Submit Applications for Public Media Fund Program (US)

Proposed film and television programs should be appealing to a broad audience, intended for public media broadcast and its digital and streaming platforms, and have effective outreach/community engagement activities to reach audiences beyond a Public Television broadcast. Included in Vision Maker Media´s Production License Agreement (contract) for a funded film or television program, is the assignment of exclusive broadcast rights for four years and one-year off-air recording rights for educators.

At times, Vision Maker Media may offer additional distribution opportunities to funded film and television programs such as educational and home, as well as possible theatrical, non-theatrical, television (free, pay syndicated and video on-demand), multimedia and internet broadcasting (including podcasting and streaming).

Categories 

• You may submit more than one broadcast film or television program per production category listed below:
  • Research and Development: Requests for funding under this category should be a proposal to fully develop a documentary, animation, or episodic program, which includes storylines, engaging characters, production talent, timeline, budget, a tangible community outreach plan for a broad audience reach, and a script for fictional episodic programs.
  • Production: Requests for funding under this category should be a proposal to film, record, and produce programs.
  • Post-Production: Requests for funding under this category should be a proposal to bring programs to their completion where principal photography has already been achieved.

Funding Information

• Research and Development: $5,000 – $25,000
• Production: up to $150,000.00
• Post-Production: up to $30,000.00

Eligible Activities

• Research and Development:
  • Eligible activities include:
    • research;
    • clearance of life story rights or other rights necessary to initiate production;
    • development of a script or treatment, including the hiring of writers;
    • preliminary filming, if necessary prior to the commencement of principle photography; and
    • submission of a Vision Maker Media production application and budget to the following year’s Vision Maker Media Public Media Fund open call.
• Production:
  • Eligible activities include:
    • principal photography (including all production activities, hiring of crew, talent and clearance of rights for public media use);
    • development of a website for the program; and
    • post-production (including editing and completion). For episodic programming a minimum of 4 episodes are expected to be produced under this funding. Programs must have a final broadcast run time of 26:46, 56:46, or 86:46.
• Post-Production:
  • Eligible activities include:
    • post-production (including editing and completion);
    • clearance of rights required for public media use; and
    • development of a website for the program.

Eligibility Criteria

• Independent and Public Television producers, film and digital makers. Applicants must hold artistic, budgetary and editorial control and own the copyright of the proposed program.
• Applicant’s submitted work must be cleared for broadcast, digital and streaming rights for a minimum of 4 years.
• Applicant must be able to provide a marketing plan that shows an effective community outreach plan. The plan should be engagement through distribution ideas, social media and the creation of a website.
• Applicants must be 21 years of age and a U.S. citizen.
• Applicants must be able to show significant Native American involvement on their program, whether Above the Line, Below the Line or both.
• Eligible programs should meet Vision Maker Media’s mission to empower and engage Native people to share their stories.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Commercial Programs.
• Industrial or promotional films and videos.
• Student productions of any sort, such as thesis films.
• Programs for which four-year exclusive Public Television broadcast rights are not available.
• Programs intended solely for theatrical release.
• Filmmakers or production entities that are foreign-based, owned or controlled.
• Programs funded in part by a government entity or group featured in the content of the program.

Selection Criteria

• Vision Maker Media convenes a panel of Public Media professionals, independent filmmakers and Native American story content experts to evaluate proposals and work samples based on the strength of public media film and television programs that are intended and appropriate for Public Media Television Broadcasting, including CPB digital and streaming platforms. Committees of selection consider: the representation of Native cultures and experiences, the perspectives of Native Americans and Alaska Natives, and how well the overall proposal/application meets Vision Maker Media’s mission to empower and engage Native people to share stories. Following in-depth evaluation and discussion, the panel recommends public media programs for Vision Maker Media to fund. Recommendations are subject to approval of the Vision Maker Media Board of Directors and successful contract negotiations between Vision Maker Media and the filmmaker.
• When evaluating, the selection panel weighs the strengths of the following factors for film and television program proposals: Strength of story, production team, budget, timeline, marketing plan, quality of work samples, and meeting Vision Maker Media’s mission.

For more information, visit Vision Maker Media.