Pilotlite/DPRGRM Bringing Podcasting to LAFF

Los Angeles, CA June 1, 2009–Award wining immersive media artist Joseph Matheny has announced that his companies, Pilotlite and DPRGRM will be producing the official podcast for the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival. Matheny, with his companies, Metalepsis and DPRGRM pioneered film festival podcasting in 2006, with the first ever “from the floor” podcast with the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.  (Archive link: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/01/prweb337659.htm)  The SBIFF podcast produced segments that were picked up by major media sources, like Variety, E! and Starz, putting SBIFF on the map.

“We’re proud to bring the ‘from the carpet and from the floor’ experience to Los Angeles and aim to achieve even better results than we did with the SBIFF” said Matheny. “Piltolite/DPRGRM strives to always be on the cutting edge of the evolving media landscape. We’ll be pushing out audio-video podcasts, click to play, and still image archives of seminars, talks and red carpet events. This will “virtualize” the event for those who attended to revisit their experience, as well as offering a taste for those who might not be able to attend this year, but hope to in the future. Virtualizing events lengthens the “knee” of the bell curve for live events. This will be the first year for a official podcasting station at the LAFF and we’re proud to be breaking ground once again and to be providing a valuable service to the independent film community.”

Now in its fifteenth year, the Los Angeles Film Festival is widely recognized as a world-class event, showcasing the best in new American and international cinema and providing the movie-loving public with access to some of the most critically acclaimed filmmakers, film industry professionals, and emerging talent from around the world. Drawing on an expected attendance of 85,000, the Festival provides films with the opportunity to be embraced by the public and discovered by the industry. More than 70 feature films – narrative and documentary – are featured in the Festival, alongside gala premieres, panels and seminars, short film programs, music video showcases, free outdoor screenings, live musical performances, and unique signature events. LAFF is sponsored by the Los Angles Times.

With 200 features, shorts and music videos from 30 countries, Film Independent unveiled details for the 15th Los Angeles Film Festival, taking place June 18 – 28. New to this year’s narrative and documentary competitions are international premieres along with world and U.S. debuts. This year’s narrative and documentary competitions include eight world premieres and three U.S. premieres. Director Michael Mann’s action-thriller, “Public Enemies” will screen as LAFF’s Centerpiece premiere. The fil stars Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, and Academy Award(R) winner Marion Cotillard in the story of legendary Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger (Depp).

Other highlights include selections from actors Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal’s Abulante Film Festival, a traveling event spotlighting documentary in Mexico, including the International Premiere of Anais Huerta and Raul Cuesta’s “Rehje.” LAFF’s opening and closing films, as well as panels and other highlights will be announced at a later date.

“The 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival is a celebration of culture, cinema and community: a festival where everyday movie lovers can see films they otherwise might not see, hear first-hand from the artists and filmmakers that inspire them, and get a sneak peek at the great movies of the summer,” said Los Angeles Film Festival Director Rebecca Yeldham in a statement. “It’s a beautiful program, and I can’t wait to share it with our audiences.”

Pilotlite is a website founded by Joseph Matheny and Michael Mailer, dedicated to bringing a voice to aspiring professionals in the television industry by showcasing undiscovered pilots, features and made for the Internet projects online. In working with the production company Michael Mailer Films as well as the online media corporation DPRGRM, Pilotlite will serve as a vehicle, connecting the artist to the public with the goal of generating a studio contract or an online series. Pilotlite will work hard to ensure that the website’s content will be of top quality for the public to view and vote on. Pilotlite is found at piltolite.com.

To volunteer to help or for press information about this podcasting station, contact Joseph Matheny at jmatheny@dprgrm.com

The podcasting station is at http://pod.lafilmfest.com