Film Independent Project Involve

Overview

Project Involve is Film Independent's longest-running and most comprehensive artist development program. Operating continuously since 1993, the program has fostered the careers of over 1,000 filmmakers from communities historically excluded from the film industry. Each year, 30 filmmakers from diverse backgrounds are selected for a nine-month, in-person program in Los Angeles running from January through October.

The program is free to participate in. Fellows do not pay tuition or program fees. The only financial requirement is Film Independent membership at $105 per year for the duration of the fellowship. For the two-year LAIKA Animation Track, membership costs $190 for two years.

Project Involve is distinct from every other Film Independent Artist Development program in one fundamental way: fellows do not bring an existing project. Instead, they create new work inside the program. Each cohort collaboratively produces 5 to 6 original short films from pitch through completion, debuting at a First Look Screening event at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles.

What Project Involve Provides

Fellows receive a structured, nine-month program that combines mentorship, education, production experience, and industry access:

• Mentorship: Each fellow is paired with a working industry professional in their discipline who provides one-on-one guidance on craft and career
• Master workshops: 10 or more workshops covering the art and business of filmmaking, led by industry professionals
• Short film production: Fellows are given resources to produce 5 to 6 short films from development through completion, debuting at the First Look Screening
• Industry events: Fellows attend Film Independent's signature education programs, screenings, networking events, and the Film Independent Forum
• Resident Mentors: Three working professionals serve as Resident Mentors each year, working closely with the cohort across all disciplines. The 2026 Resident Mentors were Tina Mabry (Directing), Rachael Fung (Producing), and Julio Perez (Editing)
• Cash fellowships: Fellows may be selected to receive cash grants from industry sponsors (details below)

Sessions are held in the evening and on weekends, designed for people who have jobs and are LA-based. The program is not a training program in the traditional sense. Fellows are expected to arrive with existing skills in their discipline and to apply those skills to collaborative short film production.

Available Tracks

Project Involve accepts filmmakers into specific tracks that together form short film production teams. When applying, you apply to one specific track:

• Writing
• Directing
• Writing/Directing
• Producing
• Cinematography
• Editing
• Programming
• Animation (LAIKA track)
• Creative Executive

You may apply to be considered for multiple tracks, but each separate track requires a separate application and a separate application fee.

LAIKA Animation Track

The LAIKA Animation Track is a two-year program within Project Involve that provides five filmmakers the opportunity to build their careers in animation and create a stop-motion animated short film. The track includes six distinct roles:

• Director/Lead Animator (both years)
• Supporting Animator (both years)
• Producer (both years)
• Editor (both years)
• Writer (first year)
• Cinematographer (second year)

In year one, fellows build relationships with their cohort and mentors, develop their short film project, and participate in program activities. Year two focuses on production, shooting, and editing of the short film. LAIKA Animation Fellows receive a production grant to create a 3-minute stop-motion animated film and a cash stipend in recognition of their two-year commitment.

For the 2027 cohort, the open LAIKA track is Cinematography. Applicants must provide two work samples with at least one fictional narrative work and at least one stop-motion animation sample.

Fellowships and Cash Grants

Project Involve fellows are eligible for several named fellowships that provide unrestricted cash grants:

• Amazon MGM Studios Film Fellowship: $10,000 to a visionary filmmaker in Project Involve
• Sony Pictures Entertainment Fellowship: $10,000 to an outstanding filmmaker in Project Involve
• Panavision Fellowship: Camera rental package valued at $60,000 for an outstanding cinematographer, for use on a future project produced in the US
• Climate Entertainment Commissioning Grant: $25,000 to a screenwriter to write a new climate-focused fiction feature script
• Cayton-Goldrich Family Foundation Fellowship: $10,000 to a Jewish filmmaker
• MPAC Hollywood Bureau Fellowship: $10,000 to a filmmaker who identifies as American Muslim

Fellowships are awarded at a later date during the program year, not at the time of acceptance. All fellowships are supported by industry sponsors including Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Eligibility

Who can apply:

