Where Content Meets Intent: Ensuring Impact in Film
Los Angeles, December 7-10 2006

Guidelines for Applicants

National Video Resources is organizing a four day residency for Media Arts Fellows.

The program is designed for filmmakers working on social impact documentaries, or other genres with a socially-engaged theme. The residency will take participants through the development of outreach and community engagement plans for individual film projects.

Led by Working Films’ principals Robert West and Judith Helfand, the residency will be intensely practical- each participant will bring their project for discussion and leave with a comprehensive outline for the three phases of distribution: pre-release, release or broadcast, and post-broadcast or post-release.

The program will include: identification of national grassroots and community allies; introduction to alternative distribution strategies; drafting a website plan; development of an outline of support materials; festival and community screening development plan; and introductions to acquisitions personnel from distribution companies. Additional topics will include preliminary budgets, fundraising strategies and press strategies.

Before the residencies, Working Films will review project materials, including rough-cut tapes and written narratives and materials, and develop a preliminary outline of the outreach and audience development potential for each project.

In addition to the Working Films component, there will be sessions with guest speakers who will discuss alternative and traditional distribution methods.

Working Films
Working Films was co-founded by veteran film festival curator and media educator Robert West and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker and organizer Judith Helfand in late 1999. From the website, www.workingfilms.org: “We are neither a production company nor a distributor. We work with filmmakers — at every stage — to maximize their work in coordinated community education efforts, consumer organizing campaigns, activist movements and classroom projects. We work with organizers to enrich their on-going grassroots efforts with relevant, vital media. We work with educators to bring into the classroom critical independent film and video on issues of social and economic justice. With a diverse staff and board, we are an innovative, active and strategic resource for the world of independent film, serving a national role as strategists, consultants and community builders.”
Residency focus
The residency program is focused on documentary projects. Other narrative or experimental projects that explore socially-engaged or political themes may also benefit from the program, but preference may be given to documentary projects.
Who is this residency designed for?
Media Arts Fellows working on documentary or socially-engaged projects, who are interested in developing an audience and distribution plan. The project must be in rough cut stage; filmmakers need to have at least 5 minutes of footage available to screen (and will have the opportunity to screen up to 20 minutes of their work during the workshop), and should also have a clear idea of the film’s narrative.
Please note the proposed project does not need to be the project funded by the Fellowships program.
Residency dates
Thursday, December 7- Sunday, December 10, 2006.
Program starts at 5:30pm, Thursday, December 7, 2006 and concludes at 1pm, Sunday, December 10, 2006.
Participants must be available to attend the full program.
About the Residency
10-13 fellows will be selected for the residency. The number of participants is restricted to allow significant time to work on each of the fellows’ projects as well as addressing general issues in outreach and distribution for independent media artists.
Eligibility
Any artist who has received a Media Arts Fellowship throughout the history of the Fellowships (1988-2006) from National Video Resources is eligible to apply.

In addition, fellows must have a documentary project at rough cut stage. If the project is not yet at rough cut stage, at least a significant portion of the project must have been filmed, and the filmmaker has a clear idea of the direction of the final work.
Application process
Applications will be received via email. Faxed submissions are also acceptable. An application form must be completed and sent to National Video Resources by the deadline.
Application materials required
The application process has been designed to be efficient for both applicants and the review process. Required:

Completed application form.
Current filmography ( 2 page maximum)
Email or fax your application materials to mediaartists@renewmedia.org Fax: 212 274 8081.
Deadline
All applications must be received by 5pm, Wednesday, November 1, 2006.
Selection
Selection will be based on quality of proposal and suitability of project to the workshop focus. Applicants will be advised of outcome of their application by Friday, November 10, 2006.
Selected Applicants
If selected for the residency, applicants will be required to send additional materials to National Video Resources by November 15, 2006. Additional materials required:

5-20 minute clip of the proposed project, DVD or VHS
written or other materials relevant to the project.
Materials to be provided by selected applicants may include rough cuts of the project, written narratives on the projects and other related support materials. Please do not send these to National Video Resources until requested. Working Films will prepare a preliminary review of materials prior to the residency.

Fees & associated costs
There is no fee associated with this program. Meals that are part of the scheduled program will be provided at no cost to the participants. This includes a continental breakfast, lunch and refreshments for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Dinner will also be provided on Thursday evening. There is no scheduled program for Friday and Saturday evenings and dinner for these days will be at participants’ own cost. For participants from outside the local area, National Video Resources will fund and coordinate airfare, transportation to and from the airports and accommodation.. Hotel accommodation costs covered will be for room and hotel tax only; all other charges, such as telephone charges, room service, will be the responsibility of the participants. All travel arrangements will be coordinated with National Video Resources staff. Please note no funds are available for additional costs such as preparation of application materials, meals outside the scheduled program, taxis or other associated costs.
Venue & Location
University of Southern California - Downtown Los Angeles. Full details provided to participants.

Questions
Please direct any questions about this program to Emma Balazs, Special Projects, National Video Resources.
Email: mediaartists@renewmedia.org Telephone 212 274 8080

National Video Resources
73 Spring St, Suite 403
New York NY 10012
Fax 212 274 8081