryan Eslinger, Dr. Darcy Kelley, Dr. Harold Varmus, and David Rambo; moderated by David Schwartz.
“Good Science in Good Films,” featuring Dr. Brian Greene, Ari Handel, Ben Shenkman, and Dr. James D. Watson; moderated by Jeffrey Kluger.
The Summit also featured two programs of short films by past and present Sloan grant recipients.
In addition, an afternoon of readings gave the participants a glimpse at the work of their peers, as read by F. Murray Abraham, Alan Cumming, Eddie Izzard, and Ben Shenkman, among others.
Sloan’s Film Program, conceived by Program Director Doron Weber, aims to influence the next generation of filmmakers to create more realistic and entertaining stories about science and technology and to challenge existing stereotypes about scientists and engineers through the visual media.
“We are very excited that this pioneering program, which includes science prizes to established directors such as Bill Condon ( Kinsey), Michael Apted ( Enigma), and Werner Herzog ( Grizzly Man), has also helped launch the careers of emerging filmmakers such as Shane Caruth ( Primer) and Ryan Eslinger ( Madness and Genius),” said Weber. “The bottom line is that science and technology continue to offer unprecedented opportunities for screenwriters and filmmakers, and now, as we meet in New York to celebrate this flourishing program, we also celebrate a new wave of film artists who dare to find the human story at the heart of this enterprise.”
“It was wonderful how well the scientific/rational mission of Sloan was communicated without ever upstaging the art of filmmaking. I was given an impression of rare generosity, enlightenment, and concern with the human condition – in short, it was a blast…”
-Ben Hayflick, Summit Participant
To view and/or purchase photos through Snapfish, please send an email request to institute@tribecafilminstitute.org, and we will send you the access information.
