Why do we draw your attention to the Fractured Atlas Open Arts Network?  Because our OAN partners have the ability to provide their own members with access to many of the benefits and services that FA provides, including low-cost health and liability insurance for artists.  The number of orgs in our OAN network is ever-growing (strength in numbers - yeah!), and for this reason we’re bringing you interviews with many of them so that you’ll have a better idea of who they are and what they do. Austin Film Society, for example, is a non-profit organization that promotes and supports both the production and appreciation of film within its city’s thriving arts scene.

What is the mission of Austin Film Society?

Austin Film Society (AFS) promotes the appreciation of film and supports creative media production by screening rarely-seen films, giving grants and other support to emerging filmmakers, and providing access and education about film to youth and the public. Through Austin Studios, which AFS opened in 2000 in partnership with the City of Austin, AFS helps attract film development and production to Austin and Texas. Gala film premieres and the annual Texas Film Hall of Fame Awards raise funds as well as awareness of the impact of film on economy and community.

When they think of Austin, a lot of people think immediately of the city’s strong music scene. What is the Austin film scene like?

Austin has been called the “Third Coast” of filmmaking and has consistently ranked among the top ten cities to live, work and make films in by MovieMaker magazine’s annual ranking. From a strong base of experienced production professionals, to great locations and fun nightlife, to organizations and festivals that support film, to A-list directors who work and live in Austin, we think it’s a pretty attractive scene. Our unofficial tagline for Austin Studios is “You know you want to shoot in Austin,” because it’s a great place to be.

What programs and services do you provide for filmmakers? For film aficionados?

We offer one of the best regional grant programs in the country, our Texas Filmmakers’ Production Fund, through which we have given away over $1 million to 272 projects since it began in 1996. We have funded films that premiered at major film festivals like Sundance, Cannes and Toronto, and several that have won Independent Spirit Awards and Student Academy Awards. We also offer fiscal sponsorship to Texas filmmakers and we hold works-in-progress workshops and panel discussions to help filmmakers develop their craft. We are pleased to connect with partner organizations like Fractured Atlas to provide trade discounts for a variety of services. All of our events offer great networking opportunities.

For lovers of film, we have a number of series that bring films that wouldn’t screen at the multiplex: Essential Cinema is our flagship weekly screening series that is free for members. We also hold monthly documentary screenings and a new series of regional experimental filmmakers’ works, Avant Cinema, both usually with the filmmaker in attendance.

What opportunities do you provide for youth interested in film and filmmaking?

We have after-school film classes at several under-served local schools, as well as week-long summer camps taught at Austin Studios, a working professional production facility. We do group tours of Austin Studios and connect working filmmakers with all sorts of community and educational groups that want to have a presentation from a filmmaker or other industry professional.

What question does your organization receive most frequently, either from filmmakers or the general public?

A lot of people want to work in film and they mistakenly call us for a job. We are the organization that runs Austin Studios, where a lot of productions shoot, but we don’t do the hiring. The Texas Film Commission is the place to go to find out who is hiring and how to contact them.

What is one fact about your organization that you wish was more widely known?

It’s tough to communicate the breadth of what we do and while we might look like a big institution, we are a small staff of ten — we are always trying to tell our story.

Have you seen an increase in demand for any of your services in particular during these tough economic times?

We had the most applications for funding last year than in the prior 13 years. Applications are down this year from last year’s all-time high, but we still had 183 applications with a total request for $1.8 million in funding.

When and how do you know that you are having a positive impact on the film community of Austin?

We are always receiving nice notes from filmmakers and people who attend our events, and when we need to rally the community, they show up. AFS has been around for 25 years now and people still love it.

Do you have any events coming up?

On June 18th, we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Austin Studios with a party honoring one of Texas’ treasures, Moody Anderson. He has an enormous warehouse of Western antiques and memorabilia that has been used in movies like Lonesome Dove, American Outlaws and The Newton Boys, to name only a few. We will also have Alison Macor on hand — she just published a great book on the history of filmmaking in Austin called Chainsaws, Slackers and Spy Kids: 30 Years of Filmmaking in Austin — and a fabulous local band, The Derailers.

How people can get involved with Austin Film Society?

Join as a member AND come to the events! Or just sign up for our free weekly newsletter — there is lots of good information in there and when you are ready to attend an event, we’ll have something for you.

Photos: Rosy Lea Photos/Austin Film Society

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If you are an arts organization based in the United States with 50 or more members, or if you have a defined constituency of 50+ artists who you support, you may be eligible to participate in Fractured Atlas’s Open Arts Network. Contact Adam Natale for more information: adam.natale@fracturedatlas.org, 212-277-8023.