STORYHIVE funding 30 documentaries that showcase community stories – sponsored
Everybody has a story worth sharing – and TELUS STORYHIVE wants to put 30 such stories on screen.
STORYHIVE – which has funded dozens of short films, web series, and music videos – returns this month with its second Documentary Edition.
As with the previous editions, you don’t need to be an established filmmaker to apply. All you need is residence in an eligible community in British Columbia or Alberta, as well as a solid, hyper-local story that shines the spotlight on some aspect of life in your community.
“Documentary is a huge genre,” says Kristy Assu. Assu is a filmmaker, a project manager at STORYHIVE, and the prime for the 2019 Documentary Edition. “Documentary is so broad. You can really do a great story about so many things, and we don’t have strict guidelines about the kinds of stories that we want to see, except that they should be hyper-local and reflect the communities from which people are applying.”
This could mean virtually anything, adds Assu, because profound and entertaining stories are everywhere and within everyone.
“Maybe there’s an athlete in your town who has been working towards a professional career,” says Assu. “Maybe you want to tell a story about your father, your mother, your grandmother, and about their history of living in your town. Maybe it’s about artists who live and create art in your community. Maybe it’s about somebody who has come from afar and settled in your city. I could go on and on.”
Beginning April 9, interested filmmakers can pitch their 20- to 60-minute documentaries to STORYHIVE. You’ll need a 60-second pitch video, a budget breakdown, and a detailed pitch document.
Assu stresses that you don’t need previous filmmaking experience to pitch a project.
“We don’t want people to be deterred just because they don’t have any experience,” says Assu. “The story will speak for itself. If you have a great story, a great local story, just apply and see what happens. ”
The application process closes on May 7 – at which point a team of industry experts and TELUS team members will select 30 projects to receive production funding, training and mentorship, and distribution support. “We go through every application and read every single piece of documentation that comes in,” notes Assu. “It can be pretty competitive, too, but we do take a look at everything and consider everything, regardless of where it’s from.”
The winning projects will be announced in late July – and each awarded project will receive a $50,000 production grant.
Each successful team will work with mentors to produce a project 20-60 minutes in duration. Projects will be featured on select TELUS platforms and available online in 2020.
“Everybody has a story,” says Assu. “You just have to look. It’s incredible to see these stories come to life.”
For more information, visit https://www.storyhive.com/documentary/edition/id/2019-documentary-sh17 and follow @STORYHIVE on social media for helpful application tips.
