Application Guidelines

Follow the steps below to submit your application for the Sundance / Skoll Grant Award.

Step 1: Fill out the Online Application.

PLEASE NOTE: YOU WILL HAVE 40 MINUTES TO COMPLETE THIS APPLICATION, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO LOG IN MORE THAN ONCE OR MAKE CHANGES TO YOUR EXISTING APPLICATION

You will be asked to provide the following information:

  • Logline (1-2 sentence description of the film).

  • Project Information - Maximum 1,500 words. Briefly provide contextual information necessary to acquaint the reader to the subject, advising why the topic is interesting and why such a film is needed now. Explain any global relevance for the contemporary social issue addressed. Describe why you are pursuing this project and why you are the best person to tell this story.

  • Narrative Synopsis / Director's Statement - Please describe the narrative synopsis of the story and the director's vision or creative approach to the film. Maximum 1,000 words.

  • Status of Project and proposed timeline (for development and delivery). Maximum 200 words.

  • Biographies (1-2 paragraphs each, maximum) for the director, producer, social entrepreneur, and principal creative team already attached - Document to be uploaded!

  • Distribution and Marketing strategies (including mainstream and alternative approaches) Maximum 250 words.

  • Interactive Elements - Explain how you plan to enhance your film through a companion Web site or interactive television components. Discuss specific elements of proposed site and provide information on the Web production team. Include as well the possibility of Multi-platform (e.g. broadcast, VOD, online, wireless) delivery of project in its entirety or as 'educational' modules. Maximum 250 words.

  • Outreach/Engagement Plan (Campaign) - Suggest how your film and or related activities might engage communities nationally and or internationally to engage in social entrepreneurial efforts to affect positive change. Maximum 1,500 words.

  • Comprehensive budget in $US:

    • a) Total film Budget in $US
    • b) Amount of funds secured to date in $US
    • c) Comprehensive fundraising strategy
    • d) Line item budget for entire film (1-2 Page document to be uploaded)

  • Directors Previous Work Samples and Rough Cut (If Available) - You will be asked to enter the titles, format and lengths of up to 2 work samples. If you have a rough-cut of the project that you will be submitting, then we will require the format and length of that too

Step 2: Mail the submission package to our Los Angeles office for receipt by Friday, August 29. The submission package should include:

  • A hard copy of the completed online application form.
  • Seven (7) copies of the director's previous work samples and seven (7) copies of the current rough cut (if applicable) (preferably NTSC) with English subtitles. If work is not subtitled please provide an English Language transcript of films. DVDs should be of a sufficiently high quality to be duplicated for the selection committee. Each DVD should be labeled with the following information: Last Name, First Name, Script Title, Sample Title.

Please send your submission package to the following address:

Attn: Sundance Documentary Film Program/Stories of Change
Sundance Institute
8530 Wilshire Blvd, Floor 3
Beverly Hills, California 90211 USA

Please Note: Application materials will NOT be returned.

Questions should be directed to dfpskoll@sundance.org.

When you are ready to begin the Online Application, please click the button below.

LATE DEADLINE APPLICATIONS (ONLINE APPLICATION AND HARD COPY MATERIALS) MUST BE RECEIVED BY FRIDAY, AUGUST 29th, 2008.

Applicants will receive confirmation of receipt of their application materials within two weeks of submission.

Applicants will be notified with news of their status no later than December 1st, 2008.