by Ana Vasile, published on 12.04.2011

Tribeca Film Institute, a New York based nonprofit organization, opened a special fund for non-fiction, multiplatform projects.  The organization position itself as a funding provider for filmmakers and a promoter of film.

The TFI New Media Fund is specifically oriented towards projects that go beyond traditional screens, integrating video with content across media platforms, from video games and mobile apps to social networks and interactive websites.

This initiative emphasizes the importance of innovation through storytelling, as the fund members said “We’re looking for projects that activate audiences around issues of contemporary social justice and equality around the world and demonstrate the power of cross-platform storytelling and dynamic audience engagement.”

Projects

The projects eligible for submission must present a non-fiction story focused around issues of contemporary social justice and equality, by including an integrated cross-platform or interactive component designed to engage and activate audiences in imaginative ways.

The fund welcomes documentary, hybrid/scripted, animation and other innovative storytelling approaches. TFI New Media Fund creators highlight that “We will only accept projects that are in an advanced development stage and beyond,” in order to be accepted the author must submit at least 7 minutes of footage and demonstrate that the “Fund will have a meaningful impact on the completion of your project”.

While students’ projects are not accepted, first time filmmakers are encouraged to submit their work in order to obtain the funding offered. They only need to demonstrate the innovation brought by their project and how it engages audiences in new ways. The video component can be feature-length or short and can be designed specifically for a new media platform – for example a web series.

Even if the organization is based in New York, producers and filmmakers from all over the world can submit their creations. The project needs to be relevant for the American public and at least subtitled in English.

Funding

While there are no entry fees, only four to eight projects will be each receiving between $50,000 and $100,000 in funding.

Entry Deadlines

The submission deadline is May 25th, 2011

Here you can find more detailed information on the fund and here you can submit your work.