make a film

🎥

make a film 🎥

CommissioninG Fund Program

Deadline: April 15, 2025 by 11:59 PM PDT

Youth and Emerging artists based in so-called “Canada” are invited to create a 3-15 minute short film that will premiere at F-O-R-M’s 10th annual festival in November 2025. 

Apply with a short film concept that involves movement of any genre, practice, or interpretation.

Jump to: Eligibility Criteria, Application Details, Budget and Timeline Templates, Timeline, Expectations, Assessment Criteria


About the Program

The Commissioning Fund Program (CFP) is an opportunity for artists to develop their creative voices through experimentation and collaboration to create a new short film.

F-O-R-M gives complete creative rein to all participants and will have dedicated staff available to support technical or artistic questions that might arise throughout the creation process. Artists will have five months to complete their films and are expected to meet specific deadlines throughout this period. Their films will premiere at F-O-R-M in November 2025.

Through this program, selected artists will be provided with:

  • $3500 towards production funds

  • Facility and equipment resources (up to $1500 credit value) through partner organizations Cineworks (Vancouver), VIVO (Vancouver), and Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers (Calgary)***

  • Workshops facilitated by professional artists in the movement-on-screen community, tailored to participating artists’ needs and interests

  • One-on-one mentorship with an established artist

    • Artists are invited to propose a mentor they would like to work with from their community, or a mentor can be sourced through F-O-R-M’s community


***If you are interested in applying but do not live in an area with access to one of our facility and equipment partners listed above, please get in touch with us! We cannot guarantee that equipment and rental facilities can be supported outside of these host organizations, but we will do our best to source support.

How to Apply

Deadline: April 15, 2025
Application forms must be submitted by 11:59 PM PDT

There is no fee to apply. 

Learn more about the 3 different ways to apply to best support how you share your ideas with us.

All sections are to be filled out via the online form below, or can be emailed to Associate Artistic Director
danielle@f-o-r-m.ca with subject line: [NAME] 2025 Commissioning Fund Program Application

Application Support Days: Watch a recording of the session to hear from F-O-R-M team members directly about tips and tricks to help with your application. We go into detail about each step of the application process.


Eligibility Criteria

  • Applicants must identify as either a Youth or Emerging Artist:

    • Youth: Lead creator must be between the ages of 15-25 by November 2025 (born 2000 to 2006).

    • Emerging: Lead creator must be 26 years or over (born 1999 or earlier), and self identifies as an Emerging artist or is new to the practice of movement and/or filmmaking. For the Emerging category, we will prioritize proposals where:

      • This is the applicant’s first or second time exploring movement-based filmmaking

      • The film features youth mover(s) ages 15-25 

      • There are 2 or more Youth working on the production

      • See this video What is an Emerging artist? to help determine if you are an Emerging artist (source: CADAC)

  • Co-applicants are welcome and encouraged

    • If applying with a co-applicant, please choose the age category of the oldest applicant. For communication and financial purposes, there must be a lead applicant. 

  • Applicants must be currently residing in so-called Canada throughout the duration of the program (May-November 2025)

    • Applicants must have a Canadian bank account and be able to accept etransfers

    • Applicants do not need to have Canadian citizenship or PR status to apply

  • All applicants must read and agree to the rules and regulations.  

F-O-R-M strongly encourages and prioritizes applications from Youth artists, and those from intersectional and traditionally marginalized communities; Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, folks with disabilities, and diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions (LGBTQ2S+).


SUBMIT YOUR IDEA

💭

SUBMIT YOUR IDEA 💭

 

Application Details

Deadline: April 15, 2025
Application forms must be submitted by 11:59 PM PDT
Fill out the Application Form Here or click on the button

There is no fee to apply. 

All sections are to be filled out via the form, or can be emailed to danielle@f-o-r-m.ca with subject line: [NAME] 2025 Commissioning Fund Program Application

3 Application Options

With the goal of reducing the barriers of this application, we are accepting proposals for the application (Section 2 below) in a variety of formats. These options are meant to invite different modes of communication and support your comfort level in order to get to know you and your ideas.

