Creative Shorts Fellowship for Filmmakers

Vision Maker Media’s Creative Shorts Fellowship supports emerging Native filmmakers by fostering imaginative and experimental storytelling in short film formats. Established by Vision Maker Media (VMM), a nonprofit organization that has been a prominent source of public media about Native Americans since 1976, this fellowship seeks to dismantle restrictive narratives and empower Native voices through innovative media production. The program champions emerging Native storytellers who wish to pursue a professional path in filmmaking, pairing them with experienced film mentors to guide them through the production process. The fellowship is designed to fund short films—documentary, drama, experimental, or animation—that explore Native cultures, histories, values, environmental and social justice, youth and elder experiences, and other aspects of Native empowerment and contemporary life. Projects must be 40 minutes or less and ready for production. Eligible proposals must include a named professional mentor, and both mentor and mentee must be identified before submitting the application. While mentors can be Native or non-Native professionals, the mentee must be an emerging Native filmmaker holding full creative control and copyright ownership of the proposed film. Applicants can request up to $25,000 to cover production costs, which include principal photography, crew hiring, talent, rights clearance, website development for the program, and post-production. An additional $5,000 honorarium is paid directly by VMM to the mentor and is not included in the applicant’s requested funding amount. Production must be completed within 12 months of receiving the first funding payment, and completed projects must comply with PBS Technical Operating Specifications. To qualify, applicants must be U.S. citizens or legal residents aged 21 or older. All proposals must reflect significant Native American involvement in the production team and align with Vision Maker Media’s mission to empower Native people to share their stories. Projects affiliated with commercial, industrial, promotional, student, or foreign productions are not eligible, nor are projects funded by government entities featured in the film. Applications are reviewed by a selection panel composed of public media professionals, filmmakers, and Native content experts. Proposals are evaluated based on narrative strength, alignment with VMM’s mission, production quality, team capability, budget, timeline, marketing plan, and quality of work samples. Funded applicants must provide legal and financial documentation, including W-9 forms, fiscal sponsor agreements (if applicable), insurance certificates, and publicity materials for VMM’s web page. The fellowship operates on two annual application cycles: January 1 to June 30, and July 1 to December 31. Applicants are encouraged to contact Vision Maker Media at [email protected] or call 402-472-3522 for further guidance.

Clearly identify a qualified mentor early; ensure the topic aligns with Native empowerment themes; follow PBS Red Book for production compliance.