Original Voices

Original Voices is an artist development and inclusion initiative for independent documentary filmmakers presented by NBCU Academy in partnership with NBC News Studios.

The Original Voices Accelerator is a national open call for US-based student filmmakers and film critics interested in documentary film, journalism, and inclusion in this new six-month fellowship.

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Original Voices Shorts is a national open call for archival and journalistically driven short documentaries highlighting social issues and identities.

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The Original Voices Fellowship is an invite-only grant and artist development program supporting US-based feature documentary filmmakers.

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Original Voices Accelerator

The Original Voices Accelerator is a national open call for US-based student filmmakers and film critics interested in documentary film, journalism, and inclusion in this new six-month fellowship.

Original Voices Accelerator | NBCU AcademyBrought by NBCU Academy, the Accelerator Program kicks off with an immersive day of workshops and in-depth conversations with leading artists and industry experts at the forefront of inclusion and innovation. Afterward, fellows will attend the Based on a True Story Conference (BOATS) hosted by the Jonathan B. Murray Center for Documentary Journalism at the University of Missouri, an NBCU Academy Academic Partner, on the intersections of documentary film and journalism, followed by three days full of viewing and reviewing the best new creative nonfiction films at True/False Film Fest.

The Original Voices Accelerator is a pipeline to launch the generation of diverse creatives behind the camera and in the bylines with an annual convergence at the nation’s oldest journalism school and leading independent documentary film festival, introducing them to bold ideas, films, and leaders.

To apply to the Accelerator Program, an applicant must be (i) an individual enrolled at a higher educational institution, including Tribal Colleges and Universities, community colleges, and graduate schools, at the time of application; (ii) a US-based student filmmaker and/or critic who identifies as – or showcases stories highlighting social issues affecting – women, LGBTQ+ folx, communities of color, and people with disabilities; (iii) available to attend the Based on a True Story Conference (BOATS) and True/False Film Fest (T/F) from February 27-March 3, 2024.

Original Voices Accelerator | NBCU Academy
The Accelerator Program runs from February through July 2024. Ten applicants will be selected as Original Voices Accelerator Fellows and matched with an Original Voices Fellow as their Artist Mentor for the duration of the Accelerator Program. Both Artist Mentors and Accelerator Fellows will receive an $8,000 grant to support the development and production of their creative projects and assist with the costs of traveling to and attending the in-person portions of the Program in Columbia, Missouri in this innovative reciprocal mentorship program.

Key Application Dates:

  • December 1, 2023: Application Opens
  • December 22, 2023: Application Deadline at 5 PM ET
  • On or around January 19, 2024: All applicants notified of status

2024 Original Voices Accelerator Fellows

Aderet Fishbane
Mount Holyoke College
Christina D. Bartson
New York University
John "Niko" Pātū, Jr. (Falaniko)
University of Hawai'i
Julius Ewungo Ewungkem, Jr.
Harvard University
Justis Fiduccia
The City College of New York
Kendi King
Spelman College
Melanie Cedeño-Lopez
University of Central Florida - Nicholson School of Communication and Media
Melissa Tinambacan
Brigham Young University
Shiraz Ahmed
Duke University
Trinity Bella Hawkins
University of Texas at Austin
Aderet Fishbane
Mount Holyoke College
Christina D. Bartson
New York University
John "Niko" Pātū, Jr. (Falaniko)
University of Hawai'i
Julius Ewungo Ewungkem, Jr.
Harvard University
Justis Fiduccia
The City College of New York
Kendi King
Spelman College
Melanie Cedeño-Lopez
University of Central Florida - Nicholson School of Communication and Media
Melissa Tinambacan
Brigham Young University
Shiraz Ahmed
Duke University
Trinity Bella Hawkins
University of Texas at Austin

