Grant Cycle 2027-2028 Application

Grants

Students may apply for grants of up to 25,000 QAR.

Eligibility and Application Requirements

To apply for a Studio 20Q grant, applicants must be first-year students, sophomores, or juniors at NU-Q. Each project must have both a director and a producer attached at the time of application, and students may only apply with one project per grant cycle. The grant is open to both Communication and Journalism students, and we welcome applications for both fiction and documentary short films.

Timeline

An announcement will be made when the grant application cycle opens. This typically happens at the end of the Spring semester each year.

Application materials

Please submit everything as a combined PDF document to studio20Q@u.northwestern.edu. Feel free to get creative with the visuals and presentation of your grant application packet.

  1. Title Page: this should include the title of your project, the names of the director and producer, and a visual image that best represents your film.

  2. Index: a table of contents with corresponding page numbers. This will serve as a quick reference guide, allowing readers to locate specific information within your application packet.

  3. Logline: a one to two sentence summary describing the project. (75 words)

  4. Synopsis: a summary of the plot, characters, and key elements of your story. (500 words)

  5. Full Script (Fiction, 12 pages max) OR Treatment (Documentary, 2 pages max). When writing a treatment for a documentary, focus on delivering a compelling narrative that captures the essence of your subject. Outline the story’s structure, emphasize the angle of your story, include vivid descriptions of key characters and settings to bring your story to life. It’s not just about presenting facts but weaving them into a captivating story and painting a clear picture of the intended final production.

  6. Director’s Note of Intent: Explain why this project exists. What made you want to write it? What’s the purpose and impact of this project? The themes? Why will this project resonate with people? (400 – 500 words)

  7. Visual Treatment: Now that you’ve told us why, tell us how. Be sure to use visual imagery along with some notes explaining your creative decisions.

  8. Producer’s Note: As the producer, tell us what the potential meaning and theme of the film is. Don’t summarize the plot but give us reasons why the project should be made. You can talk about the artistic value, emotional impact with the audience, the idea of the world conveyed. Why does this film need to be made now? What’s the genre? What are references to similar works? What is the intended production strategy that will best support the vision behind the film? Address any challenges you may face during production. (400-500 words)

  9. Director’s Biography (150 words) + Filmography: your biography should be written in the third person and should give the reader a sense of who you are. Your filmography should list out all the projects you’ve previously worked on, and the roles held on each project.

  10. Producer’s Biography (150 words) + Filmography: your biography should be written in the third person and should give the reader a sense of who you are. Your filmography should list out all the projects you’ve previously worked on, and the roles held on each project.

  11. Links to Previous Work (optional): you can share up to 3 links of your previous work.

  12. Budget Breakdown: detail all the anticipated expenses association with the pre-production, production, post-production, and distribution of your film. Budget carefully and according to the specific needs of your film. Please make sure you conduct the necessary research and submit an accurate, detailed budget. Based on the scope and needs of your project, we may also recommend an amount different from the one originally requested.

  13. Crew Breakdown: list out all the crew positions in their respective departments that you will need for your project.

FAQs

  • Yes, you may still apply for a grant. In the past, students who were not residing in Qatar were not allowed to apply due to complications of pitching. However, because of the nature of only having one grant cycle in the Spring, accommodations shall be made by the Studio 20Q Board to allow applicants to pitch online. That said, pitching sessions all happen at the same time, and certain complications with time differences may arise. The board shall deal with every applicant on a case-by-case basis.ion text goes here

  • The board is there to help. You have two months to apply, which is more than ample time if you start now. Write your script/ treatment, find a producer, and get in touch with us for support and feedback.

  • Starting now and moving forward, board transitions shall happen before grant applications. This means that the newly appointed board will not be able to apply the same year they are serving as part of the board, however, they will be allowed to pitch when they wrap up their one-year positions.

  • If you wish to hire professionals, the team should still adhere to the quota allowed by Studio 20Q. Hired professionals cannot hold any HOD positions and should be included as part of the 50% non-Northwestern students General Crew. Under no circumstances should a key creative role be a paid role. However, certain exceptions can be made by the Board if justified on a case-by-case basis.

