Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab
A year-long fellowship with BlackStar for Black, Brown, and Indigenous filmmakers in Philadelphia.
BlackStar is proud to present the 2025 Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab, an opportunity designed to uplift emerging and mid-career artists in the Greater Philadelphia area. BlackStar’s Filmmaker Lab will support four projects by Black, Brown and Indigenous filmmakers with mentorship, funding and critical feedback over the course of a year-long program. BlackStar will provide a $50,000 grant and act as an executive producer on each short film created during the Lab. Lab films will later premiere at the BlackStar Film Festival in 2025.
Selected directors will receive mentorship throughout the fellowship including feedback on works-in-progress, advice on working with crew and career guidance from a working director. The fellowship supports short narrative, experimental or hybrid projects in any genre.
The application for the 2025 Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab will be open from April 24 to May 17, 2024.
Read about our 2023 Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab fellows here.
Eligibility
Candidates must live in the Greater Philadelphia area.
Projects must be filmed in the Greater Philadelphia area.
The Lab is not open to students currently pursuing an art or film degree, organizations, or corporations.
Candidates should identify as Black, Brown, Indigenous or as a Person of Color (BIPOC).
The Lab is open to adults at least 18 years of age.
Applicants must be available for Orientation Weekend, currently set for September 21-22, 2024.
Directing Fellowship
The Lab does not accept films that are currently in production or post-production.
Applicants must be listed as the director of the submitted project.
Candidates must have directed and exhibited at least one short film in any genre.
Candidates should submit a short script for an original film. Our preference is for narrative, experimental and hybrid work of 15 minutes in length or less. Adaptations are acceptable as long as applicants can demonstrate permission to use the material.
Previous Lab fellows are not eligible to participate.
Key Dates
April 24, 2024 – Application Opens
May 2, 2024 – Application Info Session
May 17, 2024 – Application Closes
July 1, 2024 – Notification Date
July 31, 2024 – Meetup at 2024 BlackStar Film Festival
September 21-22, 2024 – Orientation Weekend (Candidates must be available for in-person programming)
The BlackStar Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab is presented by the William Penn Foundation with additional support from Independence Public Media Foundation, Mellon Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, Gucci Changemakers Fund and Expressway Cinema Rentals.
The Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab will take place over the course of 12 months, beginning in late fall 2022. While we plan to gather participants in person throughout the fellowship, BlackStar will follow safety protocols of the time as recommended by the CDC. Selected fellows will receive further details about the format closer to the start of the Lab.
No, there is no application fee for the Lab.
Eligible candidates must live in the Greater Philadelphia area.
There is a limit of one submission per applicant. Applicants must choose one track.
No, you may only submit one project to the Lab.
Yes. You will be required to submit work samples which must include at least one film project. However, it is not required for producing applicants to have previous producing experience. For example, if you are credited as a Production Assistant on a work, you are welcome to include that project as your qualifying film work sample.
No. Producers will be chosen through the producing fellowship application pool by the BlackStar Programs team. If you have a producer in mind, we encourage them to apply for the fellowship.