2024 Original Voices Accelerator Mentors

Damon Davis
2022 Original Voices Fellow / Chain of Rocks, Director (Artist Mentor)
Isabel Castro
2021 Original Voices Fellow / Mija, Director (Artist Mentor)
Mars Verrone
2022 Original Voices Fellow / UNION, Producer (Artist Mentor)
Reid Davenport
2021 Original Voices Fellow / I Didn’t See You There, Director (Artist Mentor)
Stephanie Wang-Breal
2022 Original Voices Fellow / Florence From Ohio, Writer-Director-Producer (Artist Mentor)
Sura Mallouh
2021 Original Voices Fellow / Untitled, Director and producer (Artist Mentor)
Zac Manuel
2021 Original Voices Fellow / Bloodthicker, Director (Artist Mentor)
Angel Ellis
Mvskoke Media, Director (Industry Mentor)
Bhawin Suchak
NeXt Doc, Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director (Industry Mentor)
Caitlin Mae Burke
IF/Then Shorts, Co-Director (Industry Mentor)
Dessane Lopez Cassell
Independent editor, writer, and curator (Industry Mentor)
Fallon Young
Exposure Labs, VP, Partnerships & Strategy (Industry Mentor)
Farihah Zaman
Independent filmmaker, critic, educator, and curator (Industry Mentor)
Iyabo Boyd
Independent filmmaker and founder of Brown Girls Doc Mafia (Industry Mentor)
Jason Fitzroy Jeffers
Independent filmmaker and founder of Third Horizon Media (Industry Mentor)
Merrill Sterritt
IF/Then Shorts, Co-Director (Industry Mentor)
Ximena Amescua
Firelight Media, Manager of Artist Programs (Industry Mentor)
Damon Davis
2022 Original Voices Fellow / Chain of Rocks, Director (Artist Mentor)
Isabel Castro
2021 Original Voices Fellow / Mija, Director (Artist Mentor)
Mars Verrone
2022 Original Voices Fellow / UNION, Producer (Artist Mentor)
Reid Davenport
2021 Original Voices Fellow / I Didn’t See You There, Director (Artist Mentor)
Stephanie Wang-Breal
2022 Original Voices Fellow / Florence From Ohio, Writer-Director-Producer (Artist Mentor)
Sura Mallouh
2021 Original Voices Fellow / Untitled, Director and producer (Artist Mentor)
Zac Manuel
2021 Original Voices Fellow / Bloodthicker, Director (Artist Mentor)
Angel Ellis
Mvskoke Media, Director (Industry Mentor)
Bhawin Suchak
NeXt Doc, Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director (Industry Mentor)
Caitlin Mae Burke
IF/Then Shorts, Co-Director (Industry Mentor)
Dessane Lopez Cassell
Independent editor, writer, and curator (Industry Mentor)
Fallon Young
Exposure Labs, VP, Partnerships & Strategy (Industry Mentor)
Farihah Zaman
Independent filmmaker, critic, educator, and curator (Industry Mentor)
Iyabo Boyd
Independent filmmaker and founder of Brown Girls Doc Mafia (Industry Mentor)
Jason Fitzroy Jeffers
Independent filmmaker and founder of Third Horizon Media (Industry Mentor)
Merrill Sterritt
IF/Then Shorts, Co-Director (Industry Mentor)
Ximena Amescua
Firelight Media, Manager of Artist Programs (Industry Mentor)

Original Voices Shorts Pitch 2023

In 2023, we are launching a new program, the Original Voices Shorts Pitch. NBCU Academy in partnership with NBC News Studios, the NBC News documentary division, is collaborating with IF/Then Shorts to launch a national open call for archival and journalistically driven short documentaries highlighting social issues and identities.

Five teams will be invited to take the stage at the Original Voices Shorts Pitch, an inclusion­ focused pitch session where a curated selection of diverse filmmakers propose their documentary works in progress to a panel of industry professionals. The five pitching teams will receive a grant of $6,000 each to help further their documentary and to assist with the costs of attending the pitch event.

From the five finalists, NBCU Academy and NBC News Studios will select one winning project to commission with a $100,000 investment.

