Can you believe that it is the first of February already in 2017? 

We hope that you took some time the first month of the year to iron out your filmmaking projects in order to make them a reality this year.

In doing our part to help you along in your journey, we thought that it would be a good idea to begin sharing top industry news for competitions, grants, and crowdfunding for filmmaking.

Below is a recap of all of the tips that we shared in the month of January:

COMPETITIONS:

1. Eyeka is a talent sourcing site where brands post needed content such as commercials and branded videos for their upcoming projects.
Filmmakers can select a project, create the desired content, and then submit it to that brand.
If you win, you will receive a cash prize (it ranges). Categories includes:
Creative Writing
Script Writing
Videography
This is a perfect platform for aspiring and new filmmakers that are in need of some motivation and incentive to create your first projects.

2. TrackingB.com is searching for original TV pilots from new and up and coming screenwriters. 

3. Two weeks ago, Will and Jada Smith announced that their non-profit foundation will financially support Sundance Institute’s @sundanceorg Screenwriters Intensive. The program provides mentorship and work shopping opportunities for 10 underrepresented screenwriters! (Go apply ladies)

GRANTS

1. Women Making Movies wmm.com is currently accepting applications from women filmmakers for fiscal sponsorship opportunities.

2. Screencraft.org has open for submission their SHORT FILM Production Fund Grant. This program is for emerging screen writers that have a project to launch or complete. Grants awarded start at $5K and go up to $20K. If selected, you will also receive creative development mentorship from the @screen_craft team! (Sign up for their screenwriters newsletter, it will be a game changer for you)
3. Creative Capital works with artists (including filmmakers) who desire to build a career around creating art for their local community or greater good.
They provide funding and mentorship for 1-3 years.
Documentary filmmakers and narrative filmmakers that desire to produce work that highlights a social issue would be ideal for this grant. However, you will need some projects under your belt already to be considered but major careers have been launched due to the Creative Capital nonprofit leadership.

CROWDFUNDING

1. The Grove Center for the Arts & Media
The Grove Center is a nonprofit organization that provides fiscal sponsorship for artists driven projects. (Fiscal Sponsorship is an agreement between a nonprofit and an individual or private sector group or project that desires to fundraise tax-free donations from the public and the registered nonprofit manages the funds you raise and distributes it to your cause minus a small fee).

With The Grove Center you can crowd fund for your film or project under their umbrella. They have an extensive network, an in house marketing team, and a dedicated Indie Gogo presence. They will keep 10% of what you raise and there is a $99 application fee but considering how deep their reach is, its worth partnering up with them.

2.Seedandspark.com is a growing crowd funding platform that is for filmmakers only. They are also an indie film streaming service. Your film could be included with the donation round if you create a campaign with them. They have a heavy amount of films that are directed, written, produced, or staring women, so you should feel right at home crowd funding there. (Read their blog to explore topics such as distribution options to negotiations for filming, it’s a gem!) We hope this helps you in your bad-ass filmmaker’s journey!

3.Slacked.com – This slightly relates but could be used to leverage your crowd funding efforts. Slacked is an emerging social network for filmmakers only. I myself created an account there and have already made connections with others.

We hope that this list can do you some good and maybe lead to a contest, an idea, some networking, or an introduction, that can lead to further breaking of the glass ceiling in filmmaking as a woman!

Remember: #thefutureisfemale 

CJ Childress is the co-founder of The Creative Outsiders. 

Freelance copywriting pays her bills why she inks out more short stories, poems, articles, and full-on books. Cinematography is her jam and she can’t stop obsessing about Beyonce being pregnant with twins! You can catch up with her HERE or on INSTAGRAM.