Switchboard Launches Documentary Grant

EXCLUSIVE: Switchboard, founded by Call Me Miss Cleo producer Celia Aniskovich, is launching a new initiative to help short documentary filmmakers.

The company, which is a platform that mixes distributing documentary and live-action shorts with longform journalism, has established the Switchboard Shorts Grant to bring more short-form nonfiction stories to the screen.

The initiative will award $2500 to one filmmaker to support the production of a new short documentary film.

In addition to the money, the scheme will offer a number of other resources including complimentary legal services from Fisher Legal Arts, free music licenses courtesy of indie label sonaBLAST!, fiscal sponsorship through Entertainment 2 Affect Change, post-sound mix provided by Black Oak Sound and culturally-sensitive audio description, including blind quality control, from Cheryl Green.

Switchboard has picked up a number of shorts this year including Livestreams with GrandmaPuzzles, Sk8rgls, a film by Florence Fong, Hope Middleton and Jean Zamora, Where There Are No Words from Gabriella Canal, Deerwoods Deathtrap by James P. Gannon and Kathryn Prescott’s Gina.

It is also preparing for its first Oscar campaign with four titles: André Robert Lee and Tim Kirkman’s Freeman Vines, Harris Doran and Akbar Hamid’s Poreless, Jared and Carly Jakins’ Rat Rod, and Adam Oppenheim and Samuel-Ali Mirpoorian’s Saving Superman.

The deadline to apply is February and more info can be found here.

“Independent filmmakers thrive when surrounded by people who believe in their storytelling,” said Celia Aniskovich, Founder and Editor in Chief of Switchboard. “We’re thrilled to be launching this new initiative and grateful to the creative partners who make this work possible and who help strengthen our community with their expertise and generosity.”