Apply: Documentary Summer Experience Awards

In 2017, MDOCS will offer its second Documentary Studies Summer Experience Award.
 
Documentary Studies Summer Experience Awards are offered on a competitive basis to support Skidmore students who wish to undertake advanced independent, community-based or collective projects, summer internships in organizations or companies working in the documentary field or summer DS courses. On an exceptional basis, the award may cover advanced classes not regularly offered at Skidmore College based on strong justification.  

Effective applications will indicate how the project or internship advances the students’ ability to engage in substantive evidence-based storytelling. Documentary approach may be in sound, photography, exhibition, mapping, film, multimedia, writing, performance or other method.  

Amount: Students may request stipends up to $4,000 to cover all or part of an experience. Depending on allocations for individual projects, MDOCS expects to award one to three student experiences.

Application deadline: Noon Monday, April 3

Eligibility

• Applicants for the Documentary Studies Summer Experience Award must be currently enrolled at Skidmore College full-time and be in good standing with the College.   
• Preference will be given to students who have already taken college-level courses to develop skills in at least one area of documentary production (including but not limited to audio, video, photography, written word, spoken word, multimedia, curation and exhibition). Skidmore offers such courses across the curriculum. 

Requirements

• The experience should enhance and expand upon your skills, goals and interests in evidence-based storytelling in a local, national or international context
• A minimum commitment of eight to 10 weeks and/or 260 hours participation in experience
• Confirmation of internship acceptance or class registration before money can be awarded (does not need to be secured prior to applying)
• Final report discussing what you gained from the experience and any documentation of it (photos, interviews, audio, video, etc.)
• All majors may apply.

Funding can be applied to:

• a professional internship with a company or organization in the documentary field;
• an independent or collaborative documentary project;
• registration for a summer DS course offered through Skidmore (see full list here); and
• registration for a non-Skidmore summer course or educational experience (based on strong justification)

How to apply

Application deadline: Noon Monday, April 3

• Fill out the application form (click to download)
• 500–750 word statement of intent explaining how this funding draws on existing skills and will help you reach your goals in documentary
• Faculty recommendation letter
• Send your finished application to mdocs@skidmore.edu.

For those pursuing more generalized film industry work (not just documentary), be sure to check out the opportunities coming out of CDS (deadline: Noon on March 24)
1.      Elizabeth Marie Glotzbach Film Industry Award
2.      West Coast Film Award