Eligible filmmakers are US-based documentarians who identify as – or showcase stories highlighting social issues affecting – women, LGBTQ+ folx, communities of color, and people with disabilities regardless of career stage.

The purpose of the Original Voices Shorts Pitch is to open doors to the NBCU newsroom and archive to diverse documentary filmmakers eager to present a more vibrant, equitable, and accurate take on American history and society today. Reaffirming the values of integrity and inclusion in order to spur innovation, the Original Voices Shorts Pitch aims to break down barriers of authorship and authority between news media networks and consumers, support diverse documentary filmmakers with the resources of a legacy news organization, and strengthen public trust in fact-based reporting and film.

The pitch will take place at DOC NYC 2023.

Apply now for the chance to receive a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to develop a short documentary film and how leading decision makers in documentary film studios and newsrooms evaluate projects according to the highest industry, equity, and journalism standards.

KEY DATES:
The application portal will open on March 10, 2023 and close on April 14, 2023 11:59 PM PT.

  • March 10: Application opens for Original Voices Shorts Pitch
  • April 14: Application closes at 11:59 PM PT.
  • July 28: All applicants notified of status. Selected projects announced
  • Late September: Pitch Training and Work Sample Review
  • November TBC: Original Voices Shorts Pitch

APPLY HERE: fieldofvision.org/ov2023

Please direct any questions regarding this application to the IF/Then Shorts team at [email protected].

Read more about NBC News Studios.
Read more about our cohort of Original Voices fellows.

Continue reading for more program details and project eligibility.

KEY DATES:
The application portal will open on March 10, 2023 and close on April 14, 2023 11:59 PM PT.

  • March 10: Application opens for Original Voices Shorts Pitch
  • April 14: Application closes at 11:59 PM PT.
  • July 28: All applicants notified of status. Selected projects announced
  • Late September: Pitch Training and Work Sample Review
  • November TBC: Original Voices Shorts Pitch

APPLY HERE: fieldofvision.org/ov2023

Please direct any questions regarding this application to the IF/Then Shorts team at [email protected].

Read more about NBC News Studios.
Read more about our cohort of Original Voices fellows.

Application Details:

Applications for the Original Voices Shorts Pitch (the “Pitch Program”) must be received by April 14, 2023 11:59 PM PT. Filmmakers must apply with an original short documentary “work-in-progress” project, with a planned final duration of 10-40 minutes (the “WIP”). The WIP must be factually accurate, following NBC News Standards and best practices in documentary ethics and accountability. The WIP must be presented or subtitled in English, have no prior distribution or financing deals attached, and have all rights available.

Pitch Details:

From the Pitch Program applications, five filmmaker teams will be selected to pitch their WIP in front of a live audience at DOC NYC and a panel of industry professionals to receive feedback and expert advice. Pitching filmmakers will receive a $6000 grant to assist with the costs of attending the pitch and for further development and production of their WIP.

The filmmakers will pitch their WIPs to a panel of industry professionals Each of the finalists will also have an opportunity to meet one-on-one with NBC News Studios executives to get direct creative feedback and advice on how to advance their film. pitch will last 7 minutes, including the visual sample, followed by approximately 10 minutes of constructive feedback, questions, and dialogue.

Selected Project Details:

From the five finalists, NBCU Academy, in partnership with NBC News Studios, will select one WIP to commission (“Selected Project”) and will approve and fund a production budget of up to $100,000 for completion of the Selected Project. The Selected Project filmmakers will also receive access to the NBCU News archive, and support from NBC News Studios executives, festival and distribution strategy, and other personnel. Once finished, the Selected Project will have the opportunity screen the finished film at Comcast and NBCU broadcasters, streamers, events, and festivals NBC News Studios elects to develop the Selected Project into a feature-length film, the original filmmaker(s) will be attached.

