Feature Film Application Instructions

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The Rooftop Films Filmmakers Fund Feature Film Grants

Only filmmakers who have screened a movie at a Rooftop Films event are eligible to apply for our grants.

Rooftop Films sets aside $1 from every ticket and submission fee received to put towards our alumni filmmakers in the form of grants for their future film productions. We also award service grants courtesy of our sponsors at Eastern Effects, Edgeworx Studios, Parabolic, ARRI Rental, Kate Geller LLC, and elkind Lighting & Camera. In the 2023 grant cycle we have eleven grants for artists making feature films (more than 60 minutes).Rooftop Films will award more than $300,000 in cash and service grants to help alumni filmmakers to make their next short or feature film.

If you would like to apply for a Short Film grant, you are on the wrong page! Click here for information on the Short Film Grants.

Let us know you’re interested!

If you are an eligible filmmaker and plan on applying, please let us know as soon as possible by filling out this quick and simple form (response time: under one minute). This way we can gauge how many applicants to expect and will know to look for your application, lest it get lost in some way.

About the Grants

Water Tower Feature Film Grant

Through a generous sponsor, Rooftop Films has made $30,000 available in cash grants for one or two feature-length films to provide funding for key cast and crew.

Eastern Effects Equipment Grant

Eastern Effects will award 30 days of lighting and grip equipment to one feature-length film.
Eastern Effects is a film production rental house based in Brooklyn. Since 1999, Eastern Effects has been providing Lighting & Grip Equipment Rentals for Independent Feature Films, Television Productions, Corporate & Industrial Videos, Student Filmmakers, and Live Broadcast.

Edgeworx Post-Production Grant

Edgeworx will provide 1-2 weeks of post-production services to one feature-length film, valuing up to $10,000.00. The Edgeworx staff will work with the Recipient to fill the Recipient’s needs within the range of the VFX/GFX production cost. This package may include a combination of the following: titles, 2D or 3D graphics, VFX, and final HD renders for insertion into online.
Edgeworx Studios is a post-production house based in Manhattan. With a sixteen-year track record, Edgeworx provides full service production and post-production. Their areas of expertise include motion graphic design, animation, VFX, editorial and finishing.

Parabolic Sound Mix Grant

Parabolic will provide a full sound package valued at $25,000, which includes: sound editorial, mix services with a 5.1 and stereo mix.
In the heart of New York City’s Flatiron District, Parabolic encompasses partnership, collaboration and creative control between all disciplines offering the necessary facilities and technologies in one space for comprehensive audio post production packages.

elkind Lighting & Camera Grant

elkind Lighting and Camera will provide lighting equipment, valued at $5,000, for a small-crew, fiction or hybrid or documentary short or documentary feature. Equipment is available from the upstate location only and is ideal for small crew productions. It is not suited to most fiction productions.
elkind Lighting and Camera takes pride in putting together the lightest, tightest, and brightest packages around for use locally and worldwide. We also do red camera packages with Leica and Zeiss primes and Canon Zooms.

Brooklyn Army Terminal Production Office Grant

The New York City Economic Development Corporation and the Brooklyn Army Terminal will provide a production office space for your production. The office comes fully furnished (meeting table, desks for writing and shelves for storage) and includes power, heat and A/C, and internet. There is 24/7 access to the space and parking onsite.
Brooklyn Army Terminal (BAT) is the premier affordable hub for modern industrial businesses, entrepreneurs, and working families in NYC. Located on the Sunset Park waterfront in Brooklyn, BAT provides manufacturers with the tools and space they need to grow and succeed.

ARRI Rental Camera Grant

ARRI Rental will provide a package of camera equipment and lenses to two filmmakers, equivalent to the amount of $20,000 over a consecutive period of 21 days.
ARRI Rental is focused on building client relationships through the provision of first-class camera, lighting, and grip equipment to the movie, television, advertising, and events markets.

Kate Geller LLC Casting Grant

Kate Geller LLC will provide 1-2 principal cast members for three consecutive months during the pre-production phase. This will include wish lists and reach out services. This will not include in-person auditions.
Kate Geller is a respected New York based Casting Director whose credits include Shiva Baby, Nine Days, and The Incredible Jessica James.

