APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED
The Tyler Perry Studios Dream Collective is an immersive program designed to identify, cultivate and elevate the next wave of dynamic filmmakers, with an eye on historically underrepresented, underrecognized voices. Anchored in the process of making a short film based on an original script, this program gives filmmakers unprecedented access to industry experts, hands-on training and tailored support, empowering them to tell their stories and build toward career sustainability. The program consists of (1) an initial application submission to be selected as one of 100 finalists to attend virtual sessions designed to educate, inspire and cultivate a lasting community, (2) an application submission by the finalists to be selected as one of 10 winners who will be invited to attend an immersive 10-day in-person workshop at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, and (3) a final application submission to be selected as one of 5 Grand Prize winners to receive production funding and/or resources of no more than $30,000 to make a short film based on their original script in the greater Atlanta area.
The application process is open to all legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who meet all of the following requirements: (a) have five (5) or more years of any type of work experience, (b) are eligible to work in the United States, (c) have directed at least two video samples of narrative/fiction films within the last five years, (d) have a compelling short film script, no more than 15 pages, that can be produced in the State of Georgia with production funding and/or resources of no more than $30,000, (e) have a clean chain of title for the script if the script was written or co-written by a third party (e.g., a rights release agreement or purchase agreement from the writer or co-writer), (f) have not directed or co-directed more than one (1) narrative feature that has been distributed on a mainstream broadcast, cable, or a streaming platform, (g) have not directed or co-directed digital episodes (e.g., web series, YouTube, Snapchat) or original pilots that have been distributed on a mainstream broadcast, cable, or streaming platform, and (h) are 21 years of age or older as of date of entry. Please see the Official Rules for more details.
The application period will begin on Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 3:00pm ET and will end on the earlier of Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 11:59pm ET, or when 1,000 application submissions are received.
Applications will be accepted via TylerPerryStudiosDreamCollective.com
No, there is no fee to enter.
The criteria for judging all submissions to the Tyler Perry Studios Dream Collective are set forth in the Official Rules.
Your initial application must include your full name, email address and State of residence, your resume, a personal statement, two (2) narrative moving image projects (maximum 15 minutes each) created within the last five years, a statement describing the inspiration to tell the story depicted in one of those moving image projects, and your applicable social media handles. Please see the Official Rules for more details.
Your two video samples in Round 1 may be excerpts from longer narrative pieces, as long as they do not exceed 15 minutes in length.
The virtual sessions are designed to educate, inspire and cultivate a lasting community. The virtual sessions will provide access to notable directors and creative collaborators covering topics that include career origin, the art of collaboration and case studies of trials and triumphs on and off the set. The virtual sessions will take place over four consecutive Saturdays currently scheduled to begin on Saturday, June 7, 2025. Please note that all dates are subject to change.
All Virtual Session winners will have the opportunity to submit the following materials to apply to the In-Person Workshop: a Director’s statement video detailing your interest in directing; a compelling and original short film script either written or exclusive licensed or controlled by the applicant, no more than 15 pages, that can be produced in the State of Georgia with production funding and/or resources of no more than $30,000; a logline for the script; chain of title documentation (if applicable); a creative statement; an estimated budget to produce the short film; a creative deck for the script; and a letter of recommendation. Please see the Official Rules for more details.
No, you may submit a script written by a third party or co-written by you and a third party, provided that the third party has signed a release or agreement transferring all rights in connection with the script to you to fully and freely allow you to produce a short film based on the script. You will be required to submit to Tyler Perry Studios Dream Collective all chain of title documents required by Tyler Perry Studios Dream Collective to confirm all necessary rights have been granted. Please see the Official Rules for more details.
The In-Person Workshop will be an immersive, 10-day hands-on training workshop at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. In-Person Workshop winners will have the opportunity to experiment with script scenes for their proposed short film, to focus on collaboration with department heads, to work with actors, and to develop their directing skills in the context of the world-class Tyler Perry Studios.
The Tyler Perry Studios Dream Collective will provide for each In-Person Workshop winner round-trip coach air-transportation from gateway airport nearest winner’s home to Atlanta, GA, round-trip ground transportation from the Atlanta airport to Tyler Perry Studios, accommodations at Tyler Perry Studios lot, select meals at Tyler Perry Studios, and a $5,000 living stipend awarded as a check for use towards any personal expenses in connection with attendance of the In-Person Workshop. In the event an In-Person Workshop winner resides within a 250-mile radius of Tyler Perry Studios, such In-Person Workshop winner will receive a $150 travel stipend in lieu of air-transportation and no additional compensation will be provided. The In-Person Workshop currently is scheduled to begin on July 28, 2025, and to end on August 8, 2025. Please note that all dates are subject to change. Please see the Official Rules for more details.
All In-Person Workship winners will be required to participate in a virtual pitch for their short film to a panel of judges and to participate in virtual interviews for an opportunity to become a potential Grand Prize winner. Please see the Official Rules for more details.
Each Grand Prize winner will receive production funding and/or resources of no more than $30,000 from the Dream Collective to make their short film based on their submitted script during a 2-day production window in the greater Atlanta area. This will include access to local below-the-line crew, the studio’s production resources and mentorship from Tyler Perry Studios and industry professionals. Pre-production for the Grand Prize winners currently is scheduled to begin on or around September 2, 2025, and principal photography currently is scheduled to begin on or around September 29, 2025. Please see the Official Rules for more details.
The Tyler Perry Studios Dream Collective will provide for each Grand Prize winner round-trip coach air-transportation from gateway airport nearest winner’s home to Atlanta, GA, round-trip ground transportation from the Atlanta airport to Tyler Perry Studios, accommodations at Tyler Perry Studios lot, and select meals at Tyler Perry Studios. In the event a Grand Prize Winner resides within a 250-mile radius of Tyler Perry Studios, such Grand Prize Winner will receive a $150 travel stipend in lieu of air-transportation and no additional compensation will be provided. Please note that all dates are subject to change. Please see the Official Rules for more details.
No, the Tyler Perry Studios Dream Collective will provide each Grand Prize Winner with up to $30,000 in production funding and/or resources as required to produce their short film. Any production funding allocated to a short film but not spent will be retained by Tyler Perry Studios Dream Collective. Please see the Official Rules for more details.
Tyler Perry Studios Dream Collective will own the copyright to the short films produced by the Grand Prize winners but will license to each Grand Prize winners the exhibition rights to their fully produced short film to allow the Grand Prize winners to submit their short films to film festivals and to exploit their short films via other mutually agreed upon distribution platforms. Please see the Official Rules for more details.
No, the program is not an employment opportunity nor, in whole or part, an application for employment with Tyler Perry Studios or its affiliates.
All federal, state and local taxes are the sole responsibility of winners. Please see Official Rules for information on the approximate retail value for each prize.
No, the Tyler Perry Studios Dreamers is a paid internship program for college students or individuals enrolled in TV/film training programs only. Current Tyler Perry Studios Dreamers Interns are not eligible to apply to the Tyler Perry Studios Dream Collective.
The Tyler Perry Studios Dream Collective program is designed to identify, cultivate, and elevate the next wave of dynamic filmmakers, with an eye on historically underrepresented, underrecognized voices.
Copyright © 2025 Dream Collective, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use