Launched: Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund, Application and Evaluation Platform v2.0

The Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund Platform supports a fellowship program that elevates underrepresented filmmakers. It manages applications, evaluations, and program administration for the StoryLab process and broader fellowship lifecycle.

Feature Summary

• Applicants create accounts, start an application when a cohort is open, save progress, and submit before the deadline. They can submit up to two applications per cohort and see status updates as their submission moves through stages.
• Evaluators receive assigned applications, review sanitized submissions, record evaluations, save progress, and submit final assessments.
• Administrators oversee cohorts, create and manage application stages, assign evaluators, monitor progress, view logs, and export data for reporting or archival needs. They can manage users, roles, and cohort settings with clear status and activity indicators.

Technical Summary

• Frontend: React, React Router, Tailwind CSS, Shadcn component UI library, charting for cohort dashboards.
• Backend: Node.js with Express and server-rendered React Router.
• Data: Prisma ORM with a relational database.
• Supporting services: transactional email integration, file upload handling, CAPTCHA-style bot protection.
• Validation and utilities: schema validation, date/time utilities, CSV parsing, and sanitization helpers.