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The Community Films Foundation has a two-fold mission:

To help independent filmmakers in the making of their films, and to help connect mission and humanitarian groups with filmmakers to help better tell their stories.

What We Do

We help filmmakers through two methods:

1. Access to our broad network of industry professionals who are able to help from simple advice through crewing for complex locations and even distribution.

2. If a filmmaker’s project fits our vision, we offer assistance with fundraising through our non-profit.

We also help humanitarian and mission organizations to better tell their stories by providing access to professionals who volunteer or work at reduced rates to bring these stories to life.

HELP FOR FILMMAKERS

FUNDRAISING: If a filmmaker’s project fits our mission and is selected for assistance through the Community Films Foundation, we can help by collecting funds while offering donors a tax-deduction for their gifts toward the project. These funds can be for Production or Post-Production purposes. Filmmaker’s may need help with specific parts only (i.e. color correction, sound design, etc.) or with their entire project. The Community Films Foundation retains 10% of all funds raised for overhead and other costs.

DISPERSION OF FUNDS: Once funds have been collected and the project is moving forward, funds are typically released over time and as needed covering specific costs as needed. For example, the Foundation can pay the post-production facility directly for the services provided, which also puts us in a unique position to help facilitate discounted rates for the filmmaker to help the budget go further than it would otherwise.

Please contact us for more information.

HELP FOR HUMANITARIAN AND MISSION ORGANIZATIONS

The Community Films Foundation helps Humanitarian and Mission Organizations through the Brian Carderelli Project.

The Brian Carderelli Project

Brian Carderelli was a talented, young filmmaker who paid the ultimate price while filming for a humanitarian team in the mountains of Afghanistan. In August of 2010 he and ten of his colleagues were killed by insurgent militants as they returned from the medical work the team was performing. The Community Films Foundation is proud to dedicate the mission and humanitarian related work we do in memory of Brian. At 25 his life was taken, but may his spirit live on in the work we do.

Brian with new friends in Afghanistan.

Through the Brian Carderelli Project, the Community Films Foundation serves as a clearinghouse for uniting mission & humanitarian groups working in foreign countries with filmmakers who are willing to travel and give of their time and talents to help create support materials for these organizations.

Our filmmakers have worked in a variety of foreign lands, under a variety of governments, and sometimes in adverse and/or extreme conditions.

WHAT WE CREATE

The Foundation will help develop a professionally crafted 4-7 minute video capturing the heart and essence of the mission or humanitarian group involved. This powerful short films can then be used by the organization for marketing and fundraising with distribution via DVD, web, YouTube, etc.

HOW IT WORKS

The Community Films Foundation maintains a database of filmmakers and videographers who are willing to travel and film the work of the organization. The only costs to the organization for filming are those expenses related to travel, food and accommodations for the filmmaker. The filmmaker donates their time, their equipment, and their skills.

Through our partnership with professional film and video production companies and freelance editors the Foundation receives editing at extremely discounted rates. These professionals also guarantee that the finished video meets our high standards of excellence.

How Can You Get Involved?

MISSION & HUMANITARIAN GROUPS
If your group is a mission-based or humanitarian organization, please request an Organization Application and let us know about your group, your video need, and the timeframe of your next trip or filming opportunity.

FILMMAKERS & VIDEOGRAPHERS
If you are interested in giving of your time and talents to help a mission-based or humanitarian effort abroad, please request a Filmmaker Application To be considered, participants must have a current passport and access to an 4K or HD camera.

VIDEO EDITORS
If you are interested in offering discounted services to help these mission and humanitarian groups, please request a Video Editor Application

About Us

Stories are central to who we are.

The Community Films Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, was established in 2009 for two purposes: to help filmmakers work with the broader film community to share stories worth telling, and to help humanitarian and mission organizations better tell their own stories.

We promote, encourage and nurture the democratization of the art form and medium in communities that are often overlooked by the Hollywood film industry. We believe that filmmaking should be more accessible on Main Street America.

We are based in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Contact

If you have questions about the work we do or if you’d like to partner with us at the Community Films Foundation, please reach out. Thank you!