Hello All,
I’m writing with final details and the process for the COVID Production Stipend.
Award:
MFA Film students may apply for a stipend to help offset COVID-related production costs. The amounts are as follows:
3-5s: $300 per film
8-12s: $1000 per film
D4s or COVID projects: $1500 per film
Thesis-level films: $2000 per film
Eligibility:
Stipends are available for productions that:
are made in the program for credits to graduate. (Virtual Thesis productions are not eligible.)
must complete principal photography by August 13, 2021.
3-5s, 8-12s, D4s or COVID Projects: No double-COVID funds awarded to any one project.
Thesis-Level films: No double-COVID funds awarded to any one project OR any one student.
Award Disbursement:
The Tech PAB Form must be completed to apply for the stipend.
You can submit the Production Grant Disbursement Form no earlier than 6 weeks prior to principal photography. You should expect to receive the funds, sent directly to your SSOL account, about one month prior to principal photography.
On the Production Grant Disbursement Form, you will be asked for a short breakdown of how you will use the stipend towards COVID-related costs.
You are required to complete the film once you have received a COVID Production Stipend, and the film becomes an automatic graduation requirement. (Postponed D4s or 8-12s: accepting the funds is an automatic waiver of the “opt out” option.) If you do not make the film, you will be required to return the funds.
Note on Taxation:
The award is taxable for everyone.
US Citizens: You will receive the full stipend up front (the University does not withhold tax for you). Students are responsible for reporting taxable stipend payments along with any other payments they receive, and for remitting any tax due with their personal income tax return.
International Students: your stipend will be taxed 14% up front, per IRS and University policy.
Please let me know if you have any questions,
Jenny
Jenny Tromski
Director of Risk Management and Production Administration
School of the Arts
Film Program