FIVE GRANTEES each receive a $5,000 seed grant for the production of their short film.

GRANTEES receive robust individual and peer-to-peer mentorship. The Wavelength team assists with strategies around development, production, post-production, and distribution. Grantees meet regularly with one another for group mentorship and updates.

GRANTEES receive in-kind coloring services from our partners at Nice Shoes

ALL APPLICANTS receive invites to a free virtual 5-part workshop series from Seed&Spark covering crowdfunding, pitching, budgeting, and distribution. The selected GRANTEES each get 1:1 advice from a Seed&Spark crowdfunding expert on their campaign.

Wavelength’s WAVE Grant is for a short narrative film of approximately 10 minutes. Shorts already in production or post-production will not be considered.

Production of the short must be completed within 2026. Production cannot begin before April 2026.

This project must be the applicant’s scripted directorial debut. Student films do not count as prior work. Applicants may have prior experience in the film industry but cannot have directed a scripted short or feature film before.

Applicants must own the copyright of their production and have budgetary and editorial control.

Applicants must identify as a member of the BIPOC community and identify as a woman or on the gender-nonconforming spectrum

Applicants must be based in the United States and will be required to provide proof of residency.

Student films, feature films, series, and engagement/outreach campaigns will not be considered. Documentary concepts or films in need of finishing funds will not be considered.

Directing duos or teams are not eligible. 

Script – Your script does not have to be final. Works in progress are accepted (and encouraged!). 

Project Information — This information will help us understand your mentoring needs and how far along your project is:

• Schedule – draft of the film’s schedule through the end of 2026 

• Budget — we know this exercise may be daunting for first-time filmmakers. Do your best and have fun with it! We will use it as a baseline for determining what budgeting mentorship you may need.

• Collaborators – note any key collaborators attached at this time such as producers, heads of department, talent, etc.

Resume/CV

Video pitch – 1-3 minute video introducing yourself and the project. The pitch is an opportunity for the WAVE Grant team to get to know you and your film, and we encourage you to show up as your authentic, creative self. Some optional items to touch on in your video are: 

• A bit about yourself and what drives your interest in filmmaking  

• Your vision for the film, including style and tone

• Your inspiration for the film

• Any attached producers, cast, or crew 

Supplemental Materials (optional) – Feel free to include any supplemental materials you’ve created to date. This could be a pitch deck, look book, treatment, or anything else that will give us further insight to your project’s synopsis, style and/or tone

Applications open: October 15, 2025 

Applications close: November 16, 2025 at 11:59pm PT

Interviews with finalists: January 2025

All applicants will be notified by February 15, 2026 of the status of their submission

WAVE Grant program begins: late February 2026