BRIClab: Film + TV residency
BRIC
DEADLINE: May 8, 2023
INFO: BRIClab is a multi-disciplinary residency program created to advance opportunities for visual artists, performers, and media makers.
The BRIClab: Film + TV residency track incubates innovative and ambitious documentary filmmakers working on short form, episodic, or feature length non-fiction films. Three residencies will be awarded to create opportunities for emerging to mid-career filmmakers.
RESIDENCY BENEFITS:
A stipend of $2,500.
Up to $6,000 towards production cost (expenses must be pre-approved and documented via invoices and receipts).
Access to courses through BRIC's Media Education program at no fee.
Access to BRIC production studios and post-production resources.
A mentor with industry experience relevant to your project, selected in collaboration with BRIC staff.
A collaborative cohort community with group critiques and access to BRIC networking events.
A public presentation of your work upon completion of the program.
Professional development workshops tailored to the cohort’s interests and needs.
WHO SHOULD APPLY:
You must be:
An emerging to mid-career documentary filmmaker based in New York City, 18 years of age or older, with completed work samples to share. By emerging to mid-career, BRIC means an artist at the early stages of their career with at least one professional film/project completed, not including student films.
Willing to present work and participate in the final screening event, in Spring 2024.
An individual artist and/or a creative team of two.
Either not employed by BRIC full-time, or a non-salaried BRIC staffer who works fewer than 500 hours/year.
We are interested in:
Documentary projects of all lengths (short/feature/series).
Thoroughly-researched, original concepts.
A detailed breakdown of budget and the various ways that the project will maximize the use of BRIC facilities and resources, including edit rooms and editing computers, screening room, desk space, and meeting space.
A specific production timeline leading up to a public screening in Spring 2024. This can be the final project or a works in progress cut.
Films can be in any language; if not in English, work must be subtitled.
STAGES OF PRODUCTION: Open to projects in all stages of production, though a clear production timeline should be presented to include project completion/work- in-progress screening by spring 2024. If proposing a feature length film or episodic series, most footage should already be captured. Shorts in development are eligible, though access should be secured and a clear vision for the project articulated. Post-production should not be complete.
SELECTION PROCESS: BRIClab is prioritizing applications from disabled, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ artists, as part of BRIC’s ongoing commitment towards addressing systemic inequities in creative fields and industries, and as part of efforts to expand access for disabled artists, audiences, and staff. We interpret disability broadly and include neurodiversity, chronic illness, mental health disabilities, and invisible disabilities, as well as disabilities that affect mobility, sight, and hearing. No one will be asked to verify their disability in any way, and we understand disclosure can be a complicated and personal decision.
BRIClab review panels reflect BRIC’s values and artists, and will be inclusive of disabled, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ reviewers. Panels are made up of BRIC staff, alumni artists, and active participants in relevant fields. Evaluation will be based on how the goals of the proposed projects match up with resources available; relevant work samples; and the creation of diverse and representative cohorts. Artists will receive final word from BRIC by the end of June 2023.
bricartsmedia.org/briclab/briclab-film-tv
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2024 Development Track
Sundance Institute
DEADLINE: May 15, 2023 at 4:59 pm PT
APPLICATION FEE: $40 (you should not pay the submission fee until you have completed all other application tasks and are ready to submit your application).
INFO: The Development Track application allows an artist’s work-in-progress fiction feature screenplay to be considered for several programs, fellowships, and grants. Screenwriting Labs and Intensives encourage a creatively rigorous process focused on original storytelling, experimentation, and risk-taking.
The application is open for fiction feature writers, directors, writer/directors, or writer/director teams. Applicants will be considered for several opportunities within the Feature Film Program. More details on eligibility requirements in the application.
GUIDELINES:
We accept all application materials electronically ONLY. You will have a chance to save a work-in-progress version of your application before officially submitting.
You must sign in or create an account to access the electronic application. When creating your account, please enter the name of the primary applicant (screenwriter) as the account owner.
