Results: AFS boasts 27 years of exciting film exhibition, with an average of 218 screenings for Austin audiences each year. The Austin Film Society is a chief contributor to Moviemaker Magazine’s consistent ranking of Austin as one of the country's top cities in which to live and make movies. Austin Studios and the Texas Film Hall of Fame in particular make the headlines and contribute to tourism in Austin while adding to its reputation as a film mecca.
We strive to make programs accessible, with an entry-level $30 membership providing admission to 48 free films per year, and ticket prices for non-members starting at $8 per screening. Student discounts are offered at many screenings, and high school students from our AFS Film Club attend for free. All our venues are ADA accessible, and we make reserved seating available to hearing-impaired individuals.
AFS contributes to the local and state economy, with $1,156,311 in cash granted through its Texas Ffilmmakers' Production Fund since 1996. The combined budgets of the 21 projects selected for grants in 2011 equaled $1.5 million. Aspiring industry professionals have been placed in 558 film jobs since the program began tracking placements in 2001.
Films based at Austin Studios have generated over $1.3 billion for the Austin economy. By attracting national productions to our facility and providing low-cost options for local productions, we serve and expand the local economy. AFS will serve 153,803 individuals next year, 3,705 of whom are artists.
Programs: Essential Cinema: Our Essential Cinema series, a weekly community staple, offers film selections diverse in content, style and origin. Program notes written by scholars, filmmakers, fans or curators are distributed at each film, posted on our website and linked to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB).
Documentary Series: Each month, we program important classic and contemporary documentary films. AFS typically flies the filmmaker to Austin to participate in lively Q&As. The discussion between artist and audience continues with gatherings at local bars.
Avant Cinema: This near-monthly presentation showcases local and visiting artists who work in the experimental, avant-garde style of filmmaking. The films are demanding, and the committed audience enjoys rigorous discussion with the creative artists.
Best of the Fests: Our newest monthly exhibition series showcases recent narrative and documentary features that won awards and delighted audiences on the national festival circuit but failed to get distribution deals. AFS brings these gems to Austin audiences and provides a special opportunity for filmmakers to continue screening their work.
Texas Independent Film Network: This statewide coalition of film societies, universities and independent theaters takes a different Texas-made independent feature film on a circuit across the state each month, stopping in small towns, population centers, museums and college campuses.
AFS Selects: We adopt one to two films per month from the exciting slate of films showing at the Violet Crown. Their offerings closely parallel our own tastes in independent, documentary and international fare to a remarkable degree. We are excited to support films that we love and to share them AFS Members (who attend for free!).
Co-Sponsored Films: AFS provides financial, promotional and technical support to a score of community groups and organizations. These collaborations help us reach more people in terms of both quality and diversity. (See Exhibition Partners on pg. 10 of this application.)
Special Screenings: AFS programs current cinema as advance screenings and red carpet premieres to raise funds and awareness of the importance of film as an art form, sometimes converting casual filmgoers to arthouse aficionados. We often bring the filmmakers and celebrity talent to Austin. We also schedule special screenings throughout the year, such as an AFS member showcase at the SXSW Film Festival.
Texas Filmmakers' Production Fund (TFPF): The keynote of our artist services program, TFPF has awarded $1,156,311 in cash and $97,000 in goods and services to 360 film and video projects since 1996 with 80% going to Austin-based projects. We fly a panel of three nationally recognized artists to Austin to select the grantees. We continue to support funded projects throughout their development, and unsuccessful applicants receive detailed feedback. No comparable regional program exists in the USA.
Texas Filmmakers’ Travel Grant: We set aside a portion of the funds raised for TFPF every year to disburse travel stipends to Texas filmmakers invited to screen work at prestigious film festivals around the world.
Texas Filmmakers’ Production Fund Workshops: We visit Texas cities to teach valuable grantwriting skills, which artists can apply to any prospective grant application. By their nature, these workshops promote Austin as a creative mecca.
TFPF Promotional Gatherings: We organize celebrations of TFPF-funded films and filmmakers at major film festivals. In years past, we have hosted events at the Sundance Film Festival, SXSW and the Austin Film Festival. We also put together an annual event to celebrate the announcement of the grantees at the end of the TFPF cycle. We invite TFPF alumni and provide a networking opportunity for recipients past and present.