  • Studio 20Q releases information about the application and its deadlines at least a month before on its website and social media alongside the requirements of the application and other logistics.

  • Yes

  • Yes, it is possible. Certain safety issues such as travel and/or taking equipment out of the country, however, must undergo a risk assessment with the relevant NU-Q departments.

  • If you want to make a film in your senior year, you may only apply in the Spring semester of your junior year. If you’re a senior when the applications happen in the Spring, you will not be eligible to apply, neither as a director or producer, since you will be an alumni during the film’s production.

  • Yes, please email us at Studio 20Q@u.northwestern.edu for feedback on any area of your application and we can help. However, for script development and feedback we recommend working with a faculty member or with Doha Film Institute’s development team by reaching out to them at development@dohafilminstitute.com for a Creative Consultation.

  • Support from Studio 20Q starts before even applying. If you’re thinking of applying, we recommend getting in touch with us soon for help. We are also working on getting out resources to help everyone. Additionally, if you receive a grant, we work with you very closely in the making of your film. We’re planning on offering even more workshops and master classes for maximum support and learning.

    Having one cycle a year ensures that each film gets extensive and equal support. This means that all films will have plenty of time to develop their scripts, work on pre-production, produce their films, and refine their edits.

  • No, unless you receive special permission from the executive board.

  • The jury changes every cycle and is selected based on their knowledge of filmmaking. Every attempt is made to avoid the risk of bias. Studio 20Q reaches out to individuals and asks them to be part of the jury a month before the selection process.

  • There are no required courses for grantees to take before applying to Studio 20Q. Any NU-Q student is eligible to apply. Attending Studio 20Q workshops and taking production courses, however, is strongly encouraged.

  • Yes, you can set up a crowdfund. You may also apply for a finishing grant which is up to 5,000 QAR for grants of the same cycle and is designed to support films in post-production and distribution. However, the finishing grant is not guaranteed and is not always offered as it is dependent on Studio 20Q’s budget.

  • The film project is an entity of Studio 20Q until the Premiere, after which the Grant Recipients share the rights of the film and its distribution, and Studio 20Q owns 50% of the rights to the film. It is, however, required that every project funded by Studio 20Q include the official Studio 20Q logo as the FIRST opening credit, regardless of the involvement of other film production entities, such as the Doha Film Institute, in perpetuity.

  • Most production will happen during the Fall semester, with each narrative film having two weekends of production as well as a contingency weekend. Production schedules may be different for documentaries. Studio 20Q will assess on a case-by-case basis and will decide on each film’s timeline according to their needs. In addition, development and pre-production is expected to happen in the summer for all the films, and post-production to happen in the upcoming Spring.

  • The premiere will take place at the end of the Spring semester, meaning by the end April 2025.

  • All application materials must be submitted by the deadline set by the Studio 20Q executive board. Late applications will not be considered.

    After all the applications have been received, the Studio 20Q Board will eliminate applications that are incomplete or submitted late. An incomplete application could mean an application without a producer, an application submitted late, or an application that did not include all the application materials. The jury will have at least 5 days to review all applications. After review, there will be a deliberation session between jury members in which the jury will each discuss the applications and shortlist a few that will make it to the pitching phase. Applicants will be informed the following day, and at least 5 days before the pitching date whether they made it to the pitching phase or not.

    During the pitch, which should include both the director and producer, applicants will have five minutes to pitch their project to the jury during a pre-assigned time slot, which will be followed by a Q&A where the jury will discuss questions and concerns and the grant applicants will have the chance to answer and clarify.

    Once the pitches have taken place, all judges will rate and evaluate each project listing the strengths and weaknesses of the application. Based on this evaluation, the grant winners will be selected and announced the following day.

    All applicants have the right to review the evaluation of their application to further enhance their pitches for the next Studio 20Q grant cycles. In addition, Studio 20Q always shares all feedback from the jury to applicants whether they received a grant or not.