About Us

The CFC was founded in 2012 by Joe Gressis, a filmmaker based in Los Angeles. An idea came to him one afternoon as he spoke with a friend about a string of local seminars designed to inspire young filmmakers. As they discussed ways to foster industry relationships, he proposed a hypothesis: The best way to get filmmakers to work together… is to have them actually work together. It’s an admittedly simple idea, but one that seemed conspicuously absent from the filmmaking landscape. She countered with an idea of her own: “Come up with a good plan and I’ll help you get it off the ground.” Joe went straight to work and so began the creative experiment of the Collaboration Filmmakers Challenge.

Prizes
(subject to change)
JURY PRIZE – Determined by the jury panel in advance of the screening.
  • FIRST PRIZE: $5,000 ($4,000 to filmmaker, $1,000 to his/her key collaborator)
  • RUNNER UP: $500 and a copy of Final Draft
KEY COLLABORATOR - Determined by the Collaboration Points system. Filmmakers receive points for each full day, half day, or favor that they spend collaborating with another filmmaker, and bonuses for each film in which they are listed as Key Collaborator.
  • FIRST PRIZE: $1,500
  • RUNNER UP: $1,000
  • HONORABLE MENTION: $500
BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT - Determined by the audience at the screening
  • FIRST PRIZE: $500
BEST ACTOR – COMEDY - Determined by the audience at the screening
  • FIRST PRIZE: $1,000
  • RUNNER UP: $200
BEST ACTOR – DRAMA - Determined by the audience at the screening
  • FIRST PRIZE: $1,000
  • RUNNER UP: $200
BEST WRITING -  Determined by the audience at the screening
  • FIRST PRIZE: $500 and a copy of Final Draft
  • RUNNER UP: Copy of Final Draft
BEST USE OF QUOTE - Determined by the CFC staff and awarded to one film
  • FIRST PRIZE: $500
  • RUNNER UP: $250 gift certificate to Stray Angel
BEST SET PHOTO - Determined by the CFC staff and awarded to one film
  • FIRST PRIZE: $200

Rules
  • Films must be 3:00 - 6:30 minutes in length.
  • The collaboration rule: In order to be eligible for prizes, contestants entered as “Filmmakers” must assist at least one other filmmaker on his or her film, and receive assistance from at least one other contestant – not including the filmmaker he or she assisted – on his or her own film. Each “Filmmaker” must work with at least two people in total. Each “Collaborator” entrant must work with at least one person in total. Otherwise, filmmakers may work with anyone they choose, inside or outside of the competition. We recommend using our forum at collaborationchallenge.com/forum to help you find collaborators. If you are having difficulty, contact the CFC organizers.
  • Talent, venue, and crew release forms, and the 2019 Collaboration Form, are available at collaborationchallenge.com/forms. You must submit a Collaboration Form with your film to be eligible for prizes. On the Collaboration Form, indicate which other contestant contributed the most to your film in the Key Collaborator space. That filmmaker will receive a bonus to their Collaboration Point total, and, should your film win the Jury Award, $1,000 in prize money.