I Invite YOU Into IPG Leadership!

I Invite YOU Into IPG Leadership!

 I am Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq, the founder and current head of the Independent Producers Guild, and I am inviting you to join me in the leadership of the IPG. The IPG has always been intended to benefit its members as well as the independent producing community. Now I am re-focusing and re-committing to that purpose. Join me and help advance your own career at the same time!

NOTE that timely support is always critical for the IPG at this time of year. It is especially so this year, as the IPG has come to an pivotal point in its programs. I need your help, both in growing leadership, and in economic support

You have amazing opportunities to affect your industry right now, and make your way as a professional creator. As an active leader in the IPG, you will affect your industry positively, and you will advance your projects and your film career at the same time.

 Contact me direct at [email protected] to explore any of the following:

I invite you to take a leadership role (or to be involved in support) in one area of the IPG’s work:

1. Programs - Take control of an aspect of one of the following:

• Producing Unique New Creators (PUNC)

• Virtual Theatrical

• Outreach and Networking

• NEW –> Producer’s Groups (see below)

• NEW –> Film Finance Fund

• IPG Project Promotion Program

• FilmPods (Direct To Audience Initiative)

• Pension & Health Plan

2. Resources - Help organize and accumulate one ore more of the resources for IPG members:

• Members Handbook (updates and resources)

• Contracts Templates

• Production Checklists

• Industry Standards

• Industry Discounts Programs

• Industry Trends And Statistic

• Production Counseling & Consultation for IPG and aspiring producers

• Stakeholder / Revenue distribution

• Guild Scale Guidelines.

3. Administrative Support - volunteer to help with some of the tasks the organization must do every day:

• Website maintenance

• Accounting / bookkeeping

• Communications

• Social media posting

• Membership processing

• Newsletters

• Graphics design

• Data entry

• Word processing

Not ready to take the reigns, but still want to support the Guild or participate in another way? Here are some ways:

• JOIN THE IPG NOW if you are NOT a paid up member.

• If you ARE a member who are behind in your dues, please pay them.

• MAKE A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION to the PUNC program at SSI. We can receive donations via Zelle, bank transfer, CashApp or we can issue an invoice for payment by bank card through Stripe.

• VOLUNTEER - we need assistants, researchers, grant writers, seminar instructors, mentors and more.

• PARTICIPATE in a Producers Group (see below)

NEW IPG Programs and Initiatives

Here I announce two new initiatives:

A: Producers Groups - starting with HORRORxSCIFI. Producer Groups are headed by IPG members who have a special interest in particular genres or production structures. They will be somewhat informal and can involve meets, blogs, discussions, debates etc. or create production ideas, marketing events for IPG member productions, and more.

You are encouraged to suggest a group, start it and chair it. You will reap rewards of networking, higher profile and new opportunities to work with other creatives!

HORRORxSCIFI is a special interest group, chaired by SSI Artistic Director and horror/thriller director Diamond Monique Washington. It will focus on Horror, Thriller and Scifi based film and media. If you want to join this group and contribute to it in any way, email Diamond directly at [email protected]

B: Film Finance Fund - the beginning of a structure which will benefit IPG members by providing financial assistance for their projects. YOU want to be part of this effort. At this time, we are already able to offer a fiscal sponsorship arrangement on qualified projects - which help approved applicants to raise money through tax-deductible donations. I am planning a commercially viable fund as well.

Discussion - Why You Should Be Involved In Leadership & Support Now!

The IPG is the one and only professional organization actively working to improve the business environment, and professional standards, for the independent producing community in North America. Our small but growing membership is predominantly made up of creatives and active producers. As a true professional guild, as opposed to a trade union, the IPG’s goal has been and remains to promote the business and professional advantage of Guild members. This applies within the independent film space, and the major studio space.

 My goal as IPG head is to put independent film creators into defacto industry leadership. I mean this in economic and structural terms, of course. Artistic leadership has been steadily shifting away from the studios to the independent creators for the last two decades. As new and original voices get to market, as empowering technology continues to evolve, it is inevitable that the trend continues. Corporate producers among the legacy studio system, (which group, ironically, includes NetFlix, Amazon and the Disney/Fox-controlled TubiTV) is inevitably structured to stifle originality. Outside of marketing budget strength, legacy studios simply will not be able to compete in the domain of art, or even entertainment.

 The last few years have seen the legacy studios continue to decline in both profitability and relevance to the audience, which is increasingly diverse in it’s choice of entertainment. The on-demand, digital environment has revealed what independent creators always knew: that audiences care more about originality and entertainment than they do about brands and budgets.

Audiences have a much wider viewpoint than the old brick-and-mortar and broadcast media could deliver. They now have options, and independent producers are increasingly taking actual markets aware from the legacy studios.

IPG members can take control of their own careers, and can set the standard for motion picture and new media now and into the future.

I am asking you to renew your commitment to your own film career, to your own path as a creator, controlling your own expressions. I am asking you to take and keep ownership of your creation and the profits it generates.

Do you have the vision to make your creation a reality? Do you have the Will to bring it into manifestation? Don’t be lulled into inaction by the idea that you need millions of dollars before you move forward. When you are committed, you will solve the business challenges as they come up.

I have worked hard to get the IPG to the point it is. At this point, it is ready for more people to contribute and make their mark. You have the opportunity to take leadership roles in one of the established initiatives. You can be instrumental in moving our programs into the next phase.