The Docs In Progress Fellowship gives up to ten DC-area filmmakers each year
a facilitated support system for them to develop new documentaries.
Made possible through the support of
Meet Our 2018 Fellows
Meet Our 2013-2017 Fellows
About the Docs In Progress Fellowship
Now in its sixth year, the Docs In Progress Fellowship provides selected filmmakers from across the DC/Baltimore Metro area monthly facilitated meetings where they come together to share progress with their projects and get feedback and advice on issues related to the documentary landscape, work/life balance, and the creative process.
Benefits to Fellows include:
- Accountability: By setting realistic goals for progress and having monthly check-in sessions with the facilitator and other participants, Fellows are more likely to make significant progress with their films than going it alone.
- Expertise from seasoned documentary industry professionals who come as guest presenters on topics ranging from work/life balance to time management to getting control of your story.
- A professional development voucher which can be applied to a one-day or one-evening Docs In Progress program during the course of their Fellowship. This could be used towards registration for a one day or one night workshop or Peer Pitch.
- A 60-minute consultation with Executive Director Erica Ginsberg about their work-in-progress. This may focus on mentoring to help get a project ready to apply for a work-in-progress screening, Fiscal Sponsorship, or on questions related to structural development, fundraising, or outreach.
- Featured as a Fellow on the Docs In Progress website, including a photo and information about the work-in-progress.
- Exclusive networking opportunities with past Fellows as part of our larger Fellowship network.
Fees
There is no fee to apply. However, you must either be a current member of the Docs Insiders Program at least at the Basic Level or be an alumni of another Docs In Progress program (class, workshop, Peer Pitch, or have presented a work-in-progress at a Docs In Progress screening or Roundtable).
- Seven monthly Fellowship Cohort meetings (see schedule below);
- One 60 minute one-on-one consultation with the Docs In Progress Executive Director;
- A voucher which can be applied towards another Docs In Progress single-day or single-evening professional development program or workshop during the year;
- A pass and accommodations to attend the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in North Carolina (April 4-7);
- A free seat in our 2019 Docs In The City screening programs and Master Classes;
- A private listserv for 2019 Fellows
- Fellows will also be spotlighted on the Docs In Progress website, will receive added consideration for work-in-progress screenings, and will be eligible to join our Alumni Fellows network at the conclusion of the Fellowship.
Schedule of 2019 Cohort Meetings
Cohort meetings are generally held on the first Tuesday of the month from 7:00 – 10:00 pm at Docs In Progress in downtown Silver Spring, MD (except when there is a holiday conflict). Accepted Fellows must commit to attending at least 80% of these meetings in person since they form the core of the Fellowship Program (that means you may miss only one meeting). The cohort meetings are scheduled on the following dates for the 2019 Fellows:
March 5
April 2
May 7
June 4
July 2
August 6
September 10 (note: this is second Tuesday of month)
Other Scheduled Activities for 2019 Fellows
* Full Frame Documentary Film Festival - Thanks to the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts, all 2018 Fellows will receive non-transferable passes and accommodations to attend the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, North Carolina from Thursday, April 4 through Sunday, April 7. We will organize carpools for transportation.
* Docs In The City - All Fellows will receive a free pass to attend our "Docs In The City" programs where we will welcome top documentary filmmakers from around the country to Washington DC to give feedback on a work-in-progress and provide a Master Class. While the dates for these programs have not yet been finalized, we expect them to take place n the spring and summer.
* Alumni Fellows Meetings - Once the Fellowship Cohort Meetings end, the 2019 Fellows will become part of our broader Fellowship network which meets on the second Tuesday of every month at Docs In Progress and has its own listserv.
WHO IS THE IDEAL FELLOW?
Past Fellows have included both first-time and more seasoned filmmakers and both those who make a living in the world of media and those who are working on a labor of love in addition to another career. We have welcomed projects at all stages of development -- from pre-production to production to post-production to completed films beginning the distribution phase. Projects have ranged in topic from the global to the local, from social issue exposes to personal documentaries, from feature length documentaries to transmedia projects. Fellows must be residents of Washington DC, Maryland, or Northern Virginia.
When we are reviewing applications for the Fellowship, we look at both the individual applicant and how they will fit in to the group. We want to see that the filmmaker has a solid idea he or she would like to develop, specific goals for how the Fellowship will help at this stage, and a willingness to open up to give and get feedback from peers. This is less a training program than it is an incubator and a cohort where peer-centered discussion is at the forefront.
HOW TO APPLY
The online application should take about 20-30 minutes to complete. In addition to standard questions about you and your project, you will be asked the following questions:
Other than funding, what are the biggest challenges you have faced or are currently facing with regards to your work-in-progress?
What experience have you had giving or getting feedback from peers (whether within the film world or in another discipline)?
How would the Docs In Progress Fellowship be beneficial to you moving forward with your project and your artistic career?
You will also be asked to attach a bio and a headshot photo. We also welcome you including a proposal attachment and/or a trailer, i(f you have one) for your project.
The deadline to apply for the 2019 Fellowship was January 18, 2019. Applications are now closed. Applicants will be notified by the second week of February.
Want to know more?
We held a lunchtime info session by phone with the Docs In Progress Executive Director and former Fellows on Friday, January 11 from 12:00 pm - 1 pm. Participating in the session was not a requirement to apply, but we highly recommended it to learn more about the program and get your questions answered.
Listen to a recording of the 2019 Info Session
Applications for the 2020 Fellowship will open by December 2019.