“Launchpad” producer Phillip Domfeh on the importance of showcasing films from underrepresented creators: “You don’t have to be other. This may be a home for you.

DEADLINE: How would be You describe Launchbar as A program? 

PHILIPPE DOMFEH:The best path has discuss Disney Launchbar East that he is sitting has THE intersection of 100 years of narration skill that resides In THE Walt Disney Workshops, And THE following generation of storytellers that were trying has bring up that often come Since underrepresented backgrounds, Or people with unique perspectives WHO Really to have another path of We look has, Again, that very strong tradition of family narration.

And What We TO DO East, We leverage that skill. We increase these filmmakers up, We Really teach them What he means has TO DO A studio project, has TO DO A short movie In THE studio system, but specifically THE Walt Disney The studios. We support them with creative executives Since all on THE business, all on THE studio, And Also THE television side of THE House. SO We have had mentors Since Lucasfilm And 20th Century. And We gird them with that support has help them has say their stories. And SO they to have, I think, what is this Really THE opportunity of A lifetime has exposure that work on A of THE leading streaming platforms In THE business with Disney+.

DEADLINE: Launchbar East NOW In It is second season with A third season on THE path. What has has been THE learning curve between manufacturing Season 1 And Season 2?

DOMFÉH: First of all, I should say that THE program begin back In 2019, below THE support of Mahin Ibrahim And Julie Anne Crommett WHO joined THE team back SO. I joined In 2020, with THE responsibility of development THE second season And socket We Before. But they Really put together THE bone And THE vision For A project as This. I was Really grateful has to have This opportunity, because Identifier do work in the same way Before has that. I ran something called THE AT&T Mentoring program And obtained has produce short movies next to Lena Hold on And Rishi Rajani. And I Really cut My teeth learning Since them how has Really say A impactful And significant history In A short period of time. And A of THE things that We learned, I think, In OUR work together back SO, East that It is Really important has to have everyone Operating out of THE the biggest strength.

SO with season two, We open up A writers track And Really separated THE process out  SO that You could apply as A writer, A director, Or A writer-director. And that Really allowed For two things. He allowed We has Really develop A slate of short movies And has Really pair he together, very exciting storytellers that maybe did not have known each other, but could Really connect And realize A history In A very exciting path. I think he help We has develop THE Rising of people that We were impactful. In season A, We only had six filmmakers, all of which are incredibly talented, all of which I admire. But In season two, We were able has bring In 12 filmmakers. SO Since season has season, were able has double OUR impact numbers.

And SO Again, I think THE movie industry And THE movie business East A collaborative art form. And I admire And love screenwriters-directors. Niki Ang was A writer-director In season two, And did A amazing job with THE short movie Maxine. And This East In No path has say that any of them of OUR writers Or directors are not qualified In other areas, but There is such A Magic that Really came has bear When We paired together very exciting storytellers on both different sides, And had them just imagine something together. He just extended THE nature of THE stories, THE depth, he Free new perspectives, And It is something that I think has just help We raise THE work that We to have with Disney Launchpad.

DEADLINE: I am supposing a few of THE stories You hear In THE writers/pitching bedroom must move all of You has tears Or maybe Really TO DO You reflect. Can You talk has something that was Really endearing? 

DOMFÉH: OUR scriptwriter, Adam Parker, WHO Sometimes go by W.A.W. Parker wrote This incredibly beautiful scenario called THE Roof, about A North Cheyenne youth In Montana, WHO has A connection Or find A connection Since her emotionally far grandfather, plays gloriously by We s Study, When they both accomplished her two-spirit identity.