Cleveland Indie Film Incubator Casting Call

Calling all professional and aspiring filmmakers who want to make a short film this year!! Now is your chance to apply for the Cleveland Indie Film Incubator Project 2024. 

This year, we are requesting that filmmakers submit a video pitch for their short film idea. The selected filmmakers will have the opportunity to bring their story to life with the support of Cleveland Camera Rental's workshops, rental credit, and each other.

What is the Cleveland Indie Film Incubator Project?

The Incubator is much more than making a movie and screening it at the end of the year. Selected filmmakers will fully immerse themself into the craft of filmmaking by developing their ideas in workshops. Tentative topics in the workshops include: writing, pre-production, production design, how to tell a story with lighting and framing, how to approach casting day, directing and how to effectively communicate with cast and crew on set. Availability for the workshop dates will be taken into account when selecting the filmmakers to participate.

Workshop Dates

• February 27th in person
• March 5 via Google Meets
• March 12th via Google Meets
• March 19th in person
• March 26th via Google Meets
• April 2nd via Google Meets
• April 9th in person
• April 16th in person
• April 23rd in person
• May 18th Auditions

Filming Weekends

• June 8th & 9th
• June 22nd & 23rd
• July 13th & 14th
• July 27th & 28th
• Aug 10th & 11th
• Aug 24th & 25th

Selected Incubator Filmmakers will be required to work on at least one other filmmaker's film (but are of course encouraged to work on multiple).

Through the workshop process, the selected Filmmakers will develop their story and write their script.

Cleveland Camera Rental will provide $400 for each filmmaker towards their cash budget and at least $5000 in rental credit for each film. CCR will assist the filmmaker in finding crew. The filmmaker will be responsible for any other production costs associated with their film.

When filming is complete, the post-production process begins. Although filmmakers will have to ultimately choose their post-production team, CCR is here to help guide in these decisions! Filmmakers will have about 2-3 months to finish producing their film. 

They intend to have a screening event for all the films in November of 2024 on a date to be determined.

How to Submit for the Cleveland Indie Film Incubator 2024

Along with filling out a Google Form application, you will have to send in a video pitch. The video pitch criteria is as follows:

Video Pitch Criteria

1. Show an understanding that this is for a SHORT film submission (8 minutes and under), not a trailer or other type of project.
2. Share with us the main idea for your film. Include things like genre, era, characters, setting, themes or anything else.
3. How is this achievable? If you have an elaborate set design or wild special effects in mind, tell us what steps you will take or resources you have to turn your big ideas into a reality!
4. Tell us about yourself and why you should be chosen.
5. The pitch must be submitted as a video featuring the filmmaker. Otherwise, there are no restrictions on it. Understand that the video pitch will be made public if selected to participate in the Incubator.

The main purpose of the video pitch is to show your excitement for the film you want to create! We are looking for a motivated individual who is open to learning as they go, while still allowing their own creative individuality to come through.

The submission deadline is February 22nd, 2024. We will only consider one video pitch per filmmaker. Make sure to check our blog and social media to see the full selected list of filmmakers!

If you have any submission questions, feel free to message don@clevelandcamerarental.com and our CCR staff will get back to you. Good luck and happy pitching!

To submit for the Cleveland Indie Film Incubator 2024, please fill out the form at this link: