BARBARA HAMMER LESBIAN EXPERIMENTAL FILMMAKING GRANT
INFO: The Barbara Hammer Lesbian Experimental Filmmaking Grant is an annual grant that will be awarded to self-identified lesbians for making visionary moving-image art. Work can be experimental animation, experimental documentary, experimental narrative, cross-genre, or solely experimental. Applicants must be based in the U.S. This grant was established by Hammer in 2017 to give needed support to moving-image art made by lesbians. The grant is supported directly by funds provided by Hammer’s estate and administered through Queer|Art by lesbians for lesbians, with a rotating panel of judges.
What information does the application require?
Contact info, narrative bio, and headshot
Synopsis of project and strategy for exhibition
Budget
Work samples (2 samples, no more than 7-10 minutes total)
2 professional references
CV
What is required in the synopsis and budget?
Synopsis:
Description of the project and the process by which it will be made. (Up to 300 words) *Required
What is your timeline for completing the work and strategy for its exhibition? (Up to 125 words) * Required
Are there any additional aspects of this work you would like the panel to be aware of? (Up to 125 words) *Not required
Budget (one page, uploaded as PDF):
Your budget should account for how the work will be made (you do not need to include presentation costs). If the cost of production exceeds the grant amount, please indicate within the budget any confirmed funding you have received or additional funding you anticipate that will enable you to complete this project.
AWARD: This year Queer|Art is pleased to announce the grant has increased to $7,000.
APPLICATION FEE: $6
DEADLINE: November 1, 2020
https://www.queer-art.org/hammer-grant#apply
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2021 CANNES WRITERS RESIDENCY
The Black List
INFO: The Black List is excited to partner with Canal+, Vivendi, the Festival de Cannes, the Université Côte d'Azur and the City of Cannes on the 2021 CannesFilms Unlimited Writers Residency in Cannes, France. Participants in the Residency will develop a new original European film or TV series, in English, in accordance with the brief below.
SUBMISSION PROCESS AND PROGRAM: Opt-ins will be open on the Black List website starting Monday, September 14, 2020 and will close at midnight on Sunday, November 8, 2020. On Monday, November 9, 2020, up to 30 writers will be invited, based on the strength of their scripts as determined by the Black List, to submit the following additional application materials in order to be considered further:
Short Project Pitch (5 sentences)
Project Synopsis (3 pages)
Letter of Intent (outlining your artistic vision of the project and the reasons why you chose this subject)
Personal Statement (on why you would be an ideal candidate for the Residency)
Professional Resume/CV
These materials will be due by the finalists by 12:00PM PST on Friday, November 20, 2020.
In December 2020, 18 writers will be selected for the first round of the residency, a two-month-long online program during which they will write a ten page treatment for their film or television series. They will meet regularly with mentors and participate in master classes led by industry professionals.
Following the online program, each writer will pitch their film or television series in March 2021 to a jury of industry professionals, including Canal+ and the Black List. From those 18 pitches, eight writers will be selected to attend the three-week-long residency in Cannes, France in May 2021. There they will outline their film and attend the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.
THE BRIEF: Your film or television series idea, and the resulting treatment, must reflect the European imagination. Europe and its history should act as an inexhaustible source of inspiration, with its rich subject matter, various heroes (real and fictitious) and emblematic places offering up their storytelling potential. With your original projects, this Residency aims to highlight stories from and about Europe that are not often seen in film or on television, while promoting the creation of universal stories with an international scope.
Please choose from one of the two following themes:
Inspirational stories of social advancement (films that would be similar thematically include THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS, TRADING PLACES (1983), ROCKY, GOOD WILL HUNTING, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, THERE WILL BE BLOOD, BARRY LYNDON, and CATCH ME IF YOU CAN)
Stories of heroism (films that would be similar thematically include GLADIATOR THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, ROCKY, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, FORREST GUMP, DIE HARD, SULLY, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, HIGH NOON, IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, ERIN BROCKOVICH, THE COLOR PURPLE)
DEADLINE: November 8, 2020
https://blcklst.com/partnerships/opportunities/89
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Black Muslim Girl Fly Film Festival
INFO: The Black Muslim Girl Fly Film Festival (BMFF) is an annual one-day event of film showcases that profile stories by Black Muslim Girl filmmakers and creative talent in the film, television and digital space. Originally founded in February 2018 with the purpose of creating a platform to showcase film content by Black Muslim women filmmakers, BMFF is also designed to create opportunities to network with industry professionals and cultivate community among Black Muslim Girls in film around the world.
