2008 DANCE MOViES COMMISSION GUIDELINES

EMPAC – the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute – launched the DANCE MOViES Commission in 2007. The Commission supports the creation of new works in the field of experimental dance for the screen. Through the Commission, EMPAC supports and encourages the development of the genre of dance film and video in the Americas.

The DANCE MOViES Commission is supported by the Jaffe Fund for Experimental Media and Performing Arts.

The DANCE MOViES Commission supports the creation of new works for the screen which vary widely in content and form, yet are united by the fact that the image on the screen was crafted by, or in collaboration with, a choreographer or movement-based artist. The works supported combine the possibilities and range of the moving image in all its technological facets with the physicality and movement-based modes of dance.

Examples of works supported by the commission include films that are narrative-driven, using the conventions of filmic story-telling; some may be abstract works which mine the inherent sympathies between the time-based, visual aspects of both dance and film; some may not even feature “dance” as is generally defined, but contain a powerful sense of how movement unfurls in time and how we create meaning from the dance of images; some may take advantage of tools such as computer processing, motion capture, simulation, animation, and image processing; and some may extend the confines of the single screen to multiple screens or projections.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES:

GUIDELINES

The DANCE MOViES Commission will support:

• Works in film, video, or another audio-visual medium, made by a choreographer, dancer, movement artist, filmmaker and/or collaborative team
• Innovative works which merge the fields of movement/dance/choreography, sound/music, with the moving image, and which are made specifically for the screen
• A “work for the screen” in the broadest sense: it may be a work for a single screen, a multiple-channel work or an installation
• Works which are up to 20 minutes in length (exceptions may be granted for an installation project). If the proposed work is the artist’s first dance film, the limit is up to 6 minutes in length
• Collaboration with a composer or sound-designer is strongly recommended; music and sound should be an integral part of the development of the work
• Works initiated and created by an artist, group, or collective based in North or South America
• Artists who have at least 5 years professional experience in their field
• Works with a completion date one year after the granting of the award
• The works may be co-commissioned or co-produced with a partner or several partners, however the funding from these partners must be in place by the time the selection panel meets
• Preference is given to projects which are in the first phases of production or which are initialized for the commission, rather than projects in post-production or nearing completion

The DANCE MOViES Commission was not conceived to support documentaries, feature-length films, commercial films that feature dance, promotional or educational projects, projects created for a performance, or student works.

Upon awarding of the commission, the artist or collaborative team will sign a contract and has one year to complete the project. Commissioned works will be premiered at EMPAC, and may be shown at dance film festivals around the world, credited as an EMPAC DANCE MOViES Commission.

The rights of the project remain with the artist or team, with EMPAC having the option to retain the rights of first publication and premier. EMPAC will not act as the work's distributor, although may help the artist submit the work to festivals and for broadcast.

The commission is to be used for project expenses only, and can not support equipment purchase. Equipment rental costs are an appropriate project expense.

A sample artist contract is available for review upon request.

SELECTION PROCESS

The EMPAC DANCE MOViES Commission is conducted as a competitive open proposal process, where eligible artists submit a proposal. EMPAC gathers submissions through an open call, active solicitation of artists by EMPAC and through recommendations from professionals in the field.

The initial proposals will be reviewed by EMPAC in the first round. A small number of artists will be short-listed and will be invited to submit a more detailed proposal to an international panel for the second round. The panel will assess the quality and feasibility of the proposed projects and will submit its recommendations to EMPAC. The commissions will be awarded by EMPAC after review. All selection decisions are final.

COMMISSIONING AWARDS:

The program will support approximately 3 projects per annual cycle. Commissions will range from $7,000–$50,000, depending on the scope and complexity of the project.

ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION ASSISTANCE:

EMPAC strives to support studio-based productions at EMPAC if project needs can be met. A project proposal should be submitted as though the project will be created independent of the resources of the EMPAC facility, with a note that it is a studio-based production that could benefit from EMPAC spaces and infrastructure. The proposal will be assessed on its own merits first, and if it advances to the second phase of the application process, another round of discussion will assess if a residency might be part of the production.

The building and facilities of EMPAC are under construction until the fall of 2008, and the program of EMPAC is in temporary quarters until then, therefore additional support is not available until after the opening. However, once the building of EMPAC is open, it may be possible for a DANCE MOViES Commission to be created with the use of the facilities. Depending on the nature of the project, the following resources, in addition to the funding, may be provided or facilitated by EMPAC:

• Access to studio space for rehearsals and shooting
• Access to equipment for use in the EMPAC facility
• Post-production, which includes access to professional video and audio editing and mastering equipment.

» Information on EMPAC’s resources and spaces.

If you would like more detail on the infrastructure (rigging, lighting, acoustics etc.) or spaces, please contact .

APPLICATION GUIDELINES:

TIMELINE

SELECTION PANEL

QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions not answered in these guidelines, please contact:

Hélène Lesterlin, EMPAC Dance Curator at 001.518.276.3918 or .

ABOUT EMPAC

The Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC), founded by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, is dedicated to work which explores the integration of technology, media and the performing arts. Through the DANCE MOViES Commission, EMPAC aims to support and encourage the development of the genre of dance film and video in the Americas.

ABOUT RENSSELAER

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, founded in 1824, is the US’s oldest technological university. The school offers degrees in engineering, the sciences, information technology, architecture, management, and the humanities and social sciences. Institute programs serve undergraduates, graduate students, and working professionals around the world. Rensselaer faculty are known for pre-eminence in research conducted in a wide range of research centers that are characterized by strong industry partnerships. The Institute is especially well known for its success in the transfer of technology from the laboratory to the marketplace so that new discoveries and inventions benefit human life, protect the environment, and strengthen economic development.

» back to top