Film & TV Trainee Schemes for New Talent and Training Schemes and Guidance, including Funds/Grants, for Established Talent and Companies
UK - Extensive list of talent schemes from the Pact site
UK - 104 Films - UK’s leading Production Company and training provider focussing on disability. They provide training schemes, short film programmes and initiatives for film talent with disabilities
UK - 4 Skills - Channel 4’s initiatives for newcomers and development for the experienced
UK - 4 Stories - scheme aimed at finding genuinely diverse voices, exploring contemporary stories of and by communities that are rarely seen on mainstream television. We encourage applications from talent currently under-represented in TV Drama – including women, disabled talent, ethnically diverse talent, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. They want to hear from emerging UK writing and directing talent who bring a distinct and alternative view of modern Britain
UK - Apprenticeships - UK government scheme connecting people with ambition to businesses with vision
UK - BAFTA, BFI & British Council Short Film Toolkit - a comprehensive digital guide includes insights from over 40 filmmakers, funders, festival programmers and distributors, unlocking vital insights and advice for aspiring talent to help them get the most out of their short film journey and accelerate their careers
UK - BBC Extend Hub - specialised recruitment portal exclusively for people with disabilities
UK - BBC Get In - apprenticeships and trainee schemes for production roles in TV, radio and online
UK - BIFA Springboard - programme designed to support the British film industry by identifying and nurturing filmmakers who have previously made a first feature of note and are now embarking on steps to pursue a sustainable career in film
UK - BFI Film Academy - workshops and courses for 16-25 year olds
UK - BFI Funding Finder - regularly updated list of funding opportunities for new UK writers, directors and producers
UK - Bluebird Pictures Writer in Residence Program - free programme offering support and guidance to filmmakers who are looking to develop their TV script into a fully developed pilot. The winner will have the opportunity for Bluebird Pictures Film Production company to guide them into developing their TV pilot, based on a sample of their script. The winner will not only receive one to one mentoring from CEO Joelle David, one of the most sought after Directors in the UK film industry right now, but they will also receive a £3000 bursary and a live-reading of their script at the World Cinema Film Festival
UK - BMW Filmmaking Challenge in Partnership with BFI - short film challenge launched in 2023 looking for ideas that aim to surprise and inspire within a duration of 90 seconds. BFI partnered with BMW UK and Michaela Coel to offer five filmmaking teams the chance to break new ground and literally push the boundaries of what our screens can offer
UK - BRIDGE - a collective of Film & TV industry professionals from across Casting, Production, Writing, Directing and Outreach. They also offer industry partnerships to help talent agencies & agents, production companies, and broadcasters to safely and equitably engage with new talent. We do this by providing training for staff and departments, offering key working during development, on set and beyond, and by providing ongoing enrichment programmes for talent to engage in.
UK - Calltime Foundation - helping those from underrepresented communities and disadvantaged backgrounds find their first job or re-enter the industry
UK - Change 100 - programme of paid summer work placements, professional development and mentoring. It aims to remove barriers experienced by disabled people in the workplace, to allow them to achieve their potential. They partner with leading employers in the UK who believe disability isn’t a barrier to a brilliant career
UK - Creative Enterprise - a bespoke set of initiatives by Creative England for ambitious screen businesses to access connections, training and networks to achieve business growth, including the New Ideas Fund (a programme of small grants for creative entrepreneurs and companies working in moving image for storytelling)
UK - Creative Future - nurture underrepresented artists in their creative development. They provide skills training, mentoring, exhibiting, promoting, and publishing opportunities.
UK - Creative Mentor Network - mentor network tackling the barriers to entering the creative industries for all young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds
UK - The Creative Skills Academy - a partnership between Film London, the Capital City College Group (CCCG), Middlesex University and London Higher. As part of the Academy, Film London’s Equal Access Network has been working with CCCG to provide practical training which is directly linked with leading industry employers and vacancies
UK - Dancing Ledge Productions’ New Writer and New Director Mentorships - annual scheme pairing writers and directors with mentors
UK - Digital Orchard Foundation - part funding body, part lobbying group, part training & networking facilitator, the Digital Orchard Foundation is designed to both pump-up and streamline the incredible work to support underrepresented groups happening in film and television, as well as to fill the gaps in current provision through new events, advocacy and training. Site includes Equality in Focus, a downloadable training framework, action plan and resources guide for film & television crew
UK - DiVA - London-based creative apprenticeships for young people
UK - Diverse Directors Workshop at NFTS - a ground-breaking diversity programme, which aims to increase the number of women, BAME and people with disabilities working in screen directing
UK - Diverse Readers Inc - free workshop/training scheme for Script Readers
UK - Elevate Writers Course - a collaboration between the Ascend Collective and the Independent Film Trust, this course will provide ethnically diverse female and non-binary scriptwriters with tools to help them elevate to the next professional stage in their careers
UK - ENGAGE - mentoring programme for disabled people from thinkBIGGER! and Screenskills
UK - The Equity List - a mentoring scheme for people of colour who want to get into film
UK - Escape Studios - provide courses that are designed, developed and delivered in collaboration with leading studios to make sure that they stay relevant. Find your creative career with a range of undergraduate, postgraduate and short courses in Visual Effects (VFX), Game Art, Animation and Motion Graphics and other specialist disciplines.
