Film Independent Project Involve

Overview

Project Involve is Film Independent's most established and impactful artist development program, running continuously since 1993. The program provides hands-on filmmaking experience from inception to completion for emerging filmmakers from communities that are underrepresented in the film industry, including people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and filmmakers from other marginalized backgrounds.

Fellows are paired with mentors at the top of their respective fields and receive personalized guidance through the development and production of a short film. The short films produced through Project Involve debut at a special First Look screening event, providing a curated premiere for the completed works.

What Project Involve Provides

Project Involve is a comprehensive fellowship, not a simple grant. Fellows receive:

• Mentorship from established film professionals matched to their specific discipline and goals
• Resources and support to produce a short film from development through completion
• Access to Film Independent's full slate of education programs, screenings, and networking events
• Eligibility for cash grants from industry partners and Film Independent's own grant programs, which Project Involve fellows may receive alongside the fellowship
• A premiere screening for their short film at the First Look event

Disciplines represented in the fellowship include directing, cinematography, editing, screenwriting, producing, distribution, development, and festival programming. The program is intentionally cross-disciplinary, creating a cohort of fellows who represent the range of roles a film requires.

Eligibility

Project Involve is designed for diverse and emerging filmmakers who have not yet had significant mainstream industry access. Applicants should be at an early stage of their career -- the program is not for mid-career or established filmmakers. Film Independent does not define specific demographic requirements in its public materials but is explicit that the program targets filmmakers from underrepresented communities.

Applicants must be based in the US or be US citizens. The program accepts applications from filmmakers across all disciplines -- not only directors.

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.

See Also

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.