Please Note:

This application process is based on the Nonfiction Core Application Proposal Checklist (v2022), includes six sections, and should take about 2 hours to complete. Please consider preparing your application in a separate document as there is no way to save your progress.

The sections are: (1) Basic Eligibility, (2) Film Description, (3) Key Creative Team Background and Demographics, (4) File Uploads and Financial Information, (5) Program­ specific short prompts that ask about the artist’s commitment to inclusion, equitable filmmaking practices, and your interest in this opportunity, and finally (6) Submission Release. If selected as a finalist, receipt of the grants and, if applicable, funding of the budget for the Selected Project is contingent upon the finalist’s execution of certain documentation and agreements, which will be provided at a later date.

Through our relationship, NBCUniversal Media, LLC has access to your personal data, such as your name and email address and other demographic data. You can read our privacy policy here: https://www.nbcuniversal.com/privacy.

Questions? Email nell augustin ([email protected]).

Eligibility and Production Requirements:

1. To apply, you must be a US-based documentarian, at least 18 years of age, who identifies as – or showcase stories highlighting social issues affecting – women, LGBTQ+ folx, communities of color, and people with disabilities.

2. You may be an emerging or an established documentary filmmaker.

3. You warrant that you hold the legal right to work in the United States, and that your right to work allows you to undertake the activities necessary for participation in this Program.

4. Production must be based on reliable sourcing (generally, at least one creditable on the record source or two independent credible sources with direct knowledge).

5. Those subject to allegations of wrongdoing must be contacted for comment and those comments should be included in the WIP where journalistically appropriate.

6. Production must comply with all federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations. This includes, without limitation, laws regarding trespass, wiretapping, unauthorized access of computer systems and files, and other general privacy laws.

7. Interviewees should not be paid for their participation or be assured that they will be portrayed favorably. Interviews should not be scripted and interviewees should not be given questions in advance.

8. Anyone working on the WIP must not misrepresent their identities in connection with the production.

9. Agreements with sources – including on what is reportable and attributable – must be followed.

10. Interviews and other footage should not be edited in a manner that changes the meaning of what was said or gives a false impression of what happened.

11. If a film includes recreations/reenactments/Al, it must be clear to the viewer through style, narration, or overall creative approach that the scenes are not real.

12. The WIP must be presented or subtitled in English.

13. The WIP must not have been previously exploited or otherwise encumbered in any way.

14. The WIP must be your original creation (and/or the original creation of the other filmmaker(s) on your team), and you and/or such other filmmaker(s) must solely and exclusively own all right, title, and interest in and to all legally protectable elements of the WIP.

15. If you are selected as a potential participant for the Pitch Event you (and the other filmmakers on your team) will be required to execute certain waivers, documentation, and agreements required by NBCU.

16. The Commissioned Project must include NBCU News archival material.

17. If your WIP is selected as the Commissioned Project, you (and, if applicable, the other filmmaker(s) on your team) will be required to enter into a commissioning agreement with NBCU (subject to good faith negotiation), and to execute and submit certain other documentation required by NBCU. In exchange for NBCU funding the further development (if applicable), production, and completion of the Commissioned Project, NBCU shall own all rights in and to the Commissioned Project, all materials created in connection therewith, and the results and proceeds of all individuals and entities providing services in connection with development, production, and completion of the Commissioned Project, including all distribution, and allied and ancillary rights.

18. If your WIP is selected as the Commissioned Project, you and your team of filmmaker(s) will be responsible for the further development (if applicable), production, and completion of the Commissioned Project. You and your team of filmmakers shall consult with NBC News Studios in advance regarding all creative, production, financial, and business elements of the Commissioned Project (including, without limitation, relating to news/journalistic standards), and NBC News Studios and you shall mutually agree upon all such elements, provided that in the event of any failure to agree, the decisions of NBC News Studios shall be final and binding.

Original Voices Fellowship

NBCU Academy in partnership with NBC News Studios, the NBC News documentary division, is proud to present Original Voices, a new artist development and inclusion initiative for independent documentary filmmakers.