• Writers, directors, writer/directors, producers, cinematographers, editors, film programmers, animators, and those working toward executive roles
• Applicants must be at least 21 years of age on or before September 1 of the program year
• Must be able to reside in the Los Angeles area for the duration of the program (January through October)
• Must become a Film Independent Member at $105 per year if selected

Who the program is for:

• Emerging filmmakers from communities underrepresented in film and entertainment, including people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and filmmakers from other marginalized backgrounds
• Filmmakers at an early stage of their career, not mid-career or established professionals
• Applicants who can demonstrate talent, responsibility, and collaborative effort through work samples and statements of interest

Work sample requirements:

• All applicants must submit a bio, cover letter, and resume (maximum 2 pages)
• Work samples must have been completed after January 1, 2019
• Work samples must be uploaded as full projects (not segments or first 15 minutes of a feature)
• No streamer links (Amazon, Peacock, Netflix, etc.) are accepted. Samples must be accessible without downloading an app or paywall
• Track-specific requirements vary (see below)

Track-specific work sample requirements:

• Cinematographer/Editor/Producer: Two work samples where you served in the role you are applying for. At least one must be fictional narrative. No reels, trailers, or verticals. Editors must be sole editor. Producers must have producer credit (no more than 3 producers on a short; no co-producer or associate producer titles)
• Writer: Two writing samples: one long (feature or pilot) with logline and synopsis, and one short script (10 pages or less). Plus a short screenplay (3 to 5 pages) based on a story prompt. The 2027 prompt is "awestruck"
• Writer/Director: Two fictional narrative work samples where you served as sole writer/director. No co-written or co-directed pieces. Three writing samples (one long, one short, one based on prompt). The 2027 prompt is "awestruck"
• Creative Executive: A film critique of a film released between January 1, 2025 and June 5, 2026, and an executive mission statement listing three executives you admire
• Programmer: A film critique and a proposal for a new section of a film festival with at least 8 films
• LAIKA Cinematographer: Two work samples with at least one fictional narrative and at least one stop-motion animation sample

No fully AI-generated samples will be considered for evaluation.

Application Timeline

2027 cohort (Project Involve):

• Applications open: May 18, 2026
• Non-member deadline: July 13, 2026
• Member extended deadline: July 27, 2026
• Applicants notified no later than December 2026
• Program runs: January through October 2027

Applicants are notified 6 to 8 weeks before the start of the program. The application is submitted through the Film Independent Submittable page.

Application Fee

• Filmmaker Pro Members: Free (limited to one waived fee per membership year)
• Film Independent Members: $45 per track
• Non-members: $65 per track

Each track requires a separate application and fee. Applying to multiple tracks means multiple fees.

Notable Alumni

Project Involve has been running for over 30 years and has fostered more than 1,000 filmmakers. Specific alumni and the work they made after the program:

• Carey Williams and KD Davila - Emergency (2022 feature) - Project Involve 2017. The short version won the Sundance Special Jury Award and SXSW Grand Jury Prize. Expanded into a feature distributed by Amazon.

• Andrew Ahn - Spa Night (2016) - Project Involve alumna. Premiered at Sundance. A coming-of-age story about a Korean-American teen. (Also went through the Directing Lab.)

• Winter Dunn and Charmaine Cleveland - Dear Mama... (2022) - Project Involve 2021. Premiered at SXSW, won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Short Film. A short about grief and Tupac's death.

• Erin Lau - Lonely Blue Night - Project Involve alumna. Won the AFI Fest Short Film Audience Award. Aired on HBO.

• Liberty (2019) - Project Involve short. Won the SXSW Narrative Short Film Jury Award and the Berlin International Film Festival Special Prize.

Other alumni include Thembi Banks (Young. Wild. Free.), Julian Breece (Rustin, Harlem), Effie T. Brown (The Inspection), Linda Yvette Chavez (Flamin' Hot), Jon M. Chu (Wicked), Jomo Fray (Nickel Boys), Rachel Goldberg (Agatha All Along), Hank Jones (Will Trent), Marvin Lemus (Gentefied), LaToya Morgan (Duster), Jennifer Phang (Descendents: The Rise of the Red), Justin Simien (Haunted Mansion), Lulu Wang (Expats), Harry Yoon (Thunderbolts), and Kim Yutani (Director of Programming, Sundance).

