How To Become A National Geographic Explorer (2024/2025)

Grant UPDATE from NatGeo: "We recently shifted away from an open grant model to a "Request for Proposal. The RFP opportunities will be more targeted and each will have unique requirements. Please go to https://www.nationalgeographic.org/so..., in order to find the latest opportunities and applications."

Today I'm sharing every piece of insight I have to help you become a National Geographic Explorer. These are lessons I’ve learned from getting a grant from the National Geographic Society myself, from exchanging notes with tons of other NatGeo filmmakers, and from years of attending the National Geographic Storyteller’s Summit in which I’ve gone to sessions specifically on how to get their grants. I’m going to go over what a National Geographic Explorer grant is, who should apply, how to apply for one, what will make your application stand out, how you’re most likely to screw it up, what you should do if you get accepted or rejected, and lastly, I’ll get real about the biggest value of a NatGeo grant, which I’m going to guess, might surprise you. Hope you enjoy!

APPLICATION RESOURCES
Grants Website: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/so...

🍿 WATCH NEXT: My National Geographic Explorer grant film, With Grace -    • WITH GRACE | A National Geographic So...  

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WHO AM I?
If we haven’t met yet before - Hey 👋 I'm Austin Meyer and I am a documentary filmmaker based in Berkeley, California. I'm a National Geographic Explorer and my work has been featured by HBO, Hulu, Apple TV, The New York Times, National Geographic, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and PBS among others. Through my videos here on this channel, and my podcast called The Austin Meyer Podcast, I share skills, mindsets, and lessons to help you become a better documentary filmmaker and build the life full of creativity that you aspire towards.

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⌚️Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
1:00 - Grants Are Important!
2:05 - What is a NatGeo Explorer Grant?
3:32 - Who Should Apply?
6:28 - How to Apply
7:08 - The 6 Keys To Stand Out
7:19 - 1. Story, Not Topic
8:13 - 2. Assume A Beginner's Mind
8:41 - 3. Be Specific
9:00 - 4. Don't Promise Too Much
10:08 - 5. Help Reviewers Visualize
10:46 - 6. Ensure A Safe Investment
12:02 - How You'll Screw It Up
13:15 - What You Should Expect From The Grant
16:24 - The Biggest Value of The Grant
17:52 - Final Thoughts

#documentaryfilmmaking #documentary #filmmaking #nationalgeographic