Film & Video
A special funding opportunity in 2013 for Pittsburgh’s community of filmmakers, videographers, and multimedia artists to showcase their approach to community innovation and receive support for their work.
Community Screening Party for Film & Video Competition
Melwood Screening Room, November 2013 photo: Ben FilioSupporting community innovation through filmmmaking
To provide an opportunity for Pittsburgh’s community of filmmakers, videographers, and multimedia artists to showcase their approach to community innovation, The Sprout Fund announced a special Request for Proposals in fall 2013 to support film, video, and multimedia art projects. Sprout partnered closely with Pittsburgh Filmmakers / Pittsburgh Center for the Arts to cultivate applicants and support funded projects.
In Fall 2013, Sprout offered a Request for Proposals for Innovative Community Film and Video Projects. For this RFP, Sprout sought $10,000 proposals from Pittsburgh’s filmmakers, videographers, and multimedia artists to catalyze the creation or completion of new and innovative community-based projects that take the form of short or feature-length films, documentaries, online videos, and multimedia experiences.
Winning projects were selected by a seven-person jury that included members of the standing Seed Award for Community Innovation Advisory Committee, representatives of the film and video community, and experts in film and video creation, production, and management. Several of the recognized films went on to further development and cinematic release in the years ahead: for example, “Aspie Seeks Love” won Best Documentary Feature Film at its premier at Cinequest Film Festival, and “Fursonas” won a “Spirit of Slamdance” award at its premier at Slamdance Film Festival.
Program In Brief
Year Active
2013
Applications Received
35
Online Votes
7,000
Projects Supported
10
Total Funding Support
$41,000
Trailer for Film & Video Program
Sprout shared this video to request proposals for film and video projects and encourage the public to cast their votes.
Funded Projects
Winning Films
Three projects were selected to receive the full $10,000 award. In addition, a further $5,000 was granted to Pittsburgh Filmmakers/Pittsburgh Center for the Arts to provide fiscal sponsorship for the filmmakers and ongoing technical support for the projects.
“Aspie Seeks Love”
Following David’s journey to understand his Asperger’s, improve as a person, writer, and artist, and work to find a meaningful relationship.
“Aspie Seeks Love”
$10,000 » Julie Sokolow & Pittsburgh Filmmakers, 2013 Film & Video project support
Aspie Seeks Love, documentary by Julie Sokolow and project of Pittsburgh Filmmakers, followed David’s journey to understand his Asperger’s, improve as a person, writer, and artist, and find a meaningful relationship. Viewers watched David explore the Pittsburgh autism community for the first time and compare notes with fellow “Aspies”. David also explored the world of OKCupid online dating and attempted to break out of his shell to form relationships in person. David’s quest culminated in the Pittsburgh release party for his very first book, Meltdown in the Cereal Aisle.
https://aspieseekslove.com/
“Fursonas”
Offering intimate portraits of a variety of furries, attempting to understand the person behind the costume by allowing the subjects to speak for themselves and the audience to decide for themselves.
“Fursonas”
$10,000 » Dominic Rodriguez & Pittsburgh Filmmakers, 2013 Film & Video project support
Fursonas, a documentary by Dominic Rodriguez and project of Pittsburgh Filmmakers, was a documentary that explored the lives of furries in Pennsylvania. The furry community referred to a diverse network interested in anthropomorphic animals. Many of these people purchased or created fursuits— life-size animal costumes of their “fursonas”. The film offered intimate portraits of a variety of fursuiters, attempting to understand the person behind the costume. While locals were familiar with the display of hundreds of furries in the street during Anthrocon each summer, they seldom looked past their preconceived notions about the fandom. Other documentaries about furries focused on providing an easy answer for the phenomenon, but Fursonas was more interested in taking a humanistic approach, allowing the subjects to speak for themselves, and the audience to decide for themselves.
http://www.fursonasdoc.com/
“Give Us a Chance: Pittsburgh Punk”
Detailing individual experiences about how the Pittsburgh Punk Rock scene brought together people from the region’s declining satellite cities and mill towns to support their need, curiosity, and eventually, commitment to Punk music.
“Give Us a Chance: Pittsburgh Punk”
$10,000 » Michael Seamans & Pittsburgh Filmmakers, 2013 Film & Video project support
Give Us A Chance Pgh Punk, a documentary by Michael Seamans and project of Pittsburgh Filmmakers, detailed individual experiences about how a vibrant, active culture rapidly expanded across the greater Pittsburgh area – bringing people from the region’s declining satellite cities and mill towns together to support their need, curiosity, and eventually, commitment to Punk music and the rising Pittsburgh Punk Rock scene. The project illustrated how the Punk community grew from modest beginnings involving a few dozen people at an all-ages show at a small venue on Oakland, to the hundreds that came together to vent their frustrations and confront an uncertain future, while building an enduring community culture of their own.
