EDUCATION & INTERNSHIPS
Austin has many schools and training workshops to educate on every area of film production and acting—be it a college degree, a beginner tutorials, a night class to hone your skills, or creative summer camp for the kids. In addition to classes, there are also a number of local film organizations that have industry training through student internships.
COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS
THE ACTOR'S SCHOOL
Formerly the State Theatre School of Acting, The Actor’s School is a professional training facility affiliated with Austin Community College. Available to actors and non-actors alike, this program offers a wide range of classes such as Acting for Film, Improvisation and Acting, & Auditioning for Commercials.
AUSTIN PUBLIC
Committed to freedom expression, Austin Public is a non-exclusive and content-neutral media studio that offers low-cost and free training, equipment, facilities, and cablecasting services to all Austinites. Austin Public allows individuals and nonprofits to create diverse programing for the local community, which is broadcast on local cable channels and the web.
AUSTIN SCHOOL OF FILM
Whether you are a student, artist, freelancer, or professional looking to expand your skill set, the Austin School of Film provides courses designed to meet the ever evolving demands of the creative job market and digital media industry. Hands-on course work and workshops taught by media industry professionals give students the skills training needed for a career in film.
BRITELITES ACTING STUDIO
BriteLites Acting Studio classes are for students from all walks of life - from serious students of acting, to corporate employees and politicians wishing to gain confidence in public speaking, to kids wanting to learn about the craft of acting in supportive atmosphere.
DUPUY ACTING STUDIO
DuPuy Acting Studio is a place where serious actors go to train, online and in-person. Students learn in-depth scene analysis, emotional preparation and how to surrender to a scene, a process developed by master acting coach Matthew Harrison of the Actor's Foundry.
FILM KIDS
Film Kids uses hands-on, student-driven filmmaking to encourage young people’s creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. All Film Kids lessons are aligned to 5th Grade ELA and Fine Arts TEKS, but the greatest benefit is the collaboration, teamwork and social emotional skills that are developed.
MEDIA TECH INSTITUTE
The Digital Film & Video Arts program trains students to produce music videos, commercials, documentaries, television shows, corporate industrial videos and feature films. From script to screen you will be immersed in the production process every step of the way.
THE SCREENPLAY WORKSHOP
The Screenplay Workshop offers ongoing group sessions, one- and two-day weekend intensives, and short courses, as well as individual, private consulting services including story consultation, screenwriting services, script doctoring, and private instruction and tutorials.
SCENE STUDIO
Scene Studio offers a 12-week film production and acting class lead by professional acting coaches. Students will work together to create a short film from conception to screening, giving participants a great opportunity to learn and understand all aspects of the filmmaking process.
SCRIPT SCHOOL
Script School educates adults and children through hands-on screenwriting and filmmaking courses taught by industry professionals. Students learn the intricate details of how to develop a story idea into a script, workshop scenes with actors and gain access to the tools and crew to shoot a Sizzle Reel to move their projects forward into Development.
STUDIO E
Offering a range of acting classes for kids, teens and adults, the courses at Studio E focus on in-class exercises with a focus on various approaches and techniques as well as scene study and voice training.
COLLEGE PROGRAMS
THE ART INSTITUTE OF AUSTIN
In the Digital Filmmaking & Video Production program, students are taught to formulate, construct, and deliver digital audio, video, and motion graphics. Coursework covers the latest in high-definition video, storage area networks, and software toolsets as well as tutorials in industry-related software and equipment.
AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE (ACC)
ACC's Radio-Television-Film department prepares students for paths into the dynamic fields of Radio-Television-Film and converging media. The Associate of Arts Degree equips students with a transferable two-year college education, through immersive courses in screen storytelling, creative digital production and media studies.
ST. EDWARD'S UNIVERSITY
The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting at St. Edward’s University is a competitive program for select students who want to take on artistic training needed to succeed in the field of acting and secure work. Recognized as “the gold standard” of theater degrees, the BFA in Acting prepares students to compete in the global market or enter a top-tier graduate program.
TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Although Texas State does not have a film degree, students interested in film can take a number of classes devoted to film directing and film production in order to fulfill the elective requirements of the Performance and Production degree. As well as offering full degree in acting, The Texas State Theatre Department provides a wide range of technical, hands-on, and creative classes in several different areas of film.
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN (UT)
The Department of Radio-Television-Film at UT offers a broad range of courses in the media arts leading to the Bachelor of Science, Master of Fine Arts, Master's and Ph.D. degrees. Consistently ranked as one of the top 10 programs in the country, it is one of the few departments offering degrees in both practical and theoretical areas of filmmaking. UT is also has an acting degree through the Department of Theatre & Dance.
SUMMER CAMPS
AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL SUMMER CAMP
Young Filmmakers Program introduces the art of screenwriting and filmmaking to young people age 9-18. The program runs every June and July, offering kids opportunities to develop their storytelling technique and share their creative work with peers, the public, and professional filmmakers.
AUSTIN FILM SOCIETY SUMMER CAMP
This camp at Austin Studios offers a unique opportunity to work with local filmmakers and experience the magic of filmmaking. From script development to producing an animation project, programs provide young people age 9-18 with a fun, nurturing space for exploration and collaboration.
AUSTIN SCHOOL OF FILM SUMMER CAMP
Students, ages 10 to 16, work with experienced filmmakers to realize their creative visions and produce their own films. From developing the idea to planning the production process to screening the finished masterpiece, Austin School of Film fully and quickly immerses the student into the wonderful world of filmmaking.
ID TECH CAMP
Held at St. Edward's University, iD Tech, kids and teens ages 7-17 learn video production, photography, and design. Courses include Video Production for Social Movements and 3D Modeling & Animation.
QUEER YOUTH MEDIA PROJECT
All Genders, Lifestyles, & Identities Film Festival (aGLIFF) and the Austin School of Film host the Queer Youth Media Project (QYMP), where youth ages 12-20 attend free of charge and spending five days immersed in the filmmaking process, creating a short film which screens at aGLIFF.
ZACH THEATRE
Zach has a variety of acting and improve summer classes for youngsters age 4 to 18. Zach also offers a College Bound Conservatory, which is a multi-year program for high school students who have a serious desire to pursue a career in the performing arts.
INDUSTRY INTERNSHIPS
aGLIFF (All Genders, Lifestyles, and Identities Film Festival)
Apply your experience in sponsorship and fundraising as well as content development to help aGLIFF continue to offer a top-notch festival experience.
ATX TELEVISION FESTIVAL
Students gain real world experience and industry knowledge while assisting with assembling the next season of the ATX.
AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL (AFF)
AFF offers variety of internships and apprenticeships for anyone interested in gaining insight and experience in the film industry.
AUSTIN FILM SOCIETY (AFS)
The AFS Internship & Film Referral Program is a great way to immerse yourself in the local film community, while gaining valuable work experience.
AUSTIN JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL (AJFF)
Join a dynamic, volunteer-run team to help bring the best of Jewish and Israeli cinema and TV to Austin. AJFF is looking for skills from writing content to helping with technology and managing events.
CINE LAS AMERICAS
Volunteering allows students and community members to gain experience while helping with an international event that unites amazing films, talented filmmakers and passionate audiences.
DETOUR FILMPRODUCTION
Richard Linklater's Detour Filmproduction offers semester-long, paid internships. While the internship is clerical, participants will learn the ins and outs of a small production company, while also experiencing great networking opportunities.
SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST (SXSW)
SXSW offers a broad range of internships that provide a real-life learning experience that prepares students to seek employment after graduation.
TEXAS FILM COMMISSION
The internship program offers college students the opportunity to develop a working knowledge of and gain experience in the film and television industry.