Closed: Win a travel filmmaking trip to Malaysia!
This opportunity is now closed and we have announced the winner.
Do you dream of becoming a professional travel filmmaker?
This is your chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to Malaysia and be personally mentored by award-winning filmmaker Jenny Nichols. You could be capturing staggering seascapes and incredible biodiversity while telling stories of the diverse local communities who call Malaysia home.
What you could win
Free flights
Receive round-trip airfares from your closest international airport to Malaysia.
Professional mentorship
Improve your skills in the field and during post-production under the mentorship of professional filmmaker Jenny Nichols.
10-day trip
Explore Malaysia and capture its stories on an all-expenses-paid adventure.
Audio gear
Record superior sound for your film with new microphones courtesy of RØDE Microphones.
Camera bag and accessories
Protect your gear with a specialized camera bag from Lowepro and accessories from Langly.
Travel insurance
As always, travel insurance for the trip will be provided by World Nomads.
In partnership with:
How to apply
1. Make a 3-minute documentary
Interview an adventurer or inspiring traveler and bring their compelling travel story to life.
2. Upload your film to YouTube or Vimeo
Please make sure your video is publicly accessible.
3. Complete the application form
Fill in your personal details so we know how to contact you should you make the shortlist.
This opportunity is now closed.
The judging panel
What the judges are looking for
Through your application, you'll need to convince our judging panel that you have the spirit of adventure and a passion for travel filmmaking. A good travel documentary should:
- Convey a strong narrative in English (or with English subtitles)
- Focus on a specific travel story within a three-minute timeframe
- Show us your interviewing skills and ability to coax a good story from your subject
- Demonstrate strong filmmaking skills
- Show originality
- Be visually engaging
The scholarship recipient, along with the shortlist of the best films, will be published on the World Nomads website on 10th September 2019.
NOTE: Films compiled solely of still shots will not be considered, you need to demonstrate your skill with the moving image. Strictly one application per person.
Important dates
FAQs
Need more information? Here are our top three most frequently asked questions. For the full list of frequently asked questions, visit the FAQ page.-
Do I need a current passport? What about visa requirements?
You do need a current passport with at least eight months left before expiry. We will reimburse all associated costs and where we can, we'll assist the winner in acquiring a visa. However, the applicant must be eligible to obtain a Malaysian visa.
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Can professional filmmakers apply? Am I considered a professional filmmaker?
Have you been regularly commissioned to make films (in any genre) or derive more than 25% of your income from any aspect of filmmaking? If so, you would be considered a professional and therefore not eligible to apply.
If you're still learning the craft of filmmaking and if creating films is responsible for less than 25% of your income, then you’re eligible to apply. This may mean you have had a few films commissioned in the past, or keep a regular video channel of your own – but it isn’t your full-time gig.
We appreciate that the filmmaking industry is difficult to break into and there are a lucky few who can count themselves as professional full-time filmmakers. This scholarship is a learning experience for a budding filmmaker and the judging panel will be selecting the person who they feel will most benefit from the learning opportunity.
So, whilst we are not stipulating exactly what does and does not constitute a professional, please consider the spirit of the mentorship program and whether you think you would make the most ideal candidate.
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Can I make a video in my local language with English subtitles?
Yes, you may submit a film in your local language. However, if people in your film are speaking a language other than English your film must include English subtitles. Keep in mind that English skills are paramount as the scholarship mentor Jenny Nichols only speaks English.
Looking for inspiration?
Watch last year's shortlist and see our past winning films below:
