Overview
Otherly was a one-time interactive documentary initiative that funded 7 short documentaries created for Instagram Stories. POV Spark (the innovation arm of the PBS documentary series POV) and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) co-produced the project. The films premiered on Instagram Stories beginning March 15, 2021.
The call for submissions ran from April 16 to May 17, 2019. It received 169 applications from the United States and Canada and selected 8 creators to participate. Major funding came from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Open Society Foundations, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Perspective Fund.
Otherly is not an ongoing grant program. It was a single initiative with a defined window. This entry exists as a historical reference for filmmakers researching nontraditional distribution and funding models for short-form nonfiction work.
History
POV Spark and the NFB launched Otherly in 2019 as their first-ever collaboration. The initiative set out to define creative nonfiction storytelling in the age of mobile and ephemeral media, using Instagram Stories as both format and distribution platform.
The call for submissions sought proposals for boundary-pushing Instagram Stories on the theme of "belonging" by women, non-binary, and genderqueer storytellers from the United States and Canada. The 169 applicants came from filmmaking, animation, policy research, and podcasting backgrounds.
A pre-production lab for the 8 selected directors took place in New York City from June 26 to 28, 2019. Production wrapped in December 2019. The films premiered on the @otherlyseries Instagram account starting March 15, 2021, with select films later broadcast on PBS POV Shorts and archived on the NFB collection platform.
What It Funds
Otherly funded short-form nonfiction documentaries (5 to 13 minutes) created specifically for Instagram Stories. The eligible stage was production through distribution, with the distribution platform built into the commissioning model.
Eligible Project Types
- Short documentary (5 to 13 minutes)
- Nonfiction (documentary, experimental documentary, animated documentary)
- Platform-specific work designed for Instagram Stories vertical format
- Theme: "belonging" in the 21st century
The project commissioned work for a specific platform rather than funding a film and then seeking distribution. The distribution was built into the production model from the start.
Typical Award Size Range
The exact per-film funding amount has not been publicly disclosed. As a co-production between POV Spark and the NFB, selected creators received production support, mentorship, and distribution through both organizations' platforms.
Based on comparable NFB short documentary co-productions and the scale of the initiative (7 films from 4 major foundation funders), estimated per-film production budgets likely ranged from $10,000 to $25,000 CAD. This estimate is not confirmed by the producers.
| Component | Estimated Range |
|---|---|
| Production budget per film | $10,000 to $25,000 (estimated) |
| Mentorship and lab access | Included, no additional cost |
| Distribution (Instagram + PBS + NFB) | Included, no additional cost |
Eligibility
2019 Call for Submissions Requirements
- Identity: Women, non-binary, and genderqueer storytellers
- Geography: United States or Canada
- Age: Under 30 (per the NFB collection description)
- Format: Proposals for innovative projects using Instagram Stories
- Theme: "Belonging"
- Application window: April 16 to May 17, 2019 (closed)
This call for submissions is no longer active. Filmmakers interested in similar opportunities should monitor POV Spark (through American Documentary/AmDoc) and the NFB's digital interactive programs for future initiatives.
Payment Structure
As a co-production rather than a traditional grant, Otherly did not disburse cash awards to individual artists. Instead, POV Spark and the NFB provided production support, mentorship, and distribution as in-kind resources. The NFB Ontario Studio and POV Spark producers worked closely with the 8 directors during a 6-month process from pre-production through completion.
The selected creators participated in a pre-production lab in New York City in June 2019, where they worked with experienced artists and industry experts. Production ran through December 2019, with the films premiering on Instagram Stories in March 2021.
Past Recipients and What They Made with the Money
Eight creators were selected from 169 applicants. Seven short documentaries were produced:
- Grace An directed Papier Accordeon, a 7-minute Super8 documentary about two long-distance friends corresponding from Montreal and Toronto. The film is archived on the NFB collection platform.
- Joanne Lam directed A Portrait of Tracy, a 6-minute experimental documentary exploring childhood memory from an immigrant's perspective. The film blends animation and live action, and is archived on the NFB collection.
- Mirusha Yogarajah directed Parked: Seeking Refuge in Our Cars, a 6-minute documentary following Tamil youth in Scarborough, Ontario, whose cars are their only private space. The film premiered March 15, 2021 on Instagram Stories.
- Em Yue directed Elaine Is Almost, a 13-minute hybrid animation and live action documentary about sibling love. The film premiered on PBS POV Shorts Season 4 and is archived on the NFB collection. Yue later received the Stephen Hillenburg Animation Award.
- Jess Murwin directed Love Is the First Sacred Lesson, a 7-minute first-person documentary blending live action with animation. The film explores Mi'kmaq identity, queerness, and kinship, and is archived on the NFB collection.
- Tristan Angieri directed Integrate.Me, a 10-minute documentary about an experimental therapy for PTSD. The film premiered on PBS POV Shorts Season 4.
- Jackie! Zhou directed FaceTime, a 5-episode interactive documentary series following Taiwanese-American siblings in Los Angeles and New York. Zhou went on to direct the music video for Chappell Roan's "HOT TO GO!" and the docuseries The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. Zhou received a Primetime Emmy nomination for sound design on Netflix's Godless and was named to SHOOT Magazine's 2024 New Directors Showcase.
What Makes an Application Competitive
The Otherly selection panel evaluated proposals on three concrete signals:
- Format innovation: The panel wanted proposals that used Instagram Stories as a creative medium, not just a distribution channel. Projects that exploited the vertical format, the 24-hour ephemerality, and the interactive capabilities of Stories scored higher than projects that simply shot a traditional documentary and posted it in segments.
- Personal voice and specificity: The theme was "belonging," but the panel rewarded proposals rooted in specific lived experience over abstract meditations. The selected projects came from creators drawing on their own identities as immigrants, queer people, Indigenous people, and children of diaspora communities.
- Cross-disciplinary approach: The 169 applicants came from filmmaking, animation, policy research, and podcasting. The panel favored creators who brought techniques from outside traditional documentary filmmaking, such as animation, sound design, and interactive media.
Application Process
Otherly is not accepting applications. The 2019 call for submissions is closed and no future cycles have been announced.
Original 2019 Process
- Applications were submitted through the Otherly website (whoisotherly.com)
- The call ran from April 16 to May 17, 2019
- Required materials: a proposal for an Instagram Stories project on the theme of "belonging"
- 169 applications were received
- 8 creators were selected and notified in June 2019
- A pre-production lab took place in New York City, June 26 to 28, 2019
Current Equivalents
Filmmakers seeking similar opportunities should monitor:
- NFB digital interactive programs: The NFB continues to commission short-form nonfiction for digital platforms. Check nfb.ca for open calls.
- POV Shorts (PBS): POV continues to program short documentaries on PBS. See the POV: Call for Entries listing.
- Platform-specific commissions: BBC Shorts, NYT Op-Docs, and The Guardian Documentary commission short-form nonfiction from digital platforms.
What Filmmakers Should Know
Otherly represents a model distinct from traditional grant funding. Rather than funding a film and then seeking distribution, Otherly commissioned work for a specific platform with distribution built into the production model. The films were 5 to 13 minutes long, made for Instagram Stories, and funded by major foundations including MacArthur, Open Society, and the NEA.
The initiative validated short-form documentary as a format worthy of institutional funding. It also demonstrated that platform-specific commissioning can reach audiences that traditional festival distribution cannot. The films premiered on Instagram Stories, then migrated to PBS POV Shorts and the NFB collection, giving them a second life beyond their ephemeral 24-hour window.
For filmmakers from underrepresented communities, Otherly showed that funders will support short-form nonfiction by women, non-binary, and genderqueer creators when the call is structured to invite those voices specifically. The closest current equivalents are short-form documentary commissions from digital platforms and interactive grants from the NFB.
The exact per-film budget was not disclosed. If you are researching comparable commissioning rates, expect $10,000 to $25,000 for a 5-to-13-minute short documentary with institutional production support.
Watch
See Also
For documentary filmmakers building a financing strategy, see Documentary Financing: Building Your Stack. For the PBS POV Call for Entries, which accepts completed documentaries for broadcast consideration, see the POV: Call for Entries listing. For planning a documentary production schedule, use the Production Schedule Calculator.
