Do you need a LIFT?
In this case we’re not referring to an elevator or a ride in a car. LIFT stands for Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto, the sponsors of the International Visiting Artist Residency.

If you are a film maker, an aspiring film maker or a fan of the film arts, this residency program may be your key in opening doors for film editing equipment and cameras for your production.

How it works
According to the sponsors of this residency, the program is targeted at artists who need professional facilities to complete their works:

“LIFT’s residency program focuses on the production of film-based works with equipment and facilities to which the artist would not have access in their local region.

‘Artists are expected to be at an established point in their practice (although not necessarily working predominantly with film).

“Applicants must also consider what they would bring to the Toronto community in terms of community collaboration, teaching, artist talks and/or presentation activities - these engagements are a critical part of each residency offered by LIFT.”

The production studio supports a wide range of formats including, ‘…regular 8mm, Super 8mm, 16mm, Super 16mm, 35mm and HD; film and digital editing; optical printers; contact printers; animation stands; a darkroom and more.’

Residency value and length of program
This program is open to all non-Canadian residents. The maximum cash for individual projects is $3,000 CAD for travel, lodging and daily cash expenses.

Maximum paid equipment rental and facilities costs will be provided up to a maximum of $3,000 CAD. However the filmmaker is responsible for costs related to film stock, lab fees, chemicals and other associated production amenities.

How to apply
There are several crucial things you must provide when applying for this residency:

* A proposal on how your work will engage the local ….community and how LIFT is able to provide you with ….facilities and equipment not available in your area.
* A Curriculum vitae (CV)
* Estimated budget for your project
* Examples of past work (materials cannot be returned)
.
Send all your application materials to:

International Artist Residencies 2011/12 Application
c/o Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT)
1137 Dupont Street
Toronto, Ontario
M6H 2A3 CANADA

Additional information and contest links
All applications must be received by April 11, 2011. Only non-Canadian residents are eligible for this residency.

Any questions can be directed to submissions [at] lift.on.ca. (replace the [at] with @)

For important residency information follow these links:

Official website
Official rules (PDF doc)

Graphic design school and the film industry
The reality is that graphic design work is needed during the production of films. Animation, illustration, digital art, computer graphics and multimedia all play an important role in making movies.

If you are interested in these career fields, an education from a graphic design college is a good way to build your knowledge and skill base in order to qualify for jobs.

Speak with a graphic design school representative today and find out what available education opportunities are open to you.