Original Voices Fellowship | NBCU Academy | NBC News StudiosEligible filmmakers are US-based documentarians who identify as – or showcase stories highlighting social issues affecting – women, LGBTQ+ folx, communities of color, and people with disabilities regardless of career stage. We recognize all key creative staff as our fellows. The fellowship is an invite-only opportunity. We partner with national artist development organizations, funders, producers, curators, and independent documentary film nonprofits to solicit recommendations each summer. Fifty teams are invited to apply and five to seven teams are chosen to receive non recoupable grants of $60,000 and up.

Continue reading to learn more about our program, fellows, and the films we’ve supported so far.

Original Voices Fellowship | NBCU Academy | NBC News Studios

The inaugural Original Voices Fellowship cohort launched in 2021 with seven documentary filmmaking teams receiving a bespoke artist development fellowship and non-recoupable grant award of $45,000 each to support their creative process on feature-length nonfiction films. Once granted, the first fellowship year includes invitations to bimonthly online professional development workshops and a week-long trip to New York City to attend a film festival and in-person workshops at 30 Rockefeller Plaza with all travel and housing included. Fellows also have ongoing access to NBC News Studios executives, journalists, archival research support, mentorship, creative feedback, festival and marketing strategy, and fellows gatherings in New York City and along the festival circuit.  We are also proud to partner with nonprofits and academic research labs such as the Center for Media and Social Impact, The Flaherty, and Peace is Loud to offer additional workshops and programming.

The Original Voices Fellowship cohort of 2022 included six filmmaking teams receiving a non-recoupable grant award at the increased amount of $60,000 along with the Original Voices Fellowship cohort of 2021 receiving a regrant of an additional $15,000 each to support the completion of their films and career sustainability.

Questions? Reach out to nell augustin who leads Original Voices and is happy to learn about your film.

2022 Fellowship Grantees

Chain of Rocks

Directed by Damon Davis, Produced by Chris Renteria

Production Stage: Production

A Death Row inmate confesses to a crime after 30 years of maintaining his innocence. Now, an activist who once fought for his innocence is faced with the moral dilemma of whether the fight was in vain. Chain of Rocks is an animated feature-length documentary that explores the complexities of race and masculinity and how they skew our worldview and play a role in oppressive systems.

Florence From Ohio

Directed by Stephanie Wang-Breal, Produced by Carrie Weprin and Mynette Louie

Production Stage: Development

Florence from Ohio is a real-life, genre-twisting film about Florence Wang and her second-generation daughter, Stephanie Wang-Breal. Told through the lens of Florence’s St. John Knit power suits and 1980s local TV cooking show, mother and daughter collectively reimagine and grapple with their generational ideas of motherhood, feminism, racism, and assimilation.

The Queer Beat

Directed by Eric Juhola, Produced by Jeremy Stulberg and David Ninh, Cinematographers Rachel Bardin and Rose Bush

Production Stage: Production

The Queer Beat is a collaborative vérité documentary featuring trans, queer and gender non-conforming journalists who reflect on their own identities while working to tell the story of a seminal moment in LGBTQ history. The film follows reporters Kate Sosin and Cristela Guerra as they investigate the still unsolved 1998 murder of trans woman Rita Hester, whose death sparked the creation of the world-wide movement ‘Transgender Day of Remembrance’. Two decades later, they discover new leads amidst a community still grieving and try to answer the question ‘What happened’?

Unseen

Directed by Set Hernandez Rongkilyo, Produced by Day Al-Mohamed and Félix Endara, Executive Producer Diane Quon

Production Stage: Production, First Time Feature Filmmaker

unseen follows the story of Pedro, an aspiring social worker hoping to provide mental health services for underserved communities. Being a blind, undocumented immigrant, Pedro faces harsh political realities in the U.S., but a network of supporters carries him through a decade’s long struggle to actualize his dream. What starts as a journey to foster the mental health of others ultimately transforms into Pedro’s path towards his own healing and self-discovery.

