Mentorships
Women in Film/Seattle: Mentorship Program
What excites you about filmmaking? Is it the lighting, the editing, the directing, or the production design? Have you ever wondered what it takes to coordinate a major film production or national commercial?

Well here is your chance to experience the everyday challenges of the pros and learn what it takes to achieve success in the film and media industry. We are unveiling a new mentorship program in which you can be placed with a working professional as your own personal mentor. You can gain real life experience by working alongside the people who make the important behind the scenes decisions every day.

Here's how it works:
Through a simple application process, explain to us why you are passionate about filmmaking, where your area of interest lies, and why you should be awarded placement with a mentor. Women in Film will review all applications and choose 3 applicants for the program.

Note: You must be a member of Women in Film to be awarded placement in the mentorship program. Not a member? All ages and genders are welcome.
Become a member of Women in Film/Seattle!
http://www.womeninfilm-seattle.org/membership.htm

Since many of our mentors are freelancers, there is no set time frame for the length of your mentorship, and you are expected to work with your mentor on scheduling, because film and commercial production can be sporadic. This is your opportunity to gain knowledge that can't be taught in a classroom and form professional relationships that can last your entire career.

Please contact: Theresa Gilliam <Theresa@tactics.com>
Download application here

Women in Film/Seattle: Professional Grant

Women in Film/Seattle has a new mission!
WIF/S is offering a project grant of $1000 to professional members each year beginning 2010. We have revisited, redefined, and re-focused our priorities. In lieu of the Nell Shipman Scholarship, which has been a tradition of WIF/Seattle since its inception, we've devised a new program which is in keeping with our goals as an organization: a Women in Film/Seattle Professional Members Grant. Along with the $1000 award, Women in Film will obtain various in-kind services from the community to support the grant winner's project. Check here soon for more information on other resources.

SCHEDULE

Application submission deadline: March 1st 2010
Finalist announced April 6th 2010
Grant recipient announced May 4th 2010
Contract completed, 50% of funds released: June 1st 2010
Project completed and balance of funds released: May 1st 2011

EVALUATION CRITERION

  • Quality of work sample
    Judged on:
    • originality
    • thematic relevance
    • entertainment value
    • technical execution
    • production values
  • Proposed subject matter
  • Experience
  • Budget
  • Career strategy

JUDGING

Submissions will be scored on a 1-10 scale with 10 being excellent and 1 being poor.
The applications with the top three scores will become finalists.
Valuation:
  • 50% for the quality of the applicant's work sample
    Factors considered:
    • Creativity and originality
    • Technical quality and production values
    • Marketability (niche filled)
    • Social relevance
    • Viewer engagement/entertainment
  • 20% for applicant's resume
  • 10% rests on how well the subject matter supports women in film
  • 10% for well considered/accurate budget
  • 10% for career strategy
The first round of judging will be a review by a committee of three local peer panelists. The final round of judging will be completed by judges from within and outside the Northwest Film Community.

RULES and ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Applicant must be a professional member of Women in Film Seattle
  • Applicant must play a key role in the production, i.e. director, producer, DP, or editor
  • Application must include application fee: $10, payable by check or money order to Women in Film/Seattle (add note: WIF Grant application)
  • Submissions Project may not be: promotional films, purely technical instructional films, nor purely unedited recordings of a performance.
  • Submissions must be in English or have English subtitles.
  • Submissions must not have aired on any form of television nor have been distributed in theaters or via the internet.
  • Only one (1) submission per entrant.
  • Submissions involving multiple Women in Film members will be considered favorably
  • Submissions must be accompanied by (i.) a description of work sample; (ii) a non-returnable DVD labeled with entrants name and contact info; (iii) a fully completed and signed entry form.
  • Submissions must be for film, and video projects.
  • Each submission must be the property of the entrant and must be original work created by the entrant. By submitting a film for the grant competition, entrants promise and agree, for no additional consideration, (1) to provide not unreasonably withheld consent for the use of clips of any length, including the entire submission, for public viewing via webcast, telecast, broadcast, and/or any other method of transmission; (2) that they own or have cleared, at their own expense, all necessary rights and licenses, and make such rights available to Women in Film/Seattle for unlimited exhibition in connection with the Professional Members Grant competition; and (3) that Women in Film Seattle shall have the unlimited right to use the winner's ( or winners’) name, picture, likeness, for purposes of publicity or promotion in all print and electronic media.
  • If the submission is a student film made with funding from a university or other institution and the university or other institution holds the rights to the film, the institution must sign the entry form giving permission for the film to be submitted for this competition and agree to the competition rules.
  • Any disputes arising from the competition shall be determined according to the laws of the State of Washington. Women in Film/Seattle does not make any warranty or representation regarding the prize. The winner agrees to accept the prize “as is.” All entrants release Women in Film/Seattle and its respective affiliates, subsidiaries, directors, trustees, officers, employees, agents and all others associated with the development and execution of the competition from any and all liability from injury, loss or damage of any kind resulting from participation in this competition or acceptance or use of the prize. All reasonable effort will be made to contact the winner. Failure to execute and return any requested document within sixty days of postmark, or return of notification of prize as undeliverable, may result in forfeiture of the prize. An alternate potential winner may be selected at the sole discretion of Women in Film/Seattle. Void where prohibited by law. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.

To enter mail a completed application form with a DVD work sample of no fewer than two minutes and no more then five minutes please, to Women in Film/Seattle.

Women In Film Seattle
1216 10th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98122
206-447-1537

Download Entry Form

The Nell Shipman Student Scholarship

2008 Women in Film Nell Shipman College/University Tuition Scholarship winners
are Lena Takamori and Britani Kelly.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Lena Takamori Lena Takamori was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. During her sophomore year of high school she became involved with a local non-profit woman-based media literacy group called Reel Grrls. This organization acted as her launching pad for projects to come. Lena now attends The Cooper Union in New York City and intends to pursue a future in film.