On a mission to expand cinematic narratives to be more inclusive of Black women and shine a light on untold stories, the annual festival showcases dramas, documentaries, short films and episodic projects that tell the stories of Black Muslim women across the globe. Program highlights also include a diverse panel of film industry professionals and consultants, and a musical performance. Past speakers have included CEO of GameChanger, Effie T. Brown, Pearl Street Films' Development Executive, Fanshen Cox, in addition to guest judges like Blacklist actor, Hisham Tawfiq, Director and Producer, Oz Scott. Performers including Alia Sharrief and Sa-Roc have been a part of the Festival's music lineup.
In creating a platform to spotlight original work and open up access into the film industry, the BMFF goal is to support the establishment of a lane in the mainstream film industry that embraces stories and film content by and about Black Muslim women for wider audience exposure and connection.
GUIDELINES: You (or someone on the project's above-the-line OR below-the-line staff) must identify as female and Black, and/OR must identify as a Muslim from the Diaspora, (non-Arab, and/or South Asian.) OR, there must be a Muslim of Color, (non-Arab, and/or South Asian) representing the Diaspora, in the film.
DEADLINE: November 10, 2020
https://filmfreeway.com/BMGFlyFest
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Short Form Screenwriting Competition
TIGHT5
INFO: TIGHT5’s Short Form Screenwriting Competition is seeking a culturally diverse group of scribes to submit screenplays for short films under the length of 15 minutes.
The TIGHT5 concept is derived from the comedy realm. In order to expedite the submission process, a competitor’s initial submission can consist of a TIGHT5, only submitting the first 5 pages of their script (optional) in order to see if they advance to the 2nd round. Not only does this make the writer focus on making the story concise but operationally it will limit our first round judging team to reading only 5 pages to verify qualifying submissions.
The first competition will be available to writers of diverse backgrounds from the communities listed in the competition rules and will be centered around Short Films with a maximum length of 15 mins. We will use the one (1) minute per page as a general guide. There will be a max amount of credits a writer can have to participate in this first competition.
The 4 genres or categories accepted will be:
Sci-Fi
Thriller/Horror
Drama
Comedy
DEADLINES & FEES:
Early Bird - November 15, 2020 ($25.00)
Regular - December 31, 2020 ($35.00)
Extended - January 15, 2021 ($45.00)
https://tight5.org/competition/short-form-screenwriting-competition-2020/
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2020 FICTION PODCAST CONTEST
Shore Scripts
INFO: Podcasts are kind of a big deal! Over 100 million people in USA listen to at least one Podcast a month and that rate is increasing by 20 million year on year. Fiction podcasts are taking a century’s worth of entertainment in radio plays and pushing the boundaries to tell stories in fresh and innovative ways, quickly becoming the fastest-growing sub-section of this booming industry. Many writers, including our Judges, have forged successful careers for themselves through Podcasts. Hollywood’s taking notice too! More and more of these shows are being adapted for Televsion: Homecoming, Limetown, Carrier, Left Right Game & LORE to name but a few.
The beauty of the fiction Podcast format is that it allows you as a writer to be completely free to tell the story you wish to tell, without having to factor in the budgetary constraints of filmmaking. Our Podcast Contest offers more in funding and prize money than any other.
In collaboration with our winning writers, Shore Scripts will produce both episodes, making use of our industry connections to find talented cast and crew. We will look to attach a named actor/actress to each episode to further elevate the show and draw in a larger audience. Once both episodes are live, we will contact commissioners in an attempt to greenlight the series. The writers have final say on all potential commissioning offers.
This is a great opportunity to get your work commissioned and voice heard in this ever-growing industry. You don’t even need to write an episode from scratch. Perhaps you have a screenplay, novel or stageplay that could be adapted to fit this medium. Read our How to Adapt my Screenplay into a Podcast for some pointers.
