Applying to the Merrell Brand-Supported Storytelling Program
About this Insider Session
In our Insider Sessions, Sundance Institute staff answer your questions and guide you through the process of applying to our labs, programs, grant opportunities, and the Sundance Film Festival.
Thinking about applying to the Merrell Brand-Supported Storytelling Program? In this live online session, attendees will get the inside scoop on the inaugural 2026 edition of this global initiative.
Launched in collaboration with Merrell, this program aims to redefine brand-supported narratives by identifying filmmakers who can tell compelling human-centered, social-first stories in any genre about the transformative power of going outside. The program will select five global filmmakers to receive $20K each to create a hero 60-90 second, vertical film exploring Merrell’s core belief: "It Starts Outside." Selected artists will also participate in an online program designed to demystify brand collaboration and support the projects through production and delivery including a private screening during the Sundance Film Festival in January 2027. Final assets, including each hero film, 0:06, 0:15, and 0:30 second cutdowns and stills will be further released by Merrell in the coming year.
This session features a live breakdown of the application and creative brief, in addition to an interactive Q&A with the Sundance Collab team and Merrell’s Creative Director, Alex Ho. The session will share insights into what reviewers are looking for, unpack the "It Starts Outside" creative territory, and answer your specific application questions live.
The deadline to apply to the Merrell Brand-Supported Storytelling Program is 11:59 p.m. PT on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.
Learn more about the program and application requirements here.
If you would benefit from an accommodation to fully participate in this event, please either submit a request here, contact us at (435) 776-7790, or email us at accessibility@sundance.org to discuss your specific requests. Every effort will be made to accommodate advance requests; however, requests made within 5 days of the event may not be guaranteed.
A recording of this Insider Session will be posted to Sundance Collab's Event Recording Library within two business days of the live event. Everyone who registers will receive an email with a link to view the recording once it is posted.
Insider SessionFeaturing
Alex Ho
Global Creative Director, Merrell
Alexander Ho is the Global Creative Director of Merrell, where he leads the brand’s global creative vision, shaping campaigns, storytelling, design, and consumer experiences worldwide.
Previously, Alexander served as VP, Group Creative Director at Endeavor, 160over90, and Obsidianworks, leading award-winning creative work for brands and organizations including McDonald’s, LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Audi, The Trevor Project, Meta, Target, Timberland, Pernod Ricard, and Marriott International. His work spans brand building, integrated marketing, experiential, digital, and cultural storytelling, earning recognition across the advertising and marketing industry.
Prior to agency leadership, Alexander was Art Director of Digital at Time, where he led creative development for some of the publication’s most influential editorial franchises, including Person of the Year, TIME100, and enterprise multimedia storytelling projects. His work contributed to Emmy Award-winning editorial experiences.
Patty West
Director, Sundance Collab
Patty West is a producer and educator based in California. She led the Directing Workshop for Women and the Thesis Program at the American Film Institute prior to joining the Sundance Institute. She came to Sundance Collab in December of 2019 and now serves as its Director.
West is a Chicago native and holds a B.S. from Northwestern University, an M.F.A. from the AFI Conservatory and an Executive M.B.A. from Quantic School of Business & Technology. She is a member of the Producer's Council of the Producers Guild of America.
Soheil Rezayazdi
Moderator | Digital Course & Event Producer, Sundance Collab
Soheil Rezayazdi is a Digital Course & Event Producer at the Sundance Institute, where he produces multi-session courses, master classes, filmmaker Q&As, and other digital programs for Sundance Collab. Prior to Sundance, Soheil served as the Nonfiction Programs Manager at the Gotham Film & Media Institute. He oversaw the Gotham’s core documentary programs: the Documentary Feature Lab, the Spotlight on Documentaries project market, and the Documentary Development Initiative in partnership with HBO Documentary Films. Soheil has worked with emerging filmmakers since 2015, when he began a seven-year tenure at the Columbia University MFA Film Program. At Columbia he managed the Columbia University Film Festival (CUFF), the Dr. Saul and Dorothy Kit Film Noir Festival, and the Carla Kuhn Memorial Speaker Series.
Soheil is also a freelance writer on film and pop culture with articles in Indiewire, McSweeney’s, Vice, Filmmaker Magazine, Documentary Magazine, Paper, Paste, and elsewhere. He has also served as an external reviewer for artist programs operated by Creative Capital, Kartemquin Pictures, Chicken & Egg Pictures, and the International Documentary Association. A native of Iran, he holds an MA in journalism and a BA in film studies from the University of Iowa.
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