Work at ITVS - Executive Assistant position now accepting applications!

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Get Funded

Get Funded

You have a powerful story to tell—let’s bring it to life together. We offer development and co-production funds for short and feature documentaries.

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Our Funds

Incubator Fund

Incubator Fund

Applications Closed January 30

Early-stage funding for nonfiction web series and features, and a three to six-month incubator to advance your program materials while growing skills.

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Independent Lens Creator Lab

Independent Lens Creator Lab

Not currently accepting applications

Up to $36k in production funds for vertical content with hands-on mentorship and industry guidance.

View Independent Lens Creator Lab
Working With Us
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As the leading incubator and funder of independent documentaries, ITVS has co-produced over 1,400 projects since our founding in 1988.

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#WhileBlack

#WhileBlack

Witnesses who filmed the deaths of George Floyd, Philando Castile, and others reveal the cost of going viral while Black: trolls, surveillance, and social media exploitation.

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We amplify powerful stories and voices that represent the breadth of our communities across America.

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Not currently accepting applications

Independent Lens Creator Lab

Get co-production support and join a six-month lab specifically designed for independent storytellers on social media.

What the Independent Lens Creator Lab funds

Co-production support for independent storytellers on social media.

What you Get With ITVS Support

Up to $36k in production funds for vertical content
Hands-on mentorship and industry guidance from ITVS
Create up to 12 original videos for Independent Lens and PBS social channels
Shape the next era of public media

Questions?

We’re happy to connect.

itvs@itvs.org
415-356-8383

The Review Process

After you submit your application, you’ll receive notification of your status by April 2026.

Eligibility review: We review applications for eligibility criteria. If you’re unable to be considered for funding, we’ll notify you that it’s ineligible.
Application review and notification of advancement: Each eligible application is reviewed by ITVS staff and the top creators are chosen to advance as finalists. You’ll receive an email letting you know if you’ve been selected.
Feasibility review: Selected creators will be asked to answer additional questions, submit a short video based on prompts provided, and agree to a background check.
Panel review and invitation to join: Our team reviews the newly submitted materials and discusses the Independent Lens brand alignment. The top six creators are invited to join the Independent Lens Creators Lab.

Lab Participation, Production, and Distribution

The Independent Lens Creator Lab does more than just pay you to make videos—it’s a six-month accelerator designed to help you grow as a storyteller and as a professional creator while meeting a community of makers.

At the Lab, you’ll join a small cohort of six creators who meet regularly and virtually for workshops, skill sharing, and development of skills for creative, production, and post-production.

The video content you produce for Independent Lens will be posted on social media accounts managed by Independent Lens and PBS, which may include YouTube Shorts, Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook.

We will support you at every step—developing concepts, providing feedback on scripts and video drafts and managing all aspects of uploading and community management. We will share content performance analytics with creators to help improve their videos’ audience reach and engagement.

Creators will follow the Independent Lens publicity protocols and PBS Editorial Standards and Practices, and will submit legal documentation such as contracts and release forms as needed. All commissioned videos produced for Independent Lens during the Lab will be owned by ITVS.