UK - Film Forward - a new programme from ScreenSkills designed to create change in the UK film industry by supporting experienced Black, Asian or minority ethnic professionals to advance into more senior roles
UK - Film Hub Midlands - funds and development schemes include New Directors Series, Producers Series and Short Film Development Lab
UK - Film Locos - a production company and platform that focuses on bringing representation to the Latin American community in the UK – in front and behind the camera
UK - Filmonomics from Birds Eye View - a business-training programme – balancing creative and commercial. It mixes industry knowledge with networking and discussions on vital topics such as finance, teams, marketing, exhibition and audience development. The bespoke programme is targeted at first-time feature filmmakers of marginalised genders, who are either on the cusp of their first feature or have just made/released their debut, and is designed to bridge the gap between development and distribution
UK - Fully Focused Productions - London-based youth-led media organisation that offers unique opportunities to those 25 and under to learn about all aspects of film production in a professional environment
UK - Global Screen Fund International Distribution Funding - the UK Global Screen Fund has launched a new area of International Distribution funding for Prints and Advertising (P&A) Support, helping UK films to reach international audiences
UK - GoodBadMad Short Film Pitch Competition - GoodBadMad aim to make sure that new, upcoming talent have every opportunity to make their mark and so are launching a ’Short Film Pitch Competition’ in support of UK filmmakers. GoodBadMad are partnering with Double J Productions, and will be sponsored by PickleJar with an incredible fund of 15K, in order to support this new talent growth
UK - Grand Plan Fund - they award three £1,000 grants a month to creative people of colour based in the UK who want to make a new cultural project happen. It can be anything from: poetry, paintings, fashion, zines, music, food, flowers, photographs to workshops or events — whatever you want
UK - Greenhouse Animation - emerging animation talent development roster from Strange Beast and Passion Animation Studios. They also fund three short films per year and have a Director Development programme as well as offering mentoring to new talent
UK - Grey Moth Originals - fund committed to building a fairer, kinder, and better creative industry than the existing one. Originals donates funding, facilities, equipment, mentoring, and training workshops to promising grassroots talent – from camera operators and editors to producers and directors
UK - Guiding Lights - supports upcoming filmmakers and professionals through high-level mentoring
UK - The Hot House - Climate Spring in partnership with BFI NETWORK and the BBC Writersroom have created The Hot House: Development Lab - a development lab for writers working on scripted long form TV and feature film projects about climate change
UK - inspiring the future - boosting young people's motivation, attainment and future prospects by connecting volunteers from the world of work with schools
UK - Intermission NEXT UP Short Film Fund - Intermission have launched NEXT UP, a short film fund supporting filmmakers with both production and finishing support. They are looking to collaborate with UK-based emerging and innovative filmmakers - those taking risks and telling stories from fresh perspectives
UK - Kingdom Drama School - drama school founded by Ashley Walters and Najan Ward with a diverse student body who represent a variety of different backgrounds, ethnicities and cultures, paving the way for a more dynamic industry
UK - LightForge Academy - creating a bridge to the creative industries from other sectors by creating a dedicated learning environment for those in search of a career in the creative industries. Their courses respond directly to industry skills requirements and bridge the gap between academic learning and working life by nurturing individuals and mentoring them in how to manage their career paths, from first steps to dream jobs
UK - London Screen Academy - alternative to sixth form for 16 to 19 year olds providing courses in all aspects of working behind the camera
UK - MAMA Youth - London-based TV training scheme that recruits, trains and nurtures young people between 18-25 years of age from under-represented groups or with limited educational or employment opportunities. Their training programs include the Digital Media Training scheme
UK - Momentum from We Are Parable - a programme designed to support Black British-based filmmakers and content creators from across the UK
UK - National Youth Film Academy - courses with a mission to locate, nurture and promote the very best young filmmakers and actors (aged 16 to 29 years old) in the UK
UK - NFTS Prime Video Craft Academy - ready to take on your first big Industry role? If you are committed to working in the film and television industry, are flexible to all departments and have an ambition to develop a craft specialism, then this is the opportunity for you. And you'll be paid as you learn
