Videomaker - USA (2019-11)

contents

full screen

print

contents

full screen

print

32 VIDEOMAKER >>> NOVEMBER 2019

What happens if you win the grant?

If you’re lucky enough to win a grant from the

Gucci Tribeca program, what happens next? “If

it’s a $10k grant, it’s given to the filmmaker or the

LLC,” says Rodriguez. “We just cut them a check.

It’s dispersed as soon as the agreement is signed

and can take up to a few weeks. If it’s $15k or

higher, it’s split up. The first $10k is released

upon signing and the remaining is released when

delivery of a rough cut assembly is completed.”

There are no rights restrictions for the grants

winners; filmmakers just need to include the

Tribeca logo on the film and an acknowledg-

ment in the credits. TFI can provide feedback or

notes to the filmmakers after reviewing a new

or final cut of the film. However, the filmmaker

is under no obligation to make changes based

on the feedback from TFI.

“If a filmmaker goes down the wrong path,

we have a conversation, but we are mainly here

to help and assist.” Rodriguez continues, “If the

filmmaker is submitting to a festival, we talk

with our colleagues to see if we can help. If the

filmmaker wants us to help with the rollout,

we can assist in that regard. We brainstorm a

strategy with them. It’s only as hands-on as the

filmmaker wants us to be.”

What about distribution?

The ultimate goal of any film is to find its audi-

ence. Rodriguez said they do provide some

support in connecting filmmakers to distributors

where it seems applicable:

“It depends. We do catch up calls with film-

makers. If they tell us they are speaking to a few

(potential distributors), if we know them, we

might be a cheerleader. We also run a film mar-

ket during the Tribeca Film Festival, called TFI

network. It’s a filmmaker and industry market, a

way for filmmakers to take meetings with indus-

try people including distributors or sales agents.”

Final advice for filmmakers

“We like filmmakers to be really confident and

trust their samples and materials,” Rodriguez

says. “We have a general inbox (documentary@

tfiny.org) where my team answers questions

according to how they arrive in the queue. But we

can’t delve into feedback once we close for sub-

missions. If they have updates, we can see if we

can incorporate them... When we are not open

for submissions is a good time to reach out and

pick our brains.” Rodriguez says.

Rodriguez concludes “All our children, we love.

We are proud to have supported these films.”

How to win a grant: An inside look at the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Film Fund

Landon Dyksterhouse is an award winning doc

filmmaker and founder of the independent film

company D-House Entertainment.

“Women in Blue” addresses a precarious moment for the Minneapolis Police Department after a high-profile shooting

causes the department’s first female chief to resign. The film follows three women officers as they seek to restore com-

munity trust and reform the department.

You can comment on this article by going online:

http://www.videomaker.com/?p=72016868

Women in Blue directed by Deirdre Fishel photo by Eric Phillips-Horst courtesy of TFI

390 F08 Tribeca Film Fund.indd 32 9/24/19 2:17 PM

#DanceLikeaDad

fatherhood.gov

7.0 in.

10.0 in.

19NFM0007_A-NFP

06/07/19 11:06 AM MC

1 of 1

R. Butterworth T. Cerroni K. Smalley R. Chu

MM

edit

90000001

202537

2/0

National Fatherhood_NF

Ad Council_AA Dad

Vendor 6/7

4C

7 10

Internal

FullPageAD_NEWTemplate.indd 48 9/24/19 9:10 AM