The Film Empire's inaugural film mentorship contest provides a unique platform for blossoming filmmakers! Submit your film for a chance to receive mentorships and meetings with some of Hollywood's leading producers, development executives, screenwriters, directors, cinematographers and other creatives. The mentors represent the full spectrum of the filmmaking process, from development to post-production.
RULES
- We love everyone but you must be a resident of United States, Mexico, Canada, United Kingdom or Australia.
- Must be 18 years or older to enter. No fake I.D.’s!
- The winning film (short or feature) must not be optioned by any studio, production company or investor. Only the submitting filmmaker will be eligible to receive any offered prizes.
- Both feature films and short films are eligible as we seek the best storyteller regardless of length.
- The winning filmmaker must be able to travel on the dates set by The Film Empire team as the mentors' schedules adhere to established dates ahead of time. Mentorship will occur on the final week of July 2017, culminating the MixKnowledgy’s summer event.
- Films must be uploaded to Film Freeway. Films can be uploaded directly to Film Freeway or if your film is already on Vimeo or YouTube you can simply link your video and you will need to enable downloading within Vimeo and communicate this information to The Film Empire.
- Films do not have to be in English but captions must be available if made in another languages.
- Any genre will be accepted.
- Applicants may submit project to other outside contests, we won’t tie you down! You’re not married to us, submit around!
- Applicants can submit as many films as they wish, with additional entry fees, but there are no resubmissions of a singular project. No refunds once submitted.
PRIZES
Grand Prize (limited to one winner):
Ticket for (1) to be flown into Los Angeles for 5 days of meetings with promoted mentors. Hotel stay for (1) for 5 days/4 nights of visit. Winner will be given a tour of Hollywood studios, production, and/or management companies. Some meetings will take place via video conference due to volume of mentors involved. A copy of Final Draft 10, FilmConvert, (1) SpecScout submission, SellAScript listings, $750 cash prize, dinner with co-founders of MixKnowledgy and The Film Empire, a 15 minute guest appearance at MixKnowledgy's summer event in the form of a solo Q&A alongside the Hollywood lineup, two free tickets for a year to any events hosted by MixKnowledgy (travel not included in this individual prize) and press coverage. After the week of mentorships, The Film Empire will arrange one monthly video conference call every month for a year with mentors, totaling (12) video calls.
Grand Prize Trip will take place July 24th - July 28th.
First Runner Up:
Three mentor video conference sessions (mentor to be decided at later time). Final Draft 10 and FilmConvert software to download. One free ticket to the MixKnowledgy event in July for The Film Empire (travel not included).
Second Runner Up:
One mentor video conference session (mentor to be decided at later time). Final Draft 10 and FilmConvert software to download. One free ticket to the MixKnowledgy event in July for The Film Empire (travel not included).
More prizes may be announced.
MENTORS
Find more information about our mentors here
- Bekah Brunstetter (producer & writer, This Is Us)
- Maia Glikman (Sony Pictures Television)
- Lesley Barber (composer, Manchester by the Sea)
- Constance Tillotson of LA Management (reps an Academy Award-nominated writer/producer)
- Ben Davis (cinematographer, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy)
- Peter Schink (screenwriter, Legion)
- Michael Shawver (editor, Marvel's Black Panther, Creed, Fruitvale Station)
- Joseph Garner (producer, War Dogs, executive at Bradley Cooper's Joint Effort)
- Amal Baggar (co-producer, Concussion)
- Joshua Butler (TV director, The Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars, The Magicians)
- Alex Barnes (Trigger Street Productions)
- Dan Liu (editor, The Walking Dead)
- Alex Czuleger (manager/CEO, Green Room Mgmt)
- Dan Scheinkman (Le Vision Pictures, Variety's Top New Leaders in Film 2016)
- Kameron Tarlow (development, Hazy Mills Productions)
- Talia Cohen (First Look Media)
- Lauren Selig (executive producer of Hacksaw Ridge, Jumanji)
- Kate Lilly (Film/TV coordinator at Funny or Die)
- Matt Birch (SVP, co-head, physical production | APA)
Mentors are subject to change.
ENTRY PERIODS
Earlybird
March 2017 - April 15, 2017
Regular
April 16, 2017 - May 20, 2017
Late
May 21 - June 1, 2017
FINALIST ANNOUNCEMENTS
Top 20 Finalists
June 15, 2017
Top 10 Finalists
June 17, 2017
Top 3 Finalists
June 24, 2017
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
June 27, 2017
ENTER THE COMPETITION
The Film Empire proudly accepts entries via FilmFreeway.com, the world's best online submission platform. FilmFreeway offers free HD online screeners, unlimited video storage, digital press kits, and more. Click to submit with FilmFreeway.