UK - Pears Short Film Fund at UK Jewish Film - the Pears Short Film Fund at UK Jewish Film's goal is to create new opportunities for filmmakers in the UK, and to encourage and support the production and exhibition of short films on themes that engage with British-Jewish life, history and culture
UK - Pentland Collective - mentoring programme for primarily Black and underserved communities
UK - The Phoebe Frances Brown Film Fund - a £1000 grant from Mister Tibbs for an up and coming female filmmaker with a comedy idea they want to produce. Open to writers, directors, producers, performers, animators, or some combination of those disciplines, who identify as female
UK - The Pitch Fund - annual film fund offering a £50k production pot for two short films taking inspiration from the Bible
UK - Pitch Perfect - training and development scheme for theatre-makers, musicians, artists, writers and cultural organisations based in the West Midlands with a brilliant idea for radio or TV
UK - Production Development Trainee Scheme - paid 6 months placements paving the way for next generation of craft talent in TV drama. Set up by Wall To Wall and Rope Ladder Fiction in association with HOME and Screen Manchester
UK - Production Guild Training Hub - various courses for all levels
UK - rad Cymru Wales - a paid traineeship within a Welsh independent television production company which includes full training throughout the placement. The programme is aimed at those who are underrepresented in the TV industry: those either with a disability, from Black, Asian or ethnic minority communities or from disadvantaged backgrounds
UK - Reel Impact Fund from the Film & TV Charity - a programme to support mid to senior level Black and Global Majority individuals, as well as Black and Global Majority-led production companies and organisations working behind the scenes in film, TV, and cinema. The programme will offer grants up to £10,000 for individuals and £25,000 for organisations, as well as partnerships to support skills and leadership development, and networking opportunities
UK - Roundhouse Film Fund - twice a year the Roundhouse Film Fund commissions 3 micro short films, exploring social and political issues, from emerging Directors and Producers aged 18 to 25 years old
UK - Sara Putt Associates Trainee Scheme - professional development programme designed to support trainees working behind the camera in High End TV drama and film
UK - Screen Scotland’s Film Festival and Screening Programme Fund - funding to support organisations who produce film festivals and screening programmes that increase the reach, depth, and diversity of screen culture for audiences in Scotland
UK - Screen Yorkshire Film Industry Bootcamp – helps new entrants make the leap from training to the industry
UK - ScreenSkills - the UK’s leading resource for trainees and established crew including apprenticeships (Trainee Finder), career progression training and the Indie Training Fund for production companies and freelancers. Full list of training provided by ScreenSkills can be accessed here
UK/Europe - Series Women - the first career enhancement program for female producers in the European drama series industry from the Erich Pommer Institut. Producers will participate in state-of-the-art training opportunities addressing topics such as visibility, leadership and digital entrepreneurship as well as receive curated 1-1 mentoring and coaching. Networking opportunities at top European industry markets and direct access to decision makers and top industry players will complete the program
UK - TalentLab XR - training course run by B3 Media for up to 12 emerging Black, Asian and multicultural artists who want to use XR in novel and interesting ways to tell their story
UK - The TV Collective - online resource dedicated to promoting the creative and commercial value that diversity adds to the British TV and film industries. Includes talent lists, jobs board, training advice and general support network
UK - thinkBIGGER! - talent finder, trainee provider, coaching and workshop provider for d/Deaf and disabled people working in TV and film. They run a variety of online and in-person disability awareness courses
UK - A Thousand Stories - BBC Studios ScriptWorks and Thousand Films partnership to find undiscovered writing talent from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds
UK/Worldwide - Trans Atlantic Partners (TAP) – intensive training and networking program for established producers
UK - The Uncertain Kingdom - development fund for feature length projects launched in 2021. The fund supports filmmakers whose work interrogates British culture; asking who we are, how we got here and where we are going
UK - Wellbeing Facilitator Grant - CULT Cymru, a range of employers and the Welsh Government have come together with mental health and wellbeing specialists 6ft from the Spotlight CIC to start tackling the problem of poor mental health within the industry by placing wellbeing facilitators (WBFs) on productions. 10 newly trained Wellbeing Facilitators from Wales are ready to be placed on your forthcoming productions
UK - Working Title Films’ Action! – one-year internship positions in Working Title’s London office.
