Catapult Film Fund Wants to Take Your Documentary to the Next Level
Heads up to all of you documentarians: Do yo you have a documentary project in need of funding? Well, Catapult Film Fund provides development funding to documentary filmmakers who have secured access to their story and are ready to shoot and edit a piece for production fundraising purposes. They're now accepting applications, so for all the details on how to apply, hit the jump.
Founded by Lisa Kleiner Chanoff and Bonni Cohen, Catapult Film Fund has been around since November 2010. It's based in San Francisco and has two funding cycles a year, awarding $100,000 worth of grants per cycle with each individual grant being up to $20,000. So far it has supported 19 projects since it's inception and has granted almost $300,000 toward aiding documentary filmmakers.
Our mission is to enable filmmakers to develop their film projects to the next level at a stage where funding is hard to find. We don’t require that films fit within specific issue categories. We support powerful stories and moving storytelling across a broad spectrum of issues and perspectives. As a result, we support of a range of films, from individual portraits to stories with global implications.
Catapult is looking for "creative, artful, compelling and innovative storytelling techniques," unique point of view -- and they say humor is a plus. Sound like something you'd like to apply for? Well, before you rush off and fill out the form, here are the eligibility requirements taken straight from Catapult's website:
- Applicants must be 18-years of age or older.
- Catapult does not fund student films.
- Documentaries must be 28 minutes or longer in length.
- Animation is okay. Documentary/narrative hybrids will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Development funds must specifically be used for the process of completing a fundraising piece, which may include writing, shooting and editing once story and characters are in place.
- Applicants must own the copyright of their production, and have artistic, budgetary and editorial control over their project.
- Applicants should preferably have previous film or television production experience in a principal role (director, co-director, producer, co-producer) as demonstrated by submitting previously completed work sample. Applicants who have not yet produced or directed their own feature length documentary should demonstrate that they will be working with an experienced filmmaker in a principal role.
- Applicants should be able to demonstrate that they, or one of their key team members, have successfully fundraised for an independent documentary film.
Now, we're coming up on their Spring cycle, which means that if you've got a documentary idea and you've got clearance and are ready to shoot, then don't miss the deadline to apply, which is August 13, 2013. You can find more information about further guidelines and the online application form here.
Have any of you ever received a grant from Catapult Film Fund? What was your experience? Are you planning on applying?
Links:
