Roy W. Dean Film Grants

Now entering its fourth decade, the Roy W. Dean Film Grants fund independent feature films, documentaries, web series, and short films with budgets of $500,000 or less that are unique and make a contribution to society that, without its help, might otherwise never get made. 

Roy W. Dean Film Grants

Director/Producer Heather Lenz Won The Roy W. Dean Grant for “Kusama-Infinity” 

There are four Roy W. Dean Film Grants available each year. Three are for documentaries, narrative features, web series, and short films.  One for Spring, Summer, and Fall. 

In addition, the Roy W. Dean Short Film Grant is exclusively for short films (does not include short non-fiction documentaries or web series).

Roy W. Dean Film Grant Submission Deadlines:

Submissions for grants close at 11:59 PM PT on dates below:

Roy W. Dean Film Grant – Spring – March 31st

Roy W. Dean Short Film Grant – April 29th

Roy W. Dean Film Grant – Summer – June 30th

Roy W. Dean Film Grant – Fall – October 31st

The awards for each grant are listed below.

Winners of the Roy W. Dean Film Grants receive a cash award as well as goods and discounted services offered by film industry companies and professionals who care about getting good films produced.  

See each grant below for specific information on awards for individual grants.

All grant applicants are entitled to a free 15 minute consultation  

Conducted by board member Carole Joyce, filmmakers can discuss their application, improving your project, or how to improve chances for funding.

“Carole Joyce’s advice on how to improve and represent our project was very important and constructive. Also she recommended very useful books and documentaries connected with film industry and my film specifically. She also gave us contacts of consultants and distributors, who may stand next to our project. The consultation was very motivational and hope we will have chance to work with From The Heart Production one day.”   Inna Sahakyan – Filmmaker 

“In an industry where it can be hard to find supportive encouragement, our experience with From The Heart Productions has proved it can indeed exist. From the application process to our consultation we received clear and concrete suggestions to further our film. A very inspiring experience.”  Stacey Stone – Filmmaker

After the grant you’ve applied for has closed and your materials have been reviewed by the judges, you will receive an email with instructions on how you can schedule an appointment.  

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Carole Dean on

“What You Need to Win the Roy W. Dean Grant”

2023 Roy W. Dean Spring Grant Awards – Closed for Submissions 

Deadline for Submissions is March 31st, 2023

  • $3,500.00 from From the Heart Productions. Sponsored by Sonny Fassoulis.
  • L’ORAGE sUAS Drone Imagery, a female run FAA part 107 commercial drone company, features experienced filmmakers at the helm and 4K to 6K top of the line equipment that will increase your production value and bring your vision to life. L’ORAGE sUAS Drone offers 15% off their services.   https://www.lorage.com/suas-drone-imagery
  • $500 Britt Penrod Award to a film that is unique and that makes an exceptional contribution to society. 
  • $500 in grip, lighting or expendables from Filmtools
  • 40% deduction on color, editing, and sound & all production services… including our lighting truck. See complete list of equipment www.promedia.nyc
  • Tom Malloy of Glass House Distribution donates an hour of consultation on distribution of your film
  • $1,200.00 for one consultation a month with Carole Dean on financing your film
  • 30% discount in equipment rental from AbelCine Tech, Inc. NYC
  • 15% off legal services from Robert Seigel
  • 25% off on online/color correction and deliverables creation/duplication rates from GlueEdit.com
  • 30% discount on Clearance from BZ Rights & Permissions, Inc. for copyrighted materials
  • $1,600 value / sound mix session from Silver Sound
  • Voice over services from Claire Papin
  • $600.00 for your Free Closed Captioning by Cineprosmedia (elliot@netcaptioning.com)
  • $180.00 gift for a free BioScan to reduce stress and improve your health from Planet BioScan
  • $120 value proofreading and copy editing consultation from Cinda Jackson
  • 30% discount on digitizing services from dijifi.com for S8, photos, videos, etc
  • 10% discount on DCP conversion service and use facility for no charge. Chris@simpledcp.com.
  • $117.00 TriLens holder from Frii Designs
  • $110.00 Session for free from Breianne Pryse to clear and strengthen energy, get clarity and dissolve blocks

2023 Roy W. Dean Short Film Grant Awards – Closed for Submissions 

For narrative fiction shorts, live action or animated, that are 40 minutes or less in length.  

