The Documentary Lab is Firelight Media’s longest-running artist program. This 18-month fellowship is designed to nurture underrepresented nonfiction storytellers working on their first or second feature film. The Documentary Lab provides holistic support for fellows’ projects and careers through professional development retreats, customized mentorship, and a $25K project grant. Throughout the Lab, filmmakers build a network within the documentary ecosystem, connecting with the fellows and alumni, as well as forging industry relationships across the field.
The open call for the Documentary Lab is live now and will close on May 13, 2024.
Firelight Media hosted an informational webinar about applying to the Documentary Lab for emerging nonfiction filmmakers of color.
More than just a workshop, the Documentary Lab is unrivaled in its representation of diverse filmmakers, creating a network of talented, unique storytellers that receive ongoing support from a project’s conception to its completion. Over the last decade, the Documentary Lab grew from a mentorship program to a robust artist development initiative that has supported over 100 emerging filmmakers and granted over $600k toward productions and distribution.
The Firelight Media Documentary Lab is an 18-month fellowship program that supports underrepresented filmmakers in the United States in directing their first or second feature-length documentary film. The Documentary Lab provides filmmakers with a $25,000 grant toward their projects as well as customized mentorship from prominent leaders in the documentary world, professional development retreats, and networking opportunities.
We’re looking for ambitious applicants making artful and innovative documentary films that focus on underrepresented communities and provide new narratives about the most pressing issues of our time. Firelight Media will consider all types of long-form documentary projects – historical, investigative, personal, vérité, and experimental.
The timeline for application review, finalist notifications, and the upcoming Fellowship is below.
Filmmakers are not eligible to receive support through one or any of Firelight Media’s artist programs if:
The dates for the 2024 Documentary Lab Open Call are Monday, April 1, 2024 - Monday, May 13, 2024 at 11:59PM EST.
Firelight Media utilizes the Core Documentary Application. As part of your submission, you will need to share a work sample or rough cut no less than 10 minutes and no longer than 30 minutes.
We strongly suggest that you first write your application in a Word document or create your own separate copy as a back-up prior to applying via the Submittable portal. Please be sure to save your document then copy & paste your responses into the online application via Submittable. Uploading files into your application via Submittable might take some time; do not wait until the last hour to submit as we do not accept any late submissions.
We will be hosting a 2024 Documentary Lab Open Call webinar on Friday, May 3, 2024 from 4-5pm EST. RSVP HERE.
View Documentary Lab FAQs here (pdf).
Questions about the Documentary Lab? Please write to us at doclab@firelightmedia.org.