For over sixty years, Birns & Sawyer has supported filmmakers around the world with the latest equipment, products, and service and we are excited to announce the launch of our Aspire Program – a filmmaking equipment grant designed to help your dream project reach its fullest potential.
In addition, all applicants and grant winners will have the ability to test equipment and access educational opportunities at our Los Angeles office. The program is available to students and non-students alike, and provides for the use of digital camera packages, lenses, accessories, grip & lighting, and vehicles.
The program will launch Summer 2022, and four winners will be selected per calendar year. Previous winners are more than welcome to apply again upon completion of their project.
In 2020, Birns & Sawyer became an employee-owned company and many of its employees are filmmakers themselves. It’s an honor for us to support your project with this equipment grant and we look forward to working with you for years to come.
To apply, ask questions, or inquire further, please email us at aspire@birnsandsawyer.com
Program Rules
- The equipment grant is limited to $2,500USD per winner.
- All projects must be filmed within the United States.
- Shooting scripts must be shorter than thirty pages in length.
- All applicants must review and sign our Grant Submission Agreement prior to submitting their proposal.
- All submission materials must be in PDF format and turned in at the same time. Incomplete submissions, or materials sent to any other email address, will not be accepted.
- All complete applications must be submitted at least six weeks prior to the first locked day of production.
- Depending on the size and nature of the production, winners may be required to pay an equipment service fee.
Please allow up to ten days for a response to your application.
How to Apply
To be considered for the Birns & Sawyer Aspire Program, please submit a proposal to aspire@birnsandsawyer.com and include the following:
- Signed Submission Agreement
- Project longline and synopsis
- Filmmaker’s statement
- Desired equipment package
- Copy of the script
- Budget breakdown
- Team member biographies – Reels and resumes are also acceptable
- Shooting schedule with locked shoot dates – Applications without locked shoot dates will not be considered
- Goals for the project once it is complete
- Applicant(s) contact information
- For student projects, please provide school and professor(s) contact information
If you have other materials you would like to include (pitch deck, storyboards, location photos, teaser/trailer, website links, etc.) please don’t hesitate to submit them as well.
