The Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers is an inclusive, non-profit, arts-based society that exists to encourage film making as art, reflecting and challenging our changing cultural landscape through production and exhibition of the Filmmaker.  We exist to help people make films by offering workshops, equipment rentals, edit suites, information services and arts programming, including the $100 Film Festival.

We encourage all levels of membership by providing resources and workshops to increase members skills and achieve personal arts-based expression in a non-exploitive film productions. We operate as a co-operative so we require that anyone renting equipment must be a member of the society, and that they must be working on their own artistic projects.  For a mere $40 annually, you can join the Society and access our great resources.  Your membership fee helps us assure that our equipment is accessible at a low cost, is kept in good condition and we can purchase new equipment when we need to.  It also helps us provide world-class programming, offer quality workshops at low cost and event cover staff and facilities costs.  We also encourage our members to build the community through volunteering.  Volunteering helps us run our many great programs, ties you in with a network of fantastic people with similar interests and volunteering for CSIF activities collects "volunteer hours" that allow you to upgrade to our Production level membership ($60 annually and provides great discounts on equipment and other benefits).

WORKSHOPS: The workshops are at an introductory to intermediate level and are affordably priced. Held in two sessions during the year, in the Spring and in the Fall, the one to two day workshops cover a variety of subjects including screenwriting, basic camera use, editing, producing and much more.  The Spring 2011 schedule will be released in mid March, so make sure you keep an eye on our  website at www.csif.org or e-mail  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to join our mailing list.

EQUIPMENT: The CSIF has digital, Super 8 and 16mm filmmaking equipment available to Members. Since the CSIF operates as a cooperative, members purchase a membership and can volunteer in return for access to our equipment. Contact our Production Coordinator at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information on our equipment and becoming a Production Member.

EDITING SUITES: The CSIF has state-of-the-art digital editing suites with cutting edge software available for artists to work on their non-commercial projects. The CSIF also has a Super 8 telecine to transfer Super 8 film to digital, and an optical printer to work on 16mm film projects.

INFORMATION SERVICES: CSIF offers many ways to communicate and stay informed. Members get the latest information with a regular e-bulletin packed with calls for submissions, funding opportunities, job calls, workshops, and special announcements. The CSIF also offers a free list-serve for the community to post crew calls, casting calls and to discuss technical questions. A quarterly newsletter, Answer Print, offers critical writing as well as informative articles of interest to those who love film.

ARTS PROGRAMMING: In addition to the annual $100 Film Festival, the CSIF also programs film screenings, host Visiting Artists and other related events such as talks, workshops and other arts festivals.  To see what events are coming up at the CSIF & the Sofa Cinema, check out www.csif.org.