SLOAN PRODUCERS GRANT

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation will award one participant of Film Independent's Producers Lab the second annual Sloan Producers Grant. The recipient will receive a $25,000 development grant, admission to Film Independent's 2009 Producers Lab, and year-round support from Film Independent. Learn more about the Sloan Foundation on their website.

The grant is funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, which seeks to create and develop new scripts and films about science and technology and to see them into commercial production with national and international distribution. It has screenplay development programs with the Tribeca, Sundance, and Hamptons Film Festivals, as well as other select independent partners and film schools.

To apply for the Sloan Producers Grant, the filmmaker must apply to the 2009 Producers Lab and indicate in their letter that they wish to be considered for the Sloan Grant. To be eligible for the Sloan grant the applicant must be attached as producer and possess the rights to the script with which they are applying and the screenplay should have a scientific, mathematical, and/or technological theme and storyline or have a leading character who is a scientist, engineer, or mathematician. A complete list of Student Film Awards is located at the Museum of Moving Image.

Sloan Producers Grant Deadline & Fees

Deadline: 6 July 2009

$55 Film Independent Members
$75 Non-members

Please note: Only one application fee is required to apply for the Sloan Grant and the Producers Lab.

For more information regarding the Sloan Producers Grant and/or the Lab, please contact Filmmaker Labs Associate, Jennifer Kushner, at 310.432.1275 or JKushner@filmindependent.org

2008 SLOAN PRODUCING FELLOW

Jim Young, Producer

The Man Who Knew Infinity

The story of Srinivasa Ramanujan, a poor Indian Brahmin who was a self-educated mathematical prodigy considered one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century.

Jim Young runs Los Angeles-based independent production and development company, Animus Films, which he launched five years ago. While at Animus, he produced the acclaimed documentary Year of the Bull, which aired on Showtime Networks. This past winter, Young produced the thriller Homecoming, starring Mischa Barton and Jessica Stroup. More recently, Young produced the dark comic thriller Don McKay, starring Thomas Haden Church, Elisabeth Shue, and Melissa Leo. He is also currently developing many projects with independent companies and studios, including The Mark Gordon Company, Relativity Media, Tollin/Robbins, Benderspink, National Geographic, Underground Films, Pressman Films, and Ruby Films. Previously, Young was a creative executive at actor Bill Paxton’s American Entertainment Company, and worked on the film Frailty (released by Lionsgate) and the development of various projects for studios such as Universal, Disney, Revolution, Screen Gems, and HBO.

2007 SLOAN PRODUCING FELLOW

Basmati Blues

A young American scientist sent to India to promote a new kind of genetically modified rice quickly finds herself wrestling with the real world effects of her work and the affections of two very different local suitors.

Monique Caulfield comes to Basmati Blues with 8 years of experience in the creative development of scripts. An entrepreneur, she is the founder of a manufacturing and marketing firm dedicated to socially and environmentally sustainable products. Starting with $5,000 in seed money, she established distribution in nine countries and manufacturing facilities on three continents. Caulfield sold the company and now focuses on producing films. Caulfield is the recipient of Film Independent's first annual Sloan Producers Grant.