Funding Wizard

The Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia encourages U.S. organizations to apply for the Television Cooperative Program (TV Co-Op) for a Georgian television company to be identified/confirmed by the Public Diplomacy Section to film feature stories under the generic working title Benefits of Game-Based Learning and Use of Animation in Education - specifically in language learning and mastering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Applicants must have a demonstrated expertise in developing and implementing assignments/contracts related to designing, planning and carrying-out short-term filming tours for foreign/non-American television crews in the United States. The TV Co-Op assignments envisage an American producer facilitate location scouting and shoots, identifying relevant interviewees, taping interviews, B-roll shoots and all the necessary logistical support for a Georgian TV crew. PDS expects the selected Georgian TV crew to produce three 10-minute feature stories or a short documentary back in Georgia to be placed on-air of the crew’s parent company during primetime. The Grantee is expected to coordinate the travel arrangements, other logistics, the U.S. domestic travel itinerary, shooting plan and line-up of interviews with the Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia. A PDS staffer will escort the crew and provide interpretation as necessary. The tour should also support professional development of Georgian journalists. The grantee will achieve the goal through robust professional filming tour at U.S. gaming and animation production companies, the U.S. Department of Education, game arcades, schools and other educational institutions that use gaming and animation as a tool of teaching/learning. Filming at a game jam is also recommended given such (or a similar event) coincides in time with the TV Co-Op tour in the U.S. The applicant should work closely with PDS throughout the grant period to implement the TV Co-Op to highlight American experience in game-based learning and the use of animation in formal and informal education reflected in the final cut of a television product for Georgina viewers. The project will award $50,000 to defray the costs of three-week intensive filming tour for two Georgian participants – a reporter and a cameraman. Applicants should include provisions that facilitate filming at different locations and interviews in the United States. A PDS staffer will escort the crew and provide interpretation as necessary.