Open Call-DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER
There is a story in Ecuador that has never been told on film. We need the right person to tell it.
The vibrant colors of Ecuador are only outshined by the incredible people. And in January/February 2027, a group of women will stand up and present the businesses they built, a graduation many of them had not even dreamed of, or knew was in their reach.
Creative Women of the World has delivered its signature entrepreneurship program, Unlocking Your Design (UYD), internationally for years. Women recovering from violence and trafficking, members of the trans community, and formerly incarcerated women have come through this program and built something real. They have graduated. They have celebrated. And until now, that has existed only in the memories of the people who were there.
That changes in 2027. We are commissioning a Fort Wayne-based documentary filmmaker to travel to Ecuador with us and bring this story home, not just the graduation, but the whole experience. The people. The place. The transformation that happens when creativity meets courage.
The resulting work will screen publicly in Fort Wayne, support donor cultivation, and become part of CWOW's long-term storytelling infrastructure. This is not a one-time project. It is the beginning of how we share this work with the world.
What We're Looking For:
We are not looking for a camera operator. We are looking for a storyteller, someone who knows how to earn trust in a room where trust matters.
▸A track record in documentary or short-form narrative storytelling — demo reel or past work required
▸Comfortable in group travel dynamics; able to collaborate with CWOW staff and a traveling LOTUS artist
▸Committed to subtitling and captioning as part of the finished work
▸Experience with communities navigating difficult circumstances, you know how to protect dignity on camera
▸Fort Wayne-based or strong Fort Wayne ties, this project invests directly in our local creative economy
▸Genuine alignment with women's empowerment — not required to be a woman, but required to care
▸Must have a passport by January/February 2027
Required:
▸ 10–15 minute short documentary suitable for public screening in Fort Wayne
▸ Social media clips for CWOW channels: Exact amount to be determined after selection
▸ A donor cultivation edit for fundraising use
▸ Spanish-language subtitling and captions for all deliverables
▸ Pre-trip orientation with CWOW staff; on-location collaboration with a traveling LOTUS artist
TRIP DATES
January / February 2027 Exact dates TBD
ON-LOCATION SHOOTING: 7 days in Ecuador Plus pre/post in Fort Wayne
COMPENSATION
Competitive fee
All expenses abroad covered including: Food, Travel, & Lodging
TIMELINE
▸ August 15, 2026 — Applications close
▸ September 2026 — Finalist interviews; selection complete
▸ Oct–Dec 2026 — Pre-production and pre-trip orientation
▸ Jan/Feb 2027 — Ecuador trip and filming
▸ Feb–Apr 2027 — Post-production and editing
▸ May 2027 — Community screening in Fort Wayne
Ready to apply?
Submit your application through our online form. You'll share a brief statement of interest, a link to your portfolio or demo reel, and short answers about your approach to storytelling with communities navigating difficult circumstances. We'll also ask about your standard project fee — not to disqualify anyone, but because we want to understand the range of experience and market rates among applicants.
Applications close August 15, 2026
This project is funded in part by a 2026 RAC Member Grant from Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne.
Questions? Contact Julie Sizemore at empower@gocwow.org or (260) 267-9048.