Fiscal Sponsorship: Our fiscal sponsorship program provides an effective fundraising channel for 20 – 25 projects. Sponsored projects are eligible to apply for funding from entities that require an established non-profit umbrella. Last year, our projects raised $266,000. AFS retains a fee of 7.5%, which is distributed back to artists via TFPF.
Works-In-Progress Screenings: Narratives-in-Progress and Docs-in-Progress workshops offer filmmakers valuable feedback from experts and peers. After viewing a rough cut of the film in our on-site screening room, the audience completes a written questionnaire and engages in a moderated discussion with the director and producers. AFS stays in touch with the filmmakers following the workshops to advise on final cuts and distribution strategies.
Moviemaker Dialogues: This forum appeals to both amateur filmmakers and industry experts. AFS leverages the availability of a high-profile visiting or local industry professional and invites filmmaker-level members to attend discussions, free of charge.
Low-Cost Studio Rentals: Austin Studios provides a sliding rental scale to service all budgetary levels. Quentin Tarantino said it best: "What I find impressive is the mixture of productions Austin Studios has brought in: Hollywood budget, low budget, no budget; 35mm, 16mm, HDTV; professionals, amateurs, students."
Promotion of Local Filmmakers: We use our online journal Slackerwood and our extensive database to promote screenings of local filmmakers’ work, frequently negotiating for ticket or DVD giveaways with theaters and distributors. We publish filmmaker updates online and include member news in weekly announcements and our community calendar.
Advice and Referral: AFS is a clearinghouse for information and connections within the film community. We receive requests from aspiring filmmakers, people looking for venues to show films and producers looking for crew. We connect people to resources within the scope of AFS’ programs as well as to resources that fall outside our organization.
AFS Film Club: AFS teaches free after-school film workshops at 17 under-resourced elementary, middle and high schools. Students participate in twice-weekly workshops where they learn to analyze, explore and create movies. They learn stop-motion and computer animation as well as screenwriting and digital film production. Students develop their creative voices in classes that are safe, fun and nurturing. Students are invited to Austin Studios to experience a working production facility. AFS provides transportation.
Student Film Showcases: Each student has the chance to screen his or her finished work in front of an audience. Showcases are arranged on site at schools and throughout the community. Our fall showcase at Alamo South Lamar made Austin 360’s blog!
Digital Filmmaking Camps: We teach seven weeklong camps at Austin Studios during the summer. Fourteen students in each camp participate in a project-based script-to-screen workshop where they learn the key skills of creating films as an artistic expression. Each film is screened for family and friends in the AFS screening room, and campers participate in a Q&A. We offer three scholarships per camp to Film Club students.
Independent Study: This course engages high school students during a semester-long experience within Austin’s vibrant film community. Students become members of AFS, participate in our programs, and complete a creative project for school credit.
Internship and Apprentice Program: This program provides skills, experience and the elusive foot-in-the-door for 30 new interns each year. Participants learn the nuts and bolts of nonprofit arts administration and the inner workings of the film industry. They participate in three professional development workshops (Office Etiquette 101; Resume Building; Art of the Interview) and receive formal training throughout their tenure. Many stay for a second semester as an apprentice, receiving a small stipend while working within a specific AFS department.
Film Referral Program: The relationship between AFS and intern alumni is not over once the internship is completed. Our Film Referral Program utilizes AFS’ relationships and reputation to refer intern alumni to highly coveted film jobs, with 558 placements to date.
Internship Networking Events: The program is designed for each class of interns and apprentices to establish relationships with both their former and subsequent classes, creating a network of collaborative young professionals. AFS requires apprentices to manage the incoming class of interns. Interns complete personal film projects and apprentices complete a group film project, both of which culminate in screenings attended by program alumni, AFS staff and board members. Interns receive complimentary AFS memberships, so they can enjoy a host of benefits geared toward industry networking.
