ACTION! Narrative Apprenticeship Program (Summer 2025)
2025 Application Timeline
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Monday, March 17, 2025 at 9:00am PST – ALL Applications Open
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Friday, April 11th, 2025 at 6:00pm PST – Info Session
- Apprentice Info Session
- Mentor Info Session
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Friday, May 2nd, 2025 at 6:00pm PST – Info Session
- Apprentice Info Session
- Mentor Info Session
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Monday, May 5th, 2025 at 11:59pm PST – ALL Applications Close
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May 9 – May 18, 2025 – Interviews with Finalists
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Monday, May 19th, 2025 – Final Cohort Selections and Notifications
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Saturday, May 31st, 2025 – Kickoff Meeting, Pre-production begins
About the ACTION! Narrative Apprenticeship Program
An initiative of Seattle’s Northwest Film Forum (NWFF), the ACTION! Narrative Apprenticeship Program is now in its fourth year, generously supported by the Butler Family Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Norcliffe Foundation, and Vogt Family Foundation and with equipment support from Koerner Camera Company, Glazers Camera and Foundry10. The program is geared towards individuals who are BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and/or living with a disability, for whom on-set experience on narrative film sets has historically been difficult to access at intermediate and professional levels.
ACTION! is modeled after NWFF’s RGPro Apprenticeship Program, which pays mentors and apprentices to create productions together on feminist film sets, with the apprentices leading the creative vision.
Summer 2025 Program Overview
The Fourth Annual Narrative Apprenticeship Program will take a script from concept through production and post-production, to create a final finished film that is a collaboration between mentors and apprentices. Apprentices and mentors must be able to commit to the entire duration of the program, especially on the in-person film shoot days.
Available roles are as follows:
Eight (8) apprentice roles will be available during the Pre-Production and Production stages and will be compensated at a rate of $25 / hour. Must be available between May 31 and August 3; please see timeline below. (* Note: Writer / Director will also play a role during the Post-Production phase)
- Producer (~35 hours allotted)
- 1st Assistant Director (~35 hours allotted)
- Writer / Director * (~55 hours allotted)
- Cinematographer (~35 hours allotted)
- 1st AC (~35 hours allotted)
- Gaffer / Grip (~35 hours)
- Production Sound (~35 hours allotted)
- Production Designer (~35 hours allotted)
Three (3) apprentice roles will be available for Post-Production stages, and will be compensated at a rate of $25 / hour. Must be available between July 21 and September 7.
- Editor (~40 hours allotted)
- Sound Editor (~20 hours allotted)
- Color (~20 hours allotted)
Ten (10) mentor roles will mirror apprentice roles for Pre-Production, Production, and Post-Production, with similar hours. Mentors will be compensated at a rate of $50 / hour. (* Note: Writer / Director mentor role has been filled.)
- Producer (~35 hours allotted)
- 1st Assistant Director (~35 hours allotted)
- Cinematographer (~35 hours allotted)
- 1st AC (~35 hours allotted)
- Gaffer / Grip (~35 hours allotted)
- Production Sound (~35 hours allotted)
- Production Designer (~35 hours allotted)
- Editor (~40 hours allotted)
- Sound Editor (~40 hours allotted)
- Color (~40 hours allotted)
Artists, mentors, and apprentices who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color), living with a disability, femme, gender non-conforming, LGBTQ+, undocumented, and/or live in unincorporated King County are strongly encouraged to apply.
Program Timeline
Within each phase, exact dates and times of meetings will be arranged with cohort members based on availability. Mentors and apprentices can expect weekly small group check-in’s as well as occasional large group meetings, virtual or in-person. All film production prep days and (2) film production days must be in-person.
- Saturday, May 31, 2025 – July 17, 2025 – Pre-Production Phase
- Friday, July 18, 2025 – Film Production Prep
- July 19 & 20, 2025 – Film Production Days
- August 2nd and 3rd – Alternate Production Days
- July 21, 2025 – September 7, 2025 – Post-Production Phase
- September 19 to 28 – Local Sightings Film Festival Premiere
Selection Criteria
Applications will be evaluated based on each individual’s:
- Eligibility within the above stated parameters;
- Conversational interview with Northwest Film Forum team
- Positionality and intersectionality of historically underrepresented, underserved, and under-resourced identities;
- Intermediate level of experience within film and previous work samples;
- Artist’s demonstrated commitment to build their creative practice;
- Likelihood that the apprenticeship opportunity will present a significant career development opportunity, particularly around narrative filmmaking
In addition to each individual, mentors and apprentices will also be selected based on perceived synergy between the cohort as a whole, to create the most empowering and supportive filmmaking experience possible. Factors which will be considered includeSynergy between each mentor and apprentice pairing
- Balance in levels of experience, skill sets, creative interests, and working styles
- Alignment in shared vision of filmmaking ethos
Selection Panel
Applications will be reviewed by a review panel using the above selection criteria, with priority considerations given to artists who have historically been undervalued and underrepresented in the mainstream film industry.
Contact
Reach out to Executive Director Derek Edamura at derek@nwfilmforum.org for feedback requests, eligibility, or any questions you have about applying.
Please view the Application Guide for tips and best practices.
Application Materials
All mentor and apprentice applicants will need to provide an Artist Biography, an Artist Values Statement, Work Samples, and answer two Narrative Questions. Apprentices who are applying for the writer-director role will be required to submit an additional Screenplay Sample for consideration for the final project.
Please view the Application Guide for tips and best practices.
Accessibility
Film production days are expected to be long (10 hours+), and certain roles may require the lifting of heavy objects. However, applicants who identify as living as living with a disability are encouraged to apply. If you would like to request accessibility services because you have concerns about being on-set, the application contains an “Access Needs” section where you can provide more details, including any requests or questions, so that the apprenticeship program can try to accommodate a diverse cohort.
Exact schedules will be determined between mentors and apprentices. Some roles may meet virtually, though production prep days and production days will require being in-person, on-set, during a specific schedule.
Should you anticipate that you may experience a barrier in applying, please email Executive Director at derek@nwfilmforum.org. This will in no way affect your chances of being selected.