Sound and Music Film Proposals

Now Accepting Submissions: 2026 Season

 

Music for Your Inbox is accepting proposals for video work to be presented in our 2026 season. We are accepting proposals in the following two categories.

Independently Produced Work: These proposals are for sound films that are created by the artist or artist team. Artists in this category should have experience in film and sound, and be able to demonstrate their experience or proposed film through the work samples in the application. This proposal category is ideal for finished films looking for a presenting opportunity, or projects in need of minor funding or a deadline to be completed. In the interest of equitably compensating artists, we do not encourage artists to create new projects specifically for this application.

Co-Produced Work: These proposals are for sound films that have complete conceptual plans, but need production support in order to be completed. MFYI will provide support to complete the project (eg. a filming or audio recording day, audio mixing support, film editing mentorship, color grading, editing advisement, or equipment). Artists should have a clear idea of what kind of support they need to finish their film. This proposal category is ideal for artists who are expanding their existing sound or film practice, and can demonstrate experience in one of these fields.

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Timeline

Deadline: October 15, 2025 at 11:59pm PST

Award Notification: January, 2026

If selected, you be able to complete your proposed film by May 1, 2026.


Eligibility

  • Music or sound must be central to the video piece. To get a sense of the types of music films we program, please review our past works.

  • The film must be 10-20 minutes in length

  • The film must not have been premiered (see our definition of premiere in the FAQ below)


If selected

  • You will receive a $600 honorarium

  • Your film will be premiered on Music for Your Inbox’s virtual series for at-home, on-demand streaming

  • Your work will be presented at a live screening in Los Angeles

Important information

  • We require exclusive presentation rights of your work for a period of 1 year after its premiere.

  • We support a curious and engaged audience and talk a lot about the work. Please review our social media to see if this fits your artistic goals.

  • You are not expected to attend any in-person events

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FAQ

If your question is not answered below, email hello@musicforyourinbox.com

  • We consider a piece as having been premiered if the final film has been made available to the public. Examples could include posting the film on your website or social media, in-person or virtual screenings of your film, or selling the film alongside an album. We do not consider audio-only releases or live performances of the music as premieres of the film.

  • We are interested in films where the sound is of equal or greater importance to the visual elements of the film. There are many names for the kinds of films we present, including performance videos, music films, sound films, or experimental films. For performance films, the filmed perspective must be significantly different from a live performance. We do not present video documentation of live events. We do not present documentaries about music or films that simply include a film score. The best way to understand the kinds of films that we present, is to review our past works.

  • We broadly (and messily) describe the music we present as experimental. This includes music that is improvised, uses unconventional instruments or objects, is constructed with field recordings, electronic music, and realizations of unconventional scores. We also present contemporary classical music, if the video element reveals new and interesting insights about the music. The best way to understand the styles of music that we present, is to review our past works.

  • We accept projects anywhere on the production timeline, including the conceptual phase. However, based on the monetary support we can offer this project and the required timeline, we believe this application is best suited for finished or nearly finished projects. This application is ideal for finished films looking for a presenting opportunity, or projects in need of minor funding, support, or a deadline to be completed. In the interest of equitably compensating artists, we do not encourage artists to create new projects specifically for this application.

  • If you are working on a project that may not be finished by May 1, 2026, please submit your proposal with a note about when it could be completed.

    If your project can’t be completed by September 1, 2026, please submit it to our General Inquiry portal, which we review on a rolling basis.

  • We require one year of presenting exclusivity from the date of your work’s premiere. That especially means your work can not live online for free public viewing. We often create exceptions for special opportunities such as festival screenings or live performances. Artists are always allowed to submit the complete film privately as a work sample on applications.

  • The ideal work sample is a finished or nearly finished version of the film you’re proposing to Music for Your Inbox. If your work is unfinished or hasn’t begun, you may submit in-progress excerpts or samples of similar work you have already finished. Don’t think of this as a portfolio of your work — we are hoping to get a clear sense of how your proposed project will look and sound.

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