Have a neighborhood story to tell? Here’s your chance to make it into a film

All levels of writers and filmmakers in Miami-Dade County are invited to share their neighborhood-based stories to The Block, a new short documentary competition hosted by Oolite Arts.

Five finalists will be chosen from the submissions. The finalists will present their concepts to a national panel of judges, and a live studio audience, for a chance to win up to $14,000 in funding for their projects.

“Miami has an array of neighborhoods whose stories are just waiting to be told, and Oolite Arts wants to bring them to the screen,” said Jason Fitzroy Jeffers, who manages Oolite Arts’ Cinematic Arts Program. “We want to hear from every corner of our community. Pitch us your idea!”

The finalists will receive free access to footage in the Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Florida Moving Image Archives, and the top three finalists will get help making their films from the University of Miami School of Communication Department of Cinema and Interactive Media.

The documentaries will be less than 12 minutes long. Prizes range from $2,000 to $14,000. The jury of nationally recognized film professionals will choose the five finalists on May 18 at the studio audience event.

“Miami’s indie film community has grown exponentially, and is getting recognized, said Dennis Scholl, president and CEO of Oolite Arts. “At Oolite Arts, we want to help continue to grow our community of filmmakers so that more Miami stories are seen here and beyond.”

Anyone can share an idea by applying online through April 10. Apply, and get more information, at oolitearts.org/TheBlock.