Deadline for submissions is April 29th, 2023 at 11:59 PM PT

  • $3,000.00 cash from From The Heart Productions
  • $500 Britt Penrod Award to a film that is unique and that makes an exceptional contribution to society. 
  • $3,000.00 in music and audio services from well-known composer David Raiklen
  • $6,000.00 in animation from Emmy award winner Charlie Canfield. This is 1/3 off normal price for 6 weeks of animation
  • $500 in grip, lighting or expendables from Filmtools
  • Tom Malloy of Glass House Distribution donates an hour of consultation on distribution of your film
  • $1,400 value (4 hours of sound mix session) from Silver Sound
  • $600.00 for your Free Closed Captioning by Cineprosmedia (elliot@netcaptioning.com)
  • $117.00 TriLens holder from Frii Designs
  • 25% discount on legal work from Mark Litwak
  • Voice over services from Claire Papin
  • $120 value proofreading and copy editing consultation from Cinda Jackson
  • $110.00 Session for free from Breianne Pryse to clear and strengthen energy, get clarity and dissolve blocks50% off the cost of 8 sessions over four month training in the Intentional Filmmaking class. https://fromtheheartproductions.com/intentional-filmmaking/From the Heart Productions requests a rolling “Thank You” credit to all of the donors on the grant.  Your application, if chosen as a winner, may be published or used to educate other filmmakers by FTHP.

2023 Summer Grant Awards – Open for Submissions

Deadline for submissions is July 1st, 2023

50% off the cost of 8 sessions over four month training in the Intentional Filmmaking class. https://fromtheheartproductions.com/intentional-filmmaking/

From the Heart Productions requests a rolling “Thank You” credit to all of the donors on the grant.  Your application, if chosen as a winner, may be published or used to educate other filmmakers by FTHP.

2023 Fall Grant Awards – Closed for Submissions

Deadline for Submissions is October 31st, 2023

  • $3,000 cash from From The Heart Productions
  • $500 Britt Penrod Award to a film that is unique and that makes an exceptional contribution to society. 
  • $15,000.00 in original music written by well-known composer David Raiklen.(Exclusive of recording costs)
  • $6,000.00 in animation from Emmy award winner Charlie Canfield. This is 1/3 off normal price for 6 weeks of animation
  • $500 in grip, lighting or expendables from Filmtools
  • 4tb OWC Gemini Raid Hard Drive from Other World Computing (OWC)
  • $750 in Grant Writing Services from Karen Everett of New Doc Editing.  Karen is contributing 50% off her company’s services, up to 6 hours. (At $250/hour, this is the equivalent of a $750 donation.) Karen@newdocediting.com.
  • $1,620.00 for one consultation a month with Carole Dean on financing your film
  • 20% off documentary editing services from Monroe Robertson
  • Tom Malloy of Glass House Distribution donates an hour of consultation on distribution of your film
  • $700 one week DSLR camera package rental from Birns & Sawyer which includes Canon 5D Mark III camera body, a 24-70mm Canon EOS lens, 2 batteries, charger, carrying case, and two 32G Compact Flash media cards.
  • Free consultation, marketing material creation and design and marketing/strategizing for producer-writer-director team for solicitation of distribution from Smart Girls Productions
  • Free consultation on funding from Morrie Warshawski
  • 20% discount on the design of your marketing sheet by professional Dan Chapman
  • 35% Discount from 1st Imprint for all your printing needs
  • $600.00 for your Free Closed Captioning by Cineprosmedia (elliot@netcaptioning.com)
  • $500 Value in still shots by Carole Joyce, Authentic Visions Consulting
  • $500 Access to Norman Berns‘ courses; Script Breakdown $100, Righting Rotten Resumes $50, Creating effective business plans $150, How to make a Budget $100; program budgeting $100
  • 25% Discount on legal work from Mark Litwak
  • 40% discount on printed materials ( Postcards, Posters, Press kits, Business cards, etc.) from Copymat, Hollywood.
  • 25% off a dialogue list and 10% off of transcription services from Alpha Dog Transcriptions
  • 10% discount on DCP conversion service and use facility for no charge. Chris@simpledcp.com.
  • $117.00 TriLens holder from Frii Designs
  • $110.00 Session for free from Breianne Pryse to clear and strengthen energy, get clarity and dissolve blocks

50% off the cost of 8 sessions over four month training in the Intentional Filmmaking class. https://fromtheheartproductions.com/intentional-filmmaking/

From the Heart Productions requests a rolling “Thank You” credit to all of the donors on the grant.  Your application, if chosen as a winner, may be published or used to educate other filmmakers by FTHP.

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