Vision Maker Film Festival

FAIN: ZR-256755-18

Vision Maker Media (Lincoln, NE 68503-1409)
Georgiana Lee (Project Director: February 2017 to September 2017)
Rebekka Herrera-Schlichting (Project Director: September 2017 to present)

Indigenous film festivals in 2018 and 2020, a national film tour and workshop series, a youth training curriculum, and the dissemination of educational resources.

Vision Maker Media (VMM) proposes programming that showcases existing and emerging Indigenous media, trains Native youth media makers and provides education and engagement tools for Native American communities. Specifically, we will host two film festivals, launch a national film tour and workshop series, develop a youth training curriculum, and disseminate learning resources. VMM will target Native American communities nationwide, though we anticipate greater participation from NEH’s incentive areas, which encompass a high proportion of tribal and rural and urban Indigenous populations.

Associated Products

Vision Maker Media Youth Media Guidebook (Book)
Title: Vision Maker Media Youth Media Guidebook
Author: John Gwinn, Migizi Communications Inc.
Author: Shirley Sneve, Vision Maker Media
Author: Rebekka Schlichting, Vision Maker Media
Author: Alana Stone, Vision Maker Media
Abstract: This guidebook aims to help people begin their own youth media program or improve a program that already exists. We will go over sample scenarios, the challenges you may face, and ultimately, the best practices that anyone can follow in order to help youth make great projects.
Year: 2020
Primary URL: https://sites.google.com/view/youth-media-guidebook/home
Primary URL Description: Google site where you can download or read the guidebook.
Access Model: Available to download or order for free on the Vision Maker Media website
Type: Multi-author monograph
Copy sent to NEH?: No

Train the Trainers: Native Youth Media Summit (Conference/Institute/Seminar)
Title: Train the Trainers: Native Youth Media Summit
Author: John Gwinn, Migizi Communications Inc.
Author: Binesikwe Means, Migizi Communications Inc.
Author: Tiana LaPointe, InProgress.org
Author: Philip A. Sanchez, Blurred Media
Author: Shirley Sneve, Vision Maker Media
Author: Alana Stone, Vision Maker Media
Abstract: VMM and MIGIZI hosted a Train the Trainers: Native Youth Media Summit for instructors that sought to provide Native youth with the skills and tools necessary to harness the power of media for Native-driven storytelling and narrative empowerment. Training took place October 12-13, with 11 trainers in attendance. Stats from summit: 44% Increase in student confidence coordinating a native youth media training program 34% Increase in student confidence to instruct on form and content of videos 29% Increase in student confidence to instruct on the filmmaking process Participant Comments: "I was able to consider possible opportunities to improve our school districts media program." "The guidebook is incredible. I loved seeing other people’s work." "I was able to see and hear about other projects throughout the country which gave me ideas on what to do with my students." "Training exceeded expectations."
Date Range: October 12-13, 2019
Location: Minneapolis, MN

2018 Vision Maker Film Festival (Report)
Title: 2018 Vision Maker Film Festival
Author: Vision Maker Media
Abstract: Vision Maker Media (VMM) held its seventh biennial Vision Maker Film Festival, April 20-26, 2018. The theme of the film festival, “We Are All Related,” was a translation from the Lakota language -Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ- a commonly used expression indicating the Lakota’s relationships to each other and in the world. It was especially appropriate as we welcomed our partners from the National MultiCultural Alliance (NMCA) formerly known as the National Minority Consortia (NMC). Partners of this alliance include The Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), Black Public Media (BPM), Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) and Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC). The festival featured 53 films by diverse filmmakers and 15 in person Q&A’s. The films featured were a number of shorts, documentary and feature films with some being productions by VMM and members of the National MultiCultural Alliance. We measured success as follows: • Physical ticket sales for the 2018 film festival (total of 483 were sold) • Physical hard-copy post-screening evaluations for the 2018 film festival (157 evaluations received) Participant comments: “Excellent film! Thank you!” “Beautifully shot and acted” “So glad to have discovered this- (don't "do" Facebook as am inexperienced so behind on most technical plus so busy with so many environmental and social justice awareness career)” “Not an enjoyably topic but an important one” “The film was better the second time!”
Date: 4/20/2018

Vision Maker Media Film Tour (Report)
Title: Vision Maker Media Film Tour
Author: Vision Maker Media
Abstract: The National Vision Maker Media Film Tour focuses on bringing Native produced content to communities across the United States. The objective of the tour is to promote Indigenous culture to provide positive impact on our Nation; provide educational opportunities that benefit teachers, students and the general public; and provide an opportunity for the community to interact with positive Indigenous role models. First film tour stop was June 29, 2018 on the Santee Sioux Reservation in Santee, Nebraska. Second film tour stop was July 21, 2018 was with Native POP: People of the Plains – A Gathering of Arts and Culture in Rapid City, South Dakota. The third film tour stop was on March 8, 2019 in Lincoln, Nebraska for Vision Maker Film Festival: Indigenous Women’s Films. The last stop was with Native POP: People of the Plains – A Gathering of Arts and Culture in Rapid City, South Dakota on July 20, 2019.
Date: 6/29/2018

2020 Vision Maker Film Festival (Report)
Title: 2020 Vision Maker Film Festival
Author: Vision Maker Media
Abstract: “commUNITY” was the theme of the Lincoln Arts Councils Award winning eighth biennial Vision Maker Film Festival. This theme was to represent the citywide involvement with VMM to bring the best American Indian, Alaska Native and worldwide Indigenous films to Lincoln, Nebraska. Accompanying the films, the festival was to gather a collective of inspiring filmmakers to engage our community in important and captivating public conversations, creating a space for both healing and learning. Unfortunately, with COVID-19 affecting the US and the rest of the world, March 2020, we decided to postpone the festival. The conclusion was to have an online festival to keep our audience, community, and staff safe and healthy. With the rapid change from an in-person festival to online, we gained an opportunity to engage a more diverse and widespread audience by offering our films worldwide and open for free streaming. The festival was extended to be a five-week event from August 27-October 5, 2020. VMM streamed 7 short dramas, 14 documentary shorts, 4 short animations, 2 dramatic features, and 6 documentary feature films. We also held 14 Q&A’s and 5 filmmaker panels, coming to a total of 28 filmmakers and those featured in films. We received positive feedback on the themes we had throughout the festival which included women’s empowerment, environment & history, activism, LGBTQA+, and youth. Our filmmaker panels were centered around each of these 6 themes. We measured success of our online audience reach as follows: · Online registrations for the 2020 online film festival (15,000 total registered), · Q&A attendees for the 2020 online film festival (total audience participation 8,000 + via Zoom webinar and Facebook Live event data counts), · Film streams for the 2020 online film festival (164,000+ data clicks to view films), and · Online post-festival evaluations for the 2020 film festival (408 total received).
Date: 8/27/2020
Primary URL: https://visionmakermedia.org/online-filmfest/
Primary URL Description: Vision Maker Media online film festival webiste.

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