» Dodge College Grants and Awards

Eligible: Undergraduate and Graduate student producers
Funds applied to: Thesis production
Applications open: March

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 Film Studies students
Funds applied to: Project research
Applications open: January

Available to graduate students in the film studies program, conference travel grants are intended to provide support for graduate students’ travel to give accepted presentations at conferences. Grants range every year depending on need/funding availability and will be awarded to a limited number of projects.

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

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/Graduate Documentary students
Funds applied to: Thesis production
Applications open: October

This new 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.

Eligible: Graduates in the Producing Program
Funds applied to: Thesis production
Applications open: March

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: Graduate & Undergraduate filmmakers
Funds applied to: Thesis production
Applications open: End of August

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 filmmakers
Funds applied to: Thesis production
Applications open: March

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: Public Relations and Advertising undergraduate students
Funds applied to: Professional development opportunities
Applications open: Announced by PRA faculty as available

Grants from the O’Connor Professional Development Fund will enable advertising students to take advantage of specific professional development opportunities such as attendance at conferences and seminars, OC Ad Club events and/or other opportunities that serve this objective.

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: Narrative Graduate and Undergraduate filmmakers
Funds applied to: Thesis production
Applications open: End of August

A narrative film production award to benefit narrative graduate thesis and undergraduate senior thesis programs. Each year, Dodge College announces a story theme and students may submit scripts that fit the theme. A Dodge College selection committee and 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: Junior undergraduate filmmakers
Funds applied to: Thesis production
Applications open: Late April/May

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: All student filmmakers
Funds applied to: Thesis production
Applications open: March

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.

Yes, there absolutely is! The “Student Production/Project Awards” tab above should be able to help you, but make sure to plan ahead. Some awards are awarded in the year before you go into production for your thesis.

Unfortunately, all of our production awards and grants are driven to support thesis productions.

Dodge College does not control the tuition scholarships available. Please contact the financial aid office to ask if there is anything the university can do to support you.

Keep an eye on your student email. Every application process is announced through email. Generally, it is also included in the Slate, the Dodge College weekly newsletter for current students.

Every award/grant has a unique application process specific to its review. Each selection committee understands the academic cycle and we will not ask you for something that is unfeasible.