We've been covering screenwriting software a bit on here, and plenty of you have probably heard of Celtx - but what you might not know is that Celtx has a program called Seeds that seeks to give back to the filmmaking community in the form of grants. It's not often that you see a free software company (excluding the mobile versions) giving money away for nothing. Here is a video explaining the program:
These are the rules for the Seeds program from their website:
- We want to see your single best storytelling video of 15 minutes or less.
- If you're an individual or a team, share it with seeds@celtx.com through your Celtx account. If you're entering on behalf of a school share it with schoolseeds@celtx.com.
- That's all you need do. There's no entry fee and it's open to all Celtx account holders.
- The deadline for sharing is midnight, 15 April 2012. Selected creators/videos will be announced on or before 30 April 2012.
This is how they'll be giving away the money:
- 10 x $2,000 grants for individuals or teams
- 5 x $1,000 grants for schools (grade school to high school)
- All selected storytellers and projects receive promotion through Celtx networks on YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo & Google+.
While many grant programs or applications have an entry fee, Celtx just requires that you sign up for a free account with them. I'd say that's a fair trade-off when you consider that the average contest has fees upwards of $30-$40. It's always great to see people or companies trying to give back to the filmmaking community without asking for much in return. You can watch all ten videos of the previous Seeds winners on the Celtx YouTube or Vimeo page, but I've selected one to show here:
It's important for the filmmaking community to stay generous and want to share with each other as much knowledge as possible. It's a tough climate out there for filmmakers, and it's fantastic that Celtx has created a program that gives money back to the community that is supporting them. If you're a screenwriter, check out these other opportunities specifically for screenwriting.
Do you guys know any other companies giving away grant money? If so, please share it below.
Links: Celtx Screenwriting Software and Celtx Seeds Program
