SFFILM’s FilmHouse Residency program provides Bay Area-based filmmakers with artistic guidance, office space, a vibrant creative community, and mentorship from established film industry professionals.
Applications Now Open!
Receive access to dedicated professional advisors, office space & editing suites, and specialized industry talks & mixers.
Where Bay Area Filmmakers Connect
FilmHouse provides an environment where local filmmakers can gather with their colleagues, collaborate on projects together, share resources, get peer-to-peer feedback, find new networks, and more.
A Dedicated Support Structure
FilmHouse residents get year-round access to a strong network of support from professional advisors, SFFILM Makers staff, visiting industry professionals, and established artists from the Bay Area and beyond.
Year-Round Filmmaker Programming
The SFFILM Makers team programs a robust array of timely and engaging filmmaker events at FilmHouse, including industry talks, table reads, work-in-progress screenings, pitch sessions, and more.
Join Our Community
FilmHouse—the only year-round filmmaker residency program of its kind in the United States—supports narrative and documentary films by making office space available to independent filmmakers actively engaged in various stages of production. Located in San Francisco’s Presidio neighborhood, FilmHouse is made possible by the generous support of the Kenneth Rainin Foundation and San Francisco Film Commission (FilmSF). FilmHouse provides essential support to local and visiting filmmakers by fostering a thriving creative community that encourages collaboration, resource sharing, peer-to-peer feedback and networking opportunities. A major component of SFFILM’s Artist Development program, FilmHouse functions as a vibrant workshop and creative hub for filmmakers of all kinds.
FilmHouse currently holds around 20 filmmakers engaged in 12-month residencies, all working in all stages of production from research to post-production. Typically throughout the year there are roughly 10–20 visiting filmmakers from our other Artist Development programs that utilize the FilmHouse workspace
To learn more about SFFILM’s Artist Development programs, please contact Masashi Niwano, Director of Artist Development at mniwano@sffilm.org.
SFFILM Makers Creative Advisory Board
All residents have access to consultation from the SFFILM Makers Creative Advisory Board, as well as to a robust guest speaker series featuring lectures and presentations by leading industry professionals, resident-led workshops and work-in-progress screenings, invitations to SFFILM networking events, and numerous other community-building programs.
2026 Creative Advisors:
Apoorva Charan
Bing Liu
Caitlyn Durkin
Eric Escobar
Isabel Sandoval
Joe Pirro
Kyla Harris
Kristine Stolakis
Laura Wagner
Lucas Guilkey
Nevin Kelly-Fair
Sabine El Gemayel
Sean Gillane
Sydney Lowe
Traci Hays
Violet Du Feng
Masashi Niwano
Rosa Morales
Joshua Moore
FAQs
Do I need to live in the Bay Area?
Yes, all residents must reside full-time in the Bay Area.
When do applications close?
Applications close September 3, 2026.
When are applicants notified?
Applicants will be notified of their status by early-December
Do you only support Feature-length Documentaries and Narratives?
The residency program supports filmmakers working on documentary, fiction, and hybrid feature-length films as well as shorts and episodic projects.
What is a co-applicant? How do I know if someone on my team qualifies as a co-applicant?
A co-applicant in the case of the FilmHouse application, is a close collaborator like a co-director/writer or producer that will participate in the residency alongside you as a FilmHouse resident. A co-applicant is expected to actively participate in the residency to the same extent as the primary applicant and will be given full access to the residency. However, if you have a team member that is not sure they can commit to a full residency, they will still be allowed to attend meetings alongside you and work in the FilmHouse space as your guest.
What are the Accessibility Details for the SFFILM FilmHouse?
The SFFILM FilmHouse is ADA accessible and wheelchair accessible. SFFILM Filmhouse is located on the second floor of the Tides Converge building. There is a ramp from the parking lot/ground floor level to the building entrance.. Accessibility accommodations can be requested for various FilmHouse programs, both in-person and virtual.
Are there accessible bathroom stalls?
Yes. SFFILM’s office has a men’s and women’s restroom, both with ADA accessible stalls. There is also a gender neutral, ADA accessible restroom on the 2nd floor of the Tides Converge building which is accessible via elevator.
What are the Public Transportation & Parking Details?
SFFILM FilmHouse is located in The Presidio neighborhood. We are close to a metered parking lot and metered street parking in surrounding neighborhoods, and is generally free after 6pm PT. There are also outside bike racks.