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dear Max Hellier，I applied for this project. Could you tell me the current status and whether the shortlist has been finalized?
Only 2 days left to apply for the Documentary Research Grant (Deadline: 6th Nov)
3 min readNov 4, 2025
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dear Max Hellier，I applied for this project. Could you tell me the current status and whether the shortlist has been finalized?
Hi Xiaofang, we have notified all applicants letting them know if they were selected for the grant or not. Please let me know if you haven't received our email! 🙏
Hi Max, thank you for letting me know.
I’m afraid I haven’t received any email regarding the result yet. I was wondering if there might have been an issue with the email address I provided, or if it didn’t come through on my end.
Would it be possible to resend the notification to my email? I’d really appreciate it.
My email address is [email protected]
Thank you so much for your help.
Xiaofang Jiao
Ah yes, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau doc! Let me take a look at the email and re-send it. It will be coming from [email protected]. Many thanks, Max
Hi Max, thanks again for checking.
I’ve just had a look, but it seems I still haven’t received the email yet.
For reference, my applicant information is Xiaofang Jiao, and the project I applied with is about the Tibetan brown bear on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau.
Would it be possible to resend the email once more when you have a chance?
Thank you very much for your help.
Each selected filmmaker receives an $8,000 USD grant for feasibility research, access-building, and core preparatory materials. Over 8–10 weeks (Jan–Mar 2026) participants will follow a guided pathway with clear check-ins, one-to-one mentorship, and two group sessions, to finish with a solid treatment, audience definition, distribution map, and a practical impact plan.
Who should apply: Filmmakers developing feature docs or series that tackle ethical-systems stories- culture, climate, human stories, and our relationship with non-human life.
What type of projects are eligible for the Research Grant?
Feature documentaries and docuseries (episodic) are both eligible, including non-English language projects. Projects must be in the research or pre-research phase (not already in pre-production, production, or post), should align broadly with topics tackling ethical consumption (food, animals, culture and climate), and be open to pivoting (if necessary) based on research findings.
Who decides which projects are awarded the funding?
A review committee is being built from our advisory board, and this will be the deciding body.
How long will the research period be?
The research period will run for about 8-10 weeks between January and March, with some flexibility based on filmmaker’s commitments.
How many filmmakers will receive the grant?
3-5 filmmakers / filmmaking teams.
Can I still apply if I’ve already started research?
Yes, as long as you’re open to the potential that your film, story or characters may change direction if that’s where the research takes you.
Where should the money go?
Funds can be used to support your own time and costs during the research phase, as well as essential access costs e.g. travel and fees for archival materials. (Travel only when remote options aren’t available).
If your time is stretched, you could use part of the funding to hire support like a research assistant or producer.
Funds should not be spent on any type of production or shooting - bar certain exceptions (including undercover footage from research interviews to assess the characters, and/or for observing potential characters over an extended period of time). Most interviews should be held on Zoom/Meets, and only pick up a camera if it’s the only way to answer a research question.
Do I need to work full time on this?
Ideally, yes - although we understand everyone’s schedule is different. If you have other ongoing commitments, we recommend using part of the funding to hire a researcher or producer to assist you, to ensure that the grant funding and time is fully utilized.
Can I use AI?
Yes, but use it carefully! AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini etc) can help you research, translate information, or brainstorm ideas - but don’t rely on their answers, and always verify the information shared with you. We would advise against using AI to find characters, as stronger candidates will more often come to light through conversations, fieldwork, or archive work (since they will often not have a significant online presence or record).
What type of guidance will I get?
You’ll receive a research framework to follow for guidance. You’ll be asked to complete your research directly onto our Notion platform. There will be the option to allow access to advisers/mentors who can then view, comment and guide research. There will be 2–3 live Zoom sessions with research/strategy experts during the program, and 1:1 support with mentors.
What needs to be delivered at the end of the research period?
At the end of the 8-10 week research period, the filmmaker/filmmaking team will submit a concise research document. There are no obligations to produce a sizzle or shoot any production material.
At the end of your research you should come to one of two conclusions:
Or
Wow this was cool! Any update on this?
Hi Maria! We received a lot of interest - over 50 applications from 16 countries! We've just notified everybody who applied, and will be awarding 8 grants, totalling $64,000. Over the next 8-10 weeks the applicants will be going through the research lab to refine their ideas. I'll share links to the social pages once they're up and running so you can keep up to date with progress! Thanks so much for following our journey :)