UK - Yes, And… Laughter Lab - a pipeline for the best comedy projects that address pressing social issues. YALL invites all comedy creators to apply for a chance to receive training, a small creative stipend, introduction to a network of like-minded comedy folks, and a chance to pitch their project to a room full of potential allies and partners
Ireland - X-Pollinator - a cross-disciplinary professional development and networking initiative from Screen Ireland for female, trans and non-binary talent that was created to help rapidly address gender diversity in the Irish screen industry
UK & US - Ghetto Film School - based in London, Los Angeles and New York
US - 150 (aka onefifty) - content creation company who provide grants for innovative storytellers
US - 4th World Media Lab - a year-long fellowship for emerging and mid-career Indigenous filmmakers, providing opportunities to develop filmmaking skills and networks through festival participation, hands-on training, masterclasses, workshopping projects in development, pitch activities, and meetings with funders and other industry decision-makers
US - 523 for Black Creators - the Black Creator Accelerator from Snapchat will provide 25 aspiring Black creators with a $10k/month stipend to pursue creative endeavors and get connected with opportunities to launch sustainable, full-fledged careers. In addition, Google Pixel, Westbrook Media, and UNCMMN will work with Snapchat to enrich the educational curriculum and create tailored workshops for participants
US - AFI Conservatory - one of the world’s most prestigious film schools offering a variety of courses including the DWW+ (formerly known as the Directing Workshop for Women) and the AFI Cinematography Intensive for Women
US - Anonymous Was a Woman Environmental Art Grants - AWAW EAG distributes a total of $300,000 in funding per cycle —up to $20,000 per project — to support environmental art projects led by women-identifying artists in the United States and U.S. Territories. The program is administered by NYFA. NYFA is committed to supporting artists from every background, and at all stages in their creative careers. Artists of color, artists with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ artists are strongly encouraged to apply
US - Antigravity Academy Screenwriters’ Camp - a program designed by Antigravity Academy to help up to five emerging filmmakers (or writing teams) develop and package their first features
US - Apple Studios Directors Program - an inclusive initiative focused on expanding opportunities for mid-career directors across the US. Their goal is to identify innovative and diverse visionaries and give them a front row seat to Apple Studios productions and opportunities to network. Successful participants will be positioned to direct content for Apple TV+
US - Artistic Innovations Grant Program from MAAA - the program encourages the spirit of experimentation and exploration, exclusively engaging in-region artists in the creation of new, original works for audiences in the M-AAA region. This grant program offers up to $15,000 in support of expenses incurred in the art-making process and premiere of these endeavors. Through generous support from the National Endowment for the Arts, M-AAA supports individual artists and arts-based nonprofit 501c3 organizations in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas for projects that meet the eligibility requirements
US - ASC Vision Mentorship Program - the program aims to make the cinematography profession more inclusive by sharing the professional experiences of our members with a wide range of cinematographers. Mentees will be chosen by the ASC and then paired with an ASC Mentor
US - Athena List - annual script competition that selects exceptional scripts with women leaders at the heart of the story. As the central program in the Athena Film Festival’s Creative Development program, The Athena List’s goal is to raise the profile of the scripts and the writers within the industry with the purpose of getting these movies made and elevating their careers to the next level
US - The Black List and CBS Studios/NAACP Venture Writers Program - CBS/NAACP Production Venture and the Black List have partnered to offer a WGA-minimum open script deal for a new pilot script with a writer whose work authentically explores the Black experience
US - Black Public Media Submissions - Black Public Media has maintained a proud legacy of supporting media makers who create content that reflect the diversity and nuance of the global Black experience. Throughout the year, they offer a range of funding and training, distribution opportunities to the creative community
US - Blackstar - creates the spaces and resources needed to uplift the work of Black, Brown and Indigenous artists working outside of the confines of genre. They do this by producing year-round programs including film screenings, exhibitions, an annual film festival, a filmmaker seminar, a film production lab, and a journal of visual culture. These programs provide artists opportunities for viable strategies for collaborations with other artists, audiences, funders, and distributors
US/Worldwide - Cousin Collective - a collective supporting Indigenous artists expanding the form of film. COUSIN creates and supports work that is personal, proudly provocative and driven by strong, artistic voices. As part of this work they also offer annual grants
US - Creative Capital - funding the creation of groundbreaking art since 1999 through grants, funds and support. Their Creative Capital Awards for 2022, totaled $2.5 million in artist support. This annual grant funds the creation of 50 new artists’ projects by 59 individual artists working in the performing arts, visual arts, film, technology, literature, and socially engaged and multidisciplinary practices. Each project receives up to $50,000 in direct funding, supplemented by career development and networking services to foster thriving artistic careers
US/Worldwide - DCEFF Vantage Grant for Emerging BIPOC Filmmakers - the $12,500 DCEFF Vantage Grant will be bestowed to an emerging BIPOC filmmaker, working on a short film or their first feature, addressing a timely environmental issue at any stage of pre-production through post-production
US - Disney Launchpad Shorts Incubator - a platform for diverse writers and directors to create short films for Disney+
US - The Disruptors Fellowship - an annual fellowship for emerging television writers of color who identify as undocumented/formerly undocumented immigrants, trans, nonbinary, or disabled
