LOS ANGELES, CA \u2013 The Academy Foundation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today 44 recipients of its 2017 FilmCraft and FilmWatch grants. “This year, the grants will support non\u2013profit organizations in 24 communities across the country, reach underserved high school students, support emerging and mid\u2013career filmmakers of all ages, and will provide unique opportunities for enrichment and engagement with the cinematic community and its artists,” said Buffy Shutt, chair of the Academy’s grants committee. The Academy’s FilmCraft and FilmWatch grants were established to identify and empower future filmmakers from nontraditional backgrounds, cultivate new and diverse talent, promote motion pictures as an art form, and provide a platform for underrepresented artists. Grants range from $5,000\u2013$20,000, and a total of $500,000 was awarded for the 2017\u20132018 grants year.
\nThe grant recipient institutions and programs are as follows:
\nFILMCRAFT GRANTS
\nAmerican Film Institute (Los Angeles, CA) \u2013 Directing Workshop for Women
\n\u2013 A tuition\u2013free, year\u2013long program that provides hands\u2013on training and mentorship to increase the number of women working professionally in screen directing.
\nAssociation of Moving Image Archivists (Online) \u2013 Resources for Oral History Collections
\n\u2013 A collaboration with the Oral History Association (OHA), and with the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) to bring in\u2013person and online resources to those working with oral history collections.
\nAustin Film Festival (Austin,TX) \u2013 The Diversity Focus Program
\n\u2013 A series of panels and screenings featuring underrepresented storytellers with a goal of challenging the narrative that minority voices are shrinking.
\nCalifornia State University, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA) \u2013 Urban Stories Film Incubator
\n\u2013 A year\u2013long experience where students will be guided through pre\u2013production, production, and post-production to create short films or documentaries that tell their diverse community stories while developing their long\u2013term filmmaking skills.
\nChicken & Egg Pictures (New York, NY) \u2013 2017 Accelerator Lab for First and Second-Time Filmmakers
\n\u2013 Program supports diverse women documentary filmmakers in completing their first or second film while laying the groundwork for sustainable long\u2013term careers.
\nDocs In Progress (Silver Spring, MD) \u2013 Docs In Progress Fellowship Program
\n\u2013 Enhances the Docs in Progress Fellowship Program (for underserved emerging documentary filmmakers) by adding a series of weekend master classes with top documentary filmmakers who showcase the range and diversity of documentary film approaches.
\nEcho Park Film Center (Los Angeles, CA) \u2013 ACTION! A Visiting Artist Residency Program
\n\u2013 A year\u2013long series of visiting artist weekend residencies that invites documentary filmmakers of color to share their work, skills and experience with diverse audiences and the next generation of cinematic activists.
\nEducational Video Center (New York, NY) \u2013 Youth Documentary Workshop
\n\u2013 An award\u2013winning after school and summer program that provides intensive workshops for at\u2013risk youth to shoot, edit, and produce short documentaries.
\nFull Frame Documentary Film Festival (Durham, NC) \u2013 School of Doc
\n\u2013 An intensive five\u2013week summer program that teaches a diverse group of public high school students all elements of filmmaking, and how to work as a crew to produce a documentary film.
\nHollywood CPR (Los Angeles, CA) \u2013 Entertainment Artist, Craft and Technicians Certificate Program
\n\u2013 Program provides under\u2013represented students a unique opportunity to learn specialized craft and trade skills from IATSE industry professionals who are masters in their trade.
\nInner-City Filmmakers (Los Angeles, CA) \u2013 Arts Education, Pre-Professional Training, Career Counseling and Jobs Placement Program
\n\u2013 Program provides under\u2013represented students a unique opportunity to learn specialized craft and trade skills from IATSE industry professionals who are masters in their trade.
\nInternational Documentary Association (Los Angeles, CA) \u2013 Educational and Cultural Public Programs
\n\u2013 Programs showcase the insights of accomplished documentarians, offer high quality professional development opportunities, and deliver engaging content for diverse nonfiction filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts in multiple cities across the country.
\nKartemquin Educational Films (Chicago, IL) \u2013 Diverse Voices in Documentary
\n\u2013 A six month, intensive program designed to help diverse filmmakers increase their skill set, build their network, and move their documentary film projects forward to completion.
\nLos Angeles County High School for the Arts Foundation (Los Angeles, CA) \u2013 Cinematic Arts Program Artists\u2013in\u2013Residence
\n\u2013 Will allow up to three year\u2013long visiting artists in the Cinematic Arts Program to teach courses in screenwriting and sound design.
