Silver Lake Shorts Fellowship 2027

Location
California, USA; preferably the Los Angeles area

Open to
Filmmakers who:

  • Are at least 18 years old

  • Live in California and are legally able to work in the United States

  • Are not enrolled in an academic institution

  • Have at least one completed film to show

  • Are proposing an independent animated or live-action short film

  • Can complete the proposed project within one year

Teams, partnerships, and collaborations are permitted, but one person must be designated as the Silver Lake Shorts Fellow and primary point of contact.

Application Fee
Not stated.

What’s Provided

  • $5,000 per film

  • The fellowship is intended to serve as the primary financing for the work

  • Payment is normally split into two $2,500 payments throughout the year, with flexibility based on specific project needs

  • Mentorship throughout the filmmaking process, from pre-production to post-production

  • Screening of the completed film

  • Assistance getting the film seen by industry partners and contacts

  • Assistance with submissions to other festivals

  • The completed work remains entirely owned by the creator

What the artist/applicant must cover
The $5,000 must go toward the full completion of the film. Applicants must provide a budget breakdown and demonstrate that the project can be completed within the required timeframe.

Duration
The film must be completed within one year from the date the grant money is received.

Deadline
November 8, 2026, at 11:59 PM.

Any other essential notes

  • The proposed film must be between 1 and 5 minutes in length.

  • Applicants must submit personal information, previous work, a budget breakdown, a script/storyboard, and impact statements in Phase 1.

  • Phase 2 includes an interview and submission of a loose one-year production schedule.

  • Applicants may pay themselves or others from the budget if funds allow.

  • Narrative shorts are preferred, but narrative music videos are also accepted.

  • Shorts with mature, graphic, or family-friendly content may be considered.

  • The selected filmmaker must sign a contract agreeing to complete the film within one year.

 

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