Holiday Special: Who are we, anyway?
Portrait's origin story, this week's opportunities and deadlines, plus a Spotify playlist to keep you going.
Happy Wednesday, friends.
We’re off for the holiday, but you’ll still find our rundown of deadlines and opportunities below.
I’d also like to take this quieter week to say thank you.
Our Portrait community has grown a lot in the last year (7x to be precise) and 60% of you open this newsletter every week. You share the newsletter around a lot too — from what we can tell, about 3-5 friends on average. Thank you for making the work worth it.
As Portrait has grown, some of you have asked “Who are you anyway?”
If the answer to that question interests you — or you’re in the mood for gifs and a Spotify playlist — read on. Otherwise, we’ll see you next week with all the premieres, industry gossip, awards, and resources you’ve come to expect.
Happy Fourth of July to our US readers!
~Jean Ellen
Hi. We’re Portrait.
We launched the Portrait app one year ago, during Tribeca Film Festival. Before that, we hosted a six-month prototype on a low-code website. If you were on that website, you are absolutely one of our OGs. You and I probably spoke directly. I made a point to do an intro call with each of our first 1,000 members — unless you declined (I’m delightfully surprised how many of you said yes to that call).
Portrait’s goal from the outset: Connect the dots across people, projects, events, groups, and industry activity to help you finance, develop, staff, and showcase creative work.
My hope is that Portrait becomes an extension of that mental map you carry around in your head, the one with every person you’ve loved working with, wanted to work with, or were told you should work with.
Some people told me that creative work is based on relationships, so seasoned executives and award-winning creatives don’t need a premium professional platform.
But I know that’s not true. I was an executive before launching Portrait, and personally, I found it difficult to keep track of everyone. My favorite creative partners weren’t showcasing their work on LinkedIn. Instagram was total chaos. Asking the right person for the right referral at the right moment felt like guesswork. I also wanted to expand my relationships, building an increasingly extensive, dynamic, and diverse group of trusted partners.
That’s why our team built Portrait. Across the year, we help you maintain, strengthen, and extend your network… and in turn, build your creative career, whether you’re a director, department head, or industry executive.
Speaking of our team… let’s do a few intros.
Jenny McQuaile leads operations and partnerships. She is a filmmaker (check out her film Straight/Curve) and led her own impact production agency.
Roo Harrigan leads product and engineering. She previously worked at Slack from its early days through to its IPO. She also fronts an indie rock band.
Victoria Bennett manages all things member operations and marketing. Her spreadsheets make me nervous in a good way.
Sarah Gann lives on the front lines with our members. You may have seen her name in your inbox. Sarah’s here to help you when you need it.
Kasia Cieplak-Mayr von Baldegg co-founded Portrait with me, and continues to be Portrait’s great advisor, friend, cheerleader and champion. She also had the longest name on my wedding invitations.
And I’m Jean Ellen Cowgill, Portrait’s CEO. I hope you’ll come say hi on the app. And if you’re sad you never got that welcome call, the offer stands.
Closing Soon: Programs + Grants
Have an opportunity to share? Post it on the app or fill out our form.
See the full database of upcoming grants, programs, and festival deadlines on the app. Here are a few of this week’s deadlines:
Disney DET Directing Program (7/5 deadline)
IDA Doc Awards (7/8 deadline)
Athena Writers Lab (7/8 deadline)
Firelight Media William Greaves Fund (7/8 deadline)
New Orleans Film Fest South Pitch (7/12 deadline)
Sundance Documentary Fund (7/15 deadline)
Picture Shop Feature Film Grant (7/15 deadline)
Rideback Rise Fellowship (7/15 deadline)
Her Arts Film Lab (7/25 deadline)
Queer Art Mentorship (7/30 deadline)
DOC NYC Pitch Day (7/31 deadline)
DOC NYC New Leaders (8/1 deadline)
IDA Doc Awards (8/5 deadline)
Jobs/Gigs Roundup
Have a job to share? Share it on the app or fill out our form.
See all the jobs and gigs for this week on the app. This is just the shortlist :)
Creative Executive, Film & TV, The New York Times.
Director, Development, Hartbeat.
Director, Creative Development, Sony Pictures.
Director of Entertainment Operations, BEST Agency.
Deputy Director of Entertainment Outreach, Biden for President.
News Director, WXMI, The E.W. Scripps Company.
Senior Director Distribution (North America), Moonbug Entertainment.
Production Finance & Accounting, TV, A24 Films.
Senior Vice President, Digital Experience, Zeno Group.
Executive Producer - News, Paramount.
MEDIA EXECUTIVE - WNEM, Gray Television.
Filmmaker/DP/Editor, Different Duck Films LLC.
Freelance Camera Operator / DP, Ghost Atomic Pictures.
Camera Operator, Estrella Media.
Camera Operator, Warner Bros. Discovery.
Director, Content, Publicis Groupe.
Director, Warner Bros. Productions limited, Warner Bros. Discovery.
End Credits: Portrait Playlist
I know it’s been a difficult, weird, and wild time in the industry. In that spirit, I thought I’d share the “keep going” playlist of songs I listen to through the twists and turns of startup life.
Thank you for coming on the Portrait journey through it all. Until after the Fourth of July, friends. See you on Portrait.
Receive this guide from a friend? Request an invite to Portrait here.