\nMaysles Institute (New York, NY) \u2013 Community Producers Program 2017
\n\u2013 A six-month, hands-on documentary production and outreach program for justice\u2013involved youth, ages 16-24, interested in building community, engaging in personal development, and gaining healing and leadership practices through filmmaking.
\nMontclair State University (Montclair, NJ) \u2013 Intensive Craft Workshops
\n\u2013 Focused on below-the-line disciplines, the workshops will supplement the academic program and serve to elucidate at a high level what the below-the-line disciplines do, how they interact, and how important they are to the final product.
\nNational Association of Latino Independent Producers (Los Angeles, CA) \u2013 Latino Lens Incubator
\n\u2013 An all-encompassing training and bridge program that helps participating filmmakers deliver a short film while working with the filmmakers to develop strategies, networking, and aim for film distribution.
\nNew Orleans Film Society (New Orleans, LA) \u2013 Emerging Voices Mentorship Program
\n\u2013 Program serves indigenous Louisiana filmmakers of color through mentorship, professional feedback and industry connections.
\nReel Works Teen Filmmaking (New York, NY) \u2013 Filmmaking Workshops and Workforce Development Initiatives
\n\u2013 Program aims to train a new generation of filmmakers from nontraditional backgrounds by bridging the gap between the talents and abilities of low-income youth and the educational and professional opportunities available to them.
\nSan Francisco Film Society (San Francisco, CA) \u2013 Doc Talks at SFFS FilmHouse
\n\u2013 Program will be made up of six workshops, each of which will provide documentary filmmakers from a wide variety of backgrounds with guidance, mentorship, and practical filmmaking skills.
\nScribe Video Center (Philadelphia, PA) \u2013 Community Filmmakers: Write, Produce, Mobilize
\n\u2013 A series of short form documentary filmmaking training courses which will provide emerging and mid-level artists from groups traditionally not represented in commercial media with the skills required to raise funds and to plan, produce and complete new documentary works.
\nSilver Bullet Productions (Santa Fe, NM) \u2013 Lights Camera Learning: Writing and Acting Workshop for Pueblo and Tribal Students
\n\u2013 Program will provide filmmaking skills, storytelling, and equipment to six adults and fifteen tribal students in New Mexico’s Native American communities to empower them to create films relevant to their culture and their community’s heritage.
\nStreetlights (Los Angeles, CA) \u2013 Job Training and Placement Program
\n\u2013 Program delivers skilled workers from underserved communities to the entertainment industry by providing training that is industry-designed, industry-approved and Industry-taught.
\nSundance Institute (Park City, UT) \u2013 2017 Native Filmmakers Lab
\n\u2013 Program will identify and nurture two Native American or other indigenous film storytellers through an intensive three-day Lab focused on the craft, technical expertise, and direct financial support needed to produce their short film projects.
\nThe Ghetto Film School (New York, NY) \u2013 The Fellows Program
\n\u2013 A narrative filmmaking educational program that engages diverse high school students from the Bronx, New York with rigorous instruction in cinematic storytelling and media production training and practice, equipping them with the skills to pursue sustainable careers in film.
\nUNAM Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA) \u2013 Tomorrow’s Filmmakers, Today’s Professional Development Program
\n\u2013 In collaboration with Hola Mexico Film Festival, is a ten-day professional development program for emerging Hispanic filmmakers in Los Angeles.
\nUnionDocs (New York, NY) \u2013 Production Assistance Program: Training & Mentorship
\n\u2013 In collaboration with Hola Mexico Film Festival, is a ten-day professional development program for emerging Hispanic filmmakers in Los Angeles.
\nVisual Communications (Los Angeles, CA) \u2013 Armed With a Camera Fellowship Program
\n\u2013 A seven-month program that gives 10 emerging Asian Pacific American filmmakers the support to create new and original work.
\nWomen Make Movies (New York, NY) \u2013 Production Assistance Program: Training & Mentorship
\n\u2013 Program provides women directors and producers with a tailored suite of services, including non-profit tax exempt status, mentorship and consultations, along with a series of skill-building workshops, seminars and “Meet the Industry” events.
\nFILMWATCH GRANTS
\nArabian Sights Film Festival (Washington, D.C.) \u2013 Voices and Images from Today’s Arab World
\n\u2013 Increasing the number of Arab filmmakers at the festival to introduce their work, participate in panels, and visit area cultural institutions.
\nAsian American International Film Festival (New York, NY) \u2013 “We’re Here: Not Going Away!” Industry gathering
\n\u2013 A gathering of media industry professionals, festival programmers, media activists, and thought leaders discussing the changing topography of media making and forging visions for the future of moving image work by and about people of Asian descent.
