Submission Agreement & Official Rules
Submission Agreement & Official Rules

Storytelling with Care: Short Film Grant

Submission Agreement

By submitting your application, you agree to the following:

  1. I am hereby submitting to NDWA, CAG, and Participant (collectively and individually referred to herein as the “Storytelling Project”) the original short film screenplay (the “Screenplay”) entered into the form field labeled “Project title“ in the previous section of this form.
  2. I request that the Storytelling Project review and evaluate my Screenplay for consideration to become the winner of the Storytelling with Care writing competition (the “Competition”) hosted by the Storytelling Project.  I understand that the Storytelling Project, as a matter of policy, can accept and review my Screenplay only if I agree to the terms and conditions in this agreement. I am executing this agreement to induce the Storytelling Project to consider my Screenplay in connection with the Competition, and I acknowledge that in accordance with the Storytelling Project’s established policy, the Storytelling Project will not accept, review, examine or otherwise evaluate my Screenplay without my acceptance of all of the provisions of this agreement, and that I have not submitted my Screenplay to the Storytelling Project prior to my execution of this agreement. I agree not to publicize the Storytelling Project’s review of my Screenplay or any statements made by the Storytelling Project related to my Screenplay without the Storytelling Project’s prior written permission. 
  3. I recognize that Participant is in the business of developing or causing to be developed technology, ideas, and creative, literary, musical, video or other artistic materials, and that among such materials (collectively, the “Participant Materials”) may be materials similar to my Screenplay. I recognize that NDWA and CAG may also develop content (including but not limited to podcasts videos, images, and other creative or artistic materials) (respectively, the “NDWA Materials”, “CAG Materials,” and together with the Participant Materials, the “Materials”) that may be materials similar to my Screenplay. I further understand and agree that Participant, NDWA, and CAG have access to or may receive numerous submissions of ideas, proposals, formats, stories, suggestions and the like, and I also recognize that Participant, NDWA and CAG have access to and/or may create materials or have created materials and ideas which may be similar or identical to my Screenplay in theme, idea, format or other respects.  I agree that I will not be entitled to any compensation because of any use by Participant, NDWA, or CAG of any such similar or identical material that may be or may have been created by Participant or may come or may have come to Participant, NDWA, and CAG from any other source. I understand and agree that no confidential relationship is established by my submitting my Screenplay to the Storytelling Project, and by extension, to Participant, NDWA, and CAG. I hereby agree to waive, and not to assert or maintain against Participant, its parent entities, members, employees, officers, directors, subsidiaries, licensees, successors, assigns and affiliates, NDWA, CAG, and their employees, officers, directors, subsidiaries, licensees, successors, assigns and affiliates (collectively, the “Released Entities”) any claim, suit or demand of any kind based on any actual or alleged similarity between any of my Screenplay and any Materials (whether already existing or hereafter created) and/or with regards to the use of ideas developed by the Released Entities that are demonstrably similar to my Screenplay. I further agree that I will acquire no rights of any kind with respect to any of Released Entities’ past, present or future products or properties by virtue of my submission of my Screenplay and any part of my Screenplay which does not in itself constitute legally protectable intellectual property may be used by Released Entities without any liability to me, and that under no circumstances will Released Entities’ acceptance and/or review of my Screenplay interfere with or impede Released Entities ability to continue carrying out its regular business activities in any manner it chooses. 
  4. I understand and agree that my submission of my Screenplay to the Storytelling Project pursuant to the Competition and this agreement shall in no way grant, assign, nor license any rights whatsoever in the Screenplay, including but not limited to any rights under the Copyright Law of the United States, to the Storytelling Project, and I therefore understand and agree that no compensation is owed to me by the Storytelling Project by virtue of such submission.
  5. I represent and warrant that I am the sole owner and author of my Screenplay, that I have the right and authority to submit my Screenplay to the Storytelling Project upon the terms and conditions stated in this agreement, and that my Screenplay does not and shall not infringe on any rights of any third party, and no consent, permission or license is required from any third party for the Storytelling Project’s use of the my Screenplay under this agreement. I agree to indemnify and hold the Storytelling Project and Released Entities harmless from and against any and all loss, cost, liability or expenses (including without limitation court costs and reasonable fees of attorneys and other professionals) arising out of or resulting from any breach or claimed breach of any of the representations and warranties made by me in this agreement and/or from any claim that the Storytelling Project’s possession and/or review of the my Screenplay infringes any proprietary or other right of any third party.
  6. I have retained at least one copy of my Screenplay, and I hereby release the Storytelling Project and Released Entities from any and all liability for any loss, theft, or damage of or to the copies of my Screenplay submitted to the Storytelling Project hereunder. I acknowledge that the Storytelling Project may store physical and/or electronic versions of my Screenplay either at the Storytelling Project’s offices, with third-party vendors, or both, and I further acknowledge that the Storytelling Project may destroy any or all of my Screenplay. 
  7. I understand and agree that The Storytelling Project is not, and does not anticipate becoming, a signatory to any union or guild or other collective bargaining agreement that may be construed to relate to this agreement; I therefore understand that no collective bargaining agreement grants to me rights separate from or supplemental to this agreement, and I shall not be entitled to receive any compensation other than potential grant monies should I become selected by the Storytelling Project as the winner of the Competition.
  8. Any dispute relating to this agreement shall be settled pursuant to binding arbitration initiated and conducted according to either the JAMS Streamlined (for claims under $250,000) or the JAMS Comprehensive (for claims over $250,000) Arbitration Rules and Procedures, at the Los Angeles office of JAMS, or its successor, in effect at the time of the request for arbitration is made.  The arbitration shall be conducted in Los Angeles County before a single neutral arbitrator.  The prevailing party in any such action shall be entitled to collect reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs. This agreement is governed in all respects by the laws of the State of California as such laws are applied to agreements entered into and to be performed entirely within California.
  9. This agreement is the entire agreement between the Storytelling Project and me with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements and understandings between the Storytelling Project and me, whether written or oral, express or implied. Should any provision of this agreement (or part thereof) be found to be void or unenforceable, such provision (or part thereof) shall be deemed omitted, and this agreement shall otherwise remain in full force and effect. The Storytelling Project may assign this agreement without restriction; this agreement is personal to me and may not be assigned by me without the Storytelling Project’s written consent. This agreement shall be binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by and against the successors and assigns of each party to this agreement. 
  10. If more than one party signs this agreement as submitter, the reference to “I”, “me” or “myself” throughout this agreement shall apply to each such party jointly and severally.  This agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same document. Signatures to this agreement transmitted by facsimile transmission, by electronic mail in “portable document format” (“.pdf”) form, or by any other electronic means intended to preserve the original graphic or pictorial appearance of the document, will have the same effect as physical delivery of the paper document bearing the original signature.

