As the independent film marketplace continues to experience headwinds, a new feature film finance and production outfit is popping up with the intention of guiding emerging filmmakers from development to distribution.
Danielle Lauder’s Act 4 Artists is officially entering the narrative feature film space, launching with the SXSW premiere of director Will Ropp’s high school comedy Brian. The company financed and produced the film from writer Mike Scollins, which is set to debut in the festival’s narrative competition, and follows an accident-prone teenager who decides to run for class president to get closer to a teacher that he has a crush on.
“Film doesn’t exist in isolation,” said Lauder in a statement. “We’re interested in building lasting ecosystems around the work, supporting filmmakers creatively while also thinking carefully about how their projects are introduced into the world.”
In addition to Lauder, who is the great-granddaughter of cosmetics giant Estée Lauder, Act 4 Artists is run by Casey Hanley and Steven Sachs, who serve as co-heads of development and production, and Camila Keller Sarmiento, head of event programming and creative producer.
Outside of narrative filmmakers, Act 4 Artists also supports other visual artists, with plans to launch showcases for Pablo Stein, Anton Connelly and Donald Robertson. In film, the company is backing Psyche, a psychological horror starring Hamnet star Noah Jupe and Isabela Merced.
