Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I need to submit a WIP?
For non-fiction projects, a WIP is required. You should submit at least a trailer or scene selects.
Do I need a lawyer to review the PIC contract?
PIC strongly encourages producers to have their lawyer review the contract. PIC’s funder, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), dictates the bulk of the contractual requirements that pertain to broadcast rights and revenue sharing. These requirements are non-negotiable.
Do I have to be a Pacific Islander to apply for this award?
No. PIC funds authentic, well-told stories about the Pacific Islander experience. It is strongly suggested that all filmmakers, Pacific Islander and non-Pacific Islander, who were not raised in the culture whose story they are telling, form a cultural panel or hire cultural consultants to ensure accuracy when depicting the cultural elements of the story.
Who is considered a “Pacific Islander”? Are Filipinos (or Indonesians, Malaysians, et al.) Pacific Islanders?
PIC is interested in stories of the Pacific and the Pacific Islander experience in particular. For the purposes of the Media Fund, “Pacific Islander” is defined as one whose ancestors were the indigenous people of Polynesia, Micronesia, or Melanesia—in particular, Hawai‘i, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. If the project is specifically Filipino, Indonesian, etc. in subject matter, contact the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) at (415) 863-0814 or visit their website at caamedia.org.
If I am not a U.S. citizen, can I still apply?
You don’t need to be a U.S. citizen in order to apply for PIC funding. However, if you are not a U.S. citizen or a legal resident, you will need to secure a fiscal sponsor in order to be able to receive funding from PIC if you’re awarded funding. PIC is not allowed to disburse monies to foreign production companies or non-legal residents.
Who are the reviewers and how is the proposal reviewed?
The Independent Review Panel is composed of cultural experts, academics, national public television administrators, and/or independent producers. Panelists may change each year, but the award criteria remain the same. An effective proposal is comprised of a compelling story, concept, or treatment; an experienced production team; a reasonable, factual budget; and a solid sample work. The panel is always looking for innovative material. One word of caution: find out if a similar proposal has been recently produced or funded by PIC in the past. If it has, the chances of receiving funding are reduced.
If applying for Production or Completion funding, what if I am awarded and do not have all my funding in place?
PIC requires that producers have raised not less than 50% of the total project budget for Production funding. If a producer has not raised this percentage of the budget, PIC requires that a deal memo be signed within three months of the award notice. This deal memo secures the funding for the project so that additional fundraising can take place. If additional funding has not been secured within six months of the date of the deal memo, PIC has the option to forfeit the award. For Completion funding, PIC requires that producers have raised not less than 80% of the total project budget. If a producer has not raised this percentage of the budget, the project will not be qualified for Completion funding.
If you have questions not covered here, please contact Kainoa Rudolfo at krudolfo@piccom.org (808) 591-0059, ext. 140