“Pretty much every artistic form is experienced on some level on a film set,” says Joseph Carr, managing director of Indie Memphis.
Beyond the obvious writing, directing, and acting, film production also requires visual artists for production design and audio engineering, mixing, and music for the score. “Anyone with any type of artistic inclination can find something for them on a film set,” says Carr.
Since its founding in 1998, Indie Memphis’ annual film festival has brought unique films produced outside the Hollywood system to the Mid-South. But until 2015, the nonprofit focused solely on grown-ups. That was the year of the first Indie Memphis Youth Festival, which Carr oversees.
A huge part of our mission, beyond supporting independent film via our audiences, is the support and development of filmmakers themselves,” says Carr. "And nobody needs more development than students. We talked to many schools and different after-school programs who realize this is a big need. Other than a handful of schools, there weren't really any others who were offering any kind of filmmaking opportunities or screening opportunities for the films that these kids are making. So we filled a void, and continue to fill it for nine years. This year, the big announcement, which I think is gonna be really exciting for the students is that the Youth Film Fest is going to take place during the main Indie Memphis Film Festival. Their screenings will happen on Saturday, November 16th. The most important thing is the kids who have made their movies getting to see them on the big screen with an audience.”
Several of the short films in the program will be products of a special collaboration. “The Crew Up program is a mentorship program that is partnered with the Memphis Grizzlies Foundation in which three students and one professional filmmaker make up a team,” says Carr. “We have seven teams, so it's 21 students conceptualizing, writing, shooting, producing, editing their own short films. They've been working on these since January, when the teams were formed and matched with their professional mentors.”
Another opportunity for student filmmakers is the Production Grant, sponsored by Via Productions. The winning applicant, which will be announced at the festival, will receive production support services valued at $5,000 from Via to film their short scripts with a professional crew. “Applications are currently open until July 21st,” says Carr.
For more information on how to get your young Spielberg or Gerwig involved with the Indie Memphis Youth Film Festival, visit the Indie Memphis website at indiememphis.org. The benefits for getting involved include learning about teamwork, problem solving, and hands-on experience in all aspects of filmmaking. “Because this type of opportunity wasn't around for our generation, I think it's super important that these kids are getting this chance,” says Carr.
“What's great about the program is these kids can get involved in it, have a good time, but still realize maybe it's not really for them,” says Carr. “But they had a good time, and they learned a lot. There are plenty of students who have gone through it and realize, ‘Wow, this, this is what I wanna do!’ They can continue to pursue it, whether that’s in college or getting onto some local sets. If you have even a passing interest in filmmaking, it can be very beneficial.”
To learn more about Indie Memphis and its program opportunities for youth, visit indiememphis.org/.