The development track has one open application that allows your fiction feature work-in-progress screenplay to be considered for the following programs, fellowships, and grants:
Screenwriters Lab (held annually in January)
Screenwriters Intensive (held annually in March, online)
Sundance Institute Comedy Fellowship
Sundance Institute Horror Fellowship
Sundance Institute Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship and Commissioning Grant
Our application includes questions to determine your eligibility for each program and fellowship, and you will automatically be considered for all programs and fellowships for which you are eligible. (There is no open application for the Directors Lab, which is typically populated by projects that have been supported through a previous development program.) For more information about each program and fellowship, please visit our website.
CONTACT INFO for the primary applicant and up to two additional members of the creative team. (Please note that only the writer(s) and director(s) will attend the Screenwriters Lab.)
ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS — a series of questions about you and your project that will determine your eligibility for all of the development-track programs and fellowships.
SLOAN FELLOWSHIP AND GRANT QUESTIONS (Sloan applicants only) — If your project is eligible for the Sloan Fellowship and/or Commissioning Grant, you must complete follow-up questions regarding the scientific or technological content of the material. If your project does not contain scientific or technological content, please do not answer these questions — they are optional.
BIOS (150 words max each) for the primary applicant, co-applicant if applicable, and additional creative team member if applicable.
COVER LETTER (500 words max) introducing yourself and your project. There are no strict requirements for this letter, but we’d like to get a brief idea of who you are, what your script is about, where you are in the creative process, and how you think the lab process could be helpful to you.
ARTISTIC STATEMENT (500 words max) describing your creative vision for the project. What themes are you most interested in exploring in your work, and what do you want an audience to take away from your film? How do you envision the realization of this script in terms of story, character, tone, and/or visual style? Is there a budget level you have in mind? Who do you see as the audience for this film? Why are you passionate about telling this story now? If this is a resubmission of material we’ve previously considered, how has the material changed since we last read it.
PERSONAL CONNECTION (500 words max) What is your personal connection to a) the story you are telling, and b) the specific communities your story is about? How are you working to make sure that the characters and world of your film are authentically represented, and that the community you're writing about has a voice in the creative process?
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY/RIGHTS — only required if your project is based on true events or characters.
LOGLINE (75 words max ) — a one- to two-sentence description of your story.
SYNOPSIS (750 words max) — brief summary of the plot of your script. Please include all major characters and story points, including the ending.
FIRST 5 PAGES OF YOUR SCREENPLAY OR TREATMENT — You may submit a treatment for the Sloan Commissioning Grant ONLY. If a treatment is submitted and it is not eligible for the Sloan Commissioning Grant, the project will not be considered for any other development track programs or fellowships. Do not upload more than the first five pages.
NEXT STEPS:
Applicants will be notified on a rolling basis as to whether their application has progressed to the next stage of the selection process. Please be prepared to submit the following materials, should you advance to the second round. You will be given approximately 10 days to two weeks from the date of notification to submit these materials and will be notified sometime in August 2023.
UPDATED SYNOPSIS — Since screenplays are often revised between the first and second rounds of our application, we request you submit an updated synopsis with the complete draft of your screenplay.
FULL SCREENPLAY OR TREATMENT — Upload a PDF file of the most current draft of your screenplay or treatment. You may submit a treatment for the Sloan Commissioning Grant ONLY. If a treatment is submitted and it is not eligible for the Sloan Commissioning Grant, the project will not be considered for any other development-track programs or fellowships.
DIRECTING SAMPLE (optional) — If you are a writer/director, or if a director is attached to the project, you will have an opportunity to submit a link to a directing sample or samples. Please include the title and run time for any sample submitted.
VISUAL MATERIAL (optional) — If you have visual materials such as a lookbook or project deck, you may upload a PDF of no more than 40 MB.
All applicants will be notified about their status via email no later than August 31, 2023. Due to the high volume of submissions, we are unfortunately unable to provide feedback about individual projects. If you have additional questions, please visit the Development Track FAQ.
If you have further questions, please email featurefilmprogram@sundance.org.
Development Track Selection Process Timeline
April 13, 2023 Application Available Online
May 15, 2023 Application Closes (4:59 p.m. PT)
August 31, 2023 Second-round notifications complete
December 14, 2023 Final selection notifications complete
Giving Back:
The contribution provisions in the below Paragraph apply if the Artist is attending only the Screenwriters Lab.
A. If the Project is produced for a gross budget that is equal to or less than One Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000), no contribution is due to the Institute.
B. If the project is produced for a gross budget between One Million Five Hundred Thousand One Dollars ($1,500,001) and Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000) Owner will make a contribution to Institute in the amount of Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500), which contribution will be paid to Institute no later than ten (10) business days following the commencement of principal photography of the Project.
C. If the project is produced for a gross budget between Three Million One Dollars ($3,000,001) and Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000), Owner will make a contribution to Institute in the amount of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000), which contribution will be paid to Institute no later than ten (10) business days following the commencement of principal photography of the Project.
D. If the project is produced for a gross budget that is equal to or exceeds Five Million One Dollars ($5,000,001), Owner will make a contribution to Institute in the amount of Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($7,500), which contribution will be paid to Institute no later than ten (10) business days following the commencement of principal photography of the Project.
The contribution provisions in the below Paragraph apply in lieu of the provisions set forth in the above Paragraph if the Artist is attending the June Directors Lab, or both the Screenwriters Lab and the Directors Lab.
A. If the Project is produced for a gross budget equal to or less than One Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000), no contribution is due to the Institute.
B. If the project is produced for a gross budget between One Million, Five Hundred Thousand One Dollars ($1,500,001) and Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000) Owner will make a contribution to Institute in an amount of Four Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($4,500), which contribution will be paid to Institute no later than ten (10) business days following the commencement of principal photography of the Project.
C. If the project is produced for a gross budget is between Three Million One Dollars ($3,000,001) and Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000), Owner will make a contribution to Institute in an amount of Seven Thousand Dollars ($7,000), which contribution will be paid to Institute no later than ten (10) business days following the commencement of principal photography of the Project.
D. If the project is produced for a gross budget that is equal to or exceeds Five Million One Dollars ($5,000,001), Owner will make a contribution to Institute in an amount of Nine Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($9,500), which contribution will be paid to Institute no later than ten (10) business days following the commencement of principal photography of the Project.
Finally, if selected for the June Directors or Screenwriters Lab, the Sundance Institute will receive a credit line and logo placement in the film’s end titles, “This film was supported by the Sundance Institute Feature Film Film Program.”
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50TH ANNIVERSARY FELLOWSHIPS FOR ARTISTS OF COLOR
Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA)
DEADLINE: May 15, 2023
APPLICATION FEE: $30
INFO: Conceived during VCCA’s 50th anniversary year in 2021 and established in 2022, the 50th Anniversary Fund provides free first-time VCCA residencies for 50 artists of color a year.
Each 50th Anniversary Fellow receives a free residency of up to two weeks at Mt. San Angelo, VCCA’s artist residency program in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. All VCCA residencies include a private studio, a private bedroom with en-suite bath, three prepared meals each day, and access to a community of more than 20 other artists in residence.
APPLICATION DETAILS:
Eligibility: Artists of color (writers, visual artists, and composers) who have not previously been in residence at VCCA
Length of Fellowship: Up to two weeks with flexible scheduling
Next available for:
Winter 2024
Residencies Available: January 2 – April 30, 2024
Application Deadline: May 15, 2023
Notification by: August 31, 2023
To be considered as a 50th Anniversary Fellow, complete the “Application for Mt. San Angelo Residencies, VCCA in Virginia,” selecting your fellowship interest in Question 2.
* If the application fee presents a significant barrier to application, please write to vcca@vcca.com by May 10, 2023, to request an application fee waiver.