\nAtlanta Jewish Film Festival (Atlanta, GA) \u2013 “Life in Israel” program
\n\u2013 A program of films and panels that will further explore issues surrounding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the Israeli Defense Force, immigration, sports, history, culture, and life in Israel.
\nBig Sky Film Institute (Missoula, MT) \u2013 Native Filmmaker Initiative
\n\u2013 A new program of curated screenings, a fellowship program and educational outreach that looks to bring more indigenous stories to Missoula, support and engage the Native American community on a local scale, and have a greater impact on the community’s youth.
\nChicago International Film Festival (Chicago, IL) \u2013 Education Screenings for Chicago Public Schools
\n\u2013 Program gives under-served Chicago Public School students the opportunity to experience and engage with international and independent films and the filmmakers behind them in an educational environment.
\nCleveland International Film Festival (Cleveland,OH) \u2013 Focus on Filmmakers of the African Diaspora
\n\u2013 Program showcases the works of underrepresented African-American filmmakers while simultaneously creating more opportunities for their work to be impactful.
\nFrameline’s San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival (San Francisco, CA) \u2013 Barriers & Breakthroughs in Identity & Culture: Has the Needle Shifted for Filmmakers of Color?
\n\u2013 A series of film screenings and panel discussions designed to examine the intersectionality of sexuality, ethnicity, gender and gender identity, and cultural authenticity primarily among queer and trans filmmakers of color.
\nGeorge Eastman House (Rochester, NY) \u2013 Silent Cinema Tuesdays
\n\u2013 A series of 24 curated programs with live musical accompaniment that will explore the vibrant history of world cinema from its beginnings to the entrance of sound.
\nIndie Grits (Columbia, SC) \u2013 Visiones
\n\u2013 Program will celebrate Latino arts and culture, explore Latino influence on Southern culture, and empower Latino artists to define their evolving identity through film and art.
\nIndigenous Film & Arts Festival (Denver, CO) \u2013 Accessing the Arts
\n\u2013 Program will make the festival more accessible to under-served segments of the community, in particular, the lower-income segment of the American Indian community.
\nInternational Children’s Media Center (Chicago, IL) \u2013 Global Girls\/Women’s View Film Festival & Residency
\n\u2013 An immersive 14-week film aesthetics and curating program for at-risk female youth ages 15\u201324 that culminates in a high profile festival of top-tier independent films made for, by, and about girls and young women.
\nMill Valley Film Festival (San Rafael, CA) \u2013 Mind the Gap: Women | Film | Tech
\n\u2013 A festival-wide program that will engage professionals across the film and technology landscapes through a series of networking events, discussions, screenings, and workshops, with a goal of moving the needle on gender equity in the film industry.
\nReelAbilities Film Festival (various locations) \u2013 Enhancing Accessibility Options for Film Screenings
\n\u2013 Will provide enhanced accessibility options (captioning and audio description) for 35\u201340 films screened at 14 regional ReelAbilities film festivals throughout North America.
\nSan Francisco Jewish Film Festival (San Francisco, CA) \u2013 Immigration Nation program
\n\u2013 A two-week sidebar program in five Bay Area venues that will explore the experiences of refugees and new immigrants in today’s rising climate of xenophobia, nationalism and authoritarianism.
\nTrue\/False Film Fest (Columbia, MO) \u2013 Neither\/Nor Series
\n\u2013 A repertory film series spotlighting film movements that challenge traditional documentary form.
\nThe Academy’s Grants program provides financial support to qualifying film festivals, educational institutions and film scholars and supports the Academy\u2019s overall mission to recognize and uphold excellence in the motion picture arts and sciences, inspire imagination and connect the world through the medium of motion pictures. The Academy Grants program has awarded a total of $11,694,000 to non-profit institutions and film festivals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LOS ANGELES, CA \u2013 The Academy Foundation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today 44 recipients of its 2017 FilmCraft and FilmWatch grants. “This year, the grants will support non\u2013profit organizations in 24 communities across the country, reach underserved high school students, support emerging and mid\u2013career filmmakers of all ages, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":244,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[16,57],"tags":[87,88,86],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediacast.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/243"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediacast.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediacast.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediacast.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediacast.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=243"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mediacast.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/243\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":245,"href":"https:\/\/mediacast.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/243\/revisions\/245"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediacast.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediacast.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=243"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediacast.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=243"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediacast.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}