UNSEEN premiered at Hot Docs 2023.

UNION

Directed by Brett Story and Stephen Maing, Produced by Samantha Curley and Mars Verrone, Cinematographer Martin DiCicco

Production Stage: Production

From the perspective of a single Amazon fulfillment center, this documentary is an intimate portrait of current and former Amazon workers taking on one of the world’s largest and most powerful companies in the fight to unionize.

UNION premiered at Sundance 2024.

BAD PRESS

Directed by Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler; Produced by Rebecca Landsberry-Baker, Garrett Baker, Conrad Beilharz, Tyler Graim and Joe Peeler; Cinematographer Tyler Graim

Production Stage: Post-Production, First Time Feature Filmmaker

When the Muscogee Nation suddenly begins censoring their free press, a rogue reporter fights to expose her government’s corruption in a historic battle that will have ramifications for all of Indian Country.

BAD PRESS premiered at Sundance 2023.

2022 Original Voices Fellows

Damon Davis
Chain of Rocks, Director
Chris Renteria
Chain of Rocks, Producer
Stephanie Wang-Breal
Florence from Ohio, Writer-Director-Producer
David Teague
Florence from Ohio, Writer
Carrie Weprin
Florence from Ohio, Producer
Mynette Louie
Florence from Ohio, Producer
Derek Nguyen
Florence from Ohio, Executive Producer
Eric Juhola
The Queer Beat, Director-Producer
Jeremy Stulberg
The Queer Beat, Producer
David Ninh
The Queer Beat, Producer
Rachel Bardin
The Queer Beat, Cinematographer
Rose Bush
The Queer Beat, Cinematographer
Set Hernandez Rongkilyo
unseen, Director-Producer-Editor-Cinematographer
Day Al-Mohamed
unseen, Producer
Félix Endara
unseen, Producer
Diane Quon
unseen, Executive Producer
Brett Story
UNION, Co-Director
Stephen Maing
UNION, Co-Director
Samantha Curley
UNION, Producer
Mars Verrone
UNION, Producer
Martin DiCicco
UNION, Cinematographer
Conrad Beilharz
BAD PRESS, Producer
Rebecca Landsberry-Baker
BAD PRESS, Director-Producer
Joe Peeler
BAD PRESS, Director-Producer
Tyler Graim
BAD PRESS, Cinematographer-Producer
Garrett Baker
BAD PRESS, Producer
Jean Rheem
BAD PRESS, Editor
Damon Davis
Chain of Rocks, Director
Chris Renteria
Chain of Rocks, Producer
Stephanie Wang-Breal
Florence from Ohio, Writer-Director-Producer
David Teague
Florence from Ohio, Writer
Carrie Weprin
Florence from Ohio, Producer
Mynette Louie
Florence from Ohio, Producer
Derek Nguyen
Florence from Ohio, Executive Producer
Eric Juhola
The Queer Beat, Director-Producer
Jeremy Stulberg
The Queer Beat, Producer
David Ninh
The Queer Beat, Producer
Rachel Bardin
The Queer Beat, Cinematographer
Rose Bush
The Queer Beat, Cinematographer
Set Hernandez Rongkilyo
unseen, Director-Producer-Editor-Cinematographer
Day Al-Mohamed
unseen, Producer
Félix Endara
unseen, Producer
Diane Quon
unseen, Executive Producer
Brett Story
UNION, Co-Director
Stephen Maing
UNION, Co-Director
Samantha Curley
UNION, Producer
Mars Verrone
UNION, Producer
Martin DiCicco
UNION, Cinematographer
Conrad Beilharz
BAD PRESS, Producer
Rebecca Landsberry-Baker
BAD PRESS, Director-Producer
Joe Peeler
BAD PRESS, Director-Producer
Tyler Graim
BAD PRESS, Cinematographer-Producer
Garrett Baker
BAD PRESS, Producer
Jean Rheem
BAD PRESS, Editor

2022 Original Voices Fellowship Jurors

Julie Cohen
Julie Cohen is an Academy Award nominated, Emmy winning director and producer of RBG, along with Betsy West.
Yance Ford
Ford is a MacDowell fellow, who made history as the first openly transgender director nominated for an Oscar for his debut film, Strong Island.
Bing Liu
Bing Liu is a Chinese-born, Midwest-raised filmmaker whose directorial credits include Minding the Gap, America to Me and All These Sons.
Julie Cohen
Julie Cohen is an Academy Award nominated, Emmy winning director and producer of RBG, along with Betsy West.
Yance Ford
Ford is a MacDowell fellow, who made history as the first openly transgender director nominated for an Oscar for his debut film, Strong Island.
Bing Liu
Bing Liu is a Chinese-born, Midwest-raised filmmaker whose directorial credits include Minding the Gap, America to Me and All These Sons.

2021 Fellowship Grantees

Bloodthicker

Directed by Zac Manuel, Produced by Chris Haney

Production Stage: Production, First Time Feature Filmmaker

Bloodthicker is a coming-of-age documentary about three childhood friends navigating adulthood while living in the shadows of their famous fathers. Filmed over 4 years, the film is an intimate portrait of how three young musicians come to define themselves in the presence and absence of their fathers.

Hummingbirds

Directed by Silvia Castaños, Estefania Contreras, Miguel Drake McLaughlin, Diane Ng, Ana Rodriguez-Falco, Jillian Schlesinger, Produced by Leslie Benavides, Miguel Drake McLaughlin, Ana Rodriguez-Falco, Jillian Schlesinger

Production Stage: Production, First Time Feature Filmmakers

In this uniquely collaborative coming-of-age film, inseparable best friends Silvia and Beba emerge at night to escape the cruel summer heat of their Texas border town, wandering empty streets in search of inspiration, adventure, and a sense of belonging. When forces beyond their control threaten their shared dreams and they are faced with an uncertain future, they take a stand and hold onto what they can—the moment and each other.

HUMMINGBIRDS premiered at Berlinale 2023.

I Didn’t See You There

Directed by Reid Davenport, Produced by Keith Wilson

Production Stage: Production, First Time Feature Filmmaker

Spurred by the spectacle of a circus tent that goes up outside his Oakland apartment, a disabled filmmaker launches into an unflinching meditation on freakdom, (in)visibility, and the pursuit of individual agency. Shot entirely from his literal physical perspective, both from his wheelchair and his two feet, the filmmaker’s gaze and thoughts oscillate between how he is seen, his distant family, and whether his films have fallen into the legacy of the Freak Show.

I DIDN’T SEE YOU THERE premiered at Sundance 2022.

La Flaca

Directed by Jessica Chermayeff and Ana Veselic, Produced by Alba Jaramillo

Production Stage: Production, First Time Feature Filmmakers

A teenager’s flight from Honduras through Central America suddenly snaps into focus when she gives birth on US soil — launching an epic coming-of-age tale of assimilation in America.

Mija

Directed by Isabel Castro, Produced by Tabs Breese and Associate Produced by Yesenia Tlahuel

Production Stage: Production, First Time Feature Filmmaker

Doris Muñoz is an ambitious music manager whose undocumented family depends on her ability to discover aspiring pop stars. Mija dives into the world of a young woman and a community of first generation musicians that are hustling harder than anyone because “making it” isn’t just a dream—it’s a necessity.

MIJA premiered at Sundance 2022.

Untitled

Directed by Sura Mallouh, Produced by Sura Mallouh, Laura Poitras, and Yoni Golijov, Cinematography by Jason D’Souza

Production Stage: Production, First Time Feature Filmmaker

Two friends uncover a conflict that divides their already embattled community. Told from all sides, with unprecedented access to courtrooms, anonymous sources and community leaders, this observational film unfolds in real time.

