Catalyst Award… An acceptance speech

An award is a powerful thing. A chance to celebrate of course, but also to reflect on what we’re doing and why.

 

Obviously, at One World Media, we love Awards. Every year we have the honour of giving fifteen of them out to the very best filmmakers and journalists covering underreported stories from developing countries.

And then, we were surprised and delighted to receive an Award ourselves. SIMA’s Catalyst Award

The Award is presented annually to one funder who is nurturing underserved impact storytelling talent and was in recognition of the One World Media Fellowship.

It was a reminder that an Award is a powerful thing. A chance to celebrate of course, but also to reflect on what we’re doing and why.

 

Since the Fellowship began we have supported nearly 200 filmmakers and journalists with a production grant, mentoring and support to produce a media project. Our Fellowship is designed to support emerging filmmakers and journalists who are looking for the experience and connections to spotlight global issues and underreported stories.

We do this because we know the media industry can be hard to navigate. We know that if we want to seek out and lift up diverse voices and new narratives, they need funding, practical skills and mentoring to get the audience they deserve.

We also know that we cannot do this alone. Rather, the whole One World Media family provides the springboard that allows our Fellows to experiment, learn and take their next leap in the media industry.

 

So like any good acceptance speech, this Award is not just for the One World Media team, but for all of you. 

First of all, the Award should really go to all the Fellows that over the years have produced incredible and influential media. We’re always delighted to be working with new talent across the world, from Colombia to Uganda, and we have enjoyed playing our part to take these stories from the spark of an idea to distribution.

It’s also an Award for: the mentors that give their time to listen and provide guidance to our fellows along the way; the friends and family that step in as emergency contacts when our fellows are in the field; for our trainers in safety, post-production, editing and pitching for your expertise and so much more; for the audiences at our OWM Presents screenings that cheer the completed works on; for the commissioners and editors that consider publishing their work; for all the supporters that recognise the importance of nurturing new talent.

And to SIMA, thank you for everything you do to lift up social impact media.

 

— Gemma Bradshaw, Director, One World Media

 


 The OWM Fellowship is open for entries!

The Fellowship supports new talent from around the world to produce engaging and creative media in developing countries. Selected fellows receive a £1000 production grant, one-to-one mentoring and a year-round programme of industry workshops and webinars.

APPLY NOW

Deadline for entries: 2 April 2020