Austin Film Festival Programming in Six Square
Both in partnership with the Historic Six Square Cultural District and as part of Austin Film Festival’s recently launched Uplifting Storytellers Initiative, AFF presents a series of FREE events this summer aimed at fostering diverse and inclusive opportunities within creative spaces for storytellers. Open to all storytellers wanting to learn more about the process of translating their creative talents into careers, these events include a networking roundtable, a film screening in partnership with the George Washington Carver Museum, and a panel conversation.
6/22 – Roundtable with Six Square: Diverse Voices, Stories, and Mediums: Breaking In & Finding Your Platform
Join us at Vesper Austin this Wednesday, June 22, at 7 PM CDT, for a casual and informative roundtable workshop with BIPOC artists and creatives!
Like AFF’s popular Roundtable sessions during our annual Conference, this event will offer registrants exclusive access to local BIPOC industry leaders with the goal of fostering diverse and inclusive opportunities within creative spaces for new storytellers. Take this chance to engage with storytellers across many mediums including film, gaming, theater and more for a discussion on the art of breaking in, finding the best platform for your story, and highlighting your voice. Additionally, we hope this event will allow you to explore the similarities and differences of each of our panelists’ respective mediums and inspire you to branch out of your creative comfort zone. Because of our limited number of registrants per table and rotating panelists, you will have the opportunity to chat with multiple guests in an intimate setting.
Attendees are encouraged to come prepared with specific questions for our panelists about their experiences as creatives and how they broke in and continued to stay in the industry.
7/9 – That’s My Face – Short film showcase
Austin Film Festival and the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center are partnering together this month for an installment of That’s My Face. That’s My Face is Carver’s FREE monthly film series spotlighting Black achievement and stories. Each screening is followed by a discussion. This month we are looking towards youth filmmakers and stories aimed at youth/young adults interested in film.
RED HORIZON is a documentary film about a group of pilots who are dedicated to keeping the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen while pursuing their dream of becoming professional aviators and inspiring the black community to take to the skies and change the racial imbalance in the world of aviation. The film centers around a cast of dedicated students at who are on scholarship with the Red Tails Scholarship Fund. Their hopes are not short sighted, but what matters most is keeping the Tuskeegee Airmen legacy alive.
7/21 – A Conversation with Mike Jackson (film producer/co-founder Get Lifted Film Co.)
Join Emmy® and Tony® Award-winning film, theater, and television producer Mike Jackson. Jackson is the co-founder and managing partner of Get Lifted Film Co. which has developed projects with major networks including ABC, NBC, FOX, HBO, Showtime, Netflix, and FX. Jackson will discuss his prolific career and how the role of producer has helped him champion unique voices and storytellers in the industry.
SIX SQUARE SUMMER FILM CAMP SCHOLARSHIP
We are so excited to be collaborating with Six Square to host two weeks of our Summer Film Program within the District! The Six Square Cultural District is the six-square mile area in which the AFF office is located and is known for its vibrant arts scene and cultural significance to Austin’s Black community.
As an extension of our Annual Summer Film Camp, this program will provide scholarships and a unique arts education opportunity to young creatives who provide an interest and budding talent for screenwriting and filmmaking. Led by industry professionals, AFF’s Summer Film Program provides campers with the equipment and instruction needed to create their very own short films. Our instructors will be there to guide students through every step of the filmmaking process, from conception through the final product!
Filmmaking 101
Ages 9-12
9:00AM – 5:00PM
Session 1: July 18, 2022 – July 22, 2022
Session 2: July 25, 2022 – July 29, 2022
Script to Screen
Ages 13-18
9:00AM – 5:00PM
Session 1: July 18, 2022 – July 22, 2022
Session 2: July 25, 2022 – July 29, 2022
APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP!
From more information about our Six Square Programming or the application process, please contact our Young Filmmakers Program Director, Kelsey Walker, at yfpdirector@austinfilmfestival.com or call 512-478-4795.
Check Out our UPLIFTING STORYTELLERS INITIATIVE:
Austin Film Festival (AFF) is committed to the elevation of storytellers from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds. But we know there is so much more work which needs to be done. Years ago, the festival launched our Diversity Focus Program with an aim towards shining a greater light on underrepresented storytellers. We’re excited to launch the Uplifting Storytellers Initiative alongside its accompanying Advisory Committee, as a natural evolution of the program.