BlackStar Pitch
In 2021, BlackStar Film Festival will host the third annual BlackStar Pitch. Filmmakers will pitch their short nonfiction projects in front of a virtual audience and a panel of judges to receive feedback and have an opportunity to win an artist grant from WarnerMedia OneFifty. The winner and runner-up will both receive Vimeo PRO accounts for a year as well.
An honorable mention winner will receive a $2,500 cash prize from POV and IF/Then, mentorship from IF/Then staff, and two hours of impact campaign planning support from Working Films.
This year’s BlackStar Pitch is focused on documentary short projects.
About
BlackStar Pitch will showcase a group of 8 filmmakers, who will be selected based on their applications due June 6. The filmmakers will pitch their works-in-progress to a distinguished panel of funders, executives, distributors and producers. The 8 finalists will also have a chance to meet with a minimum of 2 panelists in one-on-one sessions prior to the Pitch contest to get direct feedback and advice on their projects.
The panelists will choose the best pitch, to be announced during the virtual awards ceremony on August 8, 2021.
Each pitch will last 7 minutes (including video reel) followed by 8 minutes of constructive feedback. The pitch is designed to connect industry professionals with new voices in the independent film community.
Judges
Alex Hannibal, CNN
Caitlin Mae Burke, IF/Then
Chi-hui Yang, Ford Foundation/JustFilms
Chloe Walters-Wallace, Firelight Media
Chris Hastings, WORLD Channel/WGBH
Jeff Seelbach, Topic/First Look Media
Mervyn Marcano, Field/House Productions
Opal Hope Bennett, POV/American Documentary
Details
Team
Pitches should be submitted by a project’s director or producer. Each pitch team must consist of a minimum of one and maximum of three members.
Presentation
Each pitch will last 7 minutes (including video reel) followed by 8 minutes of constructive feedback.
Prize
The winning pitch will receive an opportunity for an artist grant from WarnerMedia OneFifty, which is WarnerMedia’s content innovation hub. This grant will be used to amplify the content and create materials to be used in the pre-development phase of the project. The winner and runner-up will both receive Vimeo PRO accounts for a year as well, free of charge.
An honorable mention winner will receive a $2,500 cash prize from POV and IF/Then, mentorship from IF/Then staff, and two hours of impact campaign planning support from Working Films.
Deadline
The application will open April 30. The deadline to apply is now June 6.
Notification
Applicants will be notified of the selection committee’s decision by June 21.
Acceptance
Chosen projects will have to accept the offered pitch slot and provide verification of text for publication by July 9.
Questions?
Have questions or concerns? Email pitch@blackstarfest.org.
