ASTORIA STEAM is a Media Production Workforce Development Program that seeks to provide historically-ignored and low income youth in Queens and NYC with the skills needed for the participants to perform industry jobs in the film/media industry. 

 

Astoria Film Festival Workforce Development Programs include Master Classes, Career Panels/Career Fairs, The Media Production Lab, as well as Internships and Fellowships with AFFStudio, all intended to empower historically-ignored youth throughout NYC, providing them with essential skills, hands-on experience, and valuable connections to pursue industry careers in film/tv/digital media production.

​

Astoria Film Festival MASTER CLASS SERIES 2025

From February 1-May 1, 2025, Astoria Film Festival will be offering a series of Master Classes that take a deep dive and offer insight into various careers in film/tv/media production. 

​

These Master Classes are for ages 18+ and will be offered in zoom or in person on weeknights and weekends. In person classes take place at various sites around NYC. 

​

Classes are limited to 25 max participants. Participants can take an individual class or sign up for the entire series. At the conclusion of the series a filmmaking workshop will be offered to those who participated in the Master Classes. If they wish they can sign up to create a short film with the group, guided by Astoria Film Festival Instructors, that will be screened at the Astoria Film Festival

​

15 spots in each Master Class will be reserved to provide free attendance to the class for those selected to be 2025 Astoria Film Festival Media Production Lab Fellows. AFFLab Fellows must be between 18 and 28 years old by February 1, 2025, and have an interest in pursuing a media production career. We highly encourage disabled, BBIA, low-income, immigrant, first-gen, LGBTQIA+, and female applicants

​

The Application to become a 2025 AFFLABFellow will be made available OCT 1-31, 2024. AFFFellows are expected to participate in all of the Master Classes and in the final short film production workshop and will sign contracts to that effect. More than 2 absences cause them to be excused from the lab. 

​

If your school is interested in having your students apply to become one of the AFFMedia Lab Fellows, let us know and we will share the application information with you when it is available. 

​

​SEE A LIST OF MASTER CLASSES

​

If you would like Astoria Film Festival to create a Master Class Series specifically for your students, please email us to further discuss desired content and pricing options.

​

​

Astoria Film Festival Career Panels / Speaker Series

Astoria Film Festival has a wide range of industry professionals we can bring to your school for Career Panels and Career Fairs.  We can also arrange a Speaker Series. There are also virtual options for speakers (via zoom).  Contact us for more information and pricing.

​

​

Astoria Film Festival Professionally-Guided Film or Animation Development 

Astoria Film Festival provides workshops for existing film and animation programs, where we bring in industry professionals to provide feedback and guidance at key points along the production cycle.  

We begin with an in-person or virtual intro session/career fair so the students can learn about the professionals they'll be working with and about the jobs available in the industry.  

Teachers then send us student work and get written and verbal feedback on the work from the professionals to the students in zoom around these points:

PITCHING

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

SCRIPT

ROUGHS

FINE CUTS/ANIMATICS

Professionals then choose which projects they'd like to highlight in our Youth Festival OR there is an option for all student work to be highlighted in a special session for the school at our Festival.

This has been used to fulfill certain CTE Requirements in various NYC schools.

​

​Astoria Film Festival Internships 

If your school has a CTE Requirement, a volunteer for credit program, or a WLG Program, Astoria Film Festival has the following opportunities available for your students.  We are able to take 2 interns per school; up to 10 max interns per semester.  If you would like us to take on more students, then there would be slight fees for intern management, that can be discussed.

​

PA for AFFStudio Video Shoots

Assist AFFStudio Program Managers with filming social media promo videos for the QEDC and OANA by visiting local Astoria businesses, where we take broll, conduct interviews, and record host intros. 

On Site at various locations /various times

​​

Video Editing for Social Media Content

Under Astoria Film Festival ED or AFFStudio Program Manager supervision, edit video footage into short form videos for IG TT LinkedIn and schedule or upload content to various platforms. 

WFH (need fast computer & editing software)

 

TA for Astoria Film Festival Workshops

Assist Astoria Film Festival Lead Film Instructors in workshops at schools, after schools, community centers.

-Have experience/comfortable working with children ages 8+

-Know filmmaking basics

​On Site at Various Locations/Various Times