IF/Then Shorts, in partnership with Hulu Documentary Films calls short-documentary filmmakers based in North America to take part in the Inaugural IF/Then x Hulu Short Documentary Lab. This lab will channel Hulu and IF/Then’s shared vision of creating a new pipeline of diverse talent and incubating strong voices who will be the next class of non-fiction storytellers.
PROGRAM DETAILS:
Four filmmaking teams will be chosen to participate in a one-year lab focused on short-documentary production and career training. For the first six months, filmmakers will be individually mentored through production by IF/Then staff and take part in monthly virtual cohort trainings, consisting of keynotes from industry heavy-hitters and edit consultations. Upon rough cut of their projects, filmmakers will be invited to debut their works-in-progress to an invitation-only audience and receive feedback. For the remainder of the program, filmmakers will finalize their cuts and receive high-level festival and distribution strategy consultations, along with guidance creating their publicity materials, and pro-bono legal support. Hulu will have the right to review the projects for potential acquisition or further development.
Each team will receive a $25,000 grant to use for the production of their film.
This opportunity will be open to individuals living in/from North America, with an emphasis on Black and/or Indigenous filmmakers, people of color, women, LGBTQ+, recent immigrants, and individuals who identify as having a disability. We will welcome any and all stories from underrepresented voices, with a strong preference around subjects related to gender, the LGTBQ community or issues unique to the BIPOC community.
PROJECT ELIGIBILITY:
- In addition to the identity eligibility of the maker and the theme, eligible IF/Then Shorts projects must meet the following criteria:
- Be an original short documentary with a final duration of 10-20 minutes
- Be completed within six to nine months of receiving the IF/Then Shorts grant
- Be factually accurate, follow best practices in documentary ethics, and be designed for a U.S. audience
- Be driven by (a) compelling character(s), with access to the character(s) secured
- Be presented in English or subtitled in English
- Have no prior distribution attached and be able to participate in the IF/Then Shorts distribution initiative
- All stories and storytellers coming from countries and territories in North America. This includes the United States and its territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa,) Canada, Greenland, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Venezuela, and countries in the Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Clipperton Island, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Saba, St. Andres and Providencia, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turks and Caicos Islands.
KEY DATES:
The application portal will open on January 15, 2021 and close at 11:59pm EST on Feb 15th.
- January 15, 2021: Open call for IF/Then x Hulu Short Documentary Lab
- March 31, 2021: Finalists announced
- April 5, 2021: Virtual Program Kickoff
APPLY:
Submissions are now closed.
Please direct any questions regarding this application to ifthenshorts@fieldofvision.org
