Media Fund : How to Apply

How to Apply

Open Call for Production Funds Deadline: 4/9/09 by 5pm Pacific * Open Door Completion Fund Deadline: 8/6/09 by 5pm Pacific *
* NOTE: This is not a postmark deadline!!! Your electronic application must be submitted and all materials must be in our office by 5pm on the date indicated.

READ ALL APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY. Applications that do not follow the instructions below will be disqualified.

1) Be sure to read the Eligibility Guidelines and Review Criteria before applying! Refer to out FAQ if you have questions about the funding and application process.

2) Prepare your application according to the guidelines below, then submit the requested information via our online application form. The online application goes live 2 months before the deadline date. You will have the opportunity to save and make edits to your application before submitting. NOTE: The form automatically shuts off on 5pm on the deadline date. You will not be able to make edits or submit your application after the form shuts off.

3) After submitting your online application, you will be assigned an Application ID number. Print a copy of your submitted application to serve as a cover sheet and mail in with your sample work. We do not need a hard copy of the other documents that you are uploading (script, budget, letters of commitment).

4) Please refer to our FAQ if you have additional questions. As we do not offer extensions on the deadline, allow yourself ample time to complete the online application form in case you encounter any problems.

The online application requests the following information. You will be asked to enter text in the following fields and adhere to maximum character counts including spaces. For other information, you will be asked to upload a PDF or Excel file (described below).

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Synopsis of the program (1500 characters)
Treatment that describes how the story will be translated to screen. Stylistic approach, visual elements, narrative and thematic structure (9500 characters)
Appropriateness for public television and its impact on a national audience (800 characters)
Production timeline detailing different stages (1600 characters)
Fundraising strategy including prospective and pending funding awards (1600 characters)
Status of program (160 characters)
Script (for narrative projects only). Applicants submitting narrative/fiction projects must submit a PDF copy of the final script.

KEY PERSONNEL SUMMARY

Names and short biographies (1050 characters max for each) of key personnel including:

Executive producer
Director
Producer
Editor
Director of photography
Advisors/consultants

Additionally, we require a PDF copy of letters of commitment for your key personnel and consultants. See our FAQ if you have questions.

PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS

Final Length (86:46, 56:46, 26:46)
Format Shot
Completed Format

PROJECT FINANCES AND BUDGET

Amount Requested
Total Budget
Total Spent
Funding Secured
Pending Funds

Applicants are required to upload a detailed project budget (in PDF or Excel). The budget breakdown columns should include quantity, unit/duration, rate, cost and totals. An additional column should identify specific line item use of CAAM funding and expenses. Grand total should be for total cash expenses. The budget should have both EXPENSES and INCOME sections.

UNDER EXPENSES:

Producing staff salaries
Talent
Production and post-production personnel
Rights (visual, music and literary)
Production expenses (including production insurance, publicity stills, etc.)
Post-production expenses
Broadcast expenses (including errors & omissions insurance, closed captioning, etc.)
Equipment and services
Administrative expenses

UNDER INCOME:

Sources and amounts of all cash funding indicating the year secured, all revenues pending and any in-kind support with indication of year secured.

If you are applying for post-production funding ONLY, you may summarize your full production budget and detail your post-production budget.

You may view the following budgets as a general guideline. Please note that they are meant to be used as a suggestive guideline for formatting purposes only. Your line items and numbers will vary according to your project.

For those seeking post-production funding only and must be accompanied with a detailed post-production budget: budget summary (PDF)
For those seeking production funding: production budget (PDF)

SAMPLE WORK

Your sample work is a visual representation of your abilities as a filmmaker. Open Call applications accept sample work of 10 minutes or less. Open Door applications require a full-length rough cut. See below for more details. Send two DVD copies of your sample and label the bottom left hand corner of your mailer/envelope with your application ID number.

For Open Call Production samples

It is strongly recommended that you submit a work-in-progress sample. If no WIP sample is available, a previous work sample may be submitted instead.

Applicant should submit a 10-minute trailer or segment which you feel strongly displays your strength as a filmmaker. If the sample is longer than 10 minutes, the desired segment must be indicated by chapter marker on the DVD. The panel will watch up to 10 minutes of work for each applicant, i.e. if you submit a work longer than 10 minutes the panel will watch the first 10 minutes.

See the FAQ for more information on sample works.

For Open Door Completion samples

Applicants MUST submit a full-length rough cut for consideration.

All sample works must be sent in with a printed copy of your submitted application and must arrive in our offices by the deadline date. Your sample work must be on DVD and in NTSC format (PAL not accepted). Label your sample work DIRECTLY ON THE DISC with the following information:

application ID number (found on the top right corner of your application after you click “Submit”)
project title (and sample title if different)
applicant name
total running time of sample

We are not responsible for discs that are inappropriately labeled.

For work-in-progress samples, there are often play issues on our DVD players. Please send one back-up copy of your WIP sample work labeled “BACK-UP COPY.”

Please do not send your sample in plastic casing! So as to reduce unnecessary waste, enclose your sample work in a paper DVD envelope/sleeve such as this one rather than plastic cases or packaging. Once your sample work is received, we move the disc to our own storage system and accompanying packaging will be disposed of. Be sure to label the disc directly and not the DVD case.

NOTE: Your sample work and application materials will not be returned.

Additional Notes:

You will receive a confirmation email approximately two weeks after the deadline when all applications have been processed. Mail your sample work with a UPS or FedEx tracking number so that you can confirm receipt of delivery date for your records. Do not call to inquire if your application has been received before two weeks have passed.
Applications received after the deadline will NOT be considered.
Mailed, faxed, or emailed applications will NOT be considered.
We do not offer extensions on the deadline.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

All applications must be submitted via the online form. The sample work is mailed in separately. The online form goes live approximately 2 months before the respective deadline.

Mail your sample and cover sheet to: