Alumni Short Film Grant Competition and Film Festival
2026/2027 Alumni Short Film Funding Competition
Project Information & Submission Requirements
The Elon University Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Funding Competition is designed to support, promote and encourage the production of original, short films across all genres by Elon University Los Angeles-based alumni. This year’s funding competition, which was created and first launched in 2025, will award a grant of $3,000 to each of three LA-based Elon alumni for the production of their original, unproduced short films in early 2027.
To qualify for funding consideration, applicants must meet all of the project submission requirements. Funding award decisions will be made by a selection committee comprised of Elon University-associated and entertainment industry-affiliated individuals who will each select three project proposals from all of the proposals submitted as required and reviewed. The top three ranked proposals selected for funding will be announced in December. Members of the selection committee and previous grant recipients are ineligible for project submission consideration.
Funding Sources
Funds to be awarded will come directly from dollars raised from and/or contributed by Elon Los Angeles-based alumni, alumni from other geographic areas, university financial support and from contributions from other sources, including contributions made on Elon Day, which can be designated to directly benefit this initiative.
The Numbers
To be considered a “short film” for this grant funding competition, the running time of the completed project must be 15 minutes or less. All submissions are required to include a complete budget for the short film’s production, including a plan on how production costs and related expenses that exceed that amount will be will covered.
Submission Package Requirements
• A project submission pitch deck.
• The candidate’s Elon-related information (major, degree, graduation year), current resume, biography and links to relevant, related personal and/or professional websites and social media (IMDbPro, LinkedIn, etc.).
• A pdf document of the filmmaker’s original script.
• A breakdown of all of the roles to be cast and the production team to be assembled.
• A full production budget.
• A statement on whether the filmmaker will seek SAG-AFTRA status for their production.
• A list of equipment needed and how that equipment will be acquired.
• A preliminary production schedule, in accordance with the timeline published later in this document.
• A statement on how the filmmaker can involve Elon University Los Angeles students with production, performance and/or observation opportunities during the spring 2027 semester. Production must take place between 2/01/27 and 5/10/27 to allow for student participation. Academic class assignments could potentially align with and/or require students to participate.
• A preliminary PR plan for the completed project.
• A preliminary action plan for the completed project after the Elon University Los Angeles world premiere event (festival submissions, etc.).
Additional Items to Note
• All submissions must be from Los Angeles-area based Elon University alumni.
• All filmmakers will be required to appear at the Elon University Los Angeles world premiere screening event for the three funded projects and to participate in Q&A sessions and discussion about their projects, as scheduled, in conjunction with the event.
• All filmmakers are required to withhold any screenings of their in-progress or completed grant-funded projects or clips from their grant-funded projects until after the Elon University Los Angeles world premiere screening event.
• All filmmakers are required to obtain all required permission-to-use and/or licensing for any added elements of their production that necessitate and/or require such clearance.
• Elon University and Elon University Los Angeles will not be the owners of any created content; filmmakers retain full rights to their work.
• Filmmakers are required to feature the standard to-be-provided Elon University Los Angeles logo and a standardized Elon University Los Angeles credit in the opening and closing credits of their films. For example, “This production has been made possible by support from the Elon University Los Angeles LA Alumni Short Film Funding Competition”.
The Calendar*
9/25/26: Announcement of the 2025 project to the Elon alumni and other communities
10/01/26: Submission window opens (Submissions will only be accepted via e-mail to ElonLAShortFilms@elon.edu).
10/31/26: Submission window closes
November 2026: Selection committee members will receive copies of all submission packages received, with selection instructions.
December 2026: Three award recipients announced.
January 2027: Funding awards issued to three selected recipients.
2/01/27: Production schedule to be submitted to Elon University Los Angeles. Production should commences on or shortly after this date (spring 2027 semester students will be just beginning their courses and internships; spring students will be notified of opportunities to be involved in the production of the three selected projects). Filmmakers will be asked to talk students about their projects at the spring 2027 semester orientation on Friday, 1/27/27, at 10:00AM, at the Elon University Los Angeles home base at The Preserve, in Hollywood.
5/15/27: Production on all three projects must be complete.
Mid-May & June 2027: Post-production, with project status reports and updates provided by each filmmaker required.
7/15/27: Completed and ready-to-screen files of all three completed films due to Elon University Los Angeles.
7/21/27: Second Elon University Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Festival, at Sony Pictures Studios, in Culver City, California. World premiere screening event for alumni, students, faculty, administrators, industry leaders and other invited guests.
*subject to change
Submission Window
Submissions will only be accepted via e-mail to ElonLAShortFilms@elon.edu and must be received before midnight, Pacific time, on 10/31/26.
Contact Information
For further information, interested potential candidates can contact Brad Lemack (Director, Elon University Los Angeles) at blemack@elon.edu or Jordan Roman (Elon University LA-based alumnus and Co-Chair, Selection Committee) at jordanalexanderroman@gmail.com.
2026 Grant Winners Bex Evans, Julia Boyd, and Mirai
More Photos from the 2026 Inaugural Film Festival
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Questions about donating? Contact Jennifer Reavis, jreavis3@elon.edu, 336-520-7526
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