ARTIST STATEMENT
Ultimately, I want to become a great storyteller; not just to provide entertainment for my grandchildren, but also information. Film/Video is a very powerful medium and these days its accessibility is empowering individuals everywhere. Through the creation of work that is both interesting and informative I hope to create media that matters and share stories everyone can relate to. Through stories comes understanding.

Brittani Kelly is a Washington native attending Eastern Washington University in Cheney, WA. Her reason's for wanting to be a filmmaker is to tell interesting, well-crafted, honest stories. She loves watching and making edgy films with solid production value. Brittani's goal is to become proficient in each film genre through her cinema studies. Raised in an atmosphere of female empowerment, female characters are particularly a focus of her work. She is true to her characters and knows their worlds need honest depiction. She intends to be a part of increasing the number of films that portray positive female protagonists and realistic female topics to audiences everywhere.

Lena Takamori and Brittani Kelly. Brittani produced a compelling movie and proved that she is a narrative filmmaker who grasps, and is working toward mastering, the intricate concepts of movie-making. Lena demonstrated courage to experiment and that she can also create an artful documentary that captivates, educates and provides an insight into humanity.
Both women articulated a passion for filmmaking and talent enough to make it a career. Each winner receives $500 toward her school tuition.
Zoë Saurs
WIF/GM Alliance Nell Shipman Scholarship Winner, Zoe Saurs
Ever since its inception, one of Women in Film/Seattle’s missions has been to award an academic scholarship to a deserving woman whose goal is to become a filmmaker. Zoe impressed us with her creativity and drive and has just begun her journey on a path to achieve her goals as a filmmaker.

The award was presented at the Hugo House potluck dinner and movie membership event in November 2007.

Phoebe Owens, 1998 Nell Shipman Scholarship Winner
I co-won the Women in Film Nell Shipman Student Award with my classmate and friend, Heidi Bollock in 1998. Meeting the women of WIF/Seattle during the process of applying for and receiving the award was inspiring, and boosted my confidence to make plans for my growing career. This was my first experience building a network of support and encouragement. I also heeded the advice of several producers to “think bigger” by using my award money to produce a small fund-raising “teaser” for a feature film I planned to make about being a teenager in Puyallup during the 1980's.

I went on to work a variety of roles on sets for the next few years: in the camera department, then in the production office. I traveled and was excited to meet fellow WIFFERS in Italy, of all places. These women were members of WIF/Paris, and we connected instantly. They helped me get exclusive footage in Pompeii. After working in Italy, then in Estonia, I returned home from Europe to start my own production company in Olympia, WA with two friends. With the aforementioned fund-raising trailer, we succeeded in raising the necessary funds to produce that feature, now known as Tammytown.

Tammytown was filmed in Tacoma, Olympia, Lacey, and Tenino in the summer of 2002. We were again assisted by women's groups, including NOW and Ladyfest. Over half of the cast and crew were women and the set was filled with laughter and hard work. An entire community of life-long friendships was built on that set. After several tough, broke years of grueling post-production, Tammytown was picked up for distribution in DVD markets by indiepix.net. The movie’s official release date was October 23rd, 2007. It has also had its premiere screening in N.Y.

I now live in Portland, OR, an am developing a graphic novel with a talented illustrator who worked on Tammytown. I have most recently created an experimental film installation piece entitled “Suspended,” with local multimedia artist, Jaclyn Campanaro for the Platform Festival in Portland. I'm developing a new feature script based on the strangely cult-like world of Library Science, as well as picking up my Master's in Library Science as a distance student at the University of Washington – for fun! My future goals include: thinking big, getting awesome, and trying everything.

There has never been a time when talking about my career that I have not spoken about what a difference the support of Women in Film made in my work and life. Thank you so much to that board for believing in my ability and drive, and for giving me that first gentle push toward my career as a filmmaker and artist. I only wish we had a WIF group in Portland!
––Phoebe Owens
Check out Phoebe’s film –
“So, Who Did You Hate in High School?“ tammytown.com

WIF congratulates Erin Cawley-Morse

Recipient of the Women in Film/Seattle Film Institute Grant
WIF/s partnership with Seattle Film Institute provides awards for women filmmakers to pursue expertise and knowledge in the filmmaking craft.
http://seattlefilminstitute.com/
Erin is this year's recipient of the $500 Grant from Seattle Film Institute for an intensive weekend workshop/seminar.

Victory Studios Victory Studios Nell Shipman Post Production Award

Michelle and Mark VICTORY STUDIOS POST PRODUCTION AWARD WINNERS: Michele Westmorland and Karen Huntt

Women In Film- Seattle was thrilled to announce this new award created exclusively for the 2006 Nell Shipman Awards. Victory Studios, this year's WIFS Diamond Sponsor and premier annual corporate sponsor, has donated $5000 in post production services to help complete the winning project entitled Headhunt Revisited (http://headhuntrevisited.org/)

For more information, please contact Shannon@victorystudios.com.



2004 Nell Shipman Scholarship Winner is Announced

LaLonde and Bogert  Women in Film-Seattle is proud to announce the awarding of its annual Nell Shipman Scholarship to Washington State resident and Barnard College film student, Gina LaLonde. Gina submitted a brilliant student film along with her impressive application materials for a big win. The scholarship was presented to LaLonde at Women in Film-Seattle's presentation of An Afternoon With Lauren Shuler Donner at The Henry Art Gallery on September 18. Congratulations Gina, may you enjoy an outstanding career in the film industry.

Gina LaLonde and Virginia Bogert - Vice President of Women in Film-Seattle