THE 2023-2024 KAREN SCHMEER FILM EDITING FELLOWSHIP OPEN CALL HAS BEGUN!

The 2023-2024 Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship open call has begun!

The Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship is a year-long group mentorship program for documentary assistant, associate and emerging editors from historically underrepresented backgrounds and experiences. The fellowship will run from September 2023 to September 2024 and will consist of monthly small group meetings with seasoned documentary editor mentors. Applications will be accepted during our open call period from April 4 to May 21, 2023.

To be eligible to apply for this year’s fellowship program:

• Applicants must be people who consider themselves committed to pursuing careers as documentary film editors (as opposed to fiction film editors or directors/producers who edit).

• Applicants must come from historically underrepresented backgrounds and experiences - including those facing discrimination or barriers due to race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomics, immigration, disability, age, gender, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity. 

• Applicants must have at least two credits as an assistant, associate, additional, co-editor or editor on completed documentary films, but no more than three credits as a co-editor or editor. Each of these films must have running times of 55 minutes or more. Your editing credits may not be on films that you directed. 

• Applicants must be based in the United States and reside here during the Fellowship year from September 2023 to September 2024.
  Applicants must be able to attend monthly meetings in-person if they reside in NYC or Los Angeles and monthly virtual meetings if they reside in other areas of the United States.

• Applicants cannot be enrolled as students in undergraduate or graduate programs during the fellowship year. 

To learn more about the fellowship visit: www.karenschmeer.com/fellowship. For more information about the fellowship program’s eligibility requirements and application process view our 2023-2024 Application Guidelines and 2023-2024 Application FAQ documents. To apply visit: www.karenschmeer.com/apply. As always, there is no fee to apply.

The Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship was created in 2010 to honor the memory of gifted editor Karen Schmeer. Our mission is to support an inclusive group of documentary film editors through programs that help them grow as artists and build their community. By investing in editors, we affirm and strengthen the critical role editors play in documentary storytelling. This year marks the twelfth year of our programs and we have supported over 110 emerging, associate and assistant editors since the fellowship’s inception. Meet our current Fellows and Mentors, as well as past program Alumni and Mentors. Visit our Hire page for detailed information about our alumni and current fellows, including availability.