Babelsberg unleashes creativity: €10,000 scholarship for film teams!

Babelsberg unleashes creativity: €10,000 scholarship for film teams!

With a breath of fresh air in the film landscape, the Babelsberg Film University KONRAD WOLF's start-up service supports aspiring talents and teams with its STARTBÜRO initiative. In spring 2025, a team scholarship of 10,000 euros will be awarded to support innovative projects in the field of film and media development. Another scholarship is also planned for the summer months, which will be awarded in collaboration with the Medienboard. The aim of the initiative is to specifically support filmmakers and entrepreneurs in Babelsberg.

The STARTBÜRO not only offers selected team-based projects financial resources, but also a coworking space in the film university's collection building. This room will be available for one year and is equipped with basic equipment. The scholarship holders also have the opportunity to receive up to 10,000 euros in start-up capital per project. Mentors from the partners involved bring experience and knowledge into the projects, which benefits the scholarship holders throughout the entire funding period. The funding is aimed at the development, realization and distribution of film and interactive content.

The partner YTF Berlin

A significant innovation in this round is the collaboration with the Young Talent Foundation Berlin (YTF Berlin), which has been operating as a non-profit organization since the beginning of 2022. The YTF provides financial support to young film talents in Germany and offers a professional platform, especially to film entrepreneurs without sufficient public or private financing. Armin Schneider, the founder and managing director, has over 30 years of experience in the film industry and has set himself the goal of making the promotion of young talent the core of his work. Schneider previously held senior positions at Warner Bros Pictures, supporting major film projects such as the “Harry Potter” series.

This cooperation opens up valuable contacts and international mentoring expertise for the scholarship holders, which should be of great benefit to the development of their projects.

Scholarships for creative ideas

In addition to the STARTBÜRO scholarships, there are also funding opportunities for creative filmmakers in North Rhine-Westphalia. The Filmbüro NW is awarding four work scholarships worth 9,900 euros each on behalf of the Ministry of Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia. These scholarships are aimed particularly at unconventional ideas and innovative approaches in film. More information can be accessed by interested filmmakers on the film office's website.

Applications for the STARTBÜRO Babelsberg are possible until February 28, 2025, while the deadline for the work scholarships in North Rhine-Westphalia ends on January 20, 2025. Applications are selected by experts to ensure that funding is specifically allocated to the most promising projects.