US - Easterseals Disability Film Challenge - launched in 2014, the challenge gives filmmakers – with and without disabilities – the opportunity to collaborate to tell unique stories that showcase disability in its many forms, inviting aspiring storytellers to creatively write, produce, and complete short films. It is a week-long filmmaking contest, open to all, that provides a platform for new voices in the entertainment industry
US - EMINUTES Arts Initiative - EMINUTES are partnering with champions of diversity, equity and inclusion who feel, as they do, that film is a lens that recognizes and promotes the dignity of others. Their support will take several forms: they are establishing financial grants with organizations such as Outfest’s Screenwriting Lab, Women in Film, and The Groundlings; they are providing resources to film festivals like the Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival; and they are using their network to support the activities of organizations that open doors for disenfranchised storytellers from underrepresented communities
US - Fatales Forward: Trans Stories - a trailblazing fellowship from Film Fatales designed to support trans and gender diverse directors working on their debut scripted or unscripted feature films through a career advancement intensive, one-on-one mentorship, peer workshops, and ongoing artist development support
US - Film Independent Imaginar Producers Residency - a program created to support Latinx Producers, made possible by The Walt Disney Company and Searchlight Pictures, in collaboration with the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP). The Residency will support three Latinx Producers during a nine-month period. Each Fellow will receive a $50,000 grant to financially assist the continued development of their projects
US - First Time Directors - MTV Entertainment Studios’ (MES) First Time Directors Initiative was designed to attract the talents of a diverse group of filmmakers including BIPOC and women filmmakers
US - Fractured Atlas - provides tools and guidance so that artists can thrive, fully, through fiscal sponsorship, visas, fundraising and knowledge sharing
US - Frameline Completion Fund - provides grants to emerging and established filmmakers. This program seeks to provide a much-needed source of financial contributions to artists who often struggle to secure funding to complete their works. Grants up to $5,000 are available for the completion of films that represent and reflect LGBTQ+ life in all its complexity and richness
US - Group Effort Initiative - on set experience for between 10 and 20 trainees from BIPOC and other marginalized communities
US - Half Initiative - director shadowing program launched by Ryan Murphy with the aim to make Hollywood more inclusive by creating equal opportunities for women and minorities behind the camera
US - Hello Alice - non-media-specific site for small businesses offering grant opportunities, small business loans and business growth advice
US - Hillman Grad x Indeed Rising Voices - initiative that aims to discover, invest in and share stories created by BIPOC filmmakers & storytellers around the power and meaning of work. The inaugural year’s program in 2020 awarded a $100K production budget for 10 short films which premiered at The Tribeca Festival and created over 600 jobs
US - The Ida B. Wells Fund - provides a total of $250,000 in grants per year to aspiring Black Artists. The Ida B. Wells Fund: Disrupting the Master Narrative honors the legacy of a trailblazing American investigative journalist who not only chronicled the horrific violence of lynching against African-Americans in the 19th and 20th centuries but debunked the narratives that fueled the violence. The fund has now expanded to offer awards ranging from $2000 to $25,000 per project in the following three categories: Short Films, Visual Arts, and Creative Placemaking. The fund is supported by Chromatic Black
US - IllumiNative Producers Program - IllumiNative and Netflix have launched the IllumiNative Producers Program, a year-long program that will support a cohort of seven early and mid-career Indigenous producers
US - Image Equity Fellowship - a 6-month, application-based Fellowship awarded to 20 early-career image-based creators of color in the US. Selected Fellows will receive $20,000 in unrestricted funds to create an image-based project that explores and uplifts community(ies) of color with care and nuance. Fellows will receive support from Google and three industry-celebrated nonprofit partners—Aperture, For Freedoms & FREE THE WORK—in the form of dedicated mentorship, workshops, funding and publication of and press for their completed projects
US - Inevitable Foundation - funding and mentoring the next generation of disabled screenwriters, including the Elevate Collective which offers a $5k grant for professional development, which includes career coaching, professional development, work-from-home equipment, script consultation and/or IP acquisition
US - Jerome Foundation - production grants for specific projects of up to $30,000 for early career film, digital production and video directors based in New York City
US - Latinx List - partnership between Black List, the Latin Tracking Board, NALIP, and the Untitled Latinx Project to highlight the very best in Latinx storytelling in film and television. Feature film, one-hour, and half-hour original pilot submissions will be considered for this opportunity. The final Latinx List will include 5 feature film scripts and 5 pilot scripts. Scripts from any genre are eligible for this partnership. Selected scripts will be written by at least one Latinx writer and feature a Latinx or Latin American character in a prominent role. Netflix has also committed to offering WGA minimum script deals to two of the ten writers selected for the 2022 Latinx List
US - Lynn Shelton “Of A Certain Age” Grant - a project-based award that provides $20,000 to an individual woman, non-binary, and/or transgender U.S. filmmaker, age 39 or older, who is working on their first narrative feature (65 minutes or over) as a director. Established by Northwest Film Forum alongside Duplass Brothers Productions to honor Seattle filmmaker Lynn Shelton
US - ManifestWorks - connects those impacted by foster care, homelessness and incarceration with job opportunities and provides ongoing life and professional skills to support long-term success