Honorable Mentions
Additionally, Sprout supported 6 other films that stood out in the review process with $1,000 Honorable Mention awards.
“Dot”
“Dot”
$1,000, 2013 Film & Video honorarium
Dot, a film by Garrett Kennell and David Light, was a dark comedy about a sixteen-year-old girl with an extreme case of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Her case was so extreme that she compulsively kills anyone she sees making a mess. Things become more complicated when she starts to fall in love and must balance her murderous compulsion with her newly found feelings.
https://itsashort.com/short-film/108-dot
“Gas Rush Stories”
“Gas Rush Stories”
$1,000, 2013 Film & Video honorarium
Gas Rush Stories was an innovative documentary project that increased awareness of shale gas exploration. The project promoted constructive conversation about shale gas drilling and empowered people to be active citizens through GRS Community Conversations so that people could make informed decisions. The series was praised as being “an important contribution to the historical record of the ‘fracking’ controversy” and for its “human interest stories and fact-based presentation”, promotion of “people being able to draw their own more informed conclusions”, and for “documenting the impacts of the Pennsylvania shale gas extraction boom with a rare level of fairness and detail”.
“The Granada Refrain”
“The Granada Refrain”
$1,000, 2013 Film & Video honorarium
The Granada Refrain, a project of Drew Nicholas, explored the development and reconstruction of historic sites throughout the Hill District. The project featured places such as the Crawford Grill and the New Granada Theater, which were known for hosting artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Billy Eckstein and Dizzy Gillespie. The Theater was on the list of Pittsburgh’s Historic Landmarks and the National Register of Historic Places for its rich architectural past and significant role as a Movie Theater and Live Entertainment venue. The Crawford Grill was designated a Pennsylvania Historic Landmark for its similar enrollment. Reconstruction of the two historic buildings worked as a physical representation of the artists’ voice in the rich history of this community, while asking the question: What role do the arts play in revitalization?
“Kill The Artist”
“Kill The Artist”
$1,000, 2013 Film & Video honorarium
Kill The Artist, a project of Darrell Kinsel and Alisha Wormsley, was a feature-length docu-narrative film that showcased a diverse selection of emerging and mid-career Pittsburgh artists in order to highlight a discord between Pittsburgh’s diversity and diversity in Pittsburgh’s arts community. The film spotlighted two primary topics: the emerging movement of creativity and synergy happening among this diverse art scene in Pittsburgh, and the artists and spaces that would otherwise be un-/under-seen. Aesthetically, this film varied from the normal documentary narrative, working each artist, their work, and the spaces they created into animated/edited collages and turning the film into a form of the filmmakers’ work and artistic process.
“Madame Presidenta”
“Madame Presidenta”
$1,000 » Women & Girls Foundation, 2013 Film & Video honorarium
Madame Presidentá: Why Not U.S.?, a project of Women & Girls Foundation and ELAS: Women’s Social Investment Fund in Rio de Janeiro, chronicled the journey of two women, one from Pittsburgh and one from Rio de Janeiro, as they explored the key question of why so many other countries have elected female presidents before the United States. In the process they make important discoveries about democracies, civic engagement, community, and women’s rights.
https://wgfpa.org/our-work/other-initiatives/madame-presidenta/
“What’s Your Favorite Thing About Pittsburgh?”
“What’s Your Favorite Thing About Pittsburgh?”
$1,000, 2013 Film & Video honorarium
What’s Your Favorite Thing About Pittsburgh was a series of 10 animated shorts profiling a selection of Pittsburgh’s fascinating residents and their hobbies, lifestyles, and interests. The shorts were created by recording off-the-cuff interviews with locals about the things they love about Pittsburgh, and using their stories and anecdotes as material for stylized original 3D animations.
Programmatic Activities
Screening Party
Sprout and PF/PCA hosted a free public screening of competition shorts at Pittsburgh Filmmakers Melwood Theater where trailers and short promotional films made by the applicants were shown to a supportive community audience.
Public Voting
Members of the public were invited to view shorts and trailers for the submitted videos on a special page of the Sprout website, where they could vote for their favorites.
Jury
Winning projects were selected by a seven-person jury that included Seed Award committee members, representatives of the film and video community, and experts in film and video creation, production, and management.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to all those who made this program possible!
Supporters
- The Hillman Foundation
- The Fisher Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation
- The Pittsburgh Foundation
Partners
- Pittsburgh Filmmakers/Pittsburgh Center for the Arts
- Hollywood Theater Dormont
Staff
- Mac Howison
- Ryan Coon
- Matt Hannigan