Sprout received 35 submissions in response to a call for innovative film & video projects. View them online, “like” your favorites, and help us decide which should receive $10,000 to become a reality.
Diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome at 41-years-old, local artist and writer David Matthews explores his own life and struggles with relationships in Julie Sokolow’s full-length documentary.
Each summer, Pittsburgh hosts Anthrocon, the world’s largest furry convention. Producer Olivia Vaughn and director Dominic Rodriguez’s film offers an intimate portrait of local furries of all walks of life.
Mind Cure Records owner Michael Seamans takes us through the history of Pittsburgh’s punk scene, interviewing the venue owners, musicians, and artists that made it all happen.
A dark comedy from writer Garrett Kennell and director David Light, Dot focuses on a young girl with a psychotic case of OCD that leads her to kill anyone she sees making a mess.
Concerned with the contentious divide over shale gas drilling, producer Kirsi Jansa’s Gas Rush Stories series allows people affected by the drilling industry, whether good or bad, have their stories heard.
Following up on his 2008 short film about the construction of Consol Energy Center, Drew Nicholas looks deeper into the current redevelopment and reconstruction initiatives in the Hill District.
Alisha Wormsley and Darrell Kinsel create a visual collage of Pittsburgh artists and explore their diverse art practices to understand how they cross lines geographically, culturally, and creatively.
Long after the end of women’s suffrage, fifty women have run for President of the United States, but none has been successful. Heather Arnet of the Women and Girls Foundation explores what it will take.
Taking inspiration from local media legend Rick Sebak, Julian Glander’s series of 10 imaginative animated shorts profiles Pittsburgh’s fascinating residents and their hobbies, lifestyles and interests.
In November 2013, The Sprout Fund requested proposals to catalyze the creation or completion of new and innovative community-based projects that take the form of short or feature-length films, documentaries, online videos, and multimedia experiences.
Through this special opportunity, Sprout is enabling Pittsburgh’s community of filmmakers, videographers, and multimedia artists to showcase their approach to community innovation and receive support for their work.
Each applicant submitted a unique Competition Short to represent their project. Between November 25th and December 2nd, the public had a chance to view the shorts and “like” those they wanted to see move forward. The online voting process generated more than 8,000 likes.
Following the public voting period, jurors and community volunteers representing Pittsburgh’s film and video community engaged in an extensive review process that considered likes as indicators of community support and used additional criteria to decide which projects would receive awards.
The Sprout Fund has selected Aspie Seeks Love, Fursonas, and Give Us A Chance–Pittsburgh Punk to receive the full $10,000 grants accompanied by technical support from Pittsburgh Filmmakers. 6 other film & video projects also received $1,000 Honorable Mention awards.
On behalf of our partner, Pittsburgh Filmmakers, and supporters, The Pittsburgh Foundation, The Hillman Foundation, and the Fisher Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation, all of us at Sprout appreciate the Pittsburgh filmmaking community’s participation in this process and wish the best of luck to all applicants in their future endeavors.