About the Grant Program

The New Mexico Documentary Incubator Grants Program (NMDIG) has two core objectives. The first is to provide financial and technical support to emerging and early-career documentary filmmakers across New Mexico. The grants help enable documentarians to develop their creative filmmaking talent with an emphasis on building interest and capacity in documentaries that address community issues and challenges. The second objective is to sustain the incubation of documentary filmmaking talent by providing a clearing house for supportive resources and a forum for professional critique and exchange. Thanks to our collaborators, in addition to the grant funding, the selected filmmakers are provided access to studio space, technical training, and advice from well-established New Mexico film related professionals and institutions.

In 2024 NMDIG funded four documentary filmmakers. All were emerging, under 30 years old, had completed some documentary work but still delivered impressive talent in their story telling and technical ability. This early initiative clearly highlighted the emerging and early-career documentary talent in New Mexico.

In 2025 eight emerging & early career documentary filmmakers were selected for funding.

Donor contributions provide an opportunity to support individual documentary filmmakers by providing unrestricted cash grants, education, and experience for exceptional artists.

Founders & Program Directors

Greg Polk

Greg is a retired urban planner and international development specialist turned independent documentary filmmaker. Past projects include New Mexicans Taking Action on Plastic Waste, Building Community in Albuquerque’s International District, and Embroidered Connections about the artisans of Bukhara Uzbekistan preparing for the Santa Fe Folk Art Market. Greg is a former Peace Corps Volunteer, was housing development director for the City of Albuquerque, and for 20 years his international development work ranged from Africa, Asia, Central Europe and the Middle East.

Rebecca Black

Rebecca is currently Vice President of 516 Arts a non-collecting contemporary arts center located in Albuquerque with a particular interest in the role of art in reconciliation and conflict resolution. 516 ARTS is dedicated to fostering a multifaceted and inclusive arts community through its exhibitions and public programs along with the following ongoing initiatives. Previously she spent 25 years working for the US Agency for International and served in Cambodia, Mali, India, Afghanistan, South Africa and Poland.

2026 Panelists (Jury & Mentors)

Felicia Masias

Co-Founder, Producer, Director - Sopapilla Productions

Felicia is an Albuquerque-based filmmaker with over 10 years of experience in film, television, and new media. She has worked as a producer, director, production coordinator, actress, writer, and both 1st and 2nd assistant director. In 2020, Felicia and her husband founded Sopapilla Productions, an Albuquerque-based video production company, where she oversees every step of production from concept to completion. Sopapilla Productions has produced and directed over 20 mini-documentaries and TV shows, spotlighting local businesses and artists across Albuquerque. As an emerging filmmaker, Felicia aspires to use her platform to continue giving a voice to businesses and individuals who need to be heard.
Tiffany Cole

Film Director & Actor

Born in Los Angeles, Tiffany began acting in theatre and earned her B.A. from USC. Now based in Albuquerque, Tiffany is the former Executive Director of the New Mexico Film Foundation as well as a former faculty member at the USC School of Dramatic Arts. Tiffany’s notable film roles include “Sharknado” and “The Last Girl”, as well as the award winning “True Blue”. She is finishing her feature film script, “SOS Paperclip”, which she is set to direct, based on her directing-debut short, signed for world-wide distribution after the festival circuit. Tiffany is also a member of SAG-AFTRA.
Sylvia Johnson

Assistant Professor - Film & Digital Arts, UNM

Sylvia is a filmmaker and impact strategist, and the Creative Director of Free Roaming Studios, a small production company dedicated to visual storytelling to inspire action. An American in the broadest sense of the word, she was born in Bolivia and raised in South, Central, and North America. Her work focuses on humanizing stories of conservation, injustice, and hope while inspiring strategic action towards change. Sylvia’s work has screened at film festivals around the world, US Congress, the Department of Interior, dozens of universities and civic institutions, museums such as SITE Santa Fe and the Rubin Center for the Visual Arts, and theatrically through Gathr Films. She is a member-owner of New Day Films and a member of Her Wild Vision initiative.
Will Miller

Filmmaker & Documentarian
Will N. Miller is an Emmy, Peabody, and duPont Columbia winning documentary filmmaker, primarily focused on environmental conflict, migration, and the tangled legacies of colonialism. His films include THE TERRITORY (Sundance 2022, Peabody and Emmy winner, Oscar shortlisted), as well as short docs NUISANCE BEAR (TIFF 2021, Critic’s Choice and Cinema Eye winner, Oscar shortlisted); SQUID FLEET (Visions du Réel 2023, Camerimage Golden Frog nominee); UNSAFE PASSAGE (Emmy winner, NPPA Documentary of the Year); and UNDOCUMENTED IN THE PANDEMIC (Emmy nominated, Front Page Award winner).
George Richardson

Artist

George is a multimedia artist based in Albuquerque. He is also a member of IATSE local 480 and has worked a day laborer in Art and Set Decoration departments on productions both large and small here in New Mexico. When not working on personal projects, he is also involved in day-to-day operations at several prop houses in ABQ and Santa Fe.
Brad Stoddard

Filmmaker and Film Editor - Stoddard Communications
Brad has passion for creating content for Independent Film and Television. As a producer, director, editor, writer, cinematographer and teacher, Brad has worked with some incredible and talented people from around the globe. Brad's experience working in a variety of roles has earned him accolades from his film industry peers. Brad is the owner of Stoddard Communications, a New Mexico based production/postproduction company. He is past President of the New Mexico Post Alliance.
Phillip Torres

Film Producer - Mood
Phillip is an award-winning director and writer with 20 years of production experience. He is a highly sought after innovative, visionary director where his content has garnered over 47 million views. His work has been shared at CES, the LA Auto Show, Unilad, CNN, WIRED, DIY Photography, CNBC, and Adam Savage’s TESTED. Phillip wears a lot of hats and plays a lot of roles in his production company, MOOD, charming with great wit, dreaming in technicolor, and known to furrow his brow on set.
Daniel Ulibarri

516 Arts Program Coordinator

Daniel (he/him) is an accomplished professional photographer and arts educator. He holds dual major BA degrees in both English and Media Arts from New Mexico Highlands University. At 516 ARTS, he develops youth and educational programming, develops content, oversees interns, creates video interviews with artists and project videos, and in 2022 he curated the photography exhibition Nathaniel Tetsuro Paolinelli: Downtown at 516 ARTS, which received international media coverage. Born and raised in northern New Mexico, he has been a resident of Albuquerque since 2021.