How to Apply

If you plan on applying, please fill out this quick and simple form, so we know how many applications we might be expecting and we can keep an eye out for your application.
Complete the online Feature Film Grant Application Form. The form is the same for each of the feature film grants.
If you are applying with more than one film, fill out a separate application for each film.
You are also welcome and encouraged to send footage, rough cuts, fine cuts, etc. in any format. Please include a link and password in your application form.
You cannot edit the application form once you submit. We strongly recommend you fill out a copy of your application in a separate document and save that for reference.

Deadlines

Applications must be received by 11:59 pm EST on Friday, September 25, 2023
Applicants notified: February 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to apply?
Only filmmakers who directed or co-directed a film that has already screened at a Rooftop Films event are eligible to apply. Alumni filmmakers can only apply for a grant if they are director or co-director on the film for which they are applying.

I was the producer or writer on a film that screened at Rooftop. Am I eligible to apply?
No. Only directors who had their work screened are eligible to apply as directors. We appreciate that film is a collaborative medium, and respect the contributions of all the collaborators, but with over 3,000 directors who have now screened at Rooftop Films, we must limit the grant eligibility to that pool. In this way, we can more clearly judge the director’s vision for the new film.

I am a Rooftop alumni director and I am the producer but not the director for an upcoming film. Am I eligible to apply?
No. Alumni filmmakers can only apply for films which they are directing or co-directing.

I do not know when my upcoming film will be completed. Can I still apply?
Yes. But we are more likely to award grants to films that have a relatively clear timeline for production.

Can I apply with more than one project?
Yes! You should apply for all of the grants that you are eligible for, as long as you are certain that you can make use of the cash or services should you be awarded the grant. However, please do not apply for a grant if you don’t think you can use the services (for instance, if your film is shot entirely in natural light, don’t apply for the Eastern Effects grant. If you already have completed your shooting, don’t apply for the camera grant from ARRI Rental, etc.)

Can I be awarded multiple grants for the same project?
It is theoretically possible but we usually only give one grant per project. If there is one grant you think would be particularly useful, please indicate that in your application in the answer to the question, “How will you make use of our grants?”

Can I apply again with the same film if I didn’t receive funding the previous year?
Yes and yes. Many of the films we have funded were films that had applied in multiple years.

Can I apply again with a film that has received funding from Rooftop in the past?
If you did receive a grant in the past with a project you are applying with this year, we try to support as many diverse projects as possible and this will be taken into account when we evaluate applications.

What are my obligations to Rooftop Films if I am awarded a grant?
The answer varies a bit depending on which grant you receive, but for most grants the minimum requirements are:

You must agree to give Rooftop Films the option of screening your film at a public screening within 12 months of your world premiere and prior to a theatrical release of the film, unless otherwise mutually agreed.
You must include thanks and acknowledgment to Rooftop Films and any other associated sponsors in the credits of your film and on your film website.
The filmmaker must produce the film as outlined, to the best of their ability.

When is the next set of deadlines?
In general, the application is open in the fall of each year, with a deadline in early autumn, and grants awarded in the winter. Check back closer to those dates for specific details from year to year. Also, if you are an alumni filmmaker, make sure you are on our filmmakers email list for updates.

Do I have to submit a video sample or still images? If so, what is the best material to submit?

It is not required to submit a video sample, but if you have a video sample or still images, we recommend you submit them. We know there is often a fear of showing incomplete work but usually something concrete and visual is more enticing than a text description. We are accustomed to looking at works-in-progress. In your footage description, elaborate on what is going to change, i.e. not sound mixed or color corrected, etc.

We are open to any genre or type of film, but in choosing our grantees, we are biased towards:

Films that are daring, unique, intelligent, soulful, honest, and brilliant.
Projects who do not have access to other resources.
Projects who use money and materials sparingly and wisely.
Films with women and people of color in primary production roles.
Films that are socially responsible. Whether documentaries or fiction, drama or comedy, experimental or animation, we admire films that are thoughtful, well-researched, well-reasoned and that actively seek to change our world for the better.
We are most likely to fund a project that will help the project move to the next stage of production.