US - MiFILM Branded Lab - a mentorship-based virtual lab designed to develop and accelerate the careers of underrepresented groups in film. Created by MiFilm (Minorities in Film), a collective for People with Disabilities and People of Color in film and media
US - NALAC - the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures is the USA’s premier nonprofit organization exclusively dedicated to the Latino arts field. Their programs create opportunities for artists, arts leaders and organizations. NALAC programs provide critical advocacy, funding, networking opportunities, leadership development and professional training for Latino artists and arts organizations in every region of the USA
US - NBC Universal GTDI (Global Talent Development and Inclusion) Writer Programs - Since 2017, GTDI has created access for and awareness of underrepresented talent. Through their talent experiences across writing, directing, composing and below-the-line, their team continues to demystify the entertainment industry, tearing down barriers for those creators and artisans seeking career opportunities within the Studio system. Programs include: The Reimagined Writers Lab (one-year paid lab develops up-and-coming and experienced storytellers with commercial sensibilities and cultural perspectives, with the goal of creating narratives for potential development at Universal and Focus Features); Universal Animation Writers Program (a first-of-its-kind program in the entertainment industry, combining both film and television content into one animation writing program. This experience aims to identify and develop an inclusive pool of talent with unique points of view in order to tell unique stories. During this one-year paid program, writers will have the opportunity to work with UFEG-affiliated teams including DreamWorks Animation and Illumination); and Universal Global Writers Program (a first-of-its-kind international writers experience launched in 2022. Partnering with legendary global production and development powerhouse, Working Title Films (Bridget Jones’ Diary, Love Actually, Baby Driver, The High Note), those selected have the chance to create film content for potential production development consideration in partnership with the team at Working Title Films in the UK. The program cultivates storytellers who organically incorporate multicultural and global perspectives in their writing. The experience also provides creative guidance from executives, producers and creative consultants, and broadens their network of industry champions to help shape their development)
US/Worldwide - New Voices Fellowship from Humanitas - six-month mentorship program for emerging television and screenwriters who are exploring the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way. The program identifies and empowers five writers each year who are currently working on a 30- or 60-minute pilot or feature film screenplay. These are stories and people who, for varying reasons, may go overlooked by the traditional marketplace. Applicants do not need to be a U.S. permanent resident and/or citizen but must be residing in the US during the fellowship. Humanitas is unable to provide Visa support for writers overseas
US - New Voices Filmmaker Grant from NewFest - an initiative in partnership with Netflix to support emerging LGBTQ+ directors with $25,000 in funding to create new work. The initiative also provides mentorship, networking and professional development opportunities
US - Nickelodeon Writing Program - founded in 2000, the program is a full-time, paid, yearlong development scheme for television comedy writers with unique voices and from underrepresented communities
US/Worldwide - NO DRAMA Initiative from Monkeypaw Productions - What’s your biggest fear? What monsters lurk in the deepest corners of your inner thoughts? Monkeypaw Productions’ NO DRAMA, powered by the Universal Filmmakers Project and TIFF, challenges filmmakers to produce a short film that explores monsters across genre, cultures, time, and society.
US - NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre - provides grants to encourage and support the creation of digital, film, music, television, and live or online theatre content that reflects the voices and perspectives of all who identify as women
US - NYWIFTV (New York Women in Film & Television) - run several annual grant programs including: The Loreen Arbus Disability Awareness Grant: The film completion grant for $7,500 will be awarded to a woman filmmaker for a film on physical or developmental disability issues. Directors and producers are eligible to apply; The Nancy Malone Marketing & Promotion Grant: This $5,000 grant provides resources to help an emerging woman director get her film recognized and ready for distribution. Funds may be used for festival entry fees, marketing materials, video duplication, publicists, promotion at the film’s opening, or other approved marketing and promotional expenses; The NYWIFT Ravenal Foundation Grant: Funds will support a woman second-time feature film director who is over 40 years of age in the production of a dramatic feature film with $5000; an honorable mention of $2500 will also be presented. Grant funds may be used for pre-production, production or post-production
US - Open Door Film Project - groundbreaking project committed to elevating people from underrepresented groups. They are producing a ten episode anthology with the ten filmmakers selected each directing an episode of the anthology
US - PANO x Abel Cine Cinematographer’s Lab - a multi-week workshop designed to help working and emerging cinematographers take their careers to the next level. PANO is dedicated to serving women, non-binary, and GNC folks above and below the line. AbelCine is proud to join them in their mission to support and develop underrepresented creatives and crew. The Cinematographer’s Lab is open to all qualifying PANO members on a first come, first served basis, but total enrollment will be capped at approximately 20 people
US - PANO/Marilyn Horowitz Screenwriting Award - $5000 unrestricted cash prize for a promising Woman, Non-Binary, or Gender Non-Conforming writer with a strong original voice, whose career is poised to move to the next level
US - Parity Pipeline - a programming initiative from Film Fatales that provides a direct pipeline for film festival programmers, production companies, funders and other film industry organizations to connect with directors from underrepresented communities in an effort towards more inclusive programming and hiring practices