VCCA intends the term artist of color to broadly include those creating original work in a wide variety of literary, visual art, and/or musical/sound disciplines who self-identify as part of one or more of these U.S. census groups: American Indian or Alaskan Native; Asian; Black or African American; Hispanic or Latinx; Middle Eastern or North African; Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; Multi-Racial. If you have a question about whether VCCA’s studio spaces would be suitable to the nature of your creative work, please write to Artists Services at vcca@vcca.com in advance of the deadline.
Applicants must submit an online application by the deadline, complete with recent work samples, a project description, and a variety of biographical and logistical details. VCCA no longer requires letters of recommendation. Applicants will be considered for a VCCA residency and as many funding opportunities for which they are eligible.
vcca.com/apply/fully-funded-fellowships/50th-anniversary-fellowships-for-artists-of-color/
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Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers
GrubStreet
DEADLINE: May 30, 2023
INFO: GrubStreet’s Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers provides financial and professional development support to two self-identified Black writers interested in teaching classes, participating in events, and working with our instructors and staff to deepen our curriculum. The fellowship includes compensation of $25,000, artistic mentorship, a showcase of the Fellows’ work, and access to the GrubStreet community and the Muse and the Marketplace conference. In time, the program aims to offer sustainable support to Black Writers and create a cohort of fellows who have direct access to GrubStreet resources, classes, and events. We also hope the fellows can influence GrubStreet’s pedagogy and cultural vision based on their experience and feedback.
There are even more reasons to apply this year! Even if your application isn’t accepted, by applying you’ll be given free access to a session focused on the topic of applying to fellowships, conferences, writing programs, and residencies taking place this summer.
DETAILS:
The Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers will provide the following compensation:
$25,000 per fellow for the year.
Access to mentorship from GrubStreet’s Artistic Director, the Head of Faculty, and fellow instructors.
Free access to the Muse and the Marketplace during the fellowship year and the option to lead a paid session at the conference.
Access to additional GrubStreet events.
Priority access to space at GrubStreet’s new home to work on personal writing projects.
60 hours (or roughly 20 weeks) of free GrubStreet classes, which can be taken during or after the fellowship.
A two-year GrubStreet membership.
The teaching load and responsibilities for the fellowship year include:
Teaching one ten-week class.
Teaching one six-week class.
Teaching one week-long teen camp.
Teaching one three-hour seminar (plus, the option to teach more for additional payment).
Moderate or participate in a Boston Writers of Color’s event.
Meet with the Head of Faculty and Education Director periodically to track progress.
A showcase and conversation on our Writer’s Stage to end the year (additional stipend paid to Fellows for this).
Meet with new fellows at the end of your own fellowship year.
The fellowship begins September 5th, 2023 and runs through the end of August 2024.
WHO SHOULD APPLY:
This fellowship is open to writers who self-identify as Black, are 18 or older, are able to work with both adult and teen audiences, and have a passion for expansive pedagogy, curriculum development, and professional growth. Ideal candidates will have some publication and teaching experience. Preference will be given to those working on their first book or a larger project. MFAs, a long publishing record, or extensive teaching experience are not requirements to apply, though feel free to tell us if you have any of these things.
HOW TO APPLY:
The Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers Application Form will require the following:
A personal statement (500 words max), which should include:
Your background as a writer and teacher.
Your personal philosophy or approach to creative writing workshops.
How this particular fellowship fits your interests and goals as a writer and educator.
Your CV or resume.
A writing sample (20 pages limit for prose; 12 pages for poetry; 25 pages for scripts; and 20 pages for other or fused genres) that best exemplifies your current trajectory as a writer.
Two personal references (name, email, and phone number) who can speak to your experience and dedication to writing and teaching.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Final decisions will be announced at the end of June.