Training Workshops: AFS helps ensure that Austin's crew base is properly trained and effective. Industry professionals teach hands-on workshops like Camera Operator and Locations Assistant, with a focus on technical skills and career development. Classes are a reasonable $75, with scholarships and discounts available. We also coordinate with production vendors to provide free product demonstrations to crew and our current interns.
Austin Studios Field Trips & Speaking Engagements: We offer field trips for students, as well as the opportunity for one-time classes and workshops on school campuses. Both are intended to help local teachers and schools supplement their in-class curriculum. Whether it's a closer look at careers in the film industry or exploration of the complete production process, AFS is able to tailor a field trip or workshop to the interests and skill level of the students, and to connect the experience to a teacher's current lesson plans.
Community Studio Tours: This is a free service for both Austinites and tourists who seek a glimpse into the world of filmmaking. AFS conducts an hour-long seminar on various film-related topics. There are areas for set construction, wardrobe and storage, and we have the largest cyc wall (green screen) in Texas. There’s a lot to see! We open our doors to service organizations and community groups who want to experience the inner workings of movie magic and learn more about the art of filmmaking.
Industry Studio Tours: Austin Studios is frequently the first stop for out-of-town producers scouting Austin. We work with the Austin Film Commission and Texas Film Commission to attract filmmakers to Austin, and an Austin Studios representative is always on hand to show off our competitive facilities to industry professionals.
Membership: Members receive free admission to advance screenings, early ticket purchases for premieres and special events, and discounted admission to our regular screening series. Members receive discounts at local theaters and special offers on movie events around town. They benefit from online promotion in the “Member News” section of our website, where we highlight items such as acceptance to major film festivals, distribution deals, awards and screenings. We currently have 1,800 members.
Networking Events: We observed a hunger from local filmmakers and film aficionados to connect with like-minded artists, technicians and producers, and found that an important component of cultural vitality is the opportunity to network with others in the field. We organize receptions with visiting filmmakers either before or after special screenings, most regularly with Premieres and the Documentary Series. Our Member Mixers are free, informal bi-monthly events in which we invite new and renewed members out to Austin Studios. They take a tour of Austin Studios and meet staff, board, interns and their fellow AFS members. Those who wish to participate in the member screening bring samples of their work for the group to watch in the AFS screening room.
Austin Studios Crew and Community Event: We host an annual gathering of crew, Austin Studios neighbors, AFS members and city leaders to strengthens and promote Austin’s vibrant film community. The event attracts an average of 1,000 attendees.
Slackerwood: In of February 2012, AFS became the publisher of the incomparable online journal Slackerwood, which is devoted to promoting, reporting and reviewing all aspects of the Austin film community. Slackerwood employs writers to tell in-depth stories about the people and film happenings in Austin.
Online Community: At the heart of AFS are our face-to-face interactions, but the Internet is also an important tool in bringing people together. AustinFilm.org and Slackerwood.com continue to grow as a destination for anyone interested in film. Last year we had 99,366 unique hits on our site. We have a searchable library of films that have been supported or exhibited by AFS with rich media resources, online lounges, and a robust community calendar to highlight events, jobs and funding opportunities. AFS-supported films each have their own page where site users can see trailers and donate to the project.
Weekly Announcements and Social Media: AFS uses our robust online community to reach current constituents and to expand to new audiences. The weekly announcements reach 4,600 people and promote other arts organizations as well as AFS events, news and advocacy. Through RSS feeds, anyone interested in AFS events and Austin film can receive news in the method most convenient for them. We recognize the value of a strong presence on social media sites and have built a large following on Facebook (8,206 fans) and Twitter (10,288 followers—which doubled since our last application!).
Texas Film Hall of Fame: AFS honors Texans who've made a significant contribution to film, as well as non-Texans who help advance the Texas film industry. Over 20% of the 1,800 attendees travel from outside Austin to attend. This program is the unofficial kick-off celebration of film and creative media right before the start of SXSW.
Stakeholder Engagement: The acquisition of the 63,000 square-foot National Guard building in October 2012 offers Austin a once-in-a-generation opportunity to stay at the forefront of the creative media industries. We envision a space that layers production services, training and workforce development, technology incubation, youth media, film appreciation and artistic production into a "media ecosystem." AFS will continue to engage the community as we move forward in building out this new space.
