More filmmaking opportunities are coming out of the Sundance Institute, as the famed organization has now joined forces with TED to award the Sundance Institute I TED Prize Filmmaker Award, which will provide a large sum of money to an exceptional visionary filmmaker who will be tasked with creating a world-changing project.
The two organizations are holding an open call for proposals in what is now their second year working together. The filmmaking challenge — a documentary short — is meant to revolve around the work of the 2014 TED Prize winner, Charmian Gooch (co-founder and director of Global Witness), in an attempt to fulfill Charmian’s desire to expose and dissect forms of corruption that only an accomplished filmmaker can.
“Documentary film has the power to amplify a crucial message and mobilize engaged citizens. Through the Sundance Institute | TED Prize Filmmaker Award, one filmmaker will tell the story of Charmian Gooch’s vision to launch a new era of openness in business and help bring her bold project to audiences world-wide,” Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, said.
In order to attain the $125,000 prize money, the winning project must meet a set of criteria that includes highlighting the work of the TED Prize winner over the course of their first 12 months after receiving the award; being suitable for creating appreciation and deeper understanding of the TED Prize winner’s work; being independently produced, with creative control held by the producing/directing team; displaying directorial vision/aesthetic; and having the potential for theatrical release.
Deliverables for the award include a short cinematic film of 25-40 minutes in length, a multi-platform release strategy, a trailer of under 90 seconds, and a 3-5-minute version of the film. Film projects must be completed within 18 months of the announcement of the award. Clips will be screened at the 2015 TED Conference in Vancouver, Canada.
The winning proposal will be announced in June 2014. To find out more about the award, click here. For more information about Charmian Gooch, winner of the annual TED Prize, click here.
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