Global Media Makers LA Residency

The GMM LA Residency serves the following creators:

Mid-career directors, producers and screenwriters of narrative features, documentaries and web or episodic television from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

Mid-career creative producers of narrative features, documentaries and web or episodic television from Algeria, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Egypt, India, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates
 
Participating program countries have rich traditions of storytelling and have been historically underrepresented in the U.S. film industry.

The program includes intensive filmmaker labs, industry sessions, collaborative workshops, individual meetings with US industry professionals and networking opportunities.

Fellows are expected to foster a culture of mentorship in the region and are strongly encouraged to share their experiences and knowledge gained during their stay in LA with their local filmmaking communities. Selected filmmakers are recognized as Film Independent Fellows and will receive career-long support and eligibility to apply for Film Independent grants.
 

Global Media Makers Tracks

GMM Tracks help further the current projects of Fellows by introducing them to industry veterans who can offer both guidance on craft and individual feedback on their work. Fellows work with Mentors to further develop their projects, through one-on-one meetings and group sessions, over the course of the six-week program. The Tracks are structured to support writers, directors and producers who are still creatively engaged in the development process. Selected participants are required to focus on and develop the project with which they have applied to the program.

The Screenwriting Track supports writers applying with a completed draft of a feature film or a television pilot they wish to workshop during the program. Applicants must be the author of the script they have submitted and must control the rights to the project.

The Directing Track supports directors through mentorship on casting, directing actors and the workshopping of a selected pivotal scene from their project. Applicants must submit a completed draft of a feature film or a television pilot they wish to workshop during the program. Applicants must be the director of the project they have submitted.

The Creative Producing Track supports producers applying with a completed draft of a feature film or a television pilot they wish to workshop during the program. Applicants must be a producer and have a director attached to the project they have submitted.

The Documentary Track supports documentary filmmakers applying with a work-in-progress (trailer, select scenes or an assembly) they wish to workshop during the program. Applicants must be the director and/or producer and control the rights of the project they have submitted.
 

Collaborative Workshops

Through elective collaborative workshops, GMM Fellows engage in creative collaborations and a cross-cultural exchange with LA-based Film Independent Fellows, learning from one another about filmmaking and their different cultures and environments.

iPhone Documentary Workshop

Fellows explore the city of Los Angeles and discover people and subjects to document while using accessible new tools and technology.

Watch previous GMM Fellows’ iPhone shorts, filmed in LA, on the Film Independent Youtube channel.  

Immersive Storytelling and Virtual Reality Production

The Virtual Reality (VR) filmmaking component provides education and tools for cutting edge, interactive storytelling and technology. Providing an opportunity for collaboration and first-hand experience with the latest technologies, VR films are directed and produced by Fellows during the LA Residency.

Watch Do What You Love, an original GMM 360-degree short documentary. (For optimal viewing, use a VR/360-degree capable app and/or headset.)
 

Master Classes

Master Classes feature acclaimed film and television artists and leaders in the areas of cinematography, directing, editing, producing, sound design and visual storytelling across different platforms. Speakers, along with their creative collaborators (when available), will take part in a moderated in-depth discussion of their creative and collaborative processes, their work and their careers.
 

Industry Sessions

These sessions are designed to provide an opportunity for Fellows to meet with key professionals to learn American independent film and television best practices, and compare them to practices in their home countries.
 

Individual Mentor Meetings

During the LA Residency, Fellows will have an opportunity to meet one-on-one with Mentors to discuss their projects and receive career guidance. These individual Mentor meetings will be scheduled by the GMM team. Meetings may include script notes and feedback on a Fellow’s work; career advice; job shadowing opportunities; access to writers’ rooms and/or visits to sets, production lots and pitch sessions.
 

Field Trips

Fellows will visit studios, post-production facilities, cultural institutions and universities to broaden their understanding and perspectives of the film industry and arts and cultural communities in the U.S.
 

Cultural Engagement Activities

Cultural Engagement Activities will allow Fellows to experience the richness and diversity of life in LA. These activities may include screenings, concerts, exhibits, parties, lectures and neighborhood culinary tours.