AFFMedia Lab

AFFMedia Lab

The AFF Media Production Lab is a Workforce Development program that aims to empower historically-ignored youth between the ages of 16 and 28 throughout NYC, providing them with essential skills, hands-on experience, and valuable connections to pursue industry careers in film/tv/digital media production.

The AFFMedia Production Lab offers 3 months of free Master Classes, Lectures, Workshops, and Filmmaking Experiences.

Fellows apply from Nov-Jan and are selected to be a part of the program based on their availability and residency/age.

Lab Fellows create their own group film during the Lab as well, which is then Premiered at our Youth Festival.

2025 Lab Schedule

FEBRUARY

SUN FEB 2 10am-5pm (in-person) Zukor Theater, Kaufman Astoria Studios 35 St between 34/35 Avenues, Astoria NY 11106

10am Lesser Known Production Jobs: Lori Greene, CEO, LPG.EDU/FMR NETFLIX GLOBAL EDUCATION MANAGER

11:30-1pm -  MOCK SET Demonstration

1-2 BREAK

2pm - Hair and Makeup Demonstration - Ruth Fernandez, LOCAL 798 HMU for Celebrities and TV/FILM

3:30pm - The Art of the Pitch - Bryan Korn, Executive Producer, SONY TV KIDS​

MON FEB 3, 5-7pm  at ARRI (in-person) - Virtual Production Demo

Luis Feliciano, ARRI Rental LIC 47-27 36th St, Long Island City, NY 11101

IN ZOOM

WED FEB 5 & 12, 7:30pm - Camera Shots, Angles, Movement & Pre Production Needs - Nina Fiore, Founder, Astoria Film Festival

THURS FEB 6 7:30pm - Documentary Filmmaking with Award-Winning Editor Jennifer Beman

WED FEB 26 7:30-8:30pm - Sustainable Productions - Stevie Gray, Education & Eco Program Manager, Earth Angel Sets

THURS FEB 27, 7:30pm - Development and Distribution - Yunah Chung, VP - SAMANSA

MARCH

MON MARCH 3  4-5pm GOTHAM SOUND VISIT (in-person) 35-10 36th Ave, Long Island City, NY 11106

IN ZOOM

WED MARCH 5 7:30pm - Directing Actors - Christine McBurney, Acting and Directing Coach

TH MARCH 6 7:30-8:30pm - Script Supervision - Liza Wyles, Executive Producer and former Scriptie

WED MARCH 12 7:30pm - Marketing - Daniela Camargo, Mercury Filmworks

IN PERSON CAMERA WORKSHOPS AT ARRI with Cecilia Chien 4-5pm

47-27 36th St, Long Island City, NY 11101

Going in 2 groups: TUES MARCH 18 (College+ Fellows), WED MARCH 19 (HS Fellows)

WED MARCH 19 7:30pm - Casting - Danielle Demchick​, Casting Director

THURS MARCH 20 7:30pm - Set Design - Paddy O’Brien Demsey

WED MARCH 26 7:30pm - Production Accounting - Lori Greene, LPG.edu 

THURS MARCH 27 7:30pm - Documentary Filmmaking - Shawn Antoine II

APRIL

IN ZOOM

WED APRIL 2 7:30-8:30pm- Producing - Shemeka Foster, SONY

TH APRIL 3 7:30-8:30pm - Prop Master Professor Jay Duckworth, Proptology

SAT/SUN APRIL 5&6 - 8am-5pm IN PERSON AT KAUFMAN ASTORIA STUDIOS - MBS ILLUMINATION WORKSHOP (GAFFING/GRIP WORK) - rescheduled from March 1 and 2

MON APRIL 7 5-7pm IN PERSON AT ARRI RENTAL LIC - ARRI DMX LIGHTING SYSTEMS WORKSHOP with Solomon Sylvester

WED APRIL 9 7:30-8:30pm- Editing - Ed Kulzer, Sr Editor, Sesame Street

WED APRIL 10 7:30-8:30pm - Game Producing - Shayna Moon, Games Technical Producer

WED APRIL 23 - 7:30-9:30pm- Pre-Production on Lab Film with Nina

WED APRIL 30 - 7:30-9:30pm - Editing Workshop with Astoria Film Festival Instructor Jeremy Cascamisi

SAT/SUN APRIL 26 & 27, 10am-3pm - IN PERSON WEEKEND FILMMAKING WORKSHOP at Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens 21-21 31 DR ASTORIA NY

MAY 29 7-8pm

IN PERSON FILM PREMIERE and Filmmaker Panel at Astoria Film Festival at Museum of the Moving Image/ Redstone Theater