The filmmaking team behind the dark comedy I Put a Hit on You is one of 12 teams participating in the first chapter of A2E: Artist to Entrepreneur, a two-part lab taking place during the San Francisco International Film Festival.

The group of 12 participating films was selected in collaboration with A2E partners including the British Film Institute, the Canadian Film Centre, Cinereach, Film London and the Sundance Institute.

I Put a Hit on You is co-written and directed by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart, with Jordan Gross and Mike MacMillan producing.

The romantic thriller starring Sara Canning and Aaron Ashmore is about a brokenhearted woman who teams up with her ex-boyfriend to stop the hitman she accidentally hired to kill him.

The film, which was supported by an Indiegogo campaign, was shot in Toronto last year.

The San Francisco Film Society last month announced plans for A2E: Artist to Entrepreneur, a series of labs to help productions participating in the program to develop tailored distribution and marketing strategies.

Two of the labs, A2E Direct Distribution Lab and A2E Direct LaunchPad, will be piloted on May 2 to 5 during the San Francisco International Film Festival  with others planned for the near future.

The Direct Distribution Lab will let filmmakers, technology partners and distribution experts strategize on new models for audience outreach and engagement for the digital age.

According to the SFFS, the program will address the question, “What is the most valuable way to retain my rights and engage directly with my audience?” for indie filmmakers.

Filmmakers will work with distribution consultants, platform builders and tool developers to design an engagement strategy for a self or hybrid release of their films. Select projects will be presented to potential funders or collaborators to move the strategy forward. The tech partners in the lineup include Vimeo, Cinedigm, IndieFlix, TopSpin and Tugg.

The A2E LaunchPad, happening May 2 and 4, is a forum for filmmakers to connect with the tech sphere to learn how they can collaborate with new tech and startups in the creative process