Emerging Filmmakers Program

empowering The next generation of female-identifying and gender-expansive filmmakers

The Emerging Filmmakers Program supports early-career female-identifying and gender expansive filmmakers by providing funding, creative development, mentorship, production support, and bespoke marketing and distribution strategy for original short film projects. Our funding model allows us to serve as patrons for our filmmakers, and prioritizes equity and inclusion. It also comes without a list of requirements or restrictions on genre, cast, story or format… thus allowing for creative freedom of expression.

Our goal is to back female-identifying and gender-expansive artists at a critical juncture with the financing and support to make their career-starting films.

Our second cycle will focus on female-identifying and gender-expansive filmmakers local to Washington State with each selected team consisting of a director, writer and producer.

Applications will open for our 2026 cycle on December 1, 2025.


PROGRAM OVERVIEW

  • Each team will receive a $10,000 non-recoupable grant to support the production of the Participant’s short film, disbursed in milestone-based installments. Each team will develop, produce, and complete a short film by December 31, 2026 with the support of Emergence Films. Each team must submit required deliverables, including production paperwork and distribution assets (to be specified when teams are accepted into the program). 

  • Each participant will attend the in-person Program Kickoff Weekend (weekend in March 2026, exact dates TBD) on Vashon Island, WA which will include a crash course in filmmaking with the Emergence Films team, team building exercises, hands-on training, and creative ideation for your short films. Lodging and meals will be provided by Emergence Films. Travel expenses will be reimbursed with valid receipts and invoices.

  • Each participant will attend an in-person Masterclass Weekend (weekend in April 2026, exact dates TBD) on Bainbridge Island, WA, which will include in-person and remote masterclasses that cover a wide variety of roles within the industry and how it relates to their filmmaking journey (i.e. physical production, crowdfunding, working with creative department heads, distribution, festival strategy, etc). Accommodation and meals will be provided by Emergence Films. Travel expenses will be reimbursed by Emergence Films with valid receipts and invoices.

  • Each participant will receive a $25/hour earn-while-you-learn stipend for both in-person weekend learning hours (invoiced by Participant as an independent contractor).

  • Writers from each group will have the opportunity to attend a 2 day writers retreat (weekend in end of March 2026 or early April 2026, exact dates TBD) to work on scripts. Lodging and meals will be provided. Travel expenses will be reimbursed.

  • Each participant will attend 2 x monthly remote check-ins with the Emergence Films team regarding the short film and program experience.

  • Each participant will be assigned a professional industry mentor based on participants creative goals and experience, and attend 3 x mentorship calls with their mentor.

  • As available, participants will have the opportunity to serve as a paid Trainee, Assistant, or Shadow on a professional film production in Washington State (based on availability of WA based films shooting during the program).

  • Each participant will provide feedback during and after the program as requested.

  • Each participant will create and share behind-the-scenes photos and videos to Emergence Films for social media and website posts

  • Each team will attend a work-in-progress screening on Bainbridge Island towards the end of the year (October 2026, exact dates TBD)

  • Each team will attend a final networking event/celebratory screening of all finished films in Seattle at the end of the year.

  • At the end of the program, participants will have an opportunity to present a microbudget feature idea to Emergence Films for the possibility of further collaboration and support.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

  • All applicants must be female-identifying / two-spirit / non-binary / gender-fluid / gender-expansive 

  • We accept applicants who are age 18 years or older

  • We require applications to submit in teams. Teams must consist of a minimum of 2 people and a maximum of 3 people in the roles of writer, director and producer. The role of Producer and Director must be covered by two different people (logistic lead and creative lead). If a team consists of two people, the multi-hyphenate combinations we accept are:

    • Writer-Producer + Director 

    • Writer-Director + Producer 

  • Applicants may not have existing credits in the role they are applying for on a feature film, or a short film with a budget of more than $10,000. If you are credited on a short film that was self-funded or as part of a film school project, you are still eligible to apply.  We want you to get value out of this program which will be focused on short film production at a professional level, and if you have a lot of experience on short film sets, you may be too advanced to benefit from this program. 

  • Applicants must come to this process with creative ideas and concepts for a short film. Scripts do not need to be fully formed, but at least have a strong concept. Applicants may present more than one idea but please no more than two.

  • We are looking for applicants with a shared passion for stories that create connection, empathy, explore the human experience, create new ways of viewing our world that create optimism and hope, showcase perspectives we haven’t seen, showcase healing journeys, humanize the “other,” break down barriers, and ultimately use storytelling as a tool for positive change in the world in some form. This doesn’t mean we are looking for “positive stories” – but rather stories that ultimately make a positive impact. We are looking for applicants who are forward thinking and working to imagine a future that is more inclusive, supportive and regenerative than the one we currently inhabit.

APPLICATION SCHEDULE

December 1, 2025
Applications open

January 4, 2026
Applications close

January 19, 2026
Short list of (15) semi-finalists are selected and contacted
for Round 2 of the application for the interview phase

January 26 - February 6, 2026
Round 2 interviews scheduled

February 13, 2026
Final selections announced

APPLICATION QUESTIONS

  1. Tell us about your team! What are your names? How did you all meet? Why did you decide to work together? You will be working with this team for the next year, so we want to feel your cohesive team mentality and understand your experience collaborating. (750 words)

  2. Why are you interested in storytelling specifically through the medium of filmmaking? We would love to hear from each person on your team. Let us really see your hearts, passions and what drives you. (750 words maximum)

  3. What obstacles or barriers have you faced individually and as a team in trying to get your creative work off the ground in the past? (500 words max)

  4. If you were to be accepted into our program, tell us about the short film you would want to work on with us. This can be broad strokes ideas or specific characters or storylines, depending on where you are at in your creative development process. We do not expect you to have finished scripts as that will be part of the program. If you have multiple ideas, please share two of them. (500 words maximum)

  5. What do you hope to get from this program? What are your goals? Professional / creative / personal? How are you hoping this program will progress these goals? (500 words maximum) 


Contact Info & Optional Demographic Info

Applicant 1, 2, (& 3 if applicable) each provide the below:

Name
Email
Phone number
City in WA where you are based
Role applying for (Prod, Dir, Writer or multi-hyphenate)
Link to 1 page resume
1 link of past creative work (link to short film, photography, design, writing, artwork, creative work, etc) that best exemplifies the role you are applying for.  

(Below are optional)
Ethnic background
Age range (18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65+)
Gender identity / pronouns
Identify with disability?
Identify with LGBTQIA+ community?

Instructions
Please work on these questions in a separate document, as the website may not save changes! 

If the application fee is prohibitive, please reach out to us at emergence.assistant@gmail.com

FAQ SECTION

  • What is the schedule of the program?

    • Please see the Program Information page, in the section “Program Overview”

  • Does the program cost anything?

    • We ask for a $10 application fee to submit your application, but the program itself is no cost to you. If this application fee is restrictive to you, please reach out to us for a fee waiver at emergence.assistant@gmail.com

  • If our team is two people, can we share the producer role?

    • Yes! 

  • If I’ve been credited on a feature film in another role (NOT writer, director, producer), am I eligible?

    • Yes! 

  • Do I need to have a finished short film script to apply?

    • No, but we do recommend that you have a strong idea for a short film story that you tell us about in your application. 

  • Can I apply by myself?

    • No, we ask that you apply with a team of a minimum of two people and a maximum of three people, encompassing the roles of writer, director and producer. We want to emphasize the importance of building creative working relationships throughout the program. 

  • Do I need to have gone to film school to apply to this program?

    • No! We do not have any minimum requirements for filmmaking experience for this program. We want to support people who are passionate about learning the craft of filmmaking and visual storytelling.

  • What are the application questions?

    • Please see the Application Questions section below. We recommend working on your application in a separate document and uploading when you are finished, we cannot guarantee this website will save your changes.

PROGRAM PARTNERS

 
 

If you have any questions, please email us at emergence.assistant@gmail.com