scholarships & educational opportunities
More content is being consumed than ever before, and entertainment productions are looking for places to film and the crew to make it happen. There is a place for YOU in film, whether it’s in front of the camera, behind the camera, in the boardroom, building sets, handling payroll and accounting, costuming, and more. While all levels of experience are needed, if you are looking to gain educational opportunities to advance your film career even more, CFC is happy to provide scholarships to further your education.
Cherokee Film Commission brings film and media productions to the Cherokee Nation and connects filmmakers to assets within the reservation including its film-friendly communities, diverse locations, film studios, tribal incentive, as well as its sought-after database representing Native American talent, crew, consultants and support services.
One way we do this is through funding scholarships for education and training.
With the announcement of our film incentive, now more than ever, we want to be able to provide Native citizens the opportunity to receive training for jobs in the film and television industries.
From screenwriting, to production assistant, to special effects makeup, CFC has provided scholarships for training in various departments of production. We’ve sponsored workshops for participants who have no previous experience on a production set. We’ve also sponsored more seasoned participants for an apprenticeship under an award-winning director. No matter what experience you have, and no matter your interests, CFC wants to help you get the education and training you need to be part of the #MoreNatives movement. You can find a list of current scholarships below.
Our scholarship application form helps our office decide which applicants are the best fit for the training and workshops they apply to. We look for applicants who have interests and career goals that are relevant to the workshop’s subject. We welcome any citizen of a federally recognized tribe to apply for a scholarship.
Tell us why you’re interested in this course. How will you use what you learn to help fulfill the mission of increasing the presence and the voices of Natives in Oklahoma’s film and television industries? We want to know that you are just as excited about the opportunities that are coming to our state as we are.
The scholarship application can be found here. If you have any questions you can contact our outreach specialist at Brettlyn.Bevenue@cn-bus.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
scholarship opportunities
PAST SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
FEIO
For the first time ever, the Film Education Institute of Oklahoma is bringing their workshops to the Tulsa area! During this four-day workshop, students will gain basic set knowledge, set safety, an introduction to walkie etiquette, a brief overview of other crew positions, how a typical higher-budgeted film set works, and specialized technical knowledge on working within a specific department. PLUS at the end of the workshop students receive a professional film credit on IMDb and will be qualified to register with the Cherokee Nation Crew Directory. The workshop takes place Jun 13-16 at Tulsa Tech’s Riverside Campus. Students must be 18 and up.
Workshop info: Workshop, Film – FEIOK – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Scholarship Application: https://loom.ly/pSynlFM
Pre-visualization for filmmakers
Pre-Visualization for Filmmakers is a two-day workshop that introduces emerging filmmakers to the basic tools that professionals use to translate the action in their screenplays into visually dynamic, story-driven moments on screen.
The workshop is presented by OSU-Tulsa’s Center for Poets and Writers, and will be taught by celebrated filmmaker, special effects makeup artist, and illustrator, Tate Steinsiek as well as OSU-Tulsa Filmmaker in Residence, Zach Litwack. The workshop takes place April 30th-May 1st at the OSU-Tulsa Campus.
Workshop info: Pre-Visualization for Filmmakers (touchnet.com)
Scholarship Application: https://loom.ly/pSynlFM
introduction to fx gore and blood gags for film
Tate Steinsiek, a Native American award-winning SFX Prosthetics artist, Conceptual Artist, and Director will be teaching a course, at his Tulsa studio, sponsored by the Cherokee Film Commissio entitled Introduction to FX Gore & Blood Gags for Film. Tate is a two-time finalist on Syfy’s Competition Series FACE OFF, in both Seasons 1 & 5.
LINK:
https://www.facebook.com/cherokeefilmoffice/photos/a.376775139633879/960570364587684
film setiquette
Workshop participants will shadow and assist working professionals in various departments, including a cinematographer, hair and make-up artist, sound mixer, production designer, gaffer and assistant director. The experience will explore how a professional film set is run and offer students a grasp of best practices that will allow them to find work on other film sets as a production assistant or as an apprentice in one of those six departments.
Oklahoma film and television academy’s “set ready”
Ideal for those wanting to start in general entry level jobs as office production assistant, on-set production assistant, etc., “Set Ready” is a mandatory requirement for those wishing to move onto OFTA specialization courses. This course is designed to prepare you for your first jobs on a film set, and includes descriptions of every crew position and responsibilities, set protocol and etiquette, and first day expectations.
osu-tulsa center for poet and writers: “writing for the screen workshop” (sept./oct.2020)
“Writing for the Screen” is a multi-week workshop taught by Zach Litwack that introduces students to the basics of writing a 5-8 page screenplay. Students will learn the building blocks of screenplay formatting, dramatic structure, character development, and the keys to making a thematic impact on an audience. Students will workshop their ideas with the class and receive verbal and written feedback on multiple drafts of their work. Screenwriters from all experience levels are welcome to attend and are encouraged to come to the class with three short screenplay ideas. Access to a computer with word-processing software or screenwriting software is recommended.
LINK: https://tulsa.okstate.edu/events/writing-screen-workshop-begins
Oklahoma film and television academy’s “film crew 101” podcast
This podcast pulls back the curtain on all the roles that go into filmmaking. Hosted by industry professionals with real-world experience in each topic, this podcast is dedicated to those who are interested in a career in film and television.
LINK: https://tulsa.okstate.edu/events/writing-screen-workshop-begins
osu tulsa’s “motion picture story telling”
Everyone has a story to tell, and everyone has access to a camera. This workshop will introduce you to the process of learning to tell a story with limited tools to preserve, inspire, and share our stories with one another.
LINK: https://tulsa.okstate.edu/events/motion-picture-storytelling-online-workshop
ADDITIONAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
The links below are provided solely for information about their upcoming classes and programs. These training options are external operations that the Cherokee Film Commission is not part of.