Section 1: General information about you
Section 2.1: Film Proposal ***(Option A, B, or C)
Section 2.2: Approach to Collaboration and Community Care ***(Option A, B, or C)
Section 3: Support Material

Learn more about each of the options below:

  • Option A—Written Application: 

    • Complete the application form digitally and attach a single PDF document with written answers responding to the application questions.

  • Option B—Pre-Recorded Video Application: 

    • Submit a video (up to 10 mins) responding to the application questions. There is no need to submit anything high quality or edited, and you are not obligated to be visible in the video. Just make sure that we can hear you clearly and that we understand your ideas and intentions. Complete the application form digitally and attach a Youtube or Vimeo link.

  • Option C—Live Video Call Application: 

    • Participate in a 15-minute video call responding to the questions in Section 2 & 3 with one of our team members. This meeting will be guided as a casual conversation that is recorded and shared with the 2025 Artistic Committee. If you are interested in this option, please select a preferred time for a video call by April 3, 2025 via the application form. Video calls will take place April 7-10 to provide enough time for the recordings to be transcribed and shared with the Artistic Committee.

If you have other accessibility needs (such as requiring ASL interpretation for your meeting or need support in submitting the file) please reach out to danielle@f-o-r-m.ca

Budget and Timeline Templates

Make a copy of these templates below by duplicating the doc and editing it to fit the scope of your project.

*Reminder! A budget and timeline are required as part of the support material for the application

 

Timeline

March 7: Call opens

March 27: Virtual Application Support Day — 3PM-5PM PDT — Register for these virtual sessions and fill out this form HERE by March 26

March 31:
Virtual Application Support Day — 4PM-6PM PDT — Register for these virtual sessions and fill out this form HERE by March 26

April 3: Final day to register for a Live Video Call Application (**only for artists applying through Option C) — Register by completing the application form and selecting what your preferred date is for the video call

April 7-10: Live Video Call Applications **only for artists applying through Option C

April 15: Call closes

May 14: Artists notified of results 

May 19-23: Individual orientation meetings

June 5-7: CFP Workshop Intensive 

June 16: Report 1 due 

July 18: Report 2 due 

August 20: Cohort Film Screening 1

August 22: Report 3 due 

September 24: Report 4 due + rough drafts of films 

September 26: Cohort Film Screening 2

October 20: Final films delivered

November 22: Film premieres at F-O-R-M 2025

December 1: Report 5 due + program debrief

Examples of Past Commissions

Take a look at some of the previous films made through the Commissioning Fund Program!

 
 

Expectations

Selected participants will: 

  • Sign a letter of agreement with specific delivery dates

  • Complete brief reports and feedback forms 

  • Be in communication with festival coordinators and mentors throughout their process

  • Submit their full film, adhering to required formats, with program notes and credits by deadlines

  • Have free admission to all F-O-R-M 2025 festival events

The funds will be disbursed: 50% after signing a letter of agreement, and the remainder throughout the program after delivery of check-in reports and the final film.


Assessment Criteria and Selection Process

Each year, we form an Artistic Committee composed of past participating artists and community members with experience and knowledge in film and/or movement practices. Committee members are asked to evaluate proposals based on:

  • Artistic Vision 

  • Impact 

  • Feasibility 

  • Support Material

Rubric for assessment can be found here

All applications are reviewed by all Artistic Committee members and members of the F-O-R-M team. We use a scoring system using the above criteria to help with sorting applications after our first review. We then meet and discuss all applications. We make a selection from the projects being considered ensuring there is diversity on the grounds of form, gender, new and returning artists, and artists from under-represented populations.

All Youth applicants will receive feedback on their application. Emerging artists may receive feedback if requested via email.


Questions?

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email Associate Artistic Director danielle Mackenzie Long at danielle@f-o-r-m.ca, or fill out the contact form below:


Thank you all for making this whole filmmaking journey one of the most endearing life experiences I’ve had and I can’t be happier getting to share this process and see the results with you all.
— Andy Liu, 2024 Commissioning Fund Program Artist