California Documentary Project
Research and Development Grant
Deadline: October 1, 2008
Program Overview and Project Requirements
The California Documentary Project Research and Development Grant supports the pre-production stage of film, video and radio documentaries that explore issues related to California’s past, present and future. California Documentary Project Research and Development Grants cover a wide range of activities, including meetings and individual consultation with humanities scholars, field and archival research, preliminary interviews, and preparation of program treatments and scripts. Thanks to the generous support of the Skirball Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities, projects may apply for grants up to $10,000. To be eligible for funding, projects must be in the research and development phase and have a clear humanities focus. An application will be available on our website on September 2, 2008. The application window for this grant is from September 2 to October 1, 2008. No applications will be accepted after 12 noon on Wednesday, October 1, 2008.
What are the project requirements?
CCH invites submissions for film/video and radio documentary projects that meet all the following criteria:- Approach the subject matter from the perspective of the humanities, making use of existing scholarship and research on the topic, incorporating a variety of perspectives, and seeking to foster critical reflection and thoughtful analysis on the part of the audience.
- Actively involve at least three humanities experts as project advisors throughout the research and development phase. The humanities include the following disciplines or fields of study: history, literature, philosophy, art history, ethnomusicology, comparative religion, folklore, mythology, jurisprudence, ethnic studies, cultural studies, gender studies and the humanities-based social sciences.
- Bring to light new stories about California — either its past or present — in an informative and engaging manner
- Explore issues and topics that bear on California’s future.
- Be conducted by experienced radio producers and filmmakers; only proposals from applicants with prior experience in the project medium will be considered.
- Be sponsored by a not-for-profit organization or state or municipal government entity, preferably one based in California.
FUNDS MAY NOT BE USED FOR:
- Projects that tell institutional histories that are produced and/or partially funded by the institution itself.
- Projects that advocate on behalf of a cause.
- Projects that are promotional pieces.
- Projects that are in production or post-production.
- New media projects.