
May 2022 Opportunities
AFI BACKLOT
We are excited to invite you to join AFI Backlot – the new, exclusive networking platform for AFI Alumni! There’s also exclusive career opportunities that are only listed in Backlot! You can register in under two minutes by following the simple steps below:
- Visit backlot.afi.com
- On first visit, click ‘Get Started’
- Fill out the information requested, including name and email
- Choose your own unique password
- Verify your email address when prompted
- Upon approval, start using the site!
Looking forward to seeing you there! Don’t know how to navigate Backlot very well? Here’s a couple of step-by-step tutorials:
Directory: https://vimeo.com/329074511/e50b834df3
Update profile: https://vimeo.com/335661218/170d7d987b
How to post or find jobs on platform: https://vimeo.com/347532238/edf245bc5f
COMPETITIONS AND FELLOWSHIPS
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- Screenwriters Lab (held annually in January)
- Screenwriters Intensive (held annually in March online)
- Sundance Institute Comedy Fellowship
- Sundance Institute Horror Fellowship
- Sundance Institute Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship and Commissioning Grant
Member Deadline: June 21, 2022 $45
FILM INDEPENDENT’S PRODUCING LAB 2022
The Producing Lab helps further the careers of its Fellows by introducing them to film professionals who can advise them on both the craft and business of independent producing. In addition to attending lab sessions with legal, financial and production experts, each Producing Lab Fellow will be paired with an experienced Creative Advisor with whom they’ll work to develop their project over the course of the program. Taking place during the course of two weeks in October, the Lab culminates with a pitch session with established executives, offering participants valuable practical experience and the chance to introduce their projects to a larger cross-section of the industry. Producers may apply with feature length narrative projects that are in active development or post-production. Through the Lab, Fellows develop strategies and action plans to bring their projects to fruition.
Non-Member Deadline: May 6 at 11:59 p.m. PST _______________________________________________________________________________________________
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Producer for a Narrative Feature Emerging filmmaker based in NYC, is working on her debut narrative feature film. KID C follows Lee, a rambunctious 10-year-old, during her first year as a Chinese immigrant in Texas during the late 1990s. Cracking under the pressures of volatile parents, Lee attempts to reclaim a sense of childhood with her best friend John, an African American boy. But when she reveals a secret that he shared, their friendship is threatened and life begins to collapse. NYC, LA, and Texas producers are preferred. Anyone who can speak Mandarin is an extra bonus. The project is being supported by grants from Sundance, the Jerome Foundation, and NYSCA. If interested, please contact Jingjing Tian: jtian1167@gmail.com. Here is the filmmaker’s website. _________________________________________________________________________________________________
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Mexican-American Film and Television Festival & Awards
On May 14-15, 2022, the Mexican-American Cultural Education Foundation (MACEF), a non-profit 501 (c)3, will celebrate the Inaugural Mexican-American Film and Television Festival & Awards at the historic Raleigh Studios, 5300 Melrose Ave in Hollywood. 2022 Theme: “Honoring the Illustrious Past and Celebrating a Bright Future.”
At this 2 day film festival, attendees will be allowed the opportunity to view close to 40 Films, Short Films and Television Pilots, both in person and on-line, made by the best US based Mexican-American/Chicano filmmakers and actors. An opportunity to meet and ask questions to the filmmakers. In accordance with our theme, there will be a screening of 2 momentous Chicano films, Luminarias and Walkout, and meet and ask questions to the cast.
Click Here for details: https://www.mexicanamericancef.org/film-television-festival/2022-2/
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AFI is excited to announce that our alumni have the opportunity to join the HUSSLUP Beta. HUSSLUP is a searchable network that makes creative talent discovery in media and entertainment more democratic and more diverse. HUSSLUP just launched their exclusive invite-only Beta and they have emailed many of our professional alumni invite codes to join. If you have not received a code, you can email HUSSLUP at support@husslup.com.
On HUSSLUP, talent can create and control a professional profile; discover jobs, competitions, and collaborations; connect and communicate with mentors, colleagues, and collaborators; and start and join communities, including the AFI community.
Over 20 top studios and production companies, including Universal Studio Group and Universal Film Group, have joined the network to discover professional writers, producers, directors, editors, DPs, designers, and others. We can’t wait to HUSSLUP with you!
