SHIFT Unveils "Creative Fund" to Help Filmmakers Bring Their Projects to Life

BOSTON and LOS ANGELES, March 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SHIFT, which launched last month as the new brand identity for the combined MediaSilo and Wiredrive businesses, is introducing the SHIFT Creative Fund, a grant program designed to provide up-and-coming filmmakers with the resources they need to develop and deliver a finished short film. Encouraging creativity and collaboration, the SHIFT Creative Fund will support four narrative short films this year. Applications will be accepted May 1-31 and selected applicants announced on June 30.

Applications will be reviewed by an elite panel of judges from across the industry. Those selected will each receive:

• Cash grant of up to $30,000
• Collaboration with award-winning SHIFT partners—consult with writers, producers, distributors and post-production experts through each stage of the creative process
• Access to the SHIFT Creator Space in Los Angeles—meeting rooms, editing bays, computer workstations, interview space, and more will be available to filmmakers
• Two weeks of access to the SHIFT Airstream—a fully-equipped mobile production trailer for off-site or on-the-road production days
• Access to SHIFT solutions for streamlined video review and approval
• Partnership with the SHIFT creative team in Los Angeles for production, post-production, and distribution assistance
• Premiere screening event in Los Angeles for finished films, attended by SHIFT clients and partners

To kick off the program, SHIFT has selected "Pioneers," a film that follows the story of two pioneer women who escape together across the unforgiving desert in a gripping tale of survival full of thrill and twisted perception. The film takes a different approach to the typical American survival stories of the early settlers by focusing on female heroism and the forces that drive women to persevere. Production of the film begins soon.

"Pioneers" is written by Diana Irvine and Bianca Rusu, a Los Angeles-based acting and writing duo and members of the all-female production team for this project. Directed by Similar But Different, a New York-based directing duo comprised of Charlotte Fassler and Dani Girdwood, known for their work with raw human stories and authentic performance, the film will be produced by SLMBR PRTY Films, a production company created to produce original content in both the narrative and commercial worlds with a focus on developing and producing women-led stories.

"SHIFT is about changing the way creators approach their work, providing solutions that streamline the process of creating, sharing and securing valuable creative assets," says Kai Pradel, CEO of SHIFT. "We're privileged to empower the best creative minds working in media, entertainment and advertising. The SHIFT Creative Fund is our way of giving back to the industry, fostering the filmmakers of tomorrow and helping them tap into the expertise of the SHIFT client community."

Interested filmmakers can submit their short film script, a full production budget and schedule, links to previous work, and other general information about their film project when applications open on May 1. More information about the SHIFT Creative Fund can be found at https://shift.io/creativefund.

About SHIFT

SHIFT is the world's largest SaaS platform for video-driven creative workflows with more than 2,000 enterprise customers worldwide. SHIFT recognizes that in the advertising, media and post-production markets, creators need an environment that is free from hurdles and processes that get in the way of producing outstanding content. At every step of the creative lifecycle, SHIFT provides tools that enable professionals to focus on what really matters—working with freedom, speed and a sense of security. Combining proven solutions from MediaSilo and Wiredrive, SHIFT empowers creators at all levels to develop and deliver exceptional work. 

For more than a decade, creative professionals have relied on SHIFT solutions for the most high-profile work in the market. Of note, 85 percent of 2018 Golden Globe winners were SHIFT customers, and in 2017, 40 percent of Oscar winners and 92 percent of Super Bowl ads were produced using SHIFT products. Today, 70 percent of all scripted and reality television is touched by a SHIFT solution. With offices in Boston and Los Angeles, SHIFT makes great content possible everywhere.

SOURCE SHIFT