The Drama League Film Fund

A Program for Alumni of The Drama League Directors Project

Applications Open Fall 2025

The Drama League Film Fund is an opportunity designed for alumni of any of the programs of The Drama League Directors Project, including but not limited to alumni of the Film and Television Directing Fellowships, to expand their artistry through a substantial fund to produce or complete a filmed project. The fund prioritizes short films, pilot episodes of television/streaming projects, and proof-of-concept shorts for features, but will consider feature films and television/streaming series.

This opportunity is especially crucial for directors who have spent their careers to date in the theater, but are expanding their creative landscape into these related mediums. A short film is a necessary calling card in the film and television industries, in order for a director to be considered for their first episodic jobs. The tradition of documenting work on film, habitually absent in the professional theater, is an essential building block for a director’s career when expanding into multiple avenues of storytelling.

Please see our F.A.Q. page for eligibility questions.  Applications are especially welcome from stage directors who identify as members of populations that have historically been denied equity, access, inclusion or belonging in the field and in society, who have been marginalized, underrepresented, and/or those whose paths to direction may have been nonlinear or nontraditional. This includes, but is not limited to, Black, Indigenous, Latine (Latino/Latina), AAPI (Asian-American/Pacific Islander), MENASA (Middle Eastern/North African/South Asian), Biracial, Mixed-Race, Global Majority, LGBTQIAA2+, non-binary directors, disabled, and/or immigrant directors or directors not born in the United States.

Details

Program Duration

Eleven months, to be determined in consultation with Recipient.

Program Frequency

Offered every other year. Number of Recipients vary per cycle.

Scholarship Prize

$5,000-$12,500 to support production expenses related to film project.

Health Insurance Reimbursement

None.

Travel Coverage

None.

Housing Coverage

None.

Liability and Insurances

None.

Other Benefits

VIP Pass to all publicly offered Drama League programming during the funding period; access to alumni-focused programs and events; and a lifetime Drama League Membership.

Things To Know Before Applying…
  • The Drama League Film Fund is open only to Alumni of the fellowships, residencies, assistantships, and exchanges of The Drama League Directors Project.

  • The Film Fund is intended for directors who are experienced in theatrical storytelling, but who are expanding their directing work into film/television/streaming, to support an upcoming project in these adjacent industries.

  • The Film Fund is NOT intended for directors who have already had significant directing opportunities in film, television, or streaming, nor for directors whose experience has not taken clear steps into these interrelated disciplines in some way.

  • The Fund can fund some or all of a project, so long as the project’s budget is adhered to. A budget breakdown for the entire project, including the total funding plan, is required as part of the application.

  • Applicants will be asked to provide details of the project’s production schedule, timeline, budget details/breakdown, secured and unsecured funding, script, logline, synopsis, creative team, and a project description.

  •  Successful applicants will receive an amount to be determined by the advisory committee. The amount may be less, or more, that the applicant’s requested amount.
  • Projects must be completed within 11 months of award notification.
  • The Drama League and its leadership will receive associate producer credits on films receiving Film Fund support.

Fellowships

The Drama League Fellowships are career-transforming opportunities for stage directors focusing on creative learning, skill building, and career development.

Residencies

The Drama League Residencies develop and incubate director-led projects for live performances, utilizing the resources of the Drama League in New York City.

About the Drama League

The Drama League is the preeminent creative development home for directors, offering access and opportunity to them, their collaborators, and the audiences they inspire across the world in theater, film, television, online content, and anywhere live performance is found.  Launched in 1916, The Drama League is one of the longest continuously-operating arts service organizations in the United States.  To be a part of supporting future generations of artists, please visit dramaleague.org/membership.