World We Dare to Imagine part 3

A World in Focus

Our mission is to connect global burgeoning filmmakers with the resources necessary to share their stories on an international platform.

It’s a surprising fact to many that Hollywood has not been the number one producer of movies for quite a while. Bollywood has reigned supreme, with far over a thousand feature films produced in multiple languages every year. Even more surprising, however, might be the fact that Hollywood isn’t even number two, it’s number three. In recent years, Nollywood in Nigeria has begun to produce more feature films than Hollywood, and even more recently, these films have garnered international attention for their high quality on relatively low budgets.

Film has become and will continue to become more global as time moves forward. Technology has allowed us to share stories across borders, and international films gain more exposure every year. This ability to share stories also allows people from thousands of miles apart to learn about unfamiliar cultures. Through recognition and exposure to our differences, the global society can become more cohesive as the idea of the other melts away. 

Despite its potentially global reach, film production and story writing remain a niche industry of labor that is often only accessible to fewer than many other industries. Film often remains a family affair, with only those exposed at a young age to the industry taking part. Even in America, many who have a love for film find engaging with the medium through their own work as a far-off pipe-dream. A World in Focus hopes to bridge that divide.

Starting in the United States, A World in Focus will connect high-school students in person with film industry workers and veterans. We plan on providing in-person workshops at schools in rural and urban areas where exposure to this industry is lacking. By connecting with these experts, students will be able to have their passion stoked and learn the steps necessary to pursue their goals. Additionally, an online service will be available to students to foster this connection with those in the industry. As everyone knows, this industry is about who you know, so these connections can be key for helping students guide and follow their goals.

This online program will be extended globally, and those working within our organization will find those in the industry as well as international high schools and connect students with those with stories that can help guide them through the process of entering the industry. To foster interest in film in countries where resources may be harder to come by A World in Focus will fund and provide simple filmmaking lessons and packages which include necessary resources such as cameras, tripods, and editing equipment to schools.

One of our organization's major goals is to encourage students to create stories to be shared across borders. To do this, our organization will host grants offering screenwriting competitions and offer scholarships for students from under-represented areas wishing to pursue careers in the industry. Winners of these competitions will be connected with a full team of industry veterans who will directly assist them in making their dream film become a reality, as not every person has the ability to attend university to learn these skills and access these resources.

Our organization is asking AMDP for funding as we believe the biggest step to creating global citizens is creating an understanding of the different lives, struggles, and accomplishments that exist globally. In recent years, film and television have been one of the most productive methods for creating meaningful messaging and galvanizing action from populaces. When these movements can transcend cultural and geographical borders, they become a force to be reckoned with. A World In Focus hopes to provide the resources necessary to the growing and diverse pool of current dreamers and future world changers.