Residency Terms
A Seasonal Residency
Video Village operates in seasons that roughly follow the academic calendar. A typical season begins in early September and concludes around June 1.
Unless we're actively in production during the summer, residents will generally be expected to vacate the property between June and September. This gives everyone an opportunity to travel, visit family, recharge, and decide whether they'd like to return for the next season.
Trial Period
Finding the right fit is incredibly important—for both the individual and the community.
Every new resident begins with a two-month trial period. For our inaugural season, the trial will run from September 20 through November 20.
At the conclusion of the trial, Village residents and The Village Host will have an opportunity to evaluate the fit of each resident. If it's a good mutual fit, the residency will continue through June 1.
Community Values
The Village Host is a gay filmmaker who values diverse, inclusive environments where all people feel welcome. Everyone should be comfortable living with—and learning from—people whose experiences may differ from their own.
Mutual respect and gratitude are at the heart of Video Village. The Village Host isn't in a position to pay residents a traditional salary. Instead, Video Village provides housing, meals, utilities, and equity stake in the projects we create. Our goal is to remove much of the financial burden that often prevents independent filmmakers from doing their best work. We believe that's a compelling exchange for the right people. If you do too, we'd love to hear from you. If not, that's perfectly okay—Video Village simply may not be the right fit.
Living Expenses & Work Commitment
Meals, lodging, utilities, and internet are provided.
In exchange, residents contribute approximately 25 hours each week to Video Village projects. The remainder of the week is theirs to pursue freelance work, develop personal projects, recharge, or simply enjoy life.
Shared Living
Video Village is first and foremost a home.
Residents are expected to treat both the house and one another with kindness and respect. The House Manager handles most of the day-to-day cleaning, laundry, and general upkeep. However, all residents are expected to clean up after themselves and help keep shared spaces tidy and organized. Living communally only works when everyone pitches in.
While Video Village values community, we also value solitude. Nobody is expected to be social all the time. Residents are encouraged to respect one another's privacy, personal space, and downtime.
Guests & Pets
Friendly, well-behaved guests are welcome from time to time, provided they respect the home and the people living in it. Overnight guests are permitted with permission from The Village Host.
For half the year, Bear—a sweet, hypoallergenic Terrier/Poodle mix—calls Video Village home. You can spot her in one of the photos on this page. Bear loves people and gets along well with other dogs, so friendly, non-shedding small and medium-sized dogs are welcome. The Village Host is allergic to cats, so, unfortunately, they are not allowed.
Village Host Availability
In addition to leading Video Village, the Village Host also directs a college film program and teaches four courses each semester.
Like other residents, he will generally dedicate approximately 25 hours each week to Video Village projects. During Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring breaks, he may choose to travel or visit family. Residents are welcome to remain in the house during those periods.
The Village Host is a night owl. If you're an early riser, no problem. But if you're an especially light sleeper, Video Village may not be the best fit.
Creativity & Confidentiality
Residents should expect to collaborate on projects that may involve confidential creative materials, business plans, scripts, and other works in development. Respecting one another's ideas—and knowing when they aren't ready to be shared publicly—is an important part of living and working together.
Community Standards
Creating a safe, respectful, and productive home is essential to the success of Video Village.
While we hope every residency is successful, the founder reserves the right to end a resident's participation if their behavior or performance has a significant negative impact on the community. This includes—but is not limited to—persistent issues related to reliability, work ethic, cleanliness, respect for others, or the shared living environment.
Residents whose participation ends due to community expectations will typically be given two weeks to move out. Residents who threaten or commit acts of violence, engage in illegal activity, intentionally damage property, or create an immediate safety concern may be required to vacate the property within 48 hours.
An Evolving Experiment
Video Village is an ambitious experiment in independent filmmaking.
Like any worthwhile experiment, we'll continue refining the residency as we learn what works best. We're looking for people who are excited not only to participate in that process, but to help shape it.