Raindance courses in London over the years have seen a respectable roster of new filmmakers, some of the most famous being Christopher Nolan, Guy Ritchie, Charles Steel and Paul Brooks.

This year Raindance has started up courses in Brussels and Budapest in addition to its long-running operations in New York and Toronto. We asked Elliot Grove, the founder of Raindance, Why Budapest?

"Our goal has always been to promote and help new talent. Budapest is going through an exciting filmmaking boom right now on all levels, and there are a lot of talented and enthusiastic filmmakers who want to break into the international film industry. We want to help them to understand the tricks and trades of this unique industry."

The Raindance Film Festival was launched 18 years ago and has screened films such as Pulp Fiction and The Blair Witch Project, and was the first festival to put Leonardo diCaprio on screen (aged 14). The festival's aim is to promote everything in independent film, from shorts to documentaries to guerilla and blockbuster features. This year Raindance had a heavy dose of controversial films, including LA Zombie, the “first gay porn zombie movie”, and A Serbian Film (which officially had to be a "private screening" to adhere to regulations).

Raindance Budapest's first series of night classes covering various facets of the business of filmmaking began this Fall, and features six Hungarian and US tutors active in the film industry, such as Gergely Fonyó (director of Made in Hungaria) and American producer Luca Bercovici. "Raindance is important and exciting because it is independent. Independence is very important in an artform which relies on money" says Gergely Fonyó. "Raindance makes filmmakers braver by reminding us that, despite all the challenges and dificulties, anyone with enough talent and dedication can make it, because we always are in need of new faces, new styles, and new directions."

Daniel Kresmery, head of Raindance Budapest, believes Raindance is filling a market void for night and weekend courses concentrating on the business and practical aspects of filmmaking. "We believe people today can make marketable films if they possess enough ideas, talent, and energy, without necessarily having to study film aesthetics for 4 years in film school."

"Our main goal is to connect the Budapest community to other independent communities of filmmakers, and to be a catalyst however we can for more filmmaking."

Elliot Grove will be in Budapest from November 25-28 teaching a night class about low-budget screenwriting, and his extremely popular Lo-to-No Budget Filmmaking weekend workshop, both in Budapest for the first time.

For more information visit www.raindance.org and www.budapest.raindance.org.

ABOUT RAINDANCE
“Raindance exists to discover, foster and champion new talent and audiences.”
Raindance’s Value

Raindance stands for innovative film training, a major film festival and the prestigious British Independent Film Awards.

Respected in the UK and around the world, Raindance is unique, diverse and inclusive. There is no other film organisation equivalent in scope, range or influence.

Raindance Film Festival
Raindance is the UK’s largest independent film festival. It was founded in 1993 by Elliot Grove and is happening in central London each October.

The Festival represents and promotes all aspects of independent cinema, from guerilla style low budget shorts to international indie blockbusters.

The screenings, seminars, workshops and parties give everyone the chance to share our passion for independent cinema.

Raindance Film Training

Raindance offers evening and weekend training courses in writing, directing and producing. They are designed to take independent filmmakers from first principles to post-production and beyond.

The courses offer a comprehensive overview of the most up to date and inspirational techniques and methods at use in the industry today, taught by working industry professionals at the forefront of the business.

Raindance amumni include, among others, Guy Ritchie (Sherlock Holmes), Christopher Nolan (Batman), Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) and Charles Steel (The Last King of Scotland).

British Independent Film Awards

The British Independent Film Awards celebrate excellence and achievement in independently funded Britsh films, honour new talent and promote British films and filmmaking across the world. The Awards have the support of all the major players within the British film industry, and are a permanent fixture in the film calendar since 1998."

Source: www.raindance.org