Avid announced its sponsorship of Film School Fridays – a new weekly podcast featuring writer, director and editor Kevin Smith and student filmmakers engaging in lively round-table discussions concerning all aspects of independent film production. Produced by SModCo, Smith’s multi-platform production company, each Film School Friday podcast features students from top film schools, including the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles Film School and Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, asking questions about writing, production, postproduction and distribution. Smith will offer insights into the processes he employed while producing such indie films as Clerks, Chasing Amy and Red State.
One of his generation’s premier independent filmmakers, Smith has spent his career challenging the status quo while employing production and distribution paradigms that exist well outside the mainstream. “These young artists, with fire in their bellies, sat down with this old artist, with too many Twinkies in his belly, and together we created powerful documents for change,” said Smith. “My thanks to Avid for putting me in the room with the next generation of filmmakers who are going to keep me entertained until I can’t pay my rest home bills any longer. I’m going to be proud to say ‘I knew them when…’”
“Avid and Kevin Smith both share a passion for supporting student filmmakers,” said Avid marketing director Lee Whitmore. “We are excited to sponsor Film School Fridays and to support Kevin’s unbridled spirit of enthusiasm to help students gain real-world industry knowledge and maximize their career opportunities. Great professional mentoring coupled with special offers for teachers and students to obtain market leading professional editing tools affordably is how Avid helps empower the next generation of artists and filmmakers”
For more information on Film School Fridays, visit smodcast.com.
