AFFMedia Lab

The AFF Media Production Lab is a free 3 month Workforce Development/Career Exploration program featuring Master Classes, Lectures, Workshops, and Media Production Experiences, intended to empower NYC Residents between the ages of 16 and 28, providing them with essential skills, hands-on experience, and valuable connections, so they can pursue industry careers in film/tv/digital media production.

Disabled and ELL youth are welcome in the LAB.

Lab Fellows have multiple deliverables along the way including a Capstone Project where they create their own group film during the Lab as well, which is then Premiered at our Youth Festival.

The FALL 2025 Media Lab will run from OCT 1 - DEC 22, 2025.

The FALL 2025 Lab Application will be available AUG 15-SEPT 15 2025. Notifications go out SEPT 20 and Acceptances must be confirmed by SEPT 25.

Requirements: Ages 16-28, NYC Resident, must be available for the days/times of the lab events

Fall 2025 Tentative Lab Schedule

APPLICATION OPEN AUGUST 15-SEPT 15

NOTIFICATIONS SEPT 20 - ACCEPTANCES/COMMITMENT NEEDED BY SEPT 25

LAB RUNS FROM OCT 1-DEC 22, 2025

IN PERSON WORKSHOPS/TOURS (tentative; subject to changes)

SAT OCT 4 (10am-4pm) OPENING DAY PANELS at Kaufman Astoria Studios’ Zukor Theater

10-11:30am - Pitching Workshop with Bryan Korn, Messi & The Giants/Hilda

11:30am-1pm - Education Panel: Students who attended local film/animation programs (HS and College)

1-2:30pm - Career Panel: Film/Animation/Media Industry Professionals

2:30-4pm - MOCK SET DEMO and Panel

SUN OCT 5 (10am-4pm) OPENING WEEKEND WORKSHOPS at Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens

10-11am - Camera Shots/Angles/Movement Workshop - Astoria Film Festival Instructors

11am-12:30pm - Director/DP Demo OR HORROR HMU Demo

12:30-1pm - Lunch Break

1-2pm - Film Equipment Usage - Astoria Film Festival Instructors

2-3pm - Character Development, Story Development & Pitching - Nina Fiore

3-4pm -

MON OCT 6 4-5:30pm KAUFMAN ASTORIA STUDIOS TOUR for Lab Fellows

GOTHAM SOUND 35-10 36 Ave Astoria NY

ARRI RENTAL LIC TOUR

KODAK LABS TOUR

SOUND LOUNGE TOUR

DEC 13 and 14 (10am-5pm) FILMING THE GROUP PROJECT at VARIETY BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF QUEENS

ZOOM MEETINGS 7:30-8:30pm ET unless otherwise noted

OCTOBER

WED OCT 1 - ZOOM INTRO WITH Astoria Film Festival Founding Director Nina Fiore EdM

THURS OCT 2 - Media Development and Distribution - Yunah Chung, VP - SAMANSA

WED OCT 8

THURS OCT 9 Gadiel Holguin, Social Media Coordinator, MultiCultural Marketing, HBO MAX

WED OCT 15 Lori Greene, Crew Educator, NETFLIX

THURS OCT 16

THURS OCT 23

WED OCT 29 Timothy Michael Cooper, Film, TV, Digital Writer; Adjunct in Dramatic Writing at NYU Tisch School of the Arts

THURS OCT 30

​NOVEMBER

WED NOV 5

THURS NOV 6 Dan McNamara Senior Motion Graphics & VFX Artist at Complex

WED NOV 12

THURS NOV 13

WED NOV 19

THURS NOV 20

DECEMBER

WED DEC 3

THURS DEC 4

WED DEC 10 & TH DEC 11 - 7:30-9:30pm- Pre-Production on Lab Film with Nina

WED DEC 17 - 7:30-9:30pm - Editing Workshop with Emmy Award Winning Astoria Film Festival Board Member and Senior Editor, Sesame Workshop, Ed Kulzer

THURS DEC 18 - 7:30-9:30pm - Sound Editing Workshop with Emmy Award Winning Sound Lounge

DEC 19-22 - 1:1 Meetings with Astoria Film Festival to Review Resumes/Get Job Advice

JAN 5-15, 2026: Interviews for Internships

DATE TBD - IN PERSON FILM PREMIERE at TBD

  • Gaffing Workshop

  • Sound Equipment Workshop with Gotham Sound

  • Virtual Production Workshop with Arri Rental LIC

  • Creating a Short Film Together as a Group

  • Audio Editing Workshops with Emmy-Winning Editors