» Dodge College Grants and Awards

Eligible: Graduate Film Studies students
Funds applied to: Project research
Applications open: Ongoing

Available to graduate students in the film studies program, scholarly/creative grants are intended to provide support for a variety of clearly defined scholarly or creative projects. Applications open late in the fall semester and are awarded via a selection committee. Grants range every year depending on need/funding availability and will be awarded to a limited number of projects.

Eligible: Undergraduate Filmmakers
Funds applied to: Senior thesis production
Applications open: February/March

The Senior Thesis Producer Initiated Award provides funds for senior thesis projects originated by a producer. Producers must be Creative Producing majors with junior standing who are eligible to enroll in Senior Thesis the following fall. The final story idea submitted must have originated from the producer, whether it be an original concept/script or an underlying property discovered by/originated with the producer. The script cannot be written by the director. The producer maintains creative control of the project, has final cut, and is financially responsible for the project. At the time of submission the producer must have a senior thesis eligible director attached to the project in order to be considered. Directors attached to a producer initiated project will not be permitted to direct a second senior thesis project. This award submission process is administrated by Production Management as part of the yearly spring semester senior thesis script submission process for the following academic year. Award funds are tied to the specific project submitted, and should the project be abandoned, access to the funds will be surrendered. In the past awards of up to $7,500 were awarded to projects.

Eligible: Undergraduate and Graduate student producers
Funds applied to: Thesis production
Applications open: February 4
Deadline: March 6

Awarded by way of faculty recommendation for demonstrated excellence in the producing program to assist with the production costs of either thesis or senior film project. The application process opens to female producing students during the spring semester. The recipient is honored during the annual Women in Focus Conference.

Eligible: Graduate filmmakers
Funds applied to: Thesis production
Applications open: February 4
Deadline: March 6

Awarded by way of application and selection committee to a graduate student demonstrating excellence in acting, producing, and directing to assist with thesis production costs. Applicants must be in their penultimate year and doing a thesis project in the coming academic year. Awarded during the annual Women in Focus Conference.

Eligible: All student filmmakers
Funds applied to: Thesis production
Applications open: February 4
Deadline: March 6

Awarded by way of selection committee to a female student who has demonstrated the skills and qualifications to excel in the film industry with additional consideration given to a student whose film project helps to raise awareness of women’s issues. Awarded during the annual Women in Focus Conference.

Eligible: Graduate  Producing Program
Funds applied to: Thesis production
Applications open: April 6
Deadline: April 27

The Katie Weinstein Memorial Award is awarded to a graduate student in the producing program during the spring semester who has demonstrated excellence as a producer to assist with the production costs of their thesis film project. Grant amount varies slightly every year.  

Eligible: Undergraduate Narrative filmmakers
Funds applied to: Thesis production
Applications open: April 6
Deadline: April 27
Pitch Lunch: Friday, May 22

The Women of Chapman Endowed Student Filmmaker Award is a need and merit-based award available to undergraduate students to be used towards production costs related to their upcoming senior thesis project. This award provides the valuable resources necessary for productions that have a unique concept and/or distinctive opportunity intrinsic to the development of the story. Selection process requires an application, an in-person pitch to the donors, and attendance to their summer luncheon.  

Eligible: Narrative Undergraduate filmmakers
Funds applied to: Thesis production
Applications open: May 5
Deadline: May 29
Decision: September 2020

A film production award to benefit narrative undergraduate senior thesis programs. A Dodge College donating alumni will evaluate scripts that feature quality screenwriting, passionate storytelling, and is effective in the theme. Amount varies each year depending on funding availability. 

Eligible: Graduate & Undergraduate filmmakers (Narrative and Documentary)
Funds applied to: Thesis production
Applications open: August 3
Deadline: August 21

The Leo Freedman Foundation Fellowship in Film Grant provides funding for unusual or special production-specific expenses incurred in the making of a Graduate Thesis or Senior Thesis production. A special expense is defined as an expense that is out of the ordinary in relation to usual production costs. In the past, grants have been awarded to offset the cost of a process trailer, an unusual location, accommodations and per diem for a distant location shoot, cast airfare, and stunt coordinator among others. Grants range from $500-$5000 depending on need and will be awarded to a limited number of projects. 

Eligible: Graduate & Undergraduate filmmakers
Funds applied to: Thesis production
Applications open: August 3
Deadline: August 21

Students preparing any Dodge project (Narrative, Documentary, TV, VR, VFX, Animation) that focuses on a theme from the following topics:  Individual Rights, Economic Liberty, Capitalism, Free Markets without interference, the right to property, and the determents of governmental condemnation and civil forfeiture, are eligible for consideration for grants of $10,000 provided by an anonymous sponsor.  

Eligible: Undergraduate Narrative filmmakers
Funds applied to: Thesis production
Applications open: August 3
Deadline: August 21
Finalists Pitch: Mid-September

The Frame 48 Creative Production Grant is a need and merit-based award available to undergraduate students to be used towards production costs related to their narrative senior thesis project. The purpose of this grant is to provide the valuable resources needed for productions that are story driven, push the envelope in execution, and demonstrate proficiency and passion by the filmmakers involved. Examples would include but are not limited to accommodations for shooting at distant and unique location(s), building complex sets, and hiring outside technical support. The grant recipient will be chosen based upon the merits of the script, the uniqueness of the concept and its value to the storytelling. The top 5 finalists will pitch their project to Frame 48 and one project will be selected to receive $3,000-$5,000.

Eligible: Undergraduate/Graduate Documentary students
Funds applied to: Thesis production
Applications open: August 31
Deadline: September 18

This award is open to applications for undergraduate and graduate thesis documentaries that focus on social and political injustice. Applications will be evaluated for quality of story as well as production need and/or merit. One student production will receive $1,500 that can be used to offset production costs, including, but not limited to travel costs, equipment rental, location costs, and post-production fees.