US - Paramount Writers Mentoring Program - as part of its ongoing commitment to create additional access, exposure and opportunity for talented and motivated writers of diverse backgrounds, Paramount's Writers Mentoring Program is an eight-month program with a three-fold focus: It opens doors by providing opportunities for mentees to build and foster relationships with showrunners and network and studio executives. It supports emerging writers in their efforts to improve their craft by working with executive mentors. And it helps writers hone the essential interpersonal skills necessary to break in and succeed
US - PGA Create - lab launched in 2021 for emerging and mid-career creative producers
US - Pillars Fund - amplifying the leadership, narratives, and talents of Muslims in the United States through grants and training programs. They invest in community-focused initiatives, push back against harmful narratives, uplift Muslim stories, and give collectively to generate resources within Muslim communities for Muslim communities
US - Queer Art Mentorship - supports a year-long exchange between emerging and established artists in four different creative fields: Film, Literature, Performance, and Visual Art
US - Rideback Rise - the program identifies an annual cohort of Fellows who are supported financially and creatively to make mainstream film, television, digital and audio content and other innovative projects that advance racial equity through technology and content. Fellows are established writers, filmmakers and creative entrepreneurs from throughout the industry. In addition to supporting Rise Fellows, the program also supports the Rise Circle, a growing community of next-generation writers, filmmakers, talent and other creatives who share in and directly benefit from the Rise programming provided to Rise Fellows
US - Screencraft Finishing Fund - provides up to $30k in finishing funds, plus one grand prize winner receives a mentorship opportunity with filmmaker Mark Duplass
US/Worldwide - SFF Film Rainin Grant - largest granting body for independent narrative feature films in the US. Grants support films that address social justice issues—the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges—in a positive and meaningful way through plot, character, theme, or setting and benefit the Bay Area filmmaking community in a professional and economic capacity. Awards are made to 15-20 projects once a year in the fall, for screenwriting, development, or post-production (these are three separate grants with the screenwriting grant open to international applicants). In addition to a cash grant of up to $25,000, recipients secure a one month residency at FilmHouse and benefit from SFFILM’s comprehensive and dynamic artist development programs
US/Worldwide - Sony Future Filmmaker Awards - a major program providing exceptional opportunities for creators and filmmakers.
All 30 shortlisted filmmakers are flown to the Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California, to attend a black-tie ceremony and a bespoke four-day workshop program led by Sony Pictures executives. There are six categories: fiction, non-fiction, environment, animation, student, future format
US - Speranza Foundation - founded in 2008, the Speranza Foundation is a private operating foundation that advances the work of people, projects, and organizations on the front lines of restoring and inspiring humanity. Their signature program, The Lincoln City Fellowship, supports and creates opportunities that enhance the well being of artists. In addition to funding the Lincoln City Fellowship, the Speranza Foundation has previously supported media projects and impactful organizations that are working to address injustice and promote human dignity
US - Storytellers Initiative from SeriesFest - the Storytellers Initiative TV pilot competition seeks unproduced 30-minute sitcoms that have at least one Native American character and/or writer, represent an authentic Native American voice, and are accurate in Native American portrayals; scripts must be void of stereotypes traditionally associated with Native American peoples
US - Stowe Story Labs - a nonprofit dedicated to bringing top emerging screenwriters, filmmakers, and creative producers from around the world together with seasoned industry professionals to help get film and TV projects made and seen
US/Worldwide - Sundance Ignite - the scheme identifies and supports new voices and talent from the next generation of filmmakers and fosters fresh audiences for independent storytelling. Established in 2015 with founding support from Adobe, the program offers individuals ages 18 to 25 the Young Adult Discount presented by Adobe at the Sundance Film Festival, the Sundance Ignite x Adobe Fellowship Program, a competitive and year-round artist-development program supporting emerging filmmakers ages 18 to 25 with a year of mentorship and program opportunities, and Sundance Ignite traveling programs
US - Sustainability Labs - serving six mid-career storytellers working in a variety of mediums (film, television, animation, artists working in XR, audio, new media or hybrid forms, etc.), the Lab is created to help those in search of guidance on the next steps of harnessing and expanding their creative and business talents across multiple platforms
US - Take The Lead Writers’ Intensive - the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) and NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) have teamed together with STARZ to create the STARZ #TAKETHELEAD Writers' Intensive for emerging underrepresented Writers who are looking to break into a career in TV writing for premium cable. The STARZ #TAKETHELEAD Writers' Intensive creates an opportunity for writers to develop a spec script alongside key mentors, executives, and writers
US - Tasveer Film Fund - one of the first kind of funds in the United States solely dedicated to supporting South Asian filmmakers. Winners receive a monetary grant and year-long mentorship, to help bring their scripts to life. With a partial support from Netflix, Tasveer has expanded the program to support three projects – short film, documentary and LGBTQIA+ short film projects
US - TFC Career Development Lab - annual 12-week professional development fellowship composed of in-person and virtual course experiences led by industry professionals and experts that prepares early-career trans creators to launch a lifetime of success in filmmaking. Funded by Netflix’s Fund for Creative Equity, TFC will select a class of eight top trans creative voices to participate in a multi-disciplinary, purpose-driven set of educational workshops that help them build a winning career strategy by pulling back the curtain on the reality of working in film and television
