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Working with independent filmmakers and public television, ITVS helps produce, broadcast and promote programs that spark public dialogue and express points of view not usually seen on television.
ITVS is a vital source of funds for independent filmmakers and producers. ITVS guarantees that independents succeed with production management, feedback on works-in-progress and oversight to ensure that all programs meet exacting broadcast standards. The result: every completed ITVS-funded show has aired on public, cable or commercial television. On many of its programs, ITVS works closely with co-producing partners, including PBS stations, international production companies and the CPB-funded National Minority Consortia.
Getting a program ready for broadcast is only half the battle. ITVS Communications works to ensure that each ITVS program reaches the widest, most receptive and relevant audience. Through publicity, station relations, community outreach and online efforts, ITVS Communications works to advance civic dialogue and mobilize support among stations, local communities, educational institutions, partner organizations and individuals.
The national outreach and community relations program of ITVS, ITVS Community is a key component of ITVS Communications. By hosting community screenings and discussions through ITVS Community Cinema, providing educational materials through ITVS Community Classroom, and developing long-term community engagement projects with ITVS Community Campaigns, ITVS Community turns public television into a powerful resource for those working on important social issues across the U.S.
A film festival in your living room, Independent Lens is television’s largest showcase of independent film. The Emmy Award-winning series covers the full spectrum of independent filmmaking—innovative documentaries, dramas, shorts and animated works united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement and unwavering vision of their independent producers. Independent Lens airs Tuesday nights at 10 PM on PBS. ( Check local listings.)
Television is just one way to tell a compelling story. ITVS Interactive produces comprehensive program websites and content, including online film festivals, Web-original projects and opportunities for online civic engagement through participatory media. Independent Lens online accompanies the Independent Lens series with filmmaker interviews, Talkback forums, resources and special features. The Electric Shadows initiative provides funding for Web-original, projects that give a voice to underrepresented communities.
Independent filmmaking isn’t just local. It’s global. ITVS International promotes an international exchange of documentary films made by independent producers, bringing international voices to U.S. audiences and American stories to audiences abroad. Through a unique public-private partnership called the Global Perspectives Project, ITVS International administers the International Media Development Fund (IMDF) and True Stories: Life in the USA. The IMDF funds international producers and supports the American broadcast of their programs. True Stories: Life in the U.S.A. promotes a series of American independent films to audiences around the world.
ITVS was created to change TV. Today, as TV evolves to encompass multiple platforms and user interactivity, ITVS must also change to keep pace. ITVS works with independents and public media to seize new opportunities in the digital age.
- In 1999, ITVS helped launch LinkTV, an international, interactive television channel bringing the world's events, issues and cultures to audiences in the United States.
- Through partnerships with the AFI Digital Lab, ITVS has developed multiplatform prototypes using the work of independent filmmakers.
- Together with American University’s Center for Social Media, ITVS has co-produced two studies which address concerns of independent filmmakers in the digital age: The New Deal: How Digital Platforms Change Negotiations between Public Media and Independent Producers and New Deal Version 1.5: Mission and Monetizing.
- Through a partnership with the Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC), selected ITVS producers and their station partners are learning to utilize new technologies to enhance the reach of their programs.