The 2026 cohort comprised 33 filmmakers. The First Look Screening of 2025 cohort short films took place January 15, 2026, at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles.

What Makes a Competitive Application

1. Underrepresented background - Project Involve is specifically for filmmakers from communities traditionally underrepresented in film and television. This is the core mission.
2. Track-specific work samples - Must submit two work samples where you served in the role you are applying for (director, producer, cinematographer, editor, etc.). At least one must be fictional narrative for cinematographer, editor, or producer tracks. No reels, trailers, verticals, or standalone scenes accepted.
3. Full project submission - Work samples must be full projects, not segments or first 15 minutes of features. No streamer links requiring apps or paywalls.
4. Specific role requirements - Editors must be sole editor. Producers must have producer credit (no more than three producers on shorts). Co-producer or associate producer titles do not count.
5. Collaborative mindset - Strong consideration is given to those whose work samples and statements of interest demonstrate talent, responsibility, and collaborative effort. Fellows form teams to produce short films together.
6. Los Angeles residency - Fellows must reside in Los Angeles for the duration of the nine-month program (February to October).

How Project Involve Differs from Other Film Independent Programs

Project Involve is fundamentally different from the other Artist Development labs:

• No existing project required: Labs like the Screenwriting Lab, Directing Lab, and Documentary Story Lab require applicants to bring a project. Project Involve fellows create new work inside the program.
• Cross-disciplinary: Labs focus on a single discipline (writing, directing, producing, etc.). Project Involve brings together writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, editors, programmers, animators, and executives in one cohort.
• Nine months, not weeks: Labs run for one to five weeks. Project Involve runs for nine months (January through October).
• Diversity mandate: Labs are open to all filmmakers. Project Involve specifically targets filmmakers from communities underrepresented in the film industry.
• Free to participate: Labs charge no tuition but require membership. Project Involve is the same, but the program's duration and intensity make the membership cost a minimal fraction of the value provided.
• Evening and weekend schedule: Labs are full-time, daytime programs. Project Involve sessions are in the evening and on weekends, designed for working professionals.

Application Strategy

Film Independent's selection committee evaluates applications on four core questions:

1. Why this program? What you hope to gain from Project Involve specifically
2. Why you? What personal connection or unique perspective you bring
3. Why now? Why this is the right moment in your career
4. Why this track? Why you are applying to your specific discipline

The cover letter is heavily weighted. It should not regurgitate your bio. Instead, it should provide a life narrative: where your journey has taken you and how this program will take you further. The work sample should demonstrate your ability in your chosen discipline, not your general filmmaking skills. A strong editor application has samples where the editing is the standout element, not the directing or writing.

For the writer and writer/director tracks, the on-the-spot writing sample (the short screenplay based on the prompt) is a critical differentiator. The 2027 prompt is "awestruck." This sample should be written specifically for the application, not recycled from previous work.

Who Should Apply

Emerging filmmakers from underrepresented communities who are at the beginning of their professional careers and want structured mentorship, production experience, and industry access. The program is particularly valuable for filmmakers who lack the professional networks that give some emerging filmmakers a head start in the industry.

Applicants must be able to commit to a nine-month, in-person program in Los Angeles. The evening and weekend schedule accommodates working professionals, but the time commitment is substantial. Fellows produce short films while attending workshops, master classes, and networking events throughout the program year.

The program is not for mid-career or established filmmakers. It is designed for people who are early enough in their careers that structured mentorship and industry access will have a material impact on their trajectory.

See Also

For the full overview of Film Independent's Artist Development Programs, see the Film Independent Artist Development Programs listing. For the Directing Lab (narrative features, currently on hiatus), see the Film Independent Directing Lab listing. For the Documentary Labs, see the Film Independent Documentary Labs listing. For short film production planning, see the Shot List Generator and the Production Schedule Calculator. For understanding how fellowship programs connect to longer-term career development, see Film Grants: Building Your Financing Stack.