US - Tribeca Through Her Lens - promotes emerging and independent voices. From funding and project support to dedicated mentorship, this multifaceted three-day program champions up-and-coming women writers and directors in the United States
US - US in Progress - fund run by American Film Festival in Poland which pairs American narrative projects in final production stages with European buyers and top Polish image and sound post-production companies and provides awards worth up to $100,000
US/Worldwide - Voices with Impact - fund celebrating mental health stories told by filmmakers with unique perspectives and lived experiences. Ten teams are awarded $7,500 each to support the creation of their short films
US - WAVE Grant - awards five women filmmakers $5,000 seed funding to direct their first short film. The grant program offers mentorship and support to emerging, talented, young female filmmakers of color that may not otherwise have the resources to complete their first short film. Created by Wavelength Productions, who champion creating a pipeline for women of color in the film industry
US - Women Directing Mentorship from SeriesFest - a competition designed to discover aspiring female directors with a unique voice and provide a launchpad for their careers. Founded in 2019, The Women Directing Mentorship Program is anchored with the prestigious opportunity to shadow a director for an episode of a Shondaland original series, and a $5,000 stipend to use during the duration of their mentorship
US - Women in Film x The Black List Writing Labs - episodic and feature film labs for developing the projects and skills of promising non-professional television and film writers through workshops and master classes
US - Women Write Now - a comedic screenwriting fellowship for Black women
US - Youth Cinema Project - project based learning that produces competent, resilient, real world problem-solvers, and bridges the achievement and opportunity gaps by creating lifelong learners and the entertainment industry’s multicultural future
New Zealand - Ngā Aho Whakaari - the primary role of Ngā Aho Whakaari is to represent Māori in screen industries. They hold hui, workshops and professional development events run by Māori screen practitioners & experts across all aspects of Television, Film and Creative Screen industries
Worldwide - Academy Nicholl Fellowships - an annual and international screenwriting competition established to identify and encourage talented new screenwriters
Worldwide - Annual Writers Lab - the first and only program in the world dedicated to developing the screenplays of women over the age of 40. There are three divisions: UK & Ireland, Europe, and USA
Worldwide - Cannes Makers - an initiative to help young aspiring industry leaders, predominantly from Europe, explore the ins and outs of the global film industry. Cannes Makers is the Marché du Film’s innovative training & mentoring program, dedicated to thoroughly exploring the international sales process at every stage
Worldwide - Creative Capital x Skoll Foundation Fund - Kickstarter, Creative Capital, and Skoll Foundation have partnered to launch a $500,000 Creative Capital x Skoll Foundation Fund that backs projects by Asian, Black, Indigenous, and Latinx creators on the crowdfunding platform. Effective immediately, funds will be awarded on an ongoing basis to creators with active projects across all of Kickstarter’s categories: Arts, Comics & Illustration, Design & Tech, Film, Food & Craft, Games, Music, and Publishing
Worldwide - Doha Film Institute Grants Programme - provides creative and financial assistance for short and feature-length films, subject to eligibility criteria, by Qatari and international first- and second-time directors, as well as established MENA directors. Financial support is also available for TV and web series helmed by MENA scriptwriters and directors, subject to eligibility criteria.
Worldwide - Film Daily Grants List - regularly-updated list of film grants of all genres and lengths available worldwide. There is also a newsletter sign-up for monthly alerts
Worldwide - Filmmakers Without Borders - supports independent filmmakers around the world via grants and other funding initiatives. Supported projects include narrative films, documentary films, and new media projects that align with themes of social justice, empowerment, and cultural exchange
Worldwide - First Flights x Holly Shorts Short Film Fund - the short film fund allows emerging talent from around the world to test their ideas before embarking on a feature film. Grants of up to £7,000 / $10,000 are available towards the production costs of all scripted genres and documentary short film content. Winners will also be automatically selected for the Oscar® qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival. The fund can act as a development platform to support short films as proof of concept for feature films
Worldwide - From the Heart Grant List - list of grants available for scripted and non-scripted filmmakers
Worldwide - HerArts Film Lab - a week-long residential development workshop, set in Paestum, Italy, focused on content created by women. The workshop is addressed to female writer-directors from all over the world interested in developing their feature film and TV series projects in a friendly and supportive environment under the guidance of experienced mentors. The working language of the workshop in English
Worldwide - The Owl Screenwriter Workshop - workshop based in Greece that is open to screenwriters of TV and film from all over the world. As part of the workshop you will receive 5 days of in-person mentoring in Athens, Greece, including one to one script mentoring sessions, industry expert presentations and networking, plus an online follow-up session with your mentors and networking and an awards ceremony at Cannes Marché du Film
Worldwide - Shore Scripts - helping screenwriters break into the film industry through contests, funds and script development
Worldwide - Stage 32 Annual Female Driven Screenwriting Contest - if you have a female driven story that needs to be told, Stage 32’s goal is to amplify your voice, give you the access Stage 32 is known for, and take your writing career to the next level
Worldwide - Studio Binder - site that maintains a list of film grants and funds from around the world, with deadline dates, for docs and scripted projects