STUDENT DOCUMENTARY OPPORTUNITY: The Persian Gulf War
Land Grant Films is excited to offer three UT student filmmakers financial support to create or assist in the creation of three short documentaries related to the Persian Gulf War and East Tennessee. We are also excited to share that WBIR, Knoxville’s NBC affiliate, will serve as our broadcast partner on this project.
Here’s the Opportunity
In 2017, Land Grant Films produced a short documentary series as a local tie-in to Ken Burns’ documentary Vietnam War. The project consisted of three student-led short documentaries, which were turned into a half-hour, magazine-format television show. The program, Defenders of the Dream: Student Documentaries about the Vietnam War, aired on East Tennessee PBS. The individual short docs also screened at various film festivals and won numerous awards, culminating in the segment “Welcome Home, Brother” (dirs. Isaac Fowler and Tim Morris) earning a Midsouth Regional Emmy nomination.
With this new project, we’ll be working on a series of short documentaries about the Persian Gulf War. The war, which was more than 30 years ago and lasted only 8 months, is often overlooked, but stands as an inflection point in foreign policy, how war is conducted, and how soldiers are treated when they come back from conflict. With this doc series, we hope to explore the lasting impact of the Persian Gulf war on the people of East Tennessee.
For this project, we will be offering two different student opportunities:
- Land Grant Films will offer one student filmmaker — who will be competitively selected through an application/proposal process — funding and production support to create a six to eight minute documentary related to the the Persian Gulf War. The proposed story could range from a historic look at Knoxville during the war, a profile of veterans from the war, a profile of organizations working with Persian Gulf War veterans, or really anything you can think up. The only requirement is that the story is tied to both the Persian Gulf War and East Tennessee.
- We will also be funding two student producers — who will be competitively selected through an application process — to work on documentaries led by Profs. Nick Geidner and Ahmad Hayat, who will each lead one short documentary.
The three short documentaries will be pulled together as a magazine-format half-hour show. A local personality with a connection to the military will serve as the host and will introduce the pieces.
WBIR, Knoxville’s NBC affiliate, has agreed to be our broadcast partner on this project and has committed to airing the program, pending final review.
Filmmaker Details
If you are interested in the student producing opportunities, keep scrolling.
Here is everything you need to know about this opportunity. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Land Grant Films Director Nick Geidner at ngeidner at utk.edu.
What’s required of you.
If selected, you will be responsible for producing a 6-to-8 minute documentary as described in the proposal you submitted as part of the application process (see below).
Since the target date for delivering the completed project is mid-July of 2024, your part of the project (i.e., your final cut) must be completed by April 15, 2014.
To ensure this timetable, you will be required to meet with the producers of the project — Nick Geidner and Ahmad Hayat — at least once a month. You will also be required to attend at least one meeting with producers from WBIR.
IMPORTANT: Before applying, please consider the amount of work required to produce a broadcast-quality documentary. You will have to research your topic, conduct multiple interviews, collect footage, transcribe and log the footage, create an open, close and graphics, find music, and edit everything together. Documentary production is a time consuming process. Please be sure you have the time to complete your project.
What we will provide.
Land Grant Films will provide the selected filmmaker with financial and production support for their documentary. This includes:
- Access to our equipment, including our professional cameras, lighting and lenses.
- $1,500 in funding, which will provide the selected filmmaker $1,000 and will provide $500 to cover additional production costs, such as the purchase of archival video, voice-over services, rental equipment, etc.
- Production support from Land Grant Films staff and from an outside mentor.
- We will also provide all promotional and finishing work for the larger half-hour program.
- Finally, Land Grant Films will cover entry costs for some film festivals and competitions based on the quality of the final works.
How to apply.
In order to apply you must be a current, full time University of Tennessee student and plan to be a full time student during spring semester 2024 (undergraduate or graduate). To apply you must submit the following by email to Nick Geidner at ngeidner at utk.edu by 5:00 p.m. on November 21, 2023:
- A current resume.
- A 2–3 page proposal of your documentary. Please include a brief description of your film, a description of the main characters, and description of the style of the film. Finally, include an ideal timeline for shooting and editing your piece.
- A link to some examples of your previous video work or demo reel.
- The name and contact information for a UT faculty member who will serve as a reference for you.
If you have any questions about your application, please feel free to email Prof. Nick Geidner at ngeidner at utk.edu.
[Sidenote: Entries can be submitted by a team of two or three students, but one student must be identified as the lead. The lead will receive the full $1,000 award.]
Judging and selection.
Your proposal will be judged based on:
- The strength of their proposed story
- The proficiency of the filmmaker
- The ability to complete the documentary during the given time period
- The films’ ability to be paired with the other selected films.
The selected filmmaker will be notified by December 1, 2023.
Student Producer Details
Maybe you don’t have the experience or ability to pitch your own film, but you want to get hands-on experience developing and producing a documentary, well this is the opportunity for you. If selected, you will work with experienced documentary directors to help produce the short documentaries they are leading. While this is written as a “student producer,” we are looking for the best possible partners for these projects. So if you are a cinematographer, editor, or a jack of all trades, please still apply!
Here’s everything you need to know about this opportunity. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Land Grant Films Director Nick Geidner at ngeidner at utk.edu.
What’s required of you.
If selected, you will be responsible for supporting the production of a 6-to-8 minute documentary led be either Prof. Geidner or Prof. Hayat. In this role, you will be required to meet with the lead of your assigned project on a regular basis. You will also be required to participate in all phases of the documentary process, research and planning, production, and editing and other postproduction duties.
What we will provide.
In addition to being credited on the film, the two selected students will each receive $500 in funding.
How to apply.
In order to apply you must be a current, full time University of Tennessee student and plan to be a full time student during spring semester 2024 (undergraduate or graduate). To apply you must submit the following by email to Nick Geidner at ngeidner at utk.edu by 5:00 p.m. on November 21, 2023:
- A current resume
- A letter explaining why you are interested in working on this project and how you could add to the production
- If you have examples available, provide links to some of your previous video work or demo reel
- The name and contact information for a UT faculty member who will serve as a reference for you
If you have any questions about your application, please feel free to email Prof. Nick Geidner at ngeidner at utk.edu.
Judging and selection.
Your application will be judged based on:
- The strength of your previous experience
- Your demonstrated interest and commitment to the project
- The strength of your outside reference
- The ability to support and add to the vision of the filmmakers
The selected student producers will be notified by December 1, 2023.