Program kicks off on September 5, 2023 and runs through the end of August 2024.
grubstreet.org/programs/teaching-fellowship-for-black-writers/
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Marble House Project artist residency
Marble House Project
DEADLINE: May 31, 2023
APPLICATION FEE: $35.00
INFO: Marble House Project is a multidisciplinary artist residency program (ie: Fiction, Non Fiction, Poetry, Playwriting/Screenwriting, Film and Video, etc.) that fosters collaboration and the exchange of ideas, by providing an environment for artists across disciplines to live and work together. The residency integrates sustainable practices, including small-scale organic food production and waste conservation. Residents sustain their growth by engaging with the grounds while working on their artistic practice. Marble House Project is founded on the belief that the act of creating, whether in the studio or in nature, is how human potential expands and community thrives.
Marble House Project accepts approximately 60 residents and is open to artists living in the United States and abroad. You must be at least 21 years old. Each session accommodates eight artists and is specifically curated to bring together a diverse group of creative workers, to maximize potential for collaboration and dialogue while in residence and beyond.
RESIDENCY DATES FOR 2024:
March 5th - 26th
April 2nd - April 23rd
April 30th - May 21st
May 28th - June 18
September 17th - October 8th
October 15th - November 4th
ABOUT THE RESIDENCY:
All residents live together in the historic, eight-bedroom Manley-Lefevre house, a communal space organized around responsibilities-sharing systems which highlight sustainability and community. The residency is an opportunity to develop and carry out practices of mutual support, group conversation, and to cultivate adaptive relationships with the environment. This can take the form of discussions with guest multidisciplinary artists, thinkers, and activists and other individual and group activities that benefit our community of residents.
Residents will be paired and asked to cook for shared dinners three times over the course of their residency, Monday-Friday. . Each session culminates with a short video interview and artists are invited to share their work with our community and each other. Marble House Project provides private bedrooms, food, private studio space, and artist support. We are not able to cover costs related to travel or materials. There is no fee to attend the residency.
Applications are accepted in all creative fields including but not limited to writing, dance and choreography, performance, music composition and sound, film and video, visual arts, and culinary arts. Applications are reviewed by a jury of alumni and staff. Artists are selected based on quality of work, commitment to practice, and project description. Please choose the application that best describes your work. Two artists may apply together as a collaborative, and should complete one application. Within each application you will be asked to select the session dates best for you.
marblehouseproject.submittable.com/submit
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WOMEN WRITE NOW: Comedic Screenwriting Fellowship for Black Women
Hartbeat / Sundance Institute
DEADLINE: June 5, 2023
INFO: Women Write Now is a partnership between Hartbeat and the Sundance Institute designed to champion and elevate the voices Black female comedy writers through a fellowship that provides mentorship, advocacy, production, and exhibition. This immersive script-to-screen fellowship will support three talented writers in developing short comedic scripts while being advised and mentored by some of the most influential Black women in comedy.
The resulting scripts will be produced by Hartbeat and directed by celebrity Black female directors. The three short films will premiere at a special screening during the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and will be distributed by Hartbeat and partner(s). Travel to the 2024 Sundance Film Festival will be provided.
Following the fellowship, the selected writers will also receive a twelve-month first look deal to submit original projects for consideration for development with Hartbeat.
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William Greaves Research and Development Fund
Firelight Media
DEADLINE: June 6, 2023
INFO: Firelight Media invites mid-career nonfiction filmmakers from racially and ethnically underrepresented communities in the United States and filmmakers in Mexico, Brazil, Puerto Rico, and Colombia, with particular interest in those who identify as Indigenous and/or of African descent, to apply for the fourth year of the William Greaves Research & Development Fund.
This fund is dedicated to resourcing and supporting talented storytellers with grants ranging up to $40K each to support research and development on a feature-length nonfiction film and any essential need grantees have, including healthcare and childcare costs. This fund is Firelight Media’s first international initiative and was launched to provide opportunities for filmmakers to connect, learn, and build solidarity across borders.
SELECTION CRITERIA:
We will consider projects that address a range of themes and issues.
