Lena Waithe and her Hillman Grad Productions shingle along with Indeed have renewed Rising Voices in a second round. According to a press release, applications are being accepted for the second edition, which is intended to share stories from BIPOC artists.
Rising Voices Season 2 will give 10 filmmakers a $100,000 production budget to create a short movie. The short films will be shown at a film festival in 2022. Waithe and other filmmakers will mentor the program participants and provide access to a production crew and a $10,000 writing fee.
“We are thrilled to be bringing back the Rising Voices program with our partners at Indeed,” stated Waithe and Hillman Grad President Rishi Rajani. “This year’s brilliant films and filmmakers proved that there are so many stories out there to tell and so many artists ready to tell them. Creating these opportunities for underrepresented voices and kickstarting their careers is fundamental to our mission here at Hillman Grad.”
Hillman Grad and Indeed have also revealed the Production and Development Lab. This one-year residency program will feature three Rising Voices Season 1 artists: Stacy Pascal Gaspard and Gabriela Ortega. “Following Indeed’s incubator program, which operates to fund new product ideas internally, Hillman Grad will work with the filmmakers to develop ideas and create content for Indeed,” the source details. “A $2 million production budget from Indeed has been allocated to The Lab, and Hillman Grad will provide production support. Each filmmaker is awarded $100,000 for their role as filmmaker in residence.”
Indeed invested $3 million total in Season 2 & The Lab, tripling its original contribution to Rising Voices.
“The incredible work of the filmmakers in Season 1 of Rising Voices demonstrated our belief that talent is universal, but opportunity is not. The proof is in the amazing work the filmmakers have gone on to do after the premiere at the Tribeca Festival,” said Indeed CEO Chris Hyams. “I am ecstatic to expand our partnership with Lena Waithe and Hillman Grad Productions to have a production and development lab for some of the talent we discovered last year and help another class of filmmakers be seen, heard, and financed.”
Applications for Rising Voices Season 2 can be submitted until January 4. Head over to the program’s website for more information.
Source: Women And Hollywood