Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund


Guidelines and Application

"...When a documentary film maker commissions original music for a production, he is following Lorentz's lead. When he shows what man has done to nature and what nature does to man in retaliation, he is moving in the Lorentz tradition. When he combines a dramatized story with factual material, he is following the trail Lorentz blazed..."

Robert L. Snyder, Pare Lorentz and the Documentary Film

 Mission and Objective
The 2013 Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund will provide production grants totaling $95,000 to be used in the creation of original, independent documentary films that illuminate pressing issues in the United States. Grants will be made to up to 6 projects that tell a compelling story and focus on one of Pare Lorentz's central concerns—the appropriate use of the natural environment, justice for all or the illumination of pressing social problems.

The fund supports full-length documentary films that reflect the spirit and nature of Pare Lorentz's work, exhibiting objective research, artful storytelling, strong visual style, high production values, artistic writing, outstanding music composition, as well as skillful direction, camerawork and editing. A program of the International Documentary Association, the Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund is made possible by The New York Community Trust.

For more information about Pare Lorentz and to view full-length selections of his films, please visit our Pare Lorentz screening room.

If you have questions that aren't adressed below please email grants@documentary.org.

Application Deadline
All application materials, including work samples, must be received by 5:00 PM PST on Monday, April 22, 2013.

Notifications of grant awards will be made in late September 2013.

Supported Activities
Eligible projects will be in the early to mid stages of production, having completed the bulk of research and development but still having substantial production and post-production related work and expenses remaining. Grant funds may be used for production and post-production related expenses incurred during the period of support.

Expenses may include line items such as principal photography, travel, equipment purchase or rental, insurance, rights and clearances, editing and salaries. The fund does not support expenses related to fundraising, distribution, publicity, marketing or outreach.

Period of Support
The grant period of support is October 1, 2013 – September 31, 2014. Grant funds will be used to advance or reimburse production and post-production related expenses incurred during that time period.

Grant Range
Grants made will range from approximately $15,000-25,000.

Eligibility

  • The applicant (Project Director) must be 18 years of age or older.
  • The applicant is not required to be a member of IDA to be eligible to apply.
  • The applicant does not need to be a US citizen or US resident but must have, or be eligible to obtain, a US Taxpayer ID number (ITIN) or Employer Identification number (EIN) if any grant funds are to be expended in the United States. 
  • The applicant must be an independent filmmaker working on an original full length (minimum 40 minutes) documentary which addresses a critical issue in the United States and that focuses on one of Pare Lorentz's central concerns—the appropriate use of the natural environment, justice for all or the illumination of pressing social problems.
  • For the purposes of this grant, IDA defines an independent filmmaker as a content creator who both owns the copyright of his or her work and has full artistic, budgetary, and editorial control of the documentary project. Documentaries being produced for or under the direction of a third party, such as a broadcast entity, university, foundation or nonprofit organization are ineligible.
  • The applicant must be a producer and/or director of the submitted work.
  • The applicant must be an experienced filmmaker with at least one key above-the-line (producer, director, co-director, co-producer) or other principal creative (director of photography, editor) credit on a previously completed documentary. Applicants with limited experience or who lack a previous credit as either a producer or director of a completed documentary should have a production team that includes other highly experienced key production personnel and advisors. Key team members and advisors may be contacted during the review process to assess their level of involvement and commitment to the project.
  • The project must be in the early to mid stages of production, having completed the bulk of research and development but still having substantial production and post-production related work and expenses remaining.
  • Completed films are ineligible.
  • The applicant is not required to have nonprofit status or fiscal sponsorship.
  • Currently enrolled students and student films are ineligible.
  • Short documentaries (under 40 minutes finished run time) are ineligible.

Review Criteria
Both IDA staff and a committee of distinguished filmmakers and other experts will review applications and accompanying materials. Some of the questions that staff and committee members will use in evaluating proposals include:

  • Do the Project Director and the project presented meet the grant goals and eligibility requirements?
  • Does the project tell a compelling story and address a pressing issue in the United States?
  • Does the project exemplify the spirit and nature of Pare Lorentz's work?
  • Does the project take an innovative approach to the subject matter? Has the story been told before and if so, does this project's approach bring something new to the story?
  • Does the Project Director have the access necessary to tell the story in a compelling way?
  • What is the quality of the work sample provided? Does it have a strong visual style and does it reflect the spirit and nature of Pare Lorentz's films, such as exhibiting high production values, artistic writing, outstanding music composition and skillful direction, camerawork and editing?
  • Is the treatment well written and does it give a clear picture of the film's story and themes. Does the treatment articulate the film's connection to the grant and its stated objectives?
  • Is the Project Director and the production team assembled experienced and capable of completing the project as described?
  • Does the proposal identify an audience and a realistic plan for reaching and engaging that audience? Does the project have a realistic strategic plan for raising the remaining budget and a reasonable chance of securing public distribution in theatrical release, broadcast or cable television, or educational/ancillary distribution (to schools, museums, or other institutions)?
  • Is the budget thorough and realistic? Are line items in the budget within industry norms and standards?

