July 15, 2017
ABFF and Lightbox Launch Documentary Film Competition for Black Filmmakers
If you’re an African American filmmaker with an original documentary idea, then don’t miss this opportunity to sign up for the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Feature Documentary Competition. Select films entered into the competition will have their movie idea developed and produced by ABFF Films Division and Lightbox, a media company that has produced several acclaimed documentaries, including ESPN’s Fantastic Lies and LA 92, which is based on the 1992 L.A. riots following the acquittal of the police officers in the Rodney King beating case.
“We are honored to be partnering with the ABFF to encourage further diversity in the documentary genre.” said Lightbox co-founders Jonathan Chinn and Simon Chinn in a statement. “The documentary community has a rich tradition of embracing creative voices from a wide array of demographics and perspectives, but there is clearly more work for us to do to support African-American and filmmakers from minority communities who want to express themselves through the powerful medium of documentary story telling.”
The inaugural Feature Documentary Competition, which is being sponsored by National Geographic and 21st Century Fox, is part of a larger initiative created by ABFF and Lightbox to promote diversity in documentary films.
According to ABFFVentures.com, the submission guidelines and eligibility rules are as follows:
- Open to African American documentary filmmakers and others interested in exploring non-fiction stories and themes that speak directly to the African-American experience.
- Filmmakers must complete and submit the official entry form, downloadable from www.abffventures.com/films, along with the following two items which complete a single “proposal.”
- a 1-3 page documentary feature film treatment (.pdf file). Written treatments are to clearly articulate the narrative and creative ambition of the documentary.
- a 2-5 minute “proof of concept reel” (in the form of a standard digital video file, protected by a password). The reel must clearly demonstrate the proposed feature documentary in any manner the applicant feels is relevant. Proof of concept reel may include original or 3rd party footage for the purposes of illustrating the story, themes and style of the proposed documentary
- Filmmakers may submit up to three (3) proposals each.
- All film proposals must be wholly originated by the applicant and cannot have received any funding prior to submission.
- Filmmakers must submit proposals to docs@abffventures.com by no later than July 30, 2017.
- Three semi-finalists will be selected, followed by one winner who will receive the opportunity to enter into a development deal with ABFF Films and Lightbox (Fall 2017).
For full details, visit www.abffventures.com/films/. The deadline for entry is July 30.