For Us, By Us Filmmaker Incubator

Geographic Scope: Bay Area (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Sonoma Counties)

Program Focus:

• Supports emerging to mid-career documentary filmmakers
• Centers on personal stories from Bay Area communities not often seen in media
• Expands understanding of those who live in Bay Area communities, especially marginalized perspectives

What They Fund:

• Six projects selected per cohort
• Documentary projects (short or feature length)
• Projects in pre-production with secured participants, production, or post-production stages
• Personal stories focused on individuals, families, and communities (not primarily social issue narratives)

Eligibility Requirements:

• Be an emerging to mid-career documentary filmmaker
• Live or work in the Bay Area (specified counties)
• Working on a documentary project that centers a personal story within a Bay Area community not often seen in media
• Film can be short or feature length
• Available to participate in all program activities (two in-person required: March orientation and September screening)
• Co-directors may apply together but receive one stipend

What They Don't Fund:

• Primarily social issue narratives (although social issues may intersect with personal stories)
• Filmmakers not available to commit to program activities

Program Components:

• $1,750 stipend to use according to filmmaker's development plan
• Three months of workshops (twice monthly) led by working filmmakers and industry professionals
• Three months of group mentoring sessions (twice monthly) with individual mentoring as needed
• Works-in-progress screening at program end
• One year of free Filmmakers Collaborative SF membership
• Hybrid format (virtual and in-person options)
• In-person activities at Ninth Street Independent Film Center (145 Ninth St, San Francisco)

Workshop Topics Covered:

• Defining the story of your film
• Defining realistic "success" for your film
• Developing fundraising strategy and implementation plan
• Developing distribution strategy and implementation plan
• Creative process
• Finishing your film

Funding Support:
This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Application Process

Application Deadline: February 24 (annual)

Decision Timeline: Applicants informed of decisions by March 10

Application Fee: None

Required Materials:

• Application form (available on website)
• Documentary project details and description

Submission Format:

• Online application form submission
• Alternative submission methods available upon request

Accessibility Accommodations:

• Accommodation requests available
• Alternative submission methods can be arranged

Membership Requirements:

• No need to be a Filmmakers Collaborative SF member to apply
• Selected participants receive one year of free membership

Application Questions:

• Preview of application questions available as PDF
• Questions designed to understand filmmaker's connection to community and project

Contact for Questions:
Amy: amy@filmmakerscollaborative.org

Program Participation Requirements:

• Participants expected to commit to attending all sessions
• Two events must be attended in-person: welcome orientation (March 15) and screening event (September)
• Other sessions can be attended virtually or in-person
• Virtual participation option available for participants unable to attend in-person