Austin is well known for some of its bigger film festivals, including South by Southwest and Austin Film Festival. But there are many other Austin film festivals that are worth submitting to, whether you’re a local Austin filmmaker or one located anywhere else in the world. The following are some awesome Austin-based film festivals to submit your work to. Austin Spotlight Film Festival The Austin Spotlight Film Festival has been running for six years and takes place at the Southwest Theater Lake Creek in Austin, TX. They accept all types of short films, documentaries, screenplays, features, mu ..read more

Half-frame cameras, also known as subminiature cameras, are a type of film camera that capture images on half the standard 35mm film frame. Rather than exposing the full-frame area (36mm x 24mm), these cameras utilize half of that space (18mm x 24mm) to capture two images side by side, resulting in twice the number of exposures per roll of film. The concept of half-frame photography originated in the 1930s as a response to the high cost of film and the desire for more affordable and portable cameras. The first commercially successful half-frame camera was the “Demi” introduced by the French co ..read more

I’ve been shooting with a Canon AE-1 since when I was in high school when my grandfather thoughtfully passed his along. I’ve heard the 35mm film camera referred to as the Toyota Camry of film cameras because it’s built to last. It’s solid and reliable, without any hard-to-master frills. This is what makes it a good option as a film camera to learn on, and also why it’s possible to shoot on the Canon AE-1 for decades without any issues. Mine has traveled with me to and from Europe multiple times spanning 20 years, as well as accompanied me countless times in the day-to-day. Works like a charm ..read more

Podcasts are such an incredible resource for gaining insights into different aspects of the film industry. The industry intricacies are many, from the different departments to the on-set language, and of course what you need to do (or not) to prepare for and get the opportunities you’re looking for. The following podcasts are ones that I love to listen to. They range from acting to writing, and low-budget filmmaking to big-budget commercial directing. I love film. Vulnerably so. Storytelling is magic. I’ll weep about it any day. Anyway, here are some of my favorite informative podcasts about t ..read more

I have officially embraced the realm of experimental filmmaking, and have totally fallen in love with the process. In 2022 I shot one narrative short film called Stuffer, and two different experimental short films—Dear Kevin, and TBD, in post-production now. The processes are so different being narrative and experimental that they kind of feel like different art forms entirely. Of course, they have similarities—there’s the structure, the camera, the pitch deck—but there are also so many differences. Where my narrative project Stuffer included a full cast, cinematographer shooting on 4k, colori ..read more

One thing about me is that I will always be taking a class. Always. It’s a great way to expand the repertoire and/or the mind, have fun, and meet new people! As an art lover, I tend to seek out a lot of art-related and otherwise creative classes. Next up for me is taking a class on making film soup. As in 35mm film. More on that later. I’ve been gathering lists of art classes to take in Los Angeles, and the following are some I’ve either already checked out, or plan to do so soon! The School of Light Located in downtown Los Angeles, the School of Light offers classes and workshops on all thing ..read more

As an independent filmmaker—or anyone hoping to advance in the entertainment industry—having access to networks, educational resources, and advancement opportunities is crucial. For me, not initially coming from a filmmaking world, the industry mostly seemed intimidating, elusive, and magical. And yeah, it can be a bit of all of that. But like anything else there are also specific things to know and concrete steps to take to keep moving forward towards your goals. I’m endlessly seeking out such resources to keep learning, growing, and making stuff happen. I care so deeply about this topic, tha ..read more

Each of these artist duos has a completely different sound—and story—but they all deliver sounds that are beautiful, sometimes haunting, always cinematic. Sonically explorative, dreamy, sometimes otherworldly. When I hear these artists I think film scores, or loaning their songs to similarly toned stories. (And I don’t think that’s just because I live in a filmmaker mindset.) The following are three L.A. based duos who are making some seriously beautiful, cinematic music. Carrousel Indie duo Carrousel released a 10-track album called Magnificent Desolation—and it’s pretty incredible. It’s swee ..read more

When it comes to songs about Los Angeles there are endless classics. Randy Newman “I Love L.A.” , Tom Petty “Free Fallin'”, Weezer “Beverly Hills”, BB King “Back in LA,” Guns N’ Roses “Welcome to the Jungle.” (That last one is assumed to be about L.A.) The list goes on and on. There are also many recent releases about city, and different types of experiences existing within it. Here are three artists making music about Los Angeles, YouTube videos included. Reggie Becton R&B artist Reggie Becton set out to solve a problem when he released a music video for his acclaimed single “Rainin’ in L ..read more

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a life long love of photography. I love hearing about other people’s work, particularly the style choices they make, their chosen medium, and other insights into the process. Each of the people featured here had been individually showcased on the website, and now they’re here as a little photo series of sorts. Below you’ll find photo galleries, Q&A’s, and a letter, along with a little bit of info on each of these six great photographers to check out. Nick Prideaux Who: Photographer Nick Prideaux “I capture scenes from my life in a diaristic manner. My ..read more