The Field of Vision initiative IF/Then Shorts has announced a new partnership with Hulu that will provide $100,000 in grants to short documentary filmmakers. The inaugural IF/Then x Hulu Documentary Lab will support up to four film teams with projects in development each with $25,000 in funding and an invitation to participate in a one-year lab focused on short-documentary production and career training.
For the first six months, filmmakers will be individually mentored through production by IF/Then staff and take part in monthly virtual cohort trainings, consisting of keynotes from industry heavy-hitters and edit consultations. Upon rough cut of their projects, filmmakers will be invited to debut their works-in-progress to an invitation-only audience and receive feedback. For the remainder of the program, filmmakers will finalize their cuts and receive high-level festival and distribution strategy consultations, along with guidance creating their publicity materials, and general legal support. Hulu will have the right to review the projects for potential acquisition or further development.
“This program expands on IF/Then’s commitment to deep, multidimensional mentorship,” says, IF/Then Supervising Producer Caitlin Mae Burke. “It’s such a thrilling opportunity to get involved with these projects and talented filmmakers at an early stage, to guide them through every element of the filmmaking process from development through delivery and beyond.”
This lab will channel Hulu and IF/Then’s shared vision of creating a new pipeline of diverse talent and incubating strong voices who will be the next class of standout non-fiction storytellers. This opportunity will be open to individuals living and working in North America, with an emphasis on Black, Indigenous, Persons of Colour (BIPOC), LGBTQIA+ folks, recent immigrants, undocumented persons, persons with a disability and/or women. The program will welcome stories from historically underrepresented voices about issues relevant to their identities and communities.
IF/Then Director Chloe Gbai comments: “This program was born of Hulu’s continued dedication to supporting not only indie filmmakers, but also the not-for-profit organizations that sustain this industry. These filmmakers will receive unparalleled creative and professional support from the team here at IF/Then along with invaluable access to the brilliant minds at Hulu. I think it’s a doc filmmaker’s dream.”
The application portal is currently open and will close once the max capacity is filled.
Founded in 2016 with support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, IF/Then Shorts is a fund and mentorship program that supports storytellers in breaking barriers to access, exposure, and sustainability in the media landscape. IF/Then works with creators who experience inequity based on factors such as race, gender, class, sexuality, ability, ethnicity, age, citizenship, and/or geography.
Field of Vision is a filmmaker-driven organisation that commissions filmmakers and artists with developing and ongoing stories around the globe. Committed to advocating for the rights and needs of filmmakers and supporting cinematic innovation and representation, recent projects have include the Oscar® winning feature American Factory, the Oscar® nominated features Strong Island and Hale County This Morning, This Evening, and Oscar® nominated shorts A Night at The Garden and In the Absence.