We will consider projects with diverse aesthetic approaches (verité, essay, experimental, investigative, personal, historical, etc.).
We will consider projects that are ambitious or narrowly focused.
We will consider submissions from filmmakers living and working in the U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico, Colombia, or Brazil.
We will consider submissions from filmmakers of all refugee and immigration statuses. We take notice when projects are socially relevant, formally innovative, address or engage underrepresented issues or communities, and are accountable to the impacted communities they represent.
REQUIREMENTS:
The Director must hold the intellectual property rights to the film.
The Director must identify as a mid-career filmmaker (see FAQfor more information)
The Director must self-identify as being from a racially and ethnically underrepresented community in the United States or living and working as a filmmaker in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Colombia, and/or Brazil.
The Director must be a mid-career filmmaker
Must be working on a feature length documentary film in the pre-production phase
The Director must hold the intellectual property rights to the film
SELECTION PROCESS:
Proposals will be accepted in the filmmakers’ language of choice (English, Spanish, or Portuguese) and projects will be selected through a tiered process: the first round by a panel of peers, the second round through an internal review, and the final round through the review and deliberation of an advisory panel comprising filmmakers and industry leaders who work in the countries from which we are accepting applications. All proposals will be reviewed in the language in which they are submitted.
The selection will be based on the strength of the story, the creative approach, the director(s)' career trajectory, social relevance, viability of the plan proposed, and the ethics and accountability of the approach (e.g. the filmmaker’s relationship to the subject matter; navigating differences in power; impact on film participants, vulnerable communities, audiences; community benefit considerations; decisions related to distribution, rights, and ownership; who is on the team and hiring practices; etc.).
firelightmedia.tv/programs/william-greaves-fund
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THE 2023 GEORGIA LIST
The Black List
DEADLINE: June 15, 2023
INFO: The Georgia List is a new opportunity for all writers with close ties to the state of Georgia to submit their feature scripts, pilots, plays, and musicals. The Black List has partnered with Collective Moxie and Trilith Studios–with support from additional partners 3Arts Entertainment, Fifth Season (formerly Endeavor Content), Content Talent South, the Alliance Theatre, and Art Farm at Serenbe–to identify and curate a list of the ten best unproduced features, pilots, plays, and musicals from writers with a connection to Georgia.
Writers who are new to the Black List may request a fee waiver for one free month of hosting and one free evaluation. 75 fee waivers will be distributed in order of request. When requesting a fee waiver, writers will have to disclose what their close tie to Georgia is, and the Black List and partners will have the right to approve or reject each request based on eligibility.
After submissions close on June 15, 2023, representatives from each supporting partner will read the shortlisted feature scripts, pilots, plays, and musicals and provide input on which scripts show the most promise. The final ten writers on the Georgia List will be announced at the 2023 Georgia Summit in October 2023.
The writers on the Georgia List will meet with managers from 3Arts and Content Talent South for possible representation, and executives from Fifth Season for a potential development deal. The Alliance Theater will mount a staged reading of one of the scripts on the List.
Two writers from the List will also become Artists in Residence at the Art Farm at Serenbe. These two writers will each receive a $10,000 grant and mentorship from Jamie Linden (WE ARE MARSHALL, DEAR JOHN).
IMPORTANT DEADLINES:
October 20, 2022 - Submissions open on blcklst.com
May 14, 2023 - Purchase deadline for paid evaluations / Deadline to use Fee Waiver
June 15, 2023 - Submission deadline
June 16, 2023 - Shortlist writers notified
September 16, 2023 - Georgia List writers notified
October 2023 - Announce List at 2023 Georgia Summit
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Writers who submit to the Georgia List must have a close tie to the state of Georgia. Close ties to the state can include but are not limited to:
The writer is from the state of Georgia
The writer grew up in the state of Georgia
The writer currently lives in the state of Georgia
The writer went to college in the state of Georgia
The writer is a part time resident of the state of Georgia
The writer has spent significant time with family in the state of Georgia