Application

1. Narrative Proposal
Save the proposal as a single pdf document with the name ProjectTitle_Proposal.pdf. You will need to upload this document to the online application.

  1. Synopsis/Treatment: (up to 4 single spaced pages) Provide a narrative synopsis that communicates the story your documentary will tell and presents a clear and concise vision for your finished film. Key questions to address include:
    • What is the story you plan to tell and how do you plan to tell it? Consider themes, characters, narrative-arc and point of view.
    • Why is the topic/story important?
    • What pressing US issue does the film address and how does the project relate to the themes in Pare Lorentz's work?
    • What is the stylistic and visual approach? Are there any specific creative elements you plan to employ in telling the story?
    • Are there any specific challenges that this particular documentary presents and how you plan to address them?
  2. Status and Time-line: (1-2 paragraphs) Provide a brief summary of the status of the project and a time-line for completion.
  3. Funding Strategy: (1-2 paragraphs) What other sources do you plan to approach for funding and what is your overall strategy for raising the funds required to complete the project as described? Be specific.
  4. Audience, Distribution and Outreach: (up to one page) In a narrative format discuss your strategic plan for distribution and outreach. Key questions to address include:
    • Who is the audience for your film?
    • How do you plan to reach your audience?
    • What is your distribution strategy?
    • What outreach activities are you considering in relation to your project?
    • How will you engage and interact with your audience?
  5. Resume and Bios of Key Personnel and Advisers: Provide a resume for the primary applicant (Project Director). In addition, give a brief 1-2 paragraph bio of each of the attached key creative personnel (e.g. Director, Producer(s), co-directors/producers, DP, Editor, etc.) and key advisers, highlighting previous credits and relevant experience. Having one or more content related advisers (i.e. historians, scientists, etc.) attached to the project is recommended if relevant to the subject being explored.

2. Budget
Save the budget as a single pdf document with the name ProjectTitle_Budget.pdf. You will need to upload this document to the online application.

  1. Amount requested: State the amount you are requesting from the Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund (grants range from approximately $15,000 – $25,000) and list the production related expenses from your budget that the funds would be used to cover. Also provide a one paragraph statement telling us how the amount requested would impact your film.
  2. Line Item Budget: Provide a comprehensive line item budget including all documentary related expenses. We do not require any specific software or format, but the budget should be typed and broken down on a line item basis in the form of a spreadsheet. A budget cover sheet or narrative budget summary alone is not adequate. Include detailed budget notes for any areas that may be viewed as out of the ordinary or which requires further explanation.

3. Sample Work
Provide a sample of the work in progress up to 15 minutes in length. You can provide a longer cut but only the first 15 minutes will be considered. The work in progress can be cut scenes or selects, an early rough cut or a trailer. The sample work provided should accurately represent the film you plan to complete and provide an example of your overall stylistic and visual approach. It should include at least some originally shot footage. It may contain un-cleared footage and/or music.

Sample works must be uploaded to the video sharing sight, Vimeo.com. To upload and share your video, follow the steps below:

  1. If you have never used Vimeo, start with the following links:
    Vimeo Basics: http://vimeo.com/help/basics
    Vimeo Basic Upload Tutorial: http://www.vimeo.com/339189
    Vimeo Help Center: http://vimeo.com/help
    Vimeo Forums: http://www.vimeo.com/forums
  2. Upload your video sample to Vimeo and note the Vimeo URL for your video (i.e., http://vimeo.com/257979). You will need to submit this as part of your application. You will not be able to complete the application without a Vimeo URL for your work sample.
  3. After your video uploads, go to your video and select Settings from the upper right.
  4. From Settings, select Privacy. Make sure the box next to 'Allow other people to download the source video' is checked.
  5. The default setting on Vimeo uploads is 'public'. If you would like your video to be private and viewable only by IDA staff and review committee members, you can make your video private and designate a password. To set your video to private and password protect it, choose private under the heading 'This video is…' and choose the option password-protected. (Do not select 'nobody else,' 'my contacts,' or 'people you choose.'). Note the password you set; you will need to submit it as part of your application. Helpful Vimeo tutorials on uploading a private video and changing privacy settings on an existing video can be found here: http://vimeo.com/257979 and http://vimeo.com/232857




A program of the International Documentary Association, The Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund
is made possible by The New York Community Trust.