Visionary Fellowship Program (US and Canada)

Disabled filmmakers have historically been drastically undervalued by the entertainment industry, and this program reverses that trend by providing significant resources to promising and highly-resourceful disabled writer/directors. The program is uniquely designed to cover the transition between making a short and preparing and packaging a debut feature, ensuring they have ample support to connect the dots between the two.

Benefits

• Short Film Production Stipend
  • $25,000 to produce a short film with an experienced crew.
• Unrestricted Grant
  • A $15,000 unrestricted grant to support the Fellow over the course of the program.
• Health Care Stipend
  • Up to $7,000 to provide health insurance for the course of the program.
• Travel Costs
  • Up to $3,000 to cover travel costs to Los Angeles for the duration of filming and the short film showcase.
• Accessibility Stipend
  • Up to $2,500 to support the Fellow’s access needs over the course of the program.
• Marketing Stipend
  • $2,500 to market the short film, which can include festival application fees.
• On-Set Experience
  • Unique opportunities to work and shadow on the sets of the other Fellows’ projects.
• Short Film Showcase
  • An industry screening of all the short films that will include creative executives, agents, and managers.
• Mentorship and Workshops
  • Project-specific mentors and workshops hosted by leading filmmakers on a range of essential topics related to writing, prep, production and post-production.
• Community Building
  • Connecting with other disabled screenwriters both inside and outside of the Fellowship program will build a supportive community that will stay with Fellows as they grow.

Limitations around what the short film can include?

• This includes films that contain:
  • Animals
  • Minors, including children or babies
  • Pyrotechnics & fire
  • More than two geographically separate filming locations
  • Large crowds
  • Busy city streets
  • On-camera stunt work
  • Exclusively nighttime exteriors

Eligibility Criteria

• This program is open to disabled filmmakers who meet the following criteria:
  • Self-identifies as disabled
  • Lives in the U.S. or Canada
  • 18 years of age or older
  • Is a writer who wants to direct their own work
  • Has no professional directing feature film credits
  • Has not received a grant from other organizations totaling more than $25,000 to make a short film in the last 24 months
• Ideal applicants:
  • Have strong and clear artistic vision
  • Are highly collaborative
  • Are prolific writers (i.e. have multiple feature-length projects with drafts completed)
  • Are self-motivated (i.e. you are always finding ways to push forward proactively)
  • Are resourceful, scrappy, and up for a challenge
  • Can be strong ambassadors for Inevitable Foundation and the disability community in Hollywood.

For more information, visit Inevitable Foundation.