July 31, 2024
Empowering Austin to "make, watch, and love" film
Google Fiber’s Community Connections program provides gigabit internet service to local nonprofits to help them serve their constituencies and meet their organizational goals. Today, the Austin Film Society, a GFiber Community Connection in Austin, Texas, shares how access to high-speed internet is helping to unlock the potential of the local creative community.
When award-winning filmmaker Richard Linklater founded the Austin Film Society (AFS) in 1985—before gaining fame for his films Slacker and Dazed and Confused—he hoped to create a community of “oddballs and film freaks” who shared his passion for cinema.
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Today, AFS is a thriving film community that empowers filmmakers, nurtures Austin and Texas as a creative center, and unites people through the shared experience of great cinema.
AFS operates Austin Studios, a 20-acre production facility located at the former Robert Mueller Municipal Airport. The facility features two soundstages, a mill/wardrobe facility, two vendor warehouses, two flex stages, production offices, and a dedicated parking area for production basecamps. It's here that GFiber powers "stage 7" as well as the Creative Media Center, fueling the work of the productions using these facilities.
Additionally, the organization runs the AFS Cinema, Austin’s only nonprofit arthouse theater with a robust program of both classic and contemporary films. Where else can you see the 4K restored version of Seven Samurai this summer?
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In partnership with the City of Austin, AFS also operates the state-of-the-art facilities at Austin Public, which were previously run by an organization called channelAustin. They were selected as one of the first organizations in Austin to take part in GFiber’s Community Connections program to receive gigabit internet service at no cost. Today, AFS is still benefiting from using GFiber at Austin Public, and the faster internet speeds definitely have a positive impact on their work.
Austin Public offers low- and no-cost training, equipment, facilities and content distribution—all designed to empower individuals and nonprofit organizations to create film and media projects that speak to the local community, facilitate community building, and diversify the media landscape. Much of that requires a fast and reliable internet connection. That’s how GFiber has made an impact.
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Additionally, the film industry is one of the most competitive and difficult industries to enter. It takes more than luck—it takes skills.
So to help open doors, AFS established the Creative Careers Program at its Austin Public facilities. This workforce development program offers three training pathways for individuals at different stages of their professional journeys in film. Students receive hands-on experience and utilize GFiber during classroom lectures as well, while they're working on creative projects in Austin Public's video editing suite.
18 to 24 year olds who are interested in pursuing a media production career as an alternative to—or in conjunction with—a college degree, can check out the Creative Careers Internship Pathway, a paid internship and training program.
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For individuals 18 and older, the Immersive Training Pathway is a three-month, stipend-paid program that provides training in audio and video production, digital media instruction, professional development and technical skills. Participants complete a minimum of eight training hours per week and receive job-placement support.
Lastly, the Continuing Education Pathway is a free program for those with prior production experience. If you want to expand your production skills and improve your career beyond the usual equipment certification course, Austin Public is the place.
With GFiber’s support, AFS will continue to give the Austin community the programs and training to "make, watch, and love film" (as well as produce more “oddballs and film freaks”).
To learn more about our Creative Careers program and additional workforce development opportunities, please visit www.austinfilm.org/austin-public/about-austin-public/.
Posted by Austin Film Society