We accept screenplay, radio and stageplay format. Check out our Rules and FAQ’s for all the info.
AWARD:
Two winners will be chosen to have their pilot scripts produce, each with a budget of $5,000
Plus, each winner will also receive $1000 Cash!
DEADLINES:
Early - November 15, 2020
Regular - December 18, 2020
Final - January 21, 2021
https://filmfreeway.com/ShoreScriptsFictionPodcastContest
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2021 CASSIAN ELWES INDEPENDENT SCREENWRITING FELLOWSHIP AT THE SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL
Sundance Institute
INFO: The Cassian Elwes Independent Screenwriting Fellowship is an annual program designed to encourage and identify new talent in the field of independent cinema by awarding two screenwriters each year with an all-expenses paid trip to the Sundance Film Festival and an opportunity to meet with producer Cassian Elwes (MUDBOUND, LEE DANIELS' THE BUTLER, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB).
Due to COVID-19 and the resulting changes to both general travel and the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, this year's Fellowship recipients will not travel to Park City, UT. Fellows will receive a pass to the modified 2021 Sundance Film Festival (including satellite events in New York and Los Angeles) and a stipend of $2,500. Fellows that do not live in the Los Angeles or New York metropolitan areas will be traveled to either Los Angeles or New York for Sundance events, subject to current COVID-19 travel restrictions and the 2021 Sundance Film Festival schedule. Additional events and meetings will be hosted with Mr. Elwes via Zoom.
Unrepresented feature writers with an independent sensibility who have made less than $5,000 in aggregate in their film or television writing careers will be able to opt into consideration via the Black List website until November 15, 2020. At that time, the Black List will choose ten screenplays imbued with an independent spirit by unrepresented screenwriters, which will be sent on to Mr. Elwes for his consideration. Two fellowship recipients will be selected by Mr. Elwes by calendar year's end.
Evaluations purchased before midnight on October 15, 2020 will be guaranteed consideration. The Black List recommends—but does not require—that writers obtain at least one script evaluation for their hosted scripts, as the data from script evaluations inform the process by which the short list of writers is determined for this opportunity.
Check out our FAQ for more information on how to obtain hosting and evaluations at no cost, and for more details on the 2021 Cassian Elwes Independent Screenwriting Fellowship.
DEADLINES: November 15, 2020
https://blcklst.com/partnerships/opportunities/88
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BIPOC Writers Fellowship: Adapting Books for the Screen
The Writers Room 5050
INFO: The Writers Room 5050 and Level 4 Press Present: The BIPOC Writers Fellowship, "Adapting Books for the Screen," beginning March 2021. In this 12-week fellowship, fellows will adapt a book into a feature film screenplay, receive mentorship from industry leaders, a stipend for participating, and more.
The fellowship will focus on adapting a book into a screenplay, the release of fictional feature films for theatrical, streaming, and television movies-of-the-week (MOWs). In the process, BIPOC writers will learn the highest industry standards for developing, writing, financing and producing an adapted feature film project. Each fellow will adapt one Level 4 Press book into a feature film screenplay.
The Writers Room 5050 and Level 4 Press are currently working with top executives, writers, representatives and guest speakers to provide mentorship, feedback, and firsthand industry knowledge.
The BIPOC Writers Fellowship includes but is not limited to:
A 12-week lab taking you from book-to-screenplay
Mentorship on creating and crafting your script
A $750 Writer Stipend to all participants and accepted writers
Expert development notes and assessments by industry professionals
A 'table read' with professional actors
Script Sales and Career Strategy instruction
Pitch deck and high-end marketing collateral created for the project
Live Industry Event to pitch your new script and meet high-end industry decision-makers
For those scripts optioned, setup or sold, there will be financial participation
REQUIREMENTS:
BIPOC Writer: Applicants must be of BIPOC heritage/ethnicity (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color)
Script Submission: Writers must submit a completed screenplay (90 to 120 pages) for consideration
Application Fee: An Early, Regular or Late application processing fee will apply.
