Propelle
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What Is It?
Administered by Realscreen, Propelle is a female-focused accelerator program launched in partnership with Abby Greensfelder’s Everywoman Studios (EWS). The goal of the program is to further develop the careers of up-and-coming female creators by pairing them with female-owned production companies and female CEOs for project workshopping and mentoring. With this program, female creators gain access to an established production company and a network of industry contacts, while learning how to develop ideas so that they are pitch-ready and sellable. Ultimately, the goal is to bring more female creators into the non-fiction ecosystem and have more diverse voices making content.
This year, four female production executives have been recruited to work alongside EWS to help workshop and support the submitted projects. These mentors and EWS will jointly evaluate the submitted projects and identify a group of finalists to move forward. Each finalist and paired mentor will take the projects from concept to pitch with Abby Greensfelder (EWS) overseeing the process and facilitating opportunities for pitches with network executives. And for the winning project, EWS will partner to help make the project happen! The participating mentors for 2021 are Kim Woodard (Lucky 8 TV), Raeshem Nijhon (Culture House), Aisha Corpas Wynn (Macro TV Studios) and Sharon Levy (Endemol Shine North America).
A Winning Opportunity.
Female creators will submit an application through Realscreen’s online entry form with a specific content idea. Ideas may be for an unscripted/non-fiction series, a non-fiction documentary/one-off program or feature documentary, or short-form non-fiction content. Four (4) finalists will be jointly selected by the participating mentors and EWS. Each finalist will be PAIRED WITH a mentor, based on the project submitted and its readiness for further development and workshopping. The four finalists will be announced in April 2021, and each will be given one (1) complimentary registration to attend Realscreen Live 2021, as well as mentorship and workshopping of their submitted project in the weeks leading up to Realscreen Live 2021, readying them to pitch their idea to potential network partners during the virtual event.
At Realscreen Live 2021, Everywoman Studios will select and announce the winning project to receive up to US $20,000 to further develop their project into production. Further development of any of the submitted projects with EWS will be subject to entering into and executing the written development agreement with EWS.
The Participating Mentors and EWS will also select up to six (6) additional entrants to receive honorable mentions, and each will receive one (1) complimentary registration to Realscreen Live 2021 to further their opportunities to meet and connect with potential partners and buyers. The runners up will also be invited to a virtual meet and greet opportunity with the Participating Mentors and EWS during Realscreen Live.
The Network Pitches.
Realscreen will provide a virtual meeting room at Realscreen Live 2021, where participating network development executives will each host a table and hear pitches from the four Accelerator program finalists.
Finalists will acknowledge that they may need to complete a submission release form from a network before pitching to them, and that the submission release submitted with their application to the Accelerator program was to cover the disclosure of their content idea with Realscreen and their participating mentor only.
How It Works.
In addition to filling out the online entry form, entrants must provide the following:
- A pitch presentation deck outlining your content idea
- A video - three minutes, maximum - that demonstrates your project (a sizzle reel or personal pitch of the project where a sizzle is not yet available)
- A signed submission release agreement
- A signed development agreement from Everywoman Studios, to come into effect if you are selected for further development
- A one-page statement explaining how the Accelerator would benefit you and why you would like to work with EWS and the Participating Mentors
- A resume indicating your work experience, including that within non-fiction production (if any) as well as any production credits you have.
Please note that if your project is accepted to the Accelerator you agree to work exclusively with EWS on the idea and should not pitch the idea to outside buyers until completion of the program.
Deadline for submissions is Friday, March 19, 2021 at 11:59pm ET.
Applications for the Propelle Content Accelerator Program are now closed. Participants will be announced in April.
