Got a Short Film Idea? We’ve Got the Gear!

Submit Your Short Film Script and Make it Come to Life with Cleveland Camera Rental!

Calling all professional and aspiring filmmakers who have a story to tell! Now is your chance to submit for the 2025 Cleveland Indie Film Incubator Project! This year, we are requesting that filmmakers submit a script or outline of a short film idea as well as a video pitch featuring themselves pitching the concept. If selected, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with other filmmakers and receive equipment rental credit. There will be 6 total selected participants.

To submit, fill out the form HERE.

Incubator Details:

1. CCR will provide $2,000 in rental credit for each film and 50% off the standard rental rate. The filmmaker will be responsible for any other production costs associated with their film.
2. You have a single filming weekend (Friday prep, Saturday and Sunday) to film the entirety of your short film. Filming weekends are pre-determined and listed below.
   
   1. July 19th & 20th
   2. August 2nd & 3rd
   3. August 16th & 17th
   4. August 23rd & 24th
   5. September 6th & 7th
   6. September 21st & 22nd
3. While crafting your script or outline for submission, understand that your final film's runtime should not exceed 6 minutes.
4. You must attend all in-person workshops leading up to your filming weekend. If a workshop is missed, your rental credit will be cut in half. It’s important to attend and collaborate with other filmmakers to get the most out of this experience! Workshop dates are listed below.
   
   1. May 6th
   2. May 13th
   3. May 20th
   4. May 27th
   5. June 3rd
   6. June 10th
5. Your script will be finalized during one of our scheduled workshops. Understand that your final script should not exceed 8 pages with a max of 2 locations. This is the perfect opportunity to practice telling a story in a concise format.
6. You must help for a minimum of 2 days on another Incubator filmmaker's project.
7. CCR will assist you in finding a volunteer crew for your film.

The submission deadline is April 18th. We will only consider one submission per filmmaker. There will be 6 total selected participants. Results will be sent via email one week after the deadline. If you have any submission questions, feel free to email don@clevelandcamerarental.com with victoria@clevelandcamerarental.com CC'd and we will get back to you. Good luck and happy pitching!