Once a month we gather members of the Kartemquin community together for the critique and discussion of a work-in-progress by an independent filmmaker. These intimate feedback sessions are open for incomplete projects at any stage of production, whether short fundraising demos or feature-length rough/fine cuts. This free program has helped over 150 projects progress towards completion. Films that have participated have gone on to premiere at festivals including Sundance Film Festival, New York Film Festival, SXSW, Hot Docs, Full Frame, DOC NYC, Vienna International Film Festival, and True/False, and to be broadcast on Netflix, PBS (POV, Independent Lens, and America Reframed), OWN, and the Sundance Channel.
Notable titles that have been through our process include Making a Murderer; Quest; Midnight Family; Louder Than a Bomb; Accident, MD; The Prison in 12 Landscapes; Shot in the Dark; Scrappers; ¡Las Sandinistas!; Andrew Bird: Fever Year; Transformers: The Premake; and The Blood is at the Doorstep. See a full list below.
Submission Process
Please complete our KTQ Labs submission form for consideration into this program Submission form: http://bit.ly/KTQLabsSubmit
For questions or comments, email ktqlabs@kartemquin.com
Selection Process
At least two members of Kartemquin staff will review all submitted proposals. You will be contacted within 3-4 weeks of submitting to begin scheduling the screening. We regret that due to demand we cannot grant screenings to all applicants. Please note that often it takes 4-6 months from time of application until screening, so please contact us in advance!
Screening Location
1901 W Wellington in Chicago, IL 60657. This is not a theatre, but a private space within our production house. The max seating capacity is around 35 people, and we screen on a large projector screen. Upon request, KTQ will work to make your lab screening accessible by hosting at another location. For accessibility requests, please contact Community Coordinator Abbie Brewer, abbie@kartemquin.com.
Who attends?
Kartemquin staff, producers and close associates (usually between 15-25+ attend). Screening filmmakers are also welcome to invite attendees.
Cost
The KTQ Labs program is free to all participants. We request that films that have participated in the Labs program acknowledge “Special Thanks to KTQ Labs: Feedback Screenings Program” with a KTQ logo in the final credits. This helps us to garner support of the program so we can continue offering the service at no cost.
Viewing Format
Blu-Ray, DVD or Quicktime file.
Screening day
We ask that you arrive 20-30 minutes before the scheduled start time. You are welcome to bring refreshments, surveys, questionnaires, handouts etc. After we view the film, we will circle our chairs and open up the floor to a discussion of feedback, comments, and questions. We record each feedback session and send you a copy of the recording after the screening. Please anticipate approximately 45 minutes for feedback.
After the screening
We will ask you to complete a short survey about the experience. We will also provide an audio recording of your feedback session.
Previous KTQ Labs Participants
2019
Memphis, dir. David Zucker // 88.3 FM & The Voice of the People, dir. J.T Tarpley // Mr. Rugoff, dir. Ira Deutchman // Head to Head dir. Andrea Alberti, prod. Katy Osborn // Wet House dir. Benjamin May // Hamtramck, USA dir/prod. Razi Jafri & Justin Feltman // Project: Building Hope dir/prod. Cam Be, prod. Priya Shah // Until the Lion Speaks dir. Bing Liu & Josh Altman // First Vote dir. Yi Chen // A Tiny Ripple of Hope dr. Jason Polevoi // Role Play dir/pro. Katie Mathews // Nobody Should Know dr/pro. Andrea Eiseman
2018
The Field, dir: Tom Desch // Last Man Fishing, dir. JD Schuyler // How to Build a School in Haiti, dir. Jack Newell // A Destruction, dir. Urooj Yazdani // Finding Yingying, dir. Jiayan "Jenny" Shi // After the Fire, dir. Derek Knowles & Spencer Seibert // Queen of the Battling Butterly Brigade, dir. Daniel Hymanson, prod. Kellen Quinn // Float, dir. Phillip Kibbe, prod. Benjamin Saks & Laura Heberton // Copperdog, dir/pro. Anu Rana & Laurie Little // Will I Be Next, dir. Melissa Godoy, prod. Therese Barry-Tanner // Hayden & Her Family, dir. May M. Tchao // Five Shots, dir. Mina Fitzpatrick
2017
Rukus, dir. Brett Hanover // Born in the Struggle, dir. Kamasai Hill // Pat Shaw Was Romeo 9, dir. Jonathan Spangler // The Area , dir. David Schalliol // Uninsurable , dir. Clare Austen-Smith // Kali Yuga Chants , dir. Nilima Abrams // We Come From Gary and Accident, dir. Dan Rybicky // Grace, dir. Rachel Pikelny // ReeLabs at the Chicago Reel Abilities Film Festival, various directors // G. Force, dir. Pamela Sherrod Anderson // Seasons of Change on Henry's Farm, dir. Ines Sommer // Midnight Family, dir. Luke Lorentzen // ¡Las Sandinistas! dir. Jenny Murray // Unteachable, dir. Shuling Yong // The Blue Wall, dir. Richard Rowley
2016
Paper Mountain Shredders, dir. Alex Houston // Bei Bei, dirs. Marion Lipschutz and Rose Rosenblatt // Little Stones dir. Sophie Kruz // We Are Columbine dir. Laura Farber // Two Together dir. Mina Fitzpatrick // Man Re-Made, dir. Justin Masouf // A Shot in the Dark dir. Dustin Nakao-Haider, // The Blood is at the Doorstep dir. Erik Ljung // Caviar Dreams dirs. Liv Dubendorf, Brian Gersten, Wei Ying // Home Truth dirs. Katia Hayes and April Maguire // Ground War dir. Andrew Nisker // Edith and Eddie dir. Laura Checkoway // Quest dir. Jon Olshefski
2015
The Summer Help, dir. Melody Gilbert // Minding the Gap, dir. Bing Liu // Among Wolves dir. Shawn Convey // I Voted?, dir. Jason Grant Smith // Farmer Veteran, dirs. Alexandra (Alix) Blair, Jeremy Lange, DL Anderson, Mikel Barton // The Work at Lake Volta, dir. Jacob Hurwitz-Goodman // Strange Attractors, dir. Julia Landau // The Invisible Patients, dir. Patrick O'Connor // The Prison in 12 Landscapes, dir. Brett Story
2014
Last of the Lawsonomists , dirs. Susan Kerns and Ryan Sarnowski // Skate or Die, dir. Ryan Ferguson // Green Corps / City of Trees, dirs. Lance and Brandon Kramer // Samantha’s Amazing Acro-Cats, dir. Jacob Fering // Closed for Good, dir. Rachel Dickson // Diary of a Cyborg, dir. Jackie Todd // Transformers: The Premake, dir. Kevin B. Lee // The Area , dirs. Brian Ashby and David Schalliol // Foreign Puzzle, dir. Chithra Jeyaram // South Chicago: In Progress, dir. David Granskog // Daddy's Going to Prison, dir. Brit Williams // Monster in the Mind dir. Jean Carper // Sense of Place, dir. Mary Scherer // An American House, dir. Chris Trani
2013
Your Name is My Name, dir. Peter Gelassi // The English SummerSportswriter, dir. Patrick Lile // Swing Low, dir. Doug Clark // Buddhas of Mes Aynak, dir. Brent Huffman // Cotton Road, dir. Laura Kissel // Zhashagi (Echo Maker), dir. Steve Zieverink // Ole Miss, dir. Danielle Beverly // American Diner, dir. Isaac Wilhelm // Ty's List, dir. Ben Prawer // Birth of a Voter, dir. Wongjung Bae // Body (the) Image, dir. Hillary Bachelder // Remember Me Sue, dir. Melina Kolb // Bending Toward The Light , dir. Brad Pruitt
2012