These are not requirements, just qualities we value. We fund many films that do not fall into those categories, films with big budgets and small, and films by all types of people. If it’s a moving picture by our alumni and it’s going to be great, we want to support it!

The following are some examples of work samples we’ve received in the past but feel free to be creative in how you communicate your current progress and artistic vision:

a trailer (2 minutes), to show the emotional and visual spark of the film
representative scene (5 minutes), to show what the film is like
a rough cut, to show the entirety of the story and scope of the film

If you do not have any or all of these elements, that’s ok! Many filmmakers have received grants before they shoot or edit. If you don’t have footage, we recommend submitting a look book or a series of stills or sketches, or something else that visually represents your film.

What kind of films does Rooftop Films fund?
We are open to any genre or type of film, but in choosing our grantees, we are biased toward:

People who we can be confident will actually produce another movie with these resources.
People who do not have access to other resources.
People who use money and materials sparingly and wisely.
Films that are daring, unique, intelligent, soulful, honest, and brilliant.
Films with women and people of color in primary production roles.
Films that are socially responsible. Whether documentaries or fiction, drama or comedy, experimental or animation, we admire films that are thoughtful, well-researched, well-reasoned and that actively seek to change our world for the better.
We are more likely to fund films for which this grant will have a large impact. That is, we are more likely to fund $3,000 of a $3,000 total budget than $3,000 of a $30,000 total budget. (Though we will provide funds for bigger budget films, too.)
We are more likely to fund films where there is thought to how the film will be used in the world in coordination with a community engagement campaign and/or ongoing efforts for social justice.
We are also more likely to fund films that make the most of their resources and community. For instance, we are more likely to fund the salary of a DP who is donating use of his own 16mm camera than we are likely to fund the rental of a 16mm camera from a corporate rental house. We are also more likely to fund the purchase or fabrication of materials that you will be able to use again, instead of a one-time rental.

These are not requirements, just qualities we value. We fund many films that do not fall into those categories, from comedies to experimental films, films with big budgets and small, and films by all types of people. If it’s a moving picture by our alumni and it’s going to be great, we want to support it!

Grant-writing Questions and Advice:

What is the best way to answer the question “How will you make use of our grants?”
Be specific, and know exactly what each grant provides. In each case, tell us why and how the grant will improve your film.

The Rooftop Filmmakers Watertower Feature Film Grant is intended to support the fair wages of cast and crew working on the film. We are particularly interested in allowing a film to pay an individual who will make a crucial impact on the film, such as augmenting the cast, or bringing in a vital crew member the production couldn’t otherwise afford. The grant should not be used for equipment, services or overhead. In your application, under “How will you make use of the selected grants,” please make a clear and compelling case for how you will utilize this cash to fulfill the intended purpose of the grant.
The ARRI Rental Grant provides 21 consecutive days of high-quality camera and lens equipment for two feature-length film. The package must be picked up in Long Island City,New York, but can be used anywhere. The selected film will receive a full camera, lens and peripherals package. It must be used within 18 months of notification .
At a minimum, The Eastern Effects Equipment Grant provides their Three-Ton City Lighting Truck Package (vehicle not included) to your film for 30 days. Additionally, any equipment that you require that is not included in this package can be submitted to Eastern Effects, and Eastern Effects will determine which additions and substitutions can be included in the grant package. Any additional items beyond this will have to be paid for a-la-carte at no more than the normal market rate. The package is subject to availability, but the further in advance you know your shooting dates, the more likely it will be that you can get the equipment at the time you need. The package must be picked up in Brooklyn, NY, but can be used anywhere.
The Edgeworx Post-Production Grant will provide 1-2 weeks of post services to one feature-length film. Edgeworx areas of expertise include motion graphic design, animation, VFX, editorial and finishing, and you can read more about their work here. Previous grants have done titles and graphics, image cleanup and removals, compositing and special effects. Edgeworx is based in upstate New York, but work can be done remotely.
The Parabolic Sound Mix Feature Film Grant will provide a full sound package valued at $25,000, which includes: sound editorial, mix services with a 5.1 and stereo mix to be provided after. Parabolic will have 8 weeks after turnover to perform all sound editing design mix and review.In order to ensure a smooth process from turnover to mix, the Grantee must provide a locked version of film and audio sound rolls.

