What Project Should I Develop with MOC?

Midnight Oil Collective is a for-profit company seeking to turn the revenue we generate into opportunities for the widest, most diverse pool of creators. Because we are an investment company (rather than a granting organization), we have the resources to seed and support ambitious, daring ideas that have the potential to grow and to generate sustaining revenue for all involved. In order to do that, we must find and develop projects with high profit potential. However, unlike traditional venture capital enterprises, we are also seeking artists who share our mission to seed a more cooperative arts ecosystem—artists with dedication and work that they deeply believe in that they are ready to “burn the midnight oil” for. The projects we are seeking fall into three categories:

 

On-Stage projects include plays, musicals, operas, and any other staged performance that is meant to be consumed by a live audience.

 

We gravitate toward big ideas from motivated creators, driven by a deep belief in the importance of their work and a desire to get this work in front of audiences.

All on-stage projects should have a complete, revised script and, if applicable, score, prior to application. Our process best supports projects that are ready to be put on their feet.

 

On-Screen projects include TV series, full-length films, animated shows, and other projects meant to be consumed through a screen.

 

We particularly seek work that is both authentic and ambitious, led by creators who care deeply about the content and production value.

Series-based projects should have a complete pilot script and series arc, and projects in film should have a complete screenplay prior to application. Our process best supports work that is ready to create a proof of concept and to pitch to production partners or studios.

 

We are also interested in what we are calling “Disruptive Ventures” in the creative economy, which we define as ventures that provide new ways to support arts and entertainment creators and projects.

 

Right now we find inefficiency and inequity in education, licensing, production, publication, and distribution. We are particularly interested in ventures that prioritize artist well-being and open up new channels for groundbreaking work to reach diverse audiences.

Disruptive Ventures should have a strong founding team and a work sample in the form of a “minimum viable product” and/or a clear description of their service(s).