The Intimidator, dir. Jim Quattrocki // I Saw the Children Gather, dir. Cheryl Mitchell // Jens Jensen, dir. Carey Lundin // Zuluhoops, dir. Kristin Pischaske // Dancing with NED, dir. Andrea Kalin // How to Build a School in Haiti, dir. Jack Newell // Spilled Water (formerly Rise of the Phoenix), dir. May Tchao // Martin Luther King in Jerusalem, dir. Connie Field // Hairy Who & The Chicago Imagists, dirs. Brian Ashby & Leslie Buchbinder // Sleepover, dir. Lajwanti Waghray // Independent for Governor - An Idealist's Grueling Run in Razorback Nation, dir. Huixia Lu
2011
Peace Has No Borders, dir. Dennis Mueller, White, Black, and Blues, dir. John Anderson // I am the Queen, dir. Henrique Cirne-lima // The Believers, dir. Clayton Brown // My Father's Hidden World, dirs. Ebsan Ghoreshi & Rebecca Solomon // Sifuna Okwethu (We Want What's Ours), dir. Kevin Fullam // Voices of the Adhan: Cairo, dir. Anna Kipervaser // Grass Widow / Sod Widow, dir. Sara Peak Convery // Solo Madres: Stories of the Families Left Behind, dir. Todd Looby // Rehab for Squirrels, dir. Tristan Hanson // For the Love of His Lamp , dir. Quinlan Kyp Johnson
2010
Undocumented, Unafraid , dir. Taras Berezowsky // Eighteen
to Life | Making a Murderer, dir. Laura Ricciardi // Float, dir. Phil Kibbe // The
Parent Project, dir. Dinesh Sabu // Divide, dir. Maura Ugarte // Veins
in the Gulf, dirs. Ted Hardin & Elizabeth Coffman // Jerry and Me, dir. Mehrnaz
Saeed Vafa // Fever Year, dir. Xan Aranda // The Gluten Free
Evolution, dir. Nancy Perlman // Sifuna Okwethu (We Want What’s Ours: Land Restitution in South Africa), dir. Bernadette Atuahene // Chess Hustlers, dir. Ethan Barnowsky // Bike
Film, dir. Emily Thomas // Beyond the Drive, dir. Shu
Ling Yong // David Simpson Film, dir. Lesley
Onstott // Tony and Janina’s American Wedding, dir. Ruth
Leitman
2009
Louder Than A Bomb, dirs. Jon Siskel and Greg
Jacobs // Mark My Words, dir. Brad Pruitt // Beneath the
Blindfold, dirs. Kathy Berger & Ines Sommer // Kite, dir. Dinesh Sabu // Grow, dir. Sarah Carlson // Hearing Images, dir. Matt Lauterbach // Mixing it Up:
Voices of Cabrini, dir. Ronit Bezalel // Tony and
Janina’s American Wedding, dir. Ruth Leitman // A Better Life dir. Adam Dick // Eleanor and the
Timekeeper, dir. Danielle Wilmouth // Being
Bucky, dir. John Fromstein
2008
4H Kids, dirs. Amy Cargill & Lisa
Gildehaus // Ear Worms, dir. Matt Lauterbach
// No Sign of Foul Play // New Spirits, dir. Andrew Freer // The Stumpgrinder, dir. Nick Nummerdor // Night Bus, dir. Todd
Lillethun // For Those About to Rock, We Educate
You, dirs. Oleg Mokhow & Tim Ro //
Without a Rebel// Mary Had a Little Lamb // Ladybird,
Ladybird, Fly Away Home
2007
American
Cameraman, dir. Steven Ivcich // Hope Never Dies, dir. Mirko
Popadic // Thrown Away, dir. Adam Novak // True Colors, dir. Bryan Walsh // Banging God’s Drum, dir. Johnny Silvey // An Alternative to Slitting Your Wrists, dir. Owen Lowery // The Atom Smashers, by 137 Films // What’s the Matter
with Kansas, dirs. Joe Winston & Laura Cohen // No Half Steppin, dirs. Tom Bailey
and Brendan Kredell // Hayloft Gang, dir. Steve Parry // My
Brother’s War, dir. Shana East // The Regiment, dir. Matt Wittman
2006
Garbage
Man, dir. Yvonne Welbon // My Nana’s Kitchen, dir. Katie Weber // My Brother’s
War, dir. Shana East // Highway Robbery, dir. Rusty Nails
Keep in Touch
We would also love to hear from you as your film screens to audiences, enters festivals, and wins awards! Please contact ktqlabs@kartemquin.com with updates.
If you would like to approach Kartemquin for ongoing consultation, our areas of expertise include: budgeting and proposals, technical services, work-flow, distribution and creative story-telling. Hourly and day rates are available. Please contact info@kartemquin.com for more information.