Mentoring Young Filmmakers

The fall is a special time of year for the Reel Works community because it’s when we enroll the next cohort of students into our Documentary Lab, Narrative Lab, and Fellows Program! Soon our classroom spaces will be full with students everyday after school. What makes these programs especially unique is that each student in our afterschool programs will be paired 1:1 with a professional filmmaker to serve as a mentor.

Reel Works’ Mentorship Program is a network of filmmakers committed to changing the media industry for the better by fostering the next generation of filmmakers. Through the mentorship program, filmmakers are able to share wisdom and advice they wish they had heard when they were young. The impact mentors are able to have on Reel Works students spans from helping students complete their own independent films, to providing life and career advice.

“I feel incredibly honored and privileged to be in the position where I am, to have a filmmaker who’s not only worried about his own career but is also worried about my personal growth as an artist” - Oscar, Fellows Program 2022

“The most rewarding part about being a mentor is learning about your mentee's experiences, and understanding where the next generation of filmmakers is coming from.” - Sanjay Singh, Documentary Lab Mentor

Reel Works is currently recruiting mentors for 2023! If you would like to learn more, please contact Outreach Coordinator Mara Sheban (mara@reelworks.org), or apply here.