5.3: Grants

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Page ID: 164527

Steve Shlisky
Laney College, City College of San Francisco, San Francisco State University, Los Angeles City College via ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative (OERI)

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Finding Grants

Student filmmakers have an advantage because they can use their school's audio and video recording equipment. They often use fellow students as cast and crew members. Typically, a student will spend little to no money on their assigned school project. Once a student graduates, this all changes. Films require a lot of money to produce well - a director making their first non-school project might not be able to finance their next one. Many established directors do not invest their own money into their projects. Therefore, filmmakers need to find alternative funding.

You have dedicated considerable time to developing your business and production plans, as well as crafting your film proposal. Now, you can leverage that effort to your advantage.

Example $\PageIndex{1}$: Caveat on Film Funding

Grant funding is always changing. "It can be difficult to know who to trust," according to one of my former students and a current independent filmmaker. Companies that support filmmakers often shift. It's best to research multiple options and ask other filmmakers about their experiences. Some funders offer classes on applying for grants, and some charge for help in developing your proposals. Pursue this path with thorough research.

Filmmakers I have spoken to have followed up on their applications only to find that the companies have disappeared. It's better to work with companies that have a good reputation, usually linked to well-known firms.

Grants

Grants provide money, meaning they give directly and are not loans. There are detailed application procedures, and competition for larger subsidies can be tough. The great thing about grants is they invest in the filmmaker without expecting a financial return. These organizations support filmmakers' careers and help recognize their achievements. Grant donors understand they are offering a valuable resource and contributing to a vibrant industry.

There are literally hundreds of grants available, and each one has a different application process. Some may only require your screenplay, while others might want to see a trailer or a scene already shot.

Most of the work you've done creating your Production Bible, Film Proposal, Business, and Production Plans can be copy-pasted into the applications. A particular film grant is usually awarded for a certain amount of money and specific genre. You can also apply for multiple grants for your film. Without endorsing any specific company, here are some places to check out:

Student Films

Student Academy Awards - The academy established the student Academy Awards to support and encourage excellence in filmmaking at the collegiate level.
SF Film - Creates grant programs that directly fund and support films in various stages of production.
Film Independent - $10,000 grants from sponsored by Sony and Amazon.
Roy W. Dean short film grant - funds independent films that are unique and make a contribution to society that, without its help, might otherwise never get made.
Panavision New Filmmaker Program - Offers camera package rentals for student and low-budget projects.

Documentary

SHIFT Creative Fund - Funds for narrative short films, not documentary or feature-length projects.
The Paley DocPitch Competition - Offers a $5000 grant for an unfinished or work-in-progress production. Directors must have directed 2 or less documentaries

Short Films

Sundance Institute - The Sundance Documentary Film Program supports nonfiction filmmakers worldwide in the production of cinematic documentaries on contemporary themes.
Claims Conference Film Grant - Grants for films dealing with an aspect of the Holocaust

New Media

Filmmakers Without Borders - Supports independent filmmakers around the world via grants and other funding initiatives. Focus is on narrative films, documentary films, and new media projects that align with themes of social justice, empowerment, and cultural exchange.
Alfred P Sloane Foundation - Very selective in what they fund - make sure to check this section to see if you qualify.
Ford Foundation - Funds social justice storytelling and the 21st-century arts infrastructure that supports it.

Specialty Grants

Funding by Women

Specialty Grants focus money and support resources to a narrow range of projects. Actor and activist Naomi McDougall Jones outlines her four-point plan for a total representation revolution in Hollywood. She says: "What we see in movies matters: it affects our hobbies, our career choices, our emotions and even our identities. Right now, we don't see enough women on screen or behind the camera."

Read a transcript of this TED Talk.

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