This program supports filmmakers or filmmaking teams to implement a strategic vision for the impact and engagement they want to achieve with their finished film.
Project: Hatched provides grants of $30,000 USD each to directing teams from around the world who have plans to strategize, build, and launch an impact campaign for their film. We define impact as the transformative effect that films can have in creating personal, cultural, and/or social change, particularly for the individuals most affected by the issues addressed in the documentary.
We designed this program with flexibility in mind. Out of the $30,000 USD grant, a minimum of $15,000 USD must be allocated towards an impact campaign, and up to $15,000 USD can be used for post-production/completion or distribution expenses.
Eligibility
Applicant Eligibility Filmmakers must meet the following criteria:
Identify as a woman or gender-expansive filmmaker. Co-directing teams, where one director is a woman or gender-expansive filmmaker, are also eligible. In this case, the primary contact on the application should be the woman or gender-expansive filmmaker.
Be committed to implementing an impact campaign for the film.
Be based anywhere in the world (except for countries which are under comprehensive US sanctions).
Project Eligibility Projects must meet the following criteria:
Must be a documentary or nonfiction film (including hybrid docs).
Can be of any length, whether short, medium, or feature-length.
Must have been completed and premiered within a particular window of time. Eligible premieres include festival premieres and community screenings.
Must be planning for a continued release or distribution, whether theatrical, educational, or broadcast.
Must have clear impact goals and objectives.
Films previously supported by Chicken & Egg Films are eligible to apply.
Evaluation Criteria
Priority will be given to films committed to creating social change and/or uplifting underrepresented stories that challenge mainstream narratives. We support a broad range of issues from the personal to the political that explore a variety of artistic approaches, such as personal, experimental, animated, essayistic, archival, and beyond.
We will consider impact campaigns of different scales, ranging from local to international, and that are covering a wide range of themes and issues. When evaluating an application, we will assess the strength of the story, the filmmaking, and the impact campaign.
The impact campaign will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Clarity and Feasibility: Does the impact campaign have a clearly articulated vision for impact, goals, activities, and target audiences? Is the scale/scope of the campaign aligned with the identified impact goals? Is the campaign poised to be able to achieve the desired change?
Strategy and Relevance: Is the campaign relevant to the story and issues presented in the film? Is the proposed impact campaign a good fit for the film? Do they complement each other or build on one another in suitable ways?
Partnerships: Is the impact campaign informed by input from stakeholders and community partners?
FAQ
Women and gender-expansive filmmakers who are implementing an impact campaign for their completed film are eligible to apply. Co-directing teams, where one director is a woman or gender-expansive filmmaker, are also eligible. In this case, please note that the primary contact of the application should be the woman or gender-expansive director.
To be eligible for this grant, filmmakers must also meet the following criteria:
1. Must be committed to implementing an impact campaign for the film.
2. Can be based anywhere in the world, except for the countries which are under comprehensive US sanctions (Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and the following regions of Ukraine: Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk). If you are originally from these countries/regions but are based outside of them, you are still eligible to apply. If you are making a film that takes place in one of these countries/regions, you may apply, but you will not be able to spend the grant in these countries/regions.
Films must meet the following criteria:
1. Must be a documentary or nonfiction film (including hybrid docs).
2. Can be of any length, whether short, medium, or feature.
3. Must have been completed and premiered* within a particular window of time. Dates for future Project: Hatched programs will be updated and reflected once the open call is announced. *Eligible premieres include festival premieres (any festival is eligible as long as the film has world premiere status) and community screenings (eligible community screenings take place at verifiable venues with a minimum seating capacity of approximately 50+ people).
4. Must be planning for a continued release or distribution, whether theatrical, educational, or broadcast.
5. Must have clear impact goals and objectives.
The film is not eligible if:
- It is a series.
- It is a VR or interactive project.
- Its plans are solely limited to a marketing strategy.
A community screening refers to a public screening that is often self-organized with the intention of reaching a specific audience that you are wanting to impact through the film. Community screenings can take place in various locations such as public libraries, religious buildings, community centers, or private venues. Filmmaker-organizers often utilize community screenings as a tool or method to create impact. While community screenings come in all shapes and sizes for our application, we will only consider community screenings that are held in verifiable venues with a minimum seating capacity of approximately 50 or more people.
To ensure eligibility for your community screening premiere, you will be required to:
1. Verify the venue and provide evidence of the community screening event. You can do this by providing one of the following: A link or a screenshot to the venue listing the event OR a link to a social media listing or website that contains information about the venue and event details.
2. Confirm the seating capacity of the venue. Please provide a link or a screenshot that shows the venue’s seating capacity. This information is often available on the venue’s rental or logistics webpage.
Note: In case the reviewing committee has additional questions about your community screening event, you may be asked to provide a list of attendees.
No. While many community screenings are free of charge, a community screening license allows for the option to charge a small fee for the event with the intent to generate profit from the film screening. Both free and fee-based community screenings are eligible to apply.
No, any festival premiere is accepted as long as the festival is curated and open to the public.
In order to be eligible, the project must be directed or co-directed by a woman or gender-expansive filmmaker. Additional team members, such as producers and impact producers who are key to the successful development of a project, may collaborate with the director to submit their application. Please note that the primary contact of the application should be the director(s).
Yes, filmmakers who have previously received support from Chicken & Egg Films are eligible to apply to Project: Hatched, whether they are applying with a film that has already received support or a completely new film.
Yes. If you have covered all of your completion expenses, you can use the full $30,000 USD for your impact campaign.
Yes. $15,000 USD of the grant must be allocated for your film’s impact campaign. The other $15,000 USD can be used to cover post-production expenses that have already been incurred, including but not limited to compensation for you or your team’s time during the completion stage.
Yes. All selected projects will receive a $30,000 USD grant, with at least $15,000 USD allocated for an impact campaign. While shorts typically have smaller production budgets than feature-length films, the cost of strategizing, building, and launching an impact campaign can be similar.