Opportunities

 

The Media Fund is PIC's longest standing funding initiative, which provides funds for single non-fiction projects of half an hour or an hour in length about the indigenous Pacific Islander experience for two critical phases of production: Production and Post-production. Projects applying to the Media Fund must be intended for national public television broadcast, and therefore must be able to enter into a production agreement - this is not your typical grant. 

 

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FUNDING

We're pleased to announce that we've increased the maximum amount of funding applicants can request from $50,000 to $65,000.

 

DEADLINE  

Our Fall 2024 Open Call is now CLOSED. Our next call will open in Spring 2025.

This is a combined Media Fund/Shorts Fund call. When you access our application portal, simply choose which fund you'll be applying to. PIC opens these combined calls twice a year--once in the spring, and once in the fall.

We encourage interested applicants to read through the following sections to learn more about project qualifications, applicant eligibility, what we are looking for, what to expect during the application review, and funding terms.

Want to learn about the application process? Please proceed to the How to Apply page for detailed information on the materials required to submit with your application. We suggest reviewing this application checklist and preparing materials well in advance of the deadline.

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Please read the following sections carefully as some information may have changed.

WHAT PIC IS LOOKING FOR

We’re looking for single nonfiction projects of half an hour or an hour in length that are engaging and artistically innovative on subject matter that covers issues important to indigenous Pacific Islanders with the intention of social change to encourage a more informed, equitable and inclusive society. 

 

PIC defines Pacific Islanders as the descendants of the indigenous peoples of Hawai‘i, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Marianas, and other Pacific Islands of Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia.

 

Topics:  We are especially interested in projects that address the following topics.

• Social issues (e.g. physical and mental health, immigration, housing, education, food security, civil rights, race relations, etc.).

• Economic issues.

• Environment and sustainability. 

• Community portraits (e.g. LGBTQIA+, rural, families, immigration, underserved and underrepresented, etc.). 

• Travel, lifestyle, personal stories, identity, sports, etc. 

• Impact and solutions to COVID-19.

 

Additionally, we look for:

• Stories that are untold, little known, have an innovative approach and/or fresh perspectives of the indigenous Pacific Islander experience.

• Fully realized stories with completed treatments that are engaging, compelling and fitting for public television.

• Projects that adhere to PBS Funding and Editorial Standards and Practices.

• Projects that are timely and relevant to Pacific Islander communities with universal themes that have a strong potential to appeal to a wide and diverse audience.

• Experienced creative and production teams that can complete the project within budget and on schedule.

• Projects that provoke thoughtful dialogue about the subject matter and include a robust outreach, engagement and social impact plan with the intention of social change to encourage a more informed, equitable and inclusive society.

• Projects in which Pacific Islanders hold key creative and production positions.

• Strong training plans that strive to provide meaningful training and mentorship for emerging indigenous Pacific Islander media makers.

Project Parameters

Research and Development (R&D)

We are no longer accepting applications for R&D through our Media Fund. If you are seeking R&D funding for your project, you should consider applying to our Shorts Fund to create a proof of concept for a full length film.

Production Funding:

PIC now provides up to $65,000 in Production funding for single programs of standard broadcast length (26:46 or 56:46). In rare cases, when the story warrants it, PIC will consider feature-length programs in accordance with PBS broadcast specifications. 

If you’re applying for Production funds, you must be the copyright holder of the project, be able to clear all third-party materials (visual arts, archival footage and music) included in the program and be able to enter into a production agreement in which PIC will require certain rights to the film including exclusive U.S. television broadcast. For more information about what to expect with our contract terms, please see the CONTRACT TERMS section below.  

Projects that qualify for Production funding are ones that have already completed the research and development phase and are ready to conduct or continue principal photography. If you are awarded Production funds, you must have at least 50% of your total budget raised by the time you sign our contract in order to receive funding. Funded activities should include principal photography, enough post-production to get the project to a rough cut, and other activities related to production.

Post-Production Funding:

PIC now provides up to $65,000 in Post-production funding for single programs of standard broadcast length (26:46 or 56:46). In rare cases, if the story warrants it, PIC will consider feature-length programs in accordance with PBS broadcast specifications. 

If you’re applying for Post-production funds, you must be the copyright holder of the project, be able to clear all third-party materials (visual arts, archival footage and music) included in the project and be able to enter into a production agreement in which PIC will require certain rights to the film including exclusive U.S. television broadcast.  For more information about what to expect with our contract terms, please see the CONTRACT TERMS section below.

Projects that qualify for Post-production funding are ones that have already completed the research and development and production phases and are ready to conduct or continue post-production work. If you are awarded Post-production funds, you must have at least 80% of your total budget raised by the time you sign our contract in order to receive funding. 

Media Fund is not for completed programs seeking distribution. This would be considered an acquisition. For more details on submitting your film for acquisition consideration, visit our Series Acquisition page.

 

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ELIGIBILITY

You are eligible to apply if you are:

• An independent producer who holds artistic, budgetary, and editorial control and owns the copyright to the proposed project.

• A citizen or legal resident of the United States or its territories.  If you are not a U.S. citizen or legal resident, you can still apply, but you will be required to have a fiscal sponsor if awarded PIC funding.

• A producer who has previous film or television experience in a key creative role  (director, co-director, producer, co-producer or writer) with at least one completed full length documentary of your own.

 

Please note that you can only apply with one project to the Media Fund. If you have more than one project, we suggest applying with the one that you consider the strongest.

 

Additionally, we only accept applications to one PIC funding initiative at a time. If you currently have an application under consideration for another PIC funding initiative, your Media Fund application won't be considered.

 

You are not eligible if you are:

• Applying with a thesis project or student film.

• Employed as a producer, director or writer by a broadcast entity, film studio or educational institution.

• A producer or production entity that is foreign-based, owned, or controlled unless you are working with a U.S. fiscal sponsor.

• Applying with an industrial, commercial or promotional project.

• Current signatories of a PIC-funded project.  You may not enter into a new PIC contract until final delivery on your previous project is approved.

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WHAT TO EXPECT