The Johnny Brenden Filmmakers Award is a feature incubator that encourages undergraduates to develop their advanced projects. A $25,000 grant is given every two years to support the production of an outstanding feature-length film. Application cycles are in even years (2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024, etc).
 
The first winner of the Johnny Brenden Filmmakers Award was producer Constanza Castro. Her feature film Liars, Fires and Bears (2012) was the official selection of a dozen film festivals. The second award was to Ryan LeBoeuf. His feature film The Beast was completed in the spring of 2014. The most recently completed film is Shellfish, directed by Hunter Hopewell, which has screened theatrically and at major festivals across the United States.

Applying for the Award

NOTE: The information below refers to the 2022-2023 award cycle. It will be updated when the next cycle begins in 2024.

For the 2022-2023 award cycle, all teams should pitch their projects to UNLV FILM faculty as part of the development process; pitches will be held November 17-18, 2022. Each session will be ten minutes. The pitch should be dynamic, well-structured, and engaging.

To be scheduled for a pitch, please submit a 1-2 page pdf with the following elements by November 10, 2022:

  1. Title
  2. Genre
  3. Logline
  4. Time and place of story
  5. Protagonist(s)
  6. Objective (What will or must be accomplished?)
  7. Stakes
  8. Obstacles
  9. Resolution (What has changed?)

The pitch should be dynamic, well-structured, and engaging.

Completed scripts and pitch decks with full production plans for films are due February 15, 2023 and should follow industry-standard rules of formatting and style. The pitch deck should include the following:

Johnny Brenden Filmmakers Award graphic 2022
  • Synopsis of the story and description of major characters
  • Identification of genre and discussion of audience demographics
  • Visual cues for style and tone
  • Breakdown of the creative team behind the project, including links to previous work
  • Detailed budget and shooting schedule

Faculty will review script & pitch deck submissions and identify top projects that will advance to the final round, which will involve shooting, editing, and submitting a sample scene from the film, using the key members of the team who would work on the full feature.

NOTE: The award is contingent upon funding. The funds will be given to the designated leader of the winning project (director, writer/director, producer, etc.), who must be a current student majoring in film at UNLV, or a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Arts in Film program (2020-present). Applicants must also be U.S. citizens or have proof of permanent resident status, and should select key team members who are current or recently graduated film majors at UNLV.

To schedule a pitch (must be done by November 10, 2022) or submit your completed script & pitch deck (must be done by February 15, 2023), use the buttons below.

Apply for a Pitch Session Submit Script & Pitch Deck Questions?