Applications open for SFFILM Rainin Grant Program (US)

Grant Categories

• Current SFFILM Rainin Grants are as follows:
  • Screenwriting Grant: These grants are open to filmmakers anywhere in the US, as well as internationally. The funds allow filmmakers to devote dedicated time to furthering their work, and the grant includes a FilmHouse residency in the Bay Area to further develop the screenplay, and have access to both peer and established mentorship engagement.
  • Development Grant: These grants are for producers of narrative features tackling social justice issues who demonstrate a need to engage with the Bay Area to develop and package their films. The grant includes a FilmHouse residency with peer and established mentorship engagement. Successful projects will be at a stage to pursue financing, casting, location scouting, and/or other key activities to package the film before production. Major screenwriting work should be complete by this stage.
  • Post-production Grant: These grants for filmmaking teams of a narrative feature. Projects should have significant creative work remaining in the editorial process or have a specific need related to sound or color in post-production. There is no Bay Area residency commitment required for this stage.

Funding Information

• The grants are up to $25,000 in all the categories.

Eligibility Criteria

• Filmmakers must be at least 18 years old.
• Filmmakers may not be an SFFILM or Kenneth Rainin Foundation employee or member of any SFFILM or Kenneth Rainin Foundation Boards.
• Applicants must be actively engaged in one of the following phases: screenwriting, development, or post-production and should apply for the phase of production they expect to be in six months after the final submission deadline.
• Primary applicants must be in a key creative role for the film: screenwriter, director, or producer.
• Film must feature plot, character, theme and/or setting that explores social justice issues, such as human and civil rights, anti discrimination, disability issues, gender issues, sexual identity and/or other social issues of the time. Project must have strong and recognizable social value, contributing, for example, to a greater public appreciation of a disenfranchised group, identifying an area where social change is needed or bringing to light a difficult or inspirational story, condition or issue.
• Film must be a feature-length fiction film. Short films or documentaries are not accepted.
• Project may not be work for hire.
• Project budgets shall be $3,000,000 or under including all phases of production.
• Projects may reapply and must include what significant progress has been made since the last submission.

Application Requirements

• Logline: Please provide a brief summary of the film. (95 words or less)
• Filmmaker Bio: (400 words or less)
• Project synopsis: (400 words or less)
• Describe how your film, through plot, character, theme, or setting, explores urgent social issues of our time. (300 words or less)
• What made you want to tell this story and why is now the right time for you to tell it? (300 words or less)
• How does the film contribute to or uplift the Bay Area filmmaking community professionally or economically? For Screenwriting or Development Phase (300 words or less)
• Please describe your artistic vision and stylistic approach. How will your film look and feel? (300 words or less)
• List the names and roles and briefly describe the qualifications of the other key (up to 5) individuals involved in the project. These individuals could include producers, directors of photography, editors, actors or other key cast and crew. State the date they became attached to the project. (300 words or less)
• Work Sample Materials:
  • Current script sample: Ten consecutive pages of the script you are applying with. The ten pages do not need to be the first ten pages. Please select what you believe to be the best ten pages. Please include a page introducing the script pages that provides any necessary context.
  • Script sample explanation: This should introduce the script pages from the project for which you are applying and provide context as well as any other pertinent information that would be helpful for the review panel to consider, such as which draft of the film this is and why you selected this passage.
  • Budget Top Sheet (required for development and post-production applicants. Optional but strongly encouraged for screenwriting stage applicants)
  • Optional but strongly encouraged: A lookbook or pitch deck for the project.
  • Optional but strongly encouraged: A previous work visual sample 5-10 minutes in length.

For more information, visit SFFILM.