What’s the best way to answer the question, “Tell us about the film you are making – what is the plot, what will we see on screen?

400-800 words for this section is a good length to aim for. Remember to be as descriptive as possible. We want to know every plot point and character description in order to get as complete a picture in our minds as possible.

We do not want teasers, cliffhangers, mysteries, open-ended questions, etc. We want to know what happens. The sort of synopsis which takes us right up to the point where the story makes its decisive turns is great for press releases but not right when you’re seeking funding.

What’s the best way to answer the question, “Tell us about the film you are making — what is your artistic vision, what is the significance of the film?”

This question is pretty open-ended, but here you can tell us about what drew you to the subject matter, what passion you have for it, and why you think other people will care. You can also tell us about the tone and the style of the film. If you would like to reference other films, your own or those of others, that can be helpful. The grant panel will have seen your other work, so saying whether it will be similar or dissimilar to what you’ve previously done can be a useful comparison.

What is the best way to answer the questions about our production and post-production plan, schedule and needs?

Tell us your timeline as specifically as possible. Tell us about your collaborators, briefly. (We don’t need bios, just that an editor is on board, or a DP, or whatever is crucial). And most importantly, relate your answer to the grants for which you are applying. If you are seeking a cash grant, what will the cash be spent on? If you are seeking an equipment or service grant, how will the grant serve your project specifically?

I am making a fiction film using an improvisational technique, so I can’t provide the story yet – or –– I am making a non-fiction film using an observational technique, so I can’t provide the story yet . . . so how can I best tell you about the film I am making?

If making fiction based on improv, tell us the core story you have in mind, the feeling you’re trying to discover, the idea you’re exploring, or the tone you’re setting. Tell us what you are telling the actors to start them in the process and what you do to take them from scene to scene. How will you build this improvisation? What will you shoot? Where will you be? What problems do you hope to tackle?

Similarly, if making non-fiction, tell us what drew you to this subject. What emotions, ideas, stories? How do you hope to capture it? Through purely observational footage? With or without language? With voice over? With titles? Will it be structured by a plot, or through a series of characters, or by different themes within the subject matter (ex. a section on health care law, then a section on the pharmaceutical industry), or by some overarching structure (ex. “A day in the life of…”). You may not know exactly, yet, but how are you planning your shoots or approaching your editing process?

Need More Advice?

All filmmakers are encouraged to email filmfund@rooftopfilms.com or call 718-417-7362. When asking for advice, please focus on specific questions. We can only really advise how to make your application more clear and offer personal non-binding advice on the filmmaking. Simple questions are welcome any time!

Selection Process

The grants will be decided by a panel made up of outside reviewers, Rooftop Films staff and invited panelists, including staff from granting partner organizations. There will be follow-up questions and a second round of questions for advancing applications.

Payments and Reporting

If you are awarded a grant, you will be expected to keep us updated on the progress of your project. , You will need to sign a grant contract before receiving support.

The key provisions are:

The filmmaker must produce the film as outlined, to the best of their ability.
The filmmaker must produce the film within 18 months of the grant award.
Funds and services will not be allocated immediately, but for specific services as needed.
The filmmaker must allow Rooftop Films the right to screen the film within 12 months of the official world premiere, before theatrical or TV release and preferably before any New York screenings.

Rooftop Films has opted into the Documentary Core Application. Fiction and non-fiction films of any genre or category can apply using these application form pages, but to make the application process as convenient as possible for all filmmakers, we have updated our application questions to comply with the Documentary Core Application guidelines. Learn more.

Good luck! We’re excited to hear about your films, and to help them get made and get screened on the roof.