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Applications are now open for Wscripted’s Second Cannes Screenplay List presented by MUBI. Wscripted’s inaugural list was unveiled in Variety and highlighted a selection of 25 diverse screenplays written by women during the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. Women and non-binary screenwriters or writer-directors from AFI with a screenplay in English or French, are encouraged to apply by April 15th here! Read the Press Release in Deadline.
X4Y is a new type of content marketplace, to help you turn your spec content into sold content.
With X4Y, you can sell your spec commercials to brands around the world, giving your work instant credibility and earning you a profit. You can even repurpose your existing short films and other content into 30- and 60-second, brand-agnostic spots that could work for multiple companies. (Just remove any logos or other brand references.) You’ll also be able to create a personal profile that showcases your skills and work to the world.
Sign up for an exclusive, free X4Y early membership and start sharing now! x4y.com/creators
X4Y is built by Sugar23, the team behind 13 REASONS WHY, THE KNICK, MANIAC, DICKINSON, SPOTLIGHT and other award-winning projects.
A new co-writing space in the heart of the Culver City Arts District, Writers Blok provides structure, support and community for writers. Modeled after a gym or a yoga studio, this dedicated writing space is available for writing sessions seven days a week. If you’re looking for a place to get work done where you’ll also find a great community of writers, you’re in luck. Writers Blok is offering a free session to AFI alumni.
Need to find film-friendly locations in the Los Angeles area? Visit Giggster.com to search and book diverse commercial, residential and studio locations.
Kitsplit is a community of tens of thousands of vetted filmmakers and production companies renting gear to and from each other. It has been called “the AirBNB for creative equipment” by Forbes and Fast Company. Kitsplit invites AFI alumni to join as LA Founding Members and list gear with exclusive benefits. Those who reach out in August will receive free concierge service — email your gear list to contact@kitsplit.com and mention AFI. To receive 20% off your first rental, sign up for KitSplit and use exclusive code AFI15 at checkout.
Looking for studio space and equipment rentals? Loyal Studios in Burbank offers 10% discounts to the AFI community. Contact Sadie Dean (AFI Class of 2011) at sadie@loyalstudios.tv.
Sundance Creative Distribution Fellowship — open until full Bertha BRITDOC Documentary Journalism Fund — ongoing Big Vision Empty Wallet Kickstart Diversity Program — ongoing Catapult Film Fund — ongoing Cinereach Grants — ongoing Digital Bolex Grant for Women Cinematographers — rolling Film Independent Labs & Programs – ongoing Film Independent AbelCine Camera Grant — rolling Film Independent Camera Grant – ongoing Film Independent Fiscal Sponsorship — rolling Film Independent Sloan Distribution Grant — rolling Firelight Media Producers’ Lab — rolling The Fledgling Fund — ongoing Ford Foundation: JustFilms — ongoing Hot Docs Ted Rogers Fund — rolling ITVS Open Call — ongoing Jerome Foundation Grant Programs — ongoing Kaleidoscope — rolling Merge AR VR Developer Fund — rolling NewFilmmakers Los Angeles — ongoing nextPix/firstPix Crowd Funding Grants — ongoing OSVR Developer Fund — rolling Panavision New Filmmaker Program — ongoing Roadmap Writers Diversity Initiative Program — ongoing San Francisco Film Society’s Narrative Grants & Programs — ongoing Scottish Documentary Institute Consultancies — ongoing Screen Australia: Feature Film Production Program — ongoing Screen Australia: Documentary Producer Equity Program — ongoing Sundance Documentary Fund — ongoing Visions Sud Est Fund — ongoing World Cinema Fund: Distribution — ongoing YouPix Competition (Directors and Writers) — ongoing
UTA ENTERTAINMENT JOB LIST
The UTA Job List is refreshed weekly. Simply bookmark the link below or reference the newsletter and use it whenever you wish to view the updated list. CLICK HERE FOR JOB LIST NOTE: The UTA Job List is intended for the personal use of its recipients. Posting of this list or any information derived from the list on any website or message board in its entirety or in part without the express written permission of the list administrator is neither permitted nor within the spirit of the efforts put into its creation. All rights are reserved. ©2020