Global Media Makers 2024 Call for Nominations

The US Embassy Doha will nominate ten mid-career filmmakers with at least one produced project as writer, producer or director for the Global Media Makers Los Angeles Residency (GMM) in Summer 2024. Filmmakers with citizenship or residency in Qatar are invited to submit their interest Here.

The Global Media Makers is a six-week residency and cultural exchange program that brings together international filmmakers with leading US entertainment professionals. Selected filmmakers take part in film programs with a focus on screenwriting, directing, creative production or documentaries and develop their current projects there. Filmmakers also take master classes, learn American filmmaking best practices, and take electives to learn new filmmaking technologies. Mentoring will continue remotely through video calls for the remainder of the year. Global Media Makers will cover the entire cost of the program, including transportation and lodging for the filmmakers selected to travel to Los Angeles. The program is supported by a partnership between the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and Film Independent.

Review and Selection Process

• Submit the interest form Here to the US Embassy Doha from Tuesday, August 1, 2023.
• GMM will contact qualified nominated candidates with instructions and a link to an online application form. The application period ends Monday 2 October 2023.
• Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for another Zoom interview, starting late January 2024.
• GMM selects up to 12 filmmakers for the GMM LA Residency, which consists of two parts: a virtual week and five weeks in person in Los Angeles May/June 2024.

Eligibility

To qualify for the GMM Los Angeles Residency, eligible applicants must:

• Be a citizen or permanent resident of a country in one of the following regions: Middle East, North and Sub-Saharan Africa, and South and Central Asia.
  • Currently working and residing full time in Qatar.
  • Exceptions can be made for filmmakers displaced from their home countries and living in exile in another country to which they have resettled.
  • US citizens, residents or green card holders are not eligible for this program.

• Be a mid-career filmmaker with at least one to three produced projects as a writer, producer, or director (in film, television, or serial web content). Please note that university graduates from the 2022-2023 degree programs are not eligible to apply.
• Submit an online application for a project currently in advanced development or production that addresses issues of local importance in the applicant’s home country or region. The selected participants must focus on and develop the project with which they applied to the program. (Global Media Makers will contact qualified nominees with instructions and a link to an online application form.)
• Feature filmmakers must have a finished screenplay or television play, documentary filmmakers must have at least 40 minutes of montage editing.
• Knowledge of English is required to participate in the program as it is the common language of Global Media Makers. All materials must be submitted in English.
• Selected filmmakers must be available to participate in all components of the six-week program. Final selection of traveling filmmakers is subject to J-1 visa approval.
• The LA Residency is a comprehensive and demanding program and participants must not be accompanied by family members or dependents.

GMM prefers creative teams consisting of a writer/director, writer/producer or director/producer, but individuals are also considered and encouraged to apply.

About global media makers

Since its inception in 2016, Global Media Makers has grown into a global network for filmmakers, connecting visual storytellers from around the world with leading US entertainment professionals through specially tailored mentoring, workshops and masterclasses. We brought more than 150 film, television and new media creators to Los Angeles for the LA Residency. Our fellows come from 21 countries: Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Syria, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Through the U.S. Department of State Office of Education and Culture

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) builds relationships between the people of the United States and the people of other countries through academic, cultural, athletic, professional, and personal exchanges, as well as public-private partnerships and mentoring programs. These exchange programs enhance foreign relations and strengthen U.S. national security, support U.S. international leadership, and provide a wide range of domestic benefits while helping to break down barriers that often separate us.

About Film Independent

Film Independent is the non-profit arts organization promoting creative independence in visual storytelling, supporting a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent supports filmmakers in the production of their films, builds an audience for their projects and works to diversify the film industry.