AFS Interns & Apprentices
Kaivan Bazleh
Intern
Although I was raised in Dallas, Texas, I relocated to Austin in pursuit of a double major at the University of Texas in Radio-Television-Film and Communication Studies. It was the film school at UT that inspired me to pursue a career in sound design for film. As a kid I would love to watch scary movies and would often find myself more affected by the sound than the actual imagery, since I would cover my eyes during the scary parts.
Although I was raised in Dallas, Texas, I relocated to Austin in pursuit of a double major at the University of Texas in Radio-Television-Film and Communication Studies. It was the film school at UT that inspired me to pursue a career in sound design for film. As a kid I would love to watch scary movies and would often find myself more affected by the sound than the actual imagery, since I would cover my eyes during the scary parts. I have always had a passion for editing sound
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Danielle Burnett
Intern
I have just come to Austin for the first time ever, moving from San Diego, California, where I left behind family and friends, and all things Californian, to take on the exciting opportunity of being a part of the Austin Film Society!
I have just come to Austin for the first time ever, moving from San Diego, California, where I left behind family and friends, and all things Californian, to take on the exciting opportunity of being a part of the Austin Film Society! I’m 23 and have had the great privilege of working in non-profit arts administration at The Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park, San Diego. Though love it dearly I did, and to me, Balboa Park is heaven on earth, I was always reading up on the AFS
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Kesha Cornick
Events and Membership Apprentice
It was clear from the start that I had an affinity for the world of film. In many of my earliest memories, I was donning my favorite blue- and white-checkered dress, a pair of shiny ruby-red shoes, and a large red bow placed precariously on top my head. After a summer of watching Peter Pan, I spent a good part of Kindergarten wearing a tall feather straight up in my hair. When I was in fifth grade I tried to create a staged re-production of Hocus Pocus. It was not until sixth grade, however, that
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It was clear from the start that I had an affinity for the world of film. In many of my earliest memories, I was donning my favorite blue- and white-checkered dress, a pair of shiny ruby-red shoes, and a large red bow placed precariously on top my head. After a summer of watching Peter Pan, I spent a good part of Kindergarten wearing a tall feather straight up in my hair. When I was in fifth grade I tried to create a staged re-production of Hocus Pocus. It was not until sixth grade, however, that
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Michael Domangue
Programming Apprentice
Few would say that watching GHOSTBUSTERS was a life changing experience. But for me at age three, with my bed sheets covered with the animated likenesses of Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd, it was definitely a defining moment for me. I was born in Lafayette, Louisiana in 1987 to a loving family determined to expose me to as much as the local Blockbuster had to offer. DIRTY DANCING led to THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, which itself led to A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. I might also add that this was all
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Few would say that watching GHOSTBUSTERS was a life changing experience. But for me at age three, with my bed sheets covered with the animated likenesses of Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd, it was definitely a defining moment for me. I was born in Lafayette, Louisiana in 1987 to a loving family determined to expose me to as much as the local Blockbuster had to offer. DIRTY DANCING led to THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, which itself led to A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. I might also add that this was all
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Lani Golstab
Intern
As a native of Los Angeles, California, I wisely chose to begin my career in film after moving to Austin, Texas. I actually found myself in Austin by way of stops in South Dakota, North Carolina, Virginia, England, and elsewhere in Texas and California. However, I have finally arrived here with my faithful terrier, ready to seek my fortune.
As a native of Los Angeles, California, I wisely chose to begin my career in film after moving to Austin, Texas. I actually found myself in Austin by way of stops in South Dakota, North Carolina, Virginia, England, and elsewhere in Texas and California. However, I have finally arrived here with my faithful terrier, ready to seek my fortune. Though I love art of all types—visual, music, dance, theatre—film has always been the most accessible to me. As a child, I would read
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AJ Gonzalez
Intern
As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a director. In kindergarten when the teacher asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up, I said that I wanted to be a director and make movies like E.T. and BACK TO THE FUTURE.
As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a director. In kindergarten when the teacher asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up, I said that I wanted to be a director and make movies like E.T. and BACK TO THE FUTURE.Movies were my window to the world from the small south Texas town of Alice. My parents would take me to see movies that they wanted to see, so I saw a lot of movies I probably shouldn't have seen at a young age. When I was nine I saw SEVEN, PULP
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Peter Hackmann
Communications Apprentice
Born and raised in Austin, Peter seeks to further his knowledge of the Austin film community in conjunction with the education he is currently receiving at UT studying documentary production, sound design, and cinematography.
Born and raised in Austin, Peter seeks to further his knowledge of the Austin film community in conjunction with the education he is currently receiving at UT studying documentary production, sound design, and cinematography. As an inspiration to his film studies, he is an environmental activist in the Austin area and thrives on grassroots activism and learning sustainability practices. He also loves and plays percussion, piano and guitar.
