Producers Grant: The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation awards one participant of Film Independent’s Producers Lab the annual Sloan Producers Grant. The recipient will receive a $25,000 development grant, admission to Film Independent’s Producers Lab, and year-round support from Film Independent. The grant is funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, which seeks to create and develop new scripts and films about science and technology and to see them into commercial production with national and international distribution. To apply for the Sloan Producers Grant, the applicant must apply to the Producers Lab and indicate in their letter that they wish to be considered for the Sloan Grant. To be eligible for the Sloan grant the applicant must be attached as producer and possess the rights to the script with which they are applying and the screenplay should have a scientific, mathematical, and/or technological theme and storyline or have a leading character who is a scientist, engineer, or mathematician. Some of the projects that have recently been supported by the Sloan Producer’s Grant at Film Independent are Jenny Deller and Kristin Fairweather’s Future Weather, Jim Young’s The Man Who Knew Infinity, and Monique Caulfield’s Basmati Blues. Current application deadline: July 12, 2010
Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF)
Festival Award: The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Feature Film Prize is awarded to a feature-length film that explores science and technology themes in fresh, innovative ways and depicts scientists and engineers in a realistic and compelling fashion. Some of the films that have recently received the award include Alejandro Amenabar’s Agora, Marc Abraham’s Flash of Genius, and Julian Schnabel’s The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.
Screenwriters Lab: In collaboration with The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s initiative in furthering the public understanding of science, HIFF Screenwriters Lab encourages screenplays that explore science, technology, mathematics, invention, and engineering in fresh and innovative ways. Recent mentors include Michael Cunningham, Whit Stillman, Ira Sachs, Maria Maggenti, Maggie Greenwald, and Dylan Kidd. Projects that have recently been supported by the Screenwriters Lab include Karen Odyniec’s Charm School for Primates and Kirk Davis and Sam Sloves’ The Transformation. The 10th annual Hamptons International Film Festival Screenwriters Lab will take place April 16-18, 2010 in East Hampton, New York.
Sundance Institute / Sundance Film Festival
Festival Award: The Sundance Film Festival Alfred P. Sloan Prize is presented annually to an outstanding feature film in the Festival that focuses on science or technology as a theme, or depicts a scientist, engineer or mathematician as a major character. Some of the films that have recently received the award include Diane Bell’s Obselidia, Max Mayer’s Adam, Alex Rivera’s Sleep Dealer, and Chen Shi-zheng’s Dark Matter.
Alfred P. Sloan Commissioning Grant: Established in 2005, the Sundance/Sloan Commissioning Grant is an annual cash award for a science or technology related project that is at an early stage such as full treatment or early screenplay draft. This grant will also include a small stipend for a science advisor to provide support through consultation and feedback, as well as the possibility of inclusion in a Screenwriters Lab. Some of the projects that have recently been supported by Sundance and the Sloan Foundation at the Sundance Film Festival are Cath Le Couteur’s Bed, Andrucha Waddington’s House of Sand and Shane Carruth’s Primer.
Filmmaker Fund: The TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund seeks exceptional narrative work that is scientifically relevant, accurate, and exciting. In 2010, the TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund will provide up to $140,000 in support of film projects that explore scientific, mathematical, or technological themes in their storylines, or that feature a leading character who is a scientist, engineer, innovator or mathematician. Past projects that have received funding for screenplay development through the TFI/Sloan Partnership include outstanding screenplays about Rosalind Franklin, Hedy Lamarr, Richard Feynman, Edwin Hubble, Ramanujan, Stanley Milgram, Muhammad Yunus, and a boy who built a nuclear reactor in his backyard. Application deadline: January.