If you’ve ever endeavored to create something then you know just how important external validation can be. We can talk a big game all we like about how it’s quite enough for our work to exist for its own sake or simply to satisfy our own innate maker impulses. But let’s be honest: having other people recognize our efforts and bestow upon us their praise is an essential part of motivating the artistic brain to keep going, to testing the limits of its ability and ambition.

So really, when you vote for the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards this year, you’re participating in much more than a simple popularity contest. You’re helping to shape the very future of moviemaking—the Spirit Awards being (as always!) the industry’s foremost champion of underrepresented voices and great innovations in the field of visual storytelling.

For proof look no further than last year, when Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight claimed the year’s top prize en route to becoming one of the most highly praised films of the year.

To watch Jenkins’ speech, as well as speeches and highlight from all of last year’s winners and nominees, just click on the below playlist:

So are you ready (once again) to vote for independents and help determine the winners of the 2018 Spirit Awards? Great! The first thing you need to do, if you haven’t already, is to become a Member of Film Independent.

Members who join by December 7 can avail themselves of all Spirit Award benefits, including:

Screeners! Arguably the greatest of all Hollywood perks, screeners of select Spirit Award-nominated films will be available as either digital copies or as physical DVDs for your Awards season perusal. Perfect for filling up your viewing diet once it becomes clear that your preferred sports franchise of choice is nowhere near making the playoffs. There is no one who doesn’t love screeners!

Free theatrical screenings. LA-area Film Independent Members are invited to attend free theatrical screenings of all Spirit Award-nominated films. Catch up with the year’s best films on the big screen—just as the filmmakers (probably) intended.

And more. Membership perks aren’t limited to just the Spirit Awards. Members get other stuff, too. Stuff like priority pre-sale registration and discounted ticket rates to the LA Film Festival; year-round free Member screenings; access to all Film Independent at LACMA programming; free film education and filmmaker toolkit resources; job board access; Member networking; lowered Festival submission rates. All for just $95 a year. Learn more by clicking here.

Look—this isn’t some cheap hustle. Film Independent is asking for your help in deciding the personalities, films and ideas that will shape to our culture (and Film Independent’s mission) for years and decades and generations to come.

Click here for a complete list of 2018 Film Independent Spirit Award nominees, or watch yesterday’s press conference announcement of the nominations.

The 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards happen Saturday, March 3 on the beach in Santa Monica and will be broadcast live on IFC at 2p/5e with returning hosts Nick Kroll and John Mulaney.

Become a Member of Film Independent today. And for more Spirit Awards, please subscribe to our YouTube channel, follow us on Twitter and be our friend on Facebook and Instagram.