INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS – December, 2011

BUDGETS

Proposal budgets range between $50,000 and $300,000.  Budgets are judged on whether the costs seem reasonable for what is being attempted and what seems to be within the experience of the producer-director. Higher budgets may be submitted, but the Fund generally refrains from supporting costly projects that may be beyond the filmmaker's fundraising capacity.  Supporting film projects with modest budgets is also in keeping with the Fund's mission of supporting emerging documentary filmmakers.
Please list the names and experience of anyone budgeted to receive $5000 or more.

AUDIENCE

Although we have supported films aimed at both general and special audiences, we tend to favor films that give filmmakers good exposure.

EDITOR

All films need good editing, and we encourage filmmakers to supplement their own skills with those of an editor.

ELIGIBILITY

Documentary makers can receive only one Pacific Pioneer grant during their career. If this is your FIRST documentary of 28 minutes or longer, please do not apply, unless you have a lot of experience as an editor.

SUBJECT MATTER

All subjects are welcome.  The fund's emphasis is on the filmmaker, not the film.

"EMERGENCE"

"Emerging filmmakers" have proven themselves in previous work but have not yet received wide recognition.

STYLE

The fund prefers that the filmmaker finds and follows his/her own voice, which is appropriate for the content and intended audience.

LENGTH

There are no strictures regarding length, although we take into account whether the material is likely to engage an audience for as long as the filmmaker hopes.

LETTERS OF SUPPORT OR ENDORSEMENT

These can be included in the proposal, but are given little weight in choosing projects for the Board's agenda.

FISCAL SPONSOR

The sponsor can be from anywhere in the U.S.  The Board prefers a sponsor that scrutinizes the proposed project and will oversee the project and budget.

APPLICATION FORMAT

Within reason, applicants can use more or less space than the proposal summary sheet indicates, as long as all questions are addressed.

SAMPLE WORK

Along with your application, please send a pretested DVD of up to 10 minutes of edited footage from the project for which support is being sought. This could be a clip reel of strong selects from your footage, a segment of an edited rough cut, or a coherent 10-minute sequence from this film. We'd like to watch material from your work in progress and not a trailer. Your submission video should be in standard definition, NTSC, 16:9 DVD format - playabale on a regular DVD/television system. We can't accept DVDs meant for computer-based viewing. Also, do not letterbox your video.