Official Rules

NO PURCHASE, PAYMENT, OR FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO APPLY FOR OR RECEIVE A GRANT. 

The following are the official terms and conditions (the “Rules”) that govern the submission of an application (“Application”) to the Storytelling with Care Project (“Storytelling Project”). 

The National Domestic Workers’ Alliance, Caring Across Generations, and Participant Media, LLC (collectively, “Sponsors”) are awarding a $50,000 grant (“Grant”) to support the production of an original short film that features the nuances of care work as part of everyday life. 

By submitting an application, Applicant agrees to be bound by these Rules and the decisions of the selection committee, which are final and binding on all matters relating to this Grant. Sponsors award the Grant in their sole discretion and all decisions are final. The Grant is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws.

Application Period. The submission window (the “Application Period”) will begin from November 2, 2023 at 8am PDT and will end at 11:59pm PDT December 31, 2023.

The person submitting the Application (the “Applicant”) acknowledges, agrees, declares, represents, and warrants that Applicant has read and understood the submission Rules set forth below: 

Eligibility. The Storytelling Project is open to applicants residing in any of the fifty (50) U.S. States and the District of Columbia who are at least eighteen years old as of November 2, 2023. Directors, officers, and employees of NDWA, CAG, or Participant or any of their affiliates, and any of their respective agents, professional advisors, consultants, advertising and promotional agencies, and immediate family members (spouse, parent, stepparent, child, stepchild, sibling, stepsibling, and their respective spouses) are not eligible to submit an Application. Entries are limited to one Application per individual. 

Eligible Submissions. Eligible short film screenplays should showcase previously untapped experiences of caregivers (both professional and family) and care recipients that add nuance and variation to the types of care stories that have already been seen on screen and portray relationships that center interdependence. 

Screenplays must include:

– Care visibly occuring within the context of a home or community based setting;

– A care worker who is an active character, who may or may not be the protagonist;

– At least one of the leading characters portrayed as active members of a “care circle” – whether this is a professional care worker, family caregiver, and / or care recipient.

All genres of screenplays are welcome.

Screenplays must not exceed 30 pages in length. A full list of screenplay requirements is listed in the Application Form. 

Complete Application. A Complete Application shall consist of:

the Online Application Form and any required attached documentation as part of the Online Form;

the Submitted Screenplay 

The signed Submission Agreement

Only those Applicants who submit Complete Applications shall be considered for the Grant. 

Accommodation. Any Applicant needing assistance completing their application or special accommodations should contact the Storytelling Project via email at [email protected]

Application Receipt. All Applicants will receive an email confirming receipt of their Application. 

Application Review Period. Applications will be reviewed January through March 2024, and One (1) Winner will be selected for the Grant by March 31, 2024. 

Grant Amount. The grant will consist of $50,000 for the purpose of aiding the production of the short film based on the Winner’s screenplay. Sponsors may include additional support for the Winner as part of the Grant subject to their sole discretion and as outlined in the Grant Agreement. 

Winner Notification and Requirements. Winners will be notified at their email address and/or phone number indicated on their Application. Failure to respond to the Storytelling Project within a seven (7) day period may be deemed to be a withdrawal of the Application by the Winner and at the Sponsors’ sole discretion, another Winner may be selected.

Use of Winner Name and Likeness. Except where prohibited by law, submission of an Application constitutes permission to use each winner’s name and likeness for promotional purposes without further permission or compensation. Winners may be asked to submit a photo of themselves with their prize to be used by Sponsors for promotional purposes.

Privacy Policy. By submitting an application, Applicant agrees to Participant’s privacy policy and NDWA’s privacy policy. 

Taxes. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL TAXES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECEIPT OR USE OF ANY PRIZE ARE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WINNERS. Sponsors highly recommend each Winner consult with a tax professional. 

Miscellaneous. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Rules will not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. In the event that any provision of the Rules is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable or illegal, the other provisions will remain in effect and will be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained herein. The Sponors’ failure to enforce any term of these Rules will not constitute a waiver of that provision. Applicants agree to waive any rights to claim ambiguity of these Rules. Headings are solely for convenience of reference and will not be deemed to affect in any manner the meaning or intent of the documents or any provision hereof.

These Rules shall be governed by, and construed and interpreted in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to the conflict of laws principles of each State. All legal proceedings related to these Rules or the transactions herein described shall be commenced and held in New York.