DEADLINES:
Early: November 20, 2020
Regular: December 18, 2020
Late: January 8, 2021
SUBMISSION FEES:
Early - $40.00
Regular - $50.00
Late - $60.00
Payment Methods: PayPal, Venmo, Zelle
PayPal: send fee to username: Evette Vargas | email: evette@digital-reign.net | send as “Trusted”
Venmo: send fee to username: @Evette-Vargas | email: evette@digital-reign.net
Zelle: send fee to email: evette@writersroom5050.com
Announcements:
Semi-Finalists: January 22, 2021
Finalists: February 5, 2021
Fellows Announced: February 19, 2021
Fellows Begins: Week of March 8, 2021
Fellowship Schedule:
Dates: Wednesdays, March 10th to May 26th, 2021
Time: 6pm to 9pm PST - (1 class per week, 3 hours per class)
Venue: Zoom
DEADLINE: November 20, 2020
https://www.writersroom5050.com/fellowship-details
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2020-2021 Michael Collyer Memorial Fellowship in Screenwriting
Writers Guild Initiative
INFO: The Michael Collyer Memorial Fellowship in Screenwriting is awarded to an emerging screenwriter (18-25) who plans to pursue a career in screenwriting. The winner receives a $10,000 stipend to write an original screenplay and is mentored during the course of the fellowship (one-year) by a prominent screenwriter. It is underwritten by a grant from the King Family Foundation, and hosted by The Black List.
New this year, in partnership with the International Screenwriters’ Association (ISA), the Collyer Fellowship winner will also receive a 12-month ISAConnect membership, a 15-minute consultation, and a free Developmental Evaluation. The top five Fellowship finalists will also receive a 12-month ISAConnect membership!
The fellowship is open to students across the country and the winner will be announced in Spring, 2021. Note that this fellowship is for screenwriters between the ages of 18-25 who will be no older than 25 years of age as of December 31, 2020. Emphasis is placed on feature film projects that are character driven and personal in nature (no TV pilots at this time).
The award honors Michael Collyer, a distinguished entertainment attorney in New York City for four decades, who practiced primarily at his namesake firm Kay Collyer & Boose and specialized in television financing and production.
Our Collyer Fellows often go onward to bigger and brighter successes. Past winners have received accolades such as the Nicholl Fellowship and the Bahamas International Film Festival residency.
DEADLINE: November 27, 2020
https://writersguildinitiative.org/wgi-programs/the-michael-collyer-fellowship/
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THE 2020 MUSLIM LIST
The Black List / Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) / Pillars Fund
INFO: The Black List has partnered with the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) and Pillars Fund to create The Muslim List, highlighting the very best unproduced scripts written by at least one Muslim writer.
Filmmakers and content creators are invited to submit a script for consideration by uploading it to The Black List website during fall 2020. Submissions will be accepted until December 4, 2020. Feature film, one-hour, and half-hour original pilot submissions will be considered for this opportunity (no webseries, please.) Scripts from any genre are eligible for this partnership.
Writers selected for the Muslim List will be notified of their placement in January-February 2021, with a public announcement to follow.
DEADLINE: December 4, 2020
https://blcklst.com/partnerships/opportunities/87
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2020-2021 BLACK LIST & GOOGLE ASSISTANT STORYTELLING FELLOWSHIP
The Black List / Google Assistant
INFO: Up to five writers will receive $20,000 each for the purpose of supporting those writers for six months as they work to draft their new feature screenplays and/or teleplays. During the course of those six months, the Black List and Google Assistant will also pair each fellowship recipient with a screenwriting mentor.
Pitches should be contemporary in nature and avoid violence and/or illegal activity as the premise of the story. Completed scripts can include the natural helpfulness of technology in everyday life, but shouldn’t be focused around technology or from a dystopian view. At the end of the Fellowship, each recipient would provide Google with a copy of their new draft along with a report addressing how the grant has been used to advance their work.
THE SELECTION PROCESS
Opt-ins will be open until midnight on Friday, January 15, 2021. On Monday, January 18, 2021, up to 15 writers will be invited, based on the strength of their scripts as determined by the Black List, to submit a one-page personal statement and professional resume. Those materials will be due on Friday, January 22, 2020. From those submissions, up to five (5) writers will be selected by the Black List and Google Assistant to receive the 2020-2021 Storytelling Fellowship. Fellowship recipients will be notified in February 2021.
DEADLINE: January 15, 2021