Film Independent, Inc.

Film Independent and Advancing Communities Together will provide an innovative media career pathways program for five opportunity youth. Leveraging our extensive network of professional filmmakers from historically excluded backgrounds, we will provide mentoring and a comprehensive skills-building curriculum to show participants a creative career is a viable path for them. We will empower opportunity youth to develop their creative voices, share their perspectives, realize their potential and take the first step towards a film industry career.

Film Independent will present Future Filmmakers: Exploring Civil Liberties, a free media arts education program serving up to 120 underserved LA County high schoolers. Professional filmmakers will mentor and empower students to explore important civil liberties topics by conducting oral history research and creating their own media projects. Students will gain crucial skills and projects will be published online to serve as an ongoing public resource for people to learn and engage on civil liberty issues impacting Los Angeles communities.

Film Independent and Inner-City Arts will present Future Filmmakers: Youth Curators, a free media arts summer program culminating in a film showcase by and for LA youth. Up to 25 high schoolers will be empowered through screenings, mentorship from professional filmmakers and curators, and hands-on participation in curating the showcase, which will highlight the work of up to 25 youth creators for up to 300 attendees. Youth will gain appreciation and knowledge of film, plus empowerment to pursue artistic careers in the future.

Film Independent will support 30 artists through Project Involve, a free mentorship program empowering next-generation filmmakers from backgrounds historically excluded from the industry. The program gives filmmakers the opportunity to form creative partnerships, hone creative and business skills, gain exclusive industry access, acquire hands-on filmmaking experience, curate community screenings and mentor youth. By providing needed foundations for success, we will combat systemic marginalization of underrepresented voices in the film industry.

Film Independent and Inner-City Arts will present Future Filmmakers: Youth Curators, a free media arts summer program culminating in a film showcase by and for LA youth. Up to 25 high schoolers will be empowered through screenings, mentorship from professional filmmakers and curators, and hands-on participation in curating the showcase, which will highlight the work of up to 25 youth creators for up to 300 attendees. Youth will gain appreciation and knowledge of film, plus an understanding of artistic careers available to them in the future.