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

 
The Film Independent + CNN Original Series Docuseries Intensive is a three-day remote workshop that will give filmmakers the tools and access needed to develop and present their nonfiction series to potential collaborators working in the series space. Through executive and peer mentorship, workshopping and fostering industry connections, Fellows will walk away with a deeper understanding of how the business works, as well as having tangible next steps to move their projects forward. The program will elaborate on a range of topics, from funding and development to marketing and distribution, and each filmmaker or filmmaking team will receive a $3500 stipend to utilize as they see fit for their docuseries project.
 
Non-Member & Member Deadline: June 23, 2022 $25 

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For fiction feature writers, directors, writer/directors, or writer/director teams, apply for support from the Feature Film Program through the development track. Applicants will be considered for various programs, fellowships, and grants, including the January Screenwriters Lab and Screenwriters Intensive (for projects in the screenplay development stage).
 
The development track has one open application that allows your fiction feature work-in-progress screenplay to be considered for the following programs, fellowships, and grants:
  • 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

Deadline: May 12, 2022 11:59 p.m. PT
 
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Every year Film Independent selects up to ten fiction and five non-fiction feature projects to participate in an intensive film finance market that takes place over four days in November. Designed to connect producer-director teams with industry leaders and put projects on the “fast track,” the market consists of meetings with top executives, financiers, agents, managers, distributors, granting organizations and production companies. Participants gain valuable exposure and build vital relationships as they propel their films toward completion.
 
Previous industry participants include 30WEST, Fox Searchlight, MACRO, Mandalay Pictures, Netflix, Participant Media, Plan B, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions and many others.
 
Non-Member Deadline: June 7, 2022 $65

Member Deadline: June 21, 2022 $45
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The Black List and Warby Parker have partnered to create the Writer’s Vision Grant, which will award $20,000 each to three aspiring writers in film, television, and theater. Each writer will receive $20,000 to either film a short proof of concept based on their feature screenplay, develop a new theatrical work for the stage, or develop and write an original television pilot script.
 
The Writer’s Vision Grant will foster and celebrate scripts that harness and explore creativity, diversity, inclusion, empathy, and innovation in their storytelling.
 
Writers are invited to submit their work for consideration by uploading it directly to the Black List website. Writers can opt-in to the opportunity until midnight on August 15, 2022. Though writers can submit work of any genre, the scripts should avoid violence, illegal activity, drugs/alcohol use, and overly explicit content.
 
Evaluation Deadline: July 15, 2022
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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.

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Backstage Casting Services AFI Alumni can access  Backstage’s casting services with the promo code: AFIALUM Student Filmmaker/Emerging Filmmaker Office Hours are also available for additional help or have casting questions. 11:00-11:45am PST every Tuesday at: https://backstage.zoom.us/j/86842171638. _________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
For producers: Discover Wscripted, the first marketplace sourcing content written by women and non-binary storytellers, which published its Inaugural Cannes Screenplay List with Variety. Wscripted is pleased to introduce “Pitch a Decision-Maker”, a monthly series featuring a producer or development executive looking to discover female or non-binary talents and 4 storytellers pitching their project available for option or financing. Producers interested in participating can contact Ellie at ejamen@wscripted.com For directors and screenwriters: Discover Wscripted, the first marketplace sourcing content written by women and non-binary storytellers, which published its Inaugural Cannes Screenplay List with Variety. Wscripted is pleased to introduce “Pitch a Decision-Maker”, a monthly series featuring a producer or development executive looking to discover female-led projects and 4 female or non-binary storytellers pitching their project available for option or financing. To apply or rsvp, you can create an account at wscripted.com
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THE BLACK LIST/AFI ALUMNI NETWORK PARTNERSHIP
The alumni-led AFI Alumni Network has created a partnership with Franklin Leonard of The Black List in order to connect AFI writers with AFI producers, showrunners, and directors. We are currently in beta testing on a new search function on The Black List to allow AFI writers to identify their alumni status and for buyers to search for material from other AFI Alumni. Not only that, Franklin has agreed to extend to AFI Alumni the same privileges that WGA members get on The Black List – free listing of your scripts’ loglines, plus your contact information, so you will show up in searches even when you are not paying to host scripts on the website. If you are already on The Blacklist website, you just go to your profile and add your AFI Alumni status. If you are not already on there, set up your profile and select Alumni status. Give it a try! https://blcklst.com/
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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.

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WRITEGIRL IS SEEKING VOLUNTEERS! Support the voices of teens in Los Angeles! Volunteer as a writing mentor or help behind the scenes in supporting the work that WriteGirl and Bold Ink Writers are doing to inspire teens to develop their creativity and writing skills! WriteGirl (www.writegirl.org) is a creative writing and mentoring organization that empowers underserved teen girls in Los Angeles through mentoring relationships with women writers, hosting large-scale writing workshops at such places as the Huntington Gardens, The Autry and LACMA. Since 2001, WriteGirl has maintained a 100% success rate in guiding girls to not only graduate from high school, but also enroll in college. WriteGirl is seeking women writers in all genres including novelists, poets, journalists, songwriters, copywriters, legal writers and more to help mentor teen girls, lead workshops and inspire girls to express their creative ideas. Weekly and monthly mentoring opportunities available. WriteGirl is also seeking women professionals to volunteer behind-the-scenes with events, public relations, fundraising and partnerships. (Strong communication skills required.) WriteGirl’s Bold Ink Writers Program is seeking men with creative writing skills to lead writing workshops for teen boys and co-ed groups during the school day. Workshops will take place throughout Los Angeles, from alternative schools to detention camps, for teens of diverse backgrounds. Daytime/weekday availability required. Apply here: www.writegirl.org/join-us. For more information, sign up for the WriteGirl newsletter at http://bit.ly/2tK9WUr For questions, contact WriteGirl at membership@writegirl.org or call 213-253-2655.
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HIP Sound Stages located near Downtown Los Angeles and Dodger Stadium is offering a 15% discount to any AFI alumni or current fellows. Please contact info@HipstudiosLa.com or (323) 833-5920 for further information
 

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

OTHER JOB RESOURCES

entertainmentcareers.net

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