IMPACT KICKSTART

Working Films' Impact Kickstart is a program offering in-kind partnership and strategy development to underrepresented documentary directors with feature films in progress that hold great promise to catalyze action to address important and current social issues.

Two films will be selected for Impact Kickstart in 2023. Each selected filmmaker will receive an Impact Kickstart from Working Films that includes the planning, facilitation and reporting out from a day-long strategy summit with potential partners and key collaborators. This summit will leave filmmakers well positioned to carry out an impact campaign with a clear strategy, goals, partners and a report that can be used for engaging supporters. Impact Kickstart recipients will also receive impact campaign funding of $60,000 and 1:1 Mentorship support.

Deadline for applications is August 31st. Learn more and apply here.

BLACK PUBLIC MEDIA OPEN CALL

Each year, BPM issues an open call for feature-length documentaries and shorts (nonfiction or scripted) that are currently in pre-production, production, or post-production and intended for public media distribution. In addition to feature length documentaries and shorts, they accept proposals for pilot episodes of a broadcast length or shorts limited series. The limited series must be 3 to 5 episodes. Selected projects will receive production funding to advance the work.

Submissions will be accepted starting September 1st with a deadline of September 25th. Learn more here.

2024 JFI FILMMAKERS IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM

Apply for the Jewish Film Institute’s Filmmakers in Residence program. Open to all filmmakers in the United States, the Residency provides creative support and professional development for independent filmmakers whose projects expand and evolve the Jewish story. Residents meet virtually throughout the year and convene in person for workshops and more at the annual San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. Filmmakers do not need to be Jewish to apply. Any filmmaker working on a project with Jewish content is eligible.

Deadline to apply is October 6th. Learn more here.

ROY W. DEAN GRANT

The Roy W. Dean Grant winner for Fall will receive $3,000 and thousands more in donated services including a film score as well as animation to help them complete their project. Eligible projects include documentary films, narrative features, short films, and web series.

Deadline to apply is October 31st. Learn more here.

NEWNARRATIVES

In its third year, NewNarratives will continue to identify exciting new global storytellers by accessing NFMLA’s extensive pool of artistic talent. The program advances, funds and amplifies unique new voices whose narratives, stories and characters transcend borders and dismantle convention.

Grants will be disbursed in the form of four $5,000 grants which will support short, feature and episodic series, documentary, experimental and/or animation projects in any stage of production. This includes concept, early development, pre-production, production, post-production and/or audience strategy.

Deadline to apply is September 6th. Learn more here.

DOCUMENTARY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

Through The Documentary Development Initiative, a partnership between The Gotham and HBO Documentary Films, filmmakers who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and/or storytellers with disabilities will receive grants of $50,000 for research and creative development at an early stage, as well as access to resources and mentorship.

Deadline to apply is August 31st. Learn more here.

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES GRANTS

The National Endowment for Humanities (NEH) has announced $41.3 million in grants for 280 humanities projects across the country.

We are thrilled to share that CID has been awarded a grant of $590,615 towards the production of MY UNDERGROUND MOTHER, produced and directed by Marisa Fox.

Read the press release and full list of grantees here.

JERRY BROWN: THE DISRUPTER PREMIERE ON AMERICAN MASTERS

JERRY BROWN: THE DISRUPTER, directed by Marina Zenovich, will have its broadcast premiere on PBS' American Masters on September 15th.

Experience the political and personal journey of Jerry Brown, the longest serving governor in California history. First elected at 36 years old and again at 72, explore Brown’s 50-year career tackling climate change and inequality.

JULIA VINOGRAD RECEIVES GRNAT FROM THE PUFFIN FOUNDATION

Ken Paul Rosenthal's film, JULIA VINOGRAD: BETWEEN SPIRIT AND STONE was awarded a grant by The Puffin Foundation. This feature documentary about an eccentric and indomitable street poet who fought state oppression with bubbles instead of bricks, is currently in post-production.

TEN TIMES BETTER AWARDED PRIZE

Jennifer Lin, director of TEN TIMES BETTER, was awarded first prize in a quarterly competition run by Be Still Media, a non-profit that recognizes the work of creatives in all fields. In addition, the Dance Films Association selected Ten Times Better as the work-in-progress production grant honorable mention.

FILMMAKING WORKSHOPS, ONLINE, SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER

MassArt Continuing Education; Teacher: Michael Sheridan

Video Editing Workshop, 7 Thursdays, 6:30-9:30pm, 09/07-10/19, Online

Camera and Sound Workshop, 7 Tuesdays, 6:30-9:30pm, 09/12-10/24, Online 

Documentary Storytelling Workshop, 7 Tuesdays, 6:30-9:30pm, 10/31-12/12, Online

“Michael Sheridan is one of the best teachers one could hope to have. He has a genuine commitment to facilitating students’ ability to realize their vision, which is backed by a deep understanding of technology and technique. I had the pleasure of hiring Michael to teach over twenty years, and student reviews were always excellent.”

– Anne Marie Stein, Former Executive Director, Boston Film/Video Foundation and Dean Emeritus, Massachusetts College of Art and Design

Questions: Michael Sheridan, michael@sheridanworks.com, 617-834-7206