The Rideback RISE Fellowship year 4 is open for applications — now through May 31!
If you're a mid-career POC storyteller with a commercial project ready to level up, you need to know about this.
What is the Rideback RISE Fellowship program?
The 12-month Fellowship provides expert one-to-one mentoring and programming year-round, as well as resources and benefits to support Fellows as they each develop and refine a specific television or feature film project before it is taken out to market. Fellows are experienced writers but may also be multi-hyphenates who will be supported in their directing work.
Here's what the Fellowship offers:
→ A substantial economic stipend over 12 months
→ Access to a development fund to option IP or create proof-of-concept materials
→ 1:1 mentoring from high-level creative AND business mentors
→ A workspace at Rideback Ranch in LA's Historic Filipinotown
→ A path to take your project to market — with real industry access
Note: RISE keeps zero ownership of your work. Your project stays yours.
Founded by Dan Lin (The Lego Movie, Aladdin, IT) and backed by the Ford, MacArthur, and Doris Duke Foundations, RISE is built to help experienced storytellers — not just break in, but break through.
RISE offers financial, creative and strategic support to each of our participating creators customized to their specific discipline. RISE equips Fellows to create commercial content that can enter the cultural zeitgeist and ultimately reshape majority opinions.
Applications close May 31, 2026.
If you've been staffed on a TV series, written or directed a produced feature, had a short screen at a major festival, or are in active development — you likely qualify. Writers, directors, multi-hyphenates, writer-director teams: all welcome.
Apply here:
https://scrybe.to/applications/rideback-rise-fellowship
Key Dates:
- May 1 – Applications Open
- May 31 – Applications Close
- September – Finalist Interviews
- October – Cohort Selected
- December – Year 4 Kickoff
Who is eligible for the Fellowship?
Underrepresented filmmakers
Those currently represented by manager, agent, or both
LA-based or willing to temporarily relocate to LA for the duration of the program
Experienced, mid-career professional, meeting at least one of the following qualifications:
- Prior staffing experience as staff writer or above
- One to three produced independent or studio backed films
- Has written or directed a short film screened at a notable festival in the last five years
- Has been or currently is in active development on a project with a WGA signatory organization (mini-major, studio, streamer, or network)
- Has written a spec feature screenplay optioned or purchased by a recognized US-based producer, distributor or studio
Fellows will be selected based on their storytelling and writing abilities, the authenticity of their voice, the strength and commercial viability of their ideas, their willingness to maximize the impact of the resources provided, and their overall suitability for the program.
Tag a filmmaker in your network who should know about this. ⬇️