Untitled

Directed by Michael Premo, Produced by Rachel Falcone

Production Stage: Production

Untitled explores issues in contemporary America.

2021 Original Voices Fellows

Zac Manuel
Bloodthicker, Director
Chris Haney
Bloodthicker, Producer
Silvia Castaños
Hummingbirds, Director
Estefanía ‘Beba’ Contreras
Hummingbirds, Director
Miguel Drake- Maclaughlin
Hummingbirds, Director and producer
Diane Ng
Hummingbirds, Director
Ana Rodriguez-Falco
Hummingbirds, Director and producer
Jillian Schlesinger
Hummingbirds, Director and producer
Reid Davenport
I Didn’t See You There, Director
Keith Wilson
I Didn’t See You There, Producer
Ana Veselic
La Flaca, Director
Jessica Chermayeff
La Flaca, Director
Alba Jaramillo
La Flaca, Producer
Isabel Castro
Mija, Director
Tabs Breese
Mija, Producer
Yesenia Tlahuel
Mija, Producer
Sura Mallouh
Untitled, Director and producer
Laura Poitras
Untitled, Producer
Yoni Golijov
Untitled, Producer
Jason D’Souza
Untitled, Cinematographer
Michael Premo
Untitled, Director
Rachel Falcone
Untitled, Producer
Zac Manuel
Bloodthicker, Director
Chris Haney
Bloodthicker, Producer
Silvia Castaños
Hummingbirds, Director
Estefanía ‘Beba’ Contreras
Hummingbirds, Director
Miguel Drake- Maclaughlin
Hummingbirds, Director and producer
Diane Ng
Hummingbirds, Director
Ana Rodriguez-Falco
Hummingbirds, Director and producer
Jillian Schlesinger
Hummingbirds, Director and producer
Reid Davenport
I Didn’t See You There, Director
Keith Wilson
I Didn’t See You There, Producer
Ana Veselic
La Flaca, Director
Jessica Chermayeff
La Flaca, Director
Alba Jaramillo
La Flaca, Producer
Isabel Castro
Mija, Director
Tabs Breese
Mija, Producer
Yesenia Tlahuel
Mija, Producer
Sura Mallouh
Untitled, Director and producer
Laura Poitras
Untitled, Producer
Yoni Golijov
Untitled, Producer
Jason D’Souza
Untitled, Cinematographer
Michael Premo
Untitled, Director
Rachel Falcone
Untitled, Producer

2021 Original Voices Fellowship Jurors

Dawn Porter
Award-winning producer, director, and executive producer
Nanfu Wang
Emmy-nominated filmmaker who won the 2020 MacArthur Genius Grant.
Cristina Costantini
Emmy award-winning director and one of DOCNYC’s 40 under 40 filmmakers in documentary in 2019.
Dawn Porter
Award-winning producer, director, and executive producer
Nanfu Wang
Emmy-nominated filmmaker who won the 2020 MacArthur Genius Grant.
Cristina Costantini
Emmy award-winning director and one of DOCNYC’s 40 under 40 filmmakers in documentary in 2019.

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Investigate
Inspire

Stories that captivate. Stories that investigate. Stories that inspire. That’s the foundation of NBC News Studios. NBC News Studios is a full-service production company that specializes in documentary storytelling and the occasional scripted project. NBC News Studios offers producers and filmmakers access to everything our legacy news organization has to offer: eight decades of television and radio archive; a global network of journalists; a world-class investigative team; and a rich trove of stories. Our team has decades of experience in the TV and documentary worlds and has been honored with multiple Emmy, Peabody and DuPont awards.

NBC News Studios’ documentary co-presentation with Focus Features, Dawn Porter’s The Way I See It, was the highest rated non-news program in MSNBC’s 25-year history.

Learn. Grow. Teach.

Want to learn more about the Original Voices Fellowship? Contact us and a member of our team will be in touch.