2017 AFS Grant Accepting Applications

Austin Film Society announces its annual fund for emerging Texas filmmakers, the AFS Grant, is open for submissions as of April 17, 2017. During this year’s grant cycle, AFS will award $105,000 in cash grants, and will surpass $1.8 million in cash and services given to Texas filmmakers since 1996. The application is online at www.austinfilm.org.

The AFS Grant fund is a crucial source of support for the filmmaking community in Texas. Texas-based filmmakers can apply at all stages of production, and so the grant supports filmmakers when they need it most, often helping them complete a film with essential finishing funds, or move a project into production. The grant is awarded to filmmakers whose work shows promise and vision. Recent recipients include TOWER, which won the SXSW Grand Jury Prize and was on the shortlist for the Academy Award in the documentary category; the 2017 SXSW premieres LA BARRACUDA, THE SECRET LIFE OF LANCE LETSCHER and THE HONOR FARM, and the Tribeca 2017 documentary competition film THE SENSITIVES.

The recipients of the 2017 AFS Travel grant will be announced in early September alongside the recipients of the production grant. The grant awards travel funds to Texas filmmakers traveling to prestigious, competitive film festivals and events around the world. These funds are awarded at a crucial juncture for filmmakers and are often the support that allows a filmmaker to accompany their film to a festival premiere. The grant recently supported the filmmakers of the feature KRISHA and short film SKUNK, which were in official selection at Cannes; NAKOM, official selection of the Berlinale; as well as the Sundance premieres of Patrick Bresnan and Ivete Lucas’ THE SEND OFF and THE RABBIT HUNT, Andrew Bujalski’s RESULTS and David Zellner’s KUMIKO, THE TREASURE HUNTER.

Filmmakers can apply for up to $15,000 in cash from the AFS Grant fund during this grant cycle, which closes for applications June 2nd. Additionally, this year’s grant sponsors and partners are offering applicants a range of budget-relieving services and cash for every phase of production. These sponsored awards are given as a part of the AFS Grant program.

New this year, AFS is partnering with DJI Creative Studio to select one AFS Grant applicant to receive a production budget and a suite of loaned DJI equipment (including drones, cameras, and stabilizers) for the creation of a short film.

Also new in 2017, female filmmakers applying for the AFS Grant cash are eligible for the EBW Grant by Sandra Adair, which will award $20,000 worth of grants this year. This support comes from EBW, an organization whose goal is to Empower a Billion Women by 2020.

The MPS Camera and Lighting Grant offers $10,000 in equipment rentals and production services.

Kodak offers $5,000 in in-kind film stock on either 16mm or 35mm, and will also create a 35mm exhibition film print for one film project of any length.

Austin post-production house Stuck On On will award one theatrical digital cinema packages (DCP) for two features projects.

AFS continues to offer resources to help filmmakers through the application process. There is an extensive FAQ on the website, as well as detailed grant instructions, a grant writing tip sheet, and live instructional workshops offered in El Paso, Dallas, Houston, Forth Worth and Austin. The workshop schedule can be found at www.austinfilm.org.

The grant will close for submissions on June 2nd, and applications are reviewed over the summer, with the panel of national film industry representatives convening in Austin in late August to determine the recipients. The announcement of winners is made in early September.

The AFS Grant is generously supported by: EBW, DJI Creative Studio, MPS Camera and Lighting, Kodak, Stuck On On, Gibson Brands, Art Works, City of Austin Economic Development Department/Cultural Arts Division, and the Texas Commission on the Arts. AFS would also like to thank Arts+Labor, Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody, Keller Williams, and SXSW for their ongoing support.

More about Austin Film Society

Founded in 1985 by filmmaker Richard Linklater, the Austin Film Society’s mission is to empower our community to make, watch, and love creative media. AFS curates and screens hundreds of repertory, international and arthouse films annually at the AFS Cinema; delivers financial support to Texas filmmakers through the AFS Grant; operates Austin Studios, a 20-acre production facility, and Austin Public, a space for our city’s diverse mediamakers to train and collaborate. Through its award-winning after school classes, intern training, and the Ed Lowry Student Film program, AFS encourages media literacy and provides a place for youth of all backgrounds to learn the craft of filmmaking and gain access to tools for media production. By hosting premieres, special events, local and international industry events, and the Texas Film Awards, AFS shines the national spotlight on Texas filmmakers while connecting Austin and Texas to the wider film community.

AFS is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Find out more at:https://austinfilm.wpengine.com.

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Thanks to our AFS Grant supporters: