MOONSHOT FILM CHALLENGE
A fully resourced set so your talent can shine
This film challenge is unlike any other. No more using up all of your resources and favors for the chance to showcase your talent. We provide all of the support you need to make a film in one weekend!
Accepted participants are placed on crews and work with women and gender-expansive filmmakers in every role of production. We provide cinema-quality equipment courtesy of our sponsors, production insurance, stipends to submit to film fests and more!
The films made during the film challenge have been accepted into over 150 film festivals. More importantly, past participants' careers accelerate after this program due to the connections they make during the challenge.
After reviewing 100s of applications, we selected our 166 participants and hosted a night out for everyone to meet.
Four crews met at Broadway Stages, and one crew in the Hudson Valley, livestreamed from the Hudsy office. We assigned each crew a genre and a required prop. The writers began to work on the scripts and the rest of the crew began planning.
The 5 crews recieved complete camera packages, sound gear and G&E courtesy of our sponsors. They had time to test everything out and get familiar with new equipment.
The crews find their own locations. For this film challenge, crews filmmed in a bar, a dance studio, a house upstate, a community garden, and an apartment. Each location provides unique logistical challenges with storing and transporting equipment, barking dogs, power outages and more.
Throughout the film challenge, we remind everyone that this is not a competition. We are here to help! The Moonshot team visits each set to make sure everything is running smoothly and we are available at all times to help out.
In production, the first shot always takes longer than everyone expects. On our sets, everyone starts off as a stranger, and most people are using unfamiliar equipment. You can see one of our director's relief when she got the first shot done.
Despite all of our planning, sometimes things go wrong. On one of our set, a sound mixer got sick and then her replacement got a job last minute. One of our production assistants was able to step up to the task. We connected her with a seasoned sound mixer to help her learn the equipment.
Every crew is assigned an editor, assistant editor, sound mixer, composer, colorists and post sup. Each crew has access to Endcrawl for the making the final credits as well. This is how we ensure polished films for every participant.
We hosted a screening for 400 people at SVA theatre. Many filmmakers need to wait months or years to see their work on the screen. Sometimes it never even makes it to the screen. But we ensure that everyone gets to experience this milestone. We also help each of the films get into festivals.
Bummed you missed the last challenge? Make sure you are on our mailing list so you never miss an update. And in the meantime, scroll down for more information about the challenge or check out our other programs, like the Pilot Accelerator. Applications open in April, and we have a course on offer that will help you write a polished script for contention.
OUR IMPACT
53%
of participants are people of color
32%
of participants identify as LGBTQ+
9%
of participants are part of the disabled community
99%
of participants would recommend this challenge
October 19
Picture lock due by 11:59 p.m.
October 26
High-res upload due
November
Premiere screening (date TBA)
HOW ARE WE DIFFERENT?
We're on a mission to advance the careers of women and gender-expansive filmmakers. The only way to improve representation on the big screen is to support diverse emerging talent. Since filmmakers are expected to have a reel in order to get hired, many people are forced to fund their own work. With the cost of filmmaking prohibitively expensive for so many, we work year-round to fundraise so that our filmmakers don't need to shoulder that burden. Filmmakers are finally able to focus on building their networks and creating quality material for their reels and for festival submissions.
Our film challenge was created by filmmakers and every development has been inspired by feedback from nearly 1,000 surveys of past participants.
No other film challenge supports its filmmakers the way we do. Here is some of what we provide our participants:
Cinema-Quality Gear and Insurance
One of the most important factors in advancing someone's career is giving them access to the best, professional equipment. We secure sponsorships from top-of-the-line companies who share a deep desire to improve representation in the industry. Crews have access to over a million dollars of equipment. No more using up all your favors to get the equipment you need!
A Complete Crew/ New Network
Applicants are vetted by industry judges, so when you apply, your work is viewed by casting directors, screenwriters, directors and cinematographers. If you are accepted, you will be placed on a crew with around thirty other people in every role of production. You will instantly expand your professional network and be able to hire and refer women and gender-expansive crewmembers.
Premiere Screening & Festival Run
It's not enough to make the film...you need eyes on your work in order to get hired. We screen all completed films for an audience of hundreds of filmmakers and industry members. We provide waivers to help the films get into festivals around the world. We work year-round to showcase our participants talents and help them get hired.
Orientations and Trainings
Since the film challenge is unlike any other production, we offer extensive guidance. We recognize that our participants have varying backgrounds and experience which can be an asset if handled correctly. We provide trainings for core leadership roles, handbooks for all participants, workshops and ongoing support in order to ensure success.
HOW DO WE SELECT THE PARTICIPANTS?
While the film challenge itself is not a competition, we rely on the expertise of an outstanding panel of judges to help us select the participants for each film challenge. When you apply to the film challenge, your work is being seen by award-winning filmmakers!
The Moonshot Film Challenge was made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Additional funding was provided by Amplify Her Foundation and Artists Thrive. We are proud to partner with HUDSY TV to provide a satellite crew in the Hudson Valley.
PAST SPONSORS
"The scale of the challenge, the access to professional gear and contacts blew me away."
- Karen Rodriguez, Script Supervisor
Loved the Film Challenge? Take your career further with our Pilot Accelerator (applications open April 1) or enroll in Write a Pilot to develop your TV script with feedback and community.
Frequently asked questions
DON'T SIGN UP IF...
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You want to sell the film you make this weekend. This is a highly collaborative effort with no one person creating and executing the film. Moonshot Initiative retains all of the rights to the films. These films are meant to be used as materials for your reel, as a means to get you into festivals and as a tool for networking. If a film makes money through distribution, all proceeds will go towards helping more filmmakers through Moonshot.
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You need everything thoroughly mapped out before you do something. While we host a pre-production meeting and provide a detailed handbook, so much of this challenge is up in the air. You need to be flexible and excited to challenge yourself.
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You are a stickler for the standard roles of production. Again, everyone is working together to get the film done under a tight deadline and a limited budget. You may have to take on some extra tasks that you don’t normally do. The fun is in seeing what you’re truly capable of and bonding with others in the trenches.
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And it should go without saying: this is a space built on respect, inclusion, and a shared commitment to representation.