Project Greenlight Digital Studios Announces New Filmmaking Contest

Project Greenlight Digital Studios (PGLDS), Section II and GLAAD have announced their partnership for a new contest called “See Yourself” which aims to improve the poor statistics of LGBTQ presence in television and film.

Of the 161 films released in 2014 by major studios, only 25 had any LGBTQ characters, and a mere 4% of broadcast networks featured LGBTQ representation. Project Greenlight Digital Studios, Section II, and GLAAD are hoping to challenge those numbers by creating funding, production, and distribution opportunities for a series focused on themes relevant to the LGBTQ community.

Filmmakers will be invited to submit a short pitch for an original digital series to https://www.projectgreenlight.com/contests/see-yourself, focusing on themes relevant to LGBTQ audiences. Pitches can range in themes from dramatic, to comedic, to thriller, or documentary style. Twenty semi-finalists will be selected and voted on by the public. The “audience winner” automatically moves on to the Top Five, where they and four other finalists will be asked to provide additional materials including treatments and story bibles where appropriate. These finalists will also be interviewed by the creative teams at Adaptive Studios, Section II, and GLAAD. One filmmaker or filmmaking team will receive $5K and a development deal to create an original digital series with Section II and Adaptive Studios.

The collaboration of these three organizations solidify a strong connection between the entertainment industry and the LGBTQ community. Project Greenlight Digital Studios was created by Adaptive Studios to be a story-driven creative community and content producer that empowers the next generation of great filmmakers by providing emerging talent with access to high-value Hollywood relationships, creator contests, representation, and multi-platform distribution opportunities. Created by the producers behind the Project Greenlight TV show, PGLDS is quickly becoming a powerful engine to curate premium digital content for networks and major brands. Section II, founded by Allie Esslinger, is an AVOD streaming platform and content creator network that acquires, creates, and showcases LBTQ films and series; while GLAAD brings LGBT characters and plotlines to movie theaters, television sets and even comic books – working with writers, producers and studios to ensure accurate and diverse representations of LGBT people on the big and small screens.

Adaptive Studios’ Vice President of Digital Video, Brittany Turner, expressed “Our goal at PGLDS has always been to create opportunities for independent filmmakers and under-represented voices in the filmmaking community. We are thrilled to team up with both Section II and GLAAD to help expandthis effort to the LGBTQ community.”

“Working hand-in-hand with Industry and Community stalwarts to cultivate talent and create new content for LGBTQ+ audiences is exactly what we’ve been working towards for the last two years” added Allie Esslinger of Section II.

“GLAAD is proud to partner with Project Greenlight Digital Studios and Section II on this exciting and new competition that amplifies unique and diverse stories from the LGBTQ community,” said Ray Bradford, GLAAD’s Director of Programs, Entertainment Media. “We look forward to working with them to highlight the many creative stories and themes that continue to accelerate acceptance of LGBTQ people everywhere.”

The contest was first announced during a special panel at OUTFEST 2016. Submissions will begin August 2and the final winner will be announced on September 19.