At Austin Film Festival, we believe in fostering creativity for the next generation of storytellers. AFF hosts year-round, free arts-education programming for students ages 13 to 18 to introduce them to the arts of screenwriting, filmmaking, narrative podcasting and the entertainment industry at large.
Austin Film Festival’s Young Filmmakers Program is dedicated to bringing arts education opportunities to local, Texas students completely for free. A creative outlet, and more specifically, the act of storytelling, improves students engagement, their communication skills, creates a sense of community, and above all, is a profound exploration of empathy. Austin Film Festival and myself are dedicated to the continuation of this programs believing that the arts are a critical component of student development. We are grateful for all support that helps us fulfill our mission.”
Sally Seitz, Young Filmmakers Program Director 2020
Festival and Conference Scholarship Program
Each year, Austin Film Festival’s Young Filmmakers Festival and Conference Scholarship programs awards over 450 scholarships to local high school students and teachers to attend our annual festival. This competitive scholarship grants students access to all programming provided through the annual Writers Conference and Film Festival as well as specifically curated programming for students. At the Festival, students are able to interact and learn from the industry’s top creatives through opportunities such as the Young Filmmakers Pitch, the Young Filmmakers Roundtable, and panels and screenings designed for students and educators.
Austin Film Festival’s Scholarship Program has been a part of the festival since its inaugural year, annually inviting nearly 40 schools to participate. Past Young Filmmaker Program Panelists have included James V. Hart (writer Hook), Pamela Ribon (writer Ralph Breaks the Internet), Charmaine DeGraté (writer The 100), Chuck Hayward (writer Dear White People), Doug Jung (writer Star Trek Beyond) and Lauren Shippen (writer/creator, The Bright Sessions).
Support Festival & Conference Scholarship Program
Underwrite Festival and Conference Scholarship Program
$1,500
Underwrite one of Austin Film Festival’s Young Filmmakers Festival and Conference Scholarship schools. This sponsorship supports 10 students and 2 educators’ participation in the annual Austin Film Festival and Writer’s Conference. By supporting our scholarship programming, you are giving local students and teachers an opportunity like no other to learn about the art, craft, and business of the television, film, and entertainment industry at-large. Your support helps young writers and filmmakers more clearly see the connection from creativity to career.
- Sponsor Logo Placement on Young Filmmakers Program Homepage
- 2 Austin Film Festival Badges
Supporting our Festival and Conference Scholarship Program gives students and teachers a chance to learn from some of the industry’s most preeminent writers and filmmakers. Attending the annual Austin Film Festival and Writers Conference inspires students to pursue their own creative paths while introducing them the world of creative-careers.
Description
Underwrite one of Austin Film Festival’s Young Filmmakers Festival and Conference Scholarship schools. This sponsorship supports 10 students and 2 educators’ participation in the annual Austin Film Festival and Writer’s Conference. By supporting our scholarship programming, you are giving local students and teachers an opportunity like no other to learn about the art, craft, and business of the television, film, and entertainment industry at-large. Your support helps young writers and filmmakers more clearly see the connection from creativity to career.
- Sponsor Logo Placement on Young Filmmakers Program Homepage
- 2 Austin Film Festival Badges
Supporting our Festival and Conference Scholarship Program gives students and teachers a chance to learn from some of the industry’s most preeminent writers and filmmakers. Attending the annual Austin Film Festival and Writers Conference inspires students to pursue their own creative paths while introducing them the world of creative-careers.
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Digital Storytelling
Austin Film Festival’s Digital Storytelling Programming is an in-school, arts education program that provides middle and high school classrooms with English Language TEKS- aligned, screenwriting, podcasting, and film-production curriculums. These hands-on, six-week units teach students the fundamentals of story-structure as well give students the tools to write their very own short screenplays or narrative podcasts. Select scripts from each in-school program are chosen for full production with the support of Austin Film Festival. Students work together in production teams with the guidance of local filmmakers and editors to give students the chance to see the full process of taking a story from script to screen.
Since its launch in 2005, Digital Storytelling has served thousands of local students who come from primarily at-risk or low-income communities. A key component of all Digital Storytelling programs is classroom teacher-support. Through the assistance of an Austin Film Festival teaching artist, teachers receive training and guidance on how to best approach the Austin Film Festival Digital Storytelling curriculum and supplementary film digital materials.
As of 2021, Austin Film Festival has partnered with Akins High School, James Bowie High School, O’Henry Middle School, and Pflugerville High School.
Support A Digital Storytelling School
Underwrite Digital Storytelling
$2,500 – $5,000
Underwrite one of Austin Film Festival’s Digital Storytelling in-school programs and support 25 – 50 students as they are introduced to the art and craft of screenwriting, filmmaking, or narrative podcasting. Financial support helps provide resources such as an in school teaching artist to partner with classroom teachers and local filmmakers, audio engineers, or editors to assist with student productions. Teachers report that students who participate in Austin Film Festival’s Digital Storytelling program improve in key educational areas such as reading, writing, communication, media-technology, and idea expression.
Austin Film Festival Digital Storytelling Sponsorship includes:
- Sponsor Logo Placement on Young Filmmakers Program Homepage
- 2 Austin Film Festival Badges
Supporting our Digital Storytelling Program provides students with hands-on, engaging lessons in screenwriting, filmmaking, and podcasting at no cost to the school or teachers.
Description
Underwrite one of Austin Film Festival’s Digital Storytelling in-school programs and support 25 – 50 students as they are introduced to the art and craft of screenwriting, filmmaking, or narrative podcasting. Financial support helps provide resources such as an in school teaching artist to partner with classroom teachers and local filmmakers, audio engineers, or editors to assist with student productions. Teachers report that students who participate in Austin Film Festival’s Digital Storytelling program improve in key educational areas such as reading, writing, communication, media-technology, and idea expression.
Austin Film Festival Digital Storytelling Sponsorship includes:
- Sponsor Logo Placement on Young Filmmakers Program Homepage
- 2 Austin Film Festival Badges
Supporting our Digital Storytelling Program provides students with hands-on, engaging lessons in screenwriting, filmmaking, and podcasting at no cost to the school or teachers.
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Future Plans for Digital Storytelling
Austin Film Festival’s Young Filmmakers Program is working hard to launch its Digital Storytelling Program on a national scale providing curriculum, lessons, and digital resources on the art and craft of screenwriting, filmmaking, and narrative podcasting to middle and high school students across the country.
If you are interested in supporting the national launch of our Digital Storytelling Curriculum please email Young Filmmaker Program Director, Kelsey Walker, at yfpdirector@austinfilmfestival.com
Our Sponsors
Questions?
For more information regarding any of our Young Filmmaker Programs please reach out to Young Filmmaker Program Director, Kelsey Walker, at yfpdirector@austinfilmfestival.com or call 512-478-4795.