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RJ LaForce
Studios Senior Apprentice
It all started one brisk morning in Cleveland when my parents finally got what they were looking for ... a son. After having five daughters, my mom and dad realized that I was a little blessing. My dad, finally having a boy, made sure to teach his only son the lore of Cleveland sports. Since our mutual heartbreak began 21 years ago (no Cleveland professional sports team has won a championship since 1963) I have been nothing short of a Cleveland sports junkie. In 1997 my family and I migrated to
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CJ Neels
Intern
Growing up in Bettendorf, Iowa on the banks of the Mississippi River there wasn't a whole lot to do. Stories of Mark Twain and films of adventure were what I cut my teeth on. Also, this is what got me interested in being a story teller, at least at first.
Growing up in Bettendorf, Iowa on the banks of the Mississippi River there wasn't a whole lot to do. Stories of Mark Twain and films of adventure were what I cut my teeth on. Also, this is what got me interested in being a story teller, at least at first.Through the years my film fascination quietly grew and grew, not telling anybody for fear of being laughed at. But it wasn't until my first theater class at a local community college that sold me on the idea; that this
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Julie Peterson
Intern
On April 11th 1985, my parents rushed to St. John’s Hospital in Austin having just left my grandfather’s funeral ceremony. My mother was in labor. I came out into the world the next morning around 4 a.m. with my umbilical cord wrapped around my neck, having missed my inheritance by 6 days. Such is life. Since this first introduction, I have never been a morning person.
On April 11th 1985, my parents rushed to St. John’s Hospital in Austin having just left my grandfather’s funeral ceremony. My mother was in labor. I came out into the world the next morning around 4 a.m. with my umbilical cord wrapped around my neck, having missed my inheritance by 6 days. Such is life. Since this first introduction, I have never been a morning person. I don’t remember any of this. In fact, my memory of the next four years is rather hazy and has
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Norma Saldivar
TFHoF Senior Apprentice
Out in the west Texas town of El Paso, my mother gave birth to a Mexican girl ... ME!
I am currently a senior at the University of Texas at Austin, pursuing a degree in Radio, TV & Film with a minor in Business and Spanish. Since I was a kid, I’ve always been intrigued by the film industry. I have learned to love and appreciate many different film genres and can watch a movie a million times and never get tired of it. I think I made my family sick when I was kid after insisting they
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Natalie Scott
Artist Services Apprentice
Wow! It’s great to be back home. I’m celebrating because I’ve just made a comfortable transition back to Austin from the great little town of Denton, TX, where I have finally put behind me that arduous trek of our early twenties, the college experience!
Wow! It’s great to be back home. I’m celebrating because I’ve just made a comfortable transition back to Austin from the great little town of Denton, TX, where I have finally put behind me that arduous trek of our early twenties, the college experience! Now a BFA holder in studio photography, I was looking for a way dive right in when I returned home, and I found that ability with the privilege of the internship program at the Austin Film Society. I knew I had found
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Christopher Sturgeon
Intern
I was born near the beautiful sunny beaches of Miami, Florida on August 1st of 1986. From there, due to my dad's job transfers, my family ended up in Orlando and finally Plano, Texas where I have lived for the past 15 years.
I was born near the beautiful sunny beaches of Miami, Florida on August 1st of 1986. From there, due to my dad's job transfers, my family ended up in Orlando and finally Plano, Texas where I have lived for the past 15 years. I didn't fully realize my "knack" for filmmaking until a friend and I took a Television-Film course our senior year in high school. While most of the students took the class for blow off purposes, we actually worked hard on our projects.
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Le-An Tran
Intern
Born in Houston and raised, not too far away, in Sugar Land, Texas, both of my parents worked at the family owned convenience store. Since both of my parents were always working, my siblings and I basically grew up with the TV and huge stacks of rented movies. I always looked forward to the end of the week when my mom would take us to go rent more. It was kind of bittersweet though. Being the youngest, I never got to pick what I wanted to watch.
Born in Houston and raised, not too far away, in Sugar Land, Texas, both of my parents worked at the family owned convenience store. Since both of my parents were always working, my siblings and I basically grew up with the TV and huge stacks of rented movies. I always looked forward to the end of the week when my mom would take us to go rent more. It was kind of bittersweet though. Being the youngest, I never got to pick what I wanted to watch. My parents didn’t really
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Alissa Walters
Outreach and Education Senior Apprentice
Born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, I first took an interest in film at the age of 3 when I not only watched LADY AND THE TRAMP every day for a year, but also refused to go a day without playing ‘Video Store’ in which I set up every movie I owned around the house, made my parents ‘rent’ one, and then we would all sit down to watch it. Needless to say, my love of movies continued to grow, and despite Fort Worth being the booming metropolis that it is, I soon decided that in order to pursue
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Kayla Williams
Studios Senior Apprentice
Nothing but cornfields surrounds my tiny hometown in Ohio. The nearest metropolitan area is Cincinnati, and the drive is more than two hours. It seems an unlikely origin for a filmmaker, but the puppies, ponies and endless years of scavenging the same forest for new adventures can foster quite an imagination, if not only a strong desire for more urban surroundings. At 16, I moved to Cincinnati with my mother to finish high school and then, by many twists of fate, landed in the first day of
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