The Keep an Eye Film Academy Festival
Every year, the Keep an Eye Film Academy Festival sets the stage for the latest generation of filmmakers. Graduates of the Netherlands Film Academy present their graduation projects here: a diverse range of short films, documentaries, animations and experimental productions. This festival is not only a celebration of creativity and cinema, but also a springboard for young talent taking their first steps into the professional film world.
In addition to film screenings, the festival offers a wide range of complementary activities. Visitors can view exhibitions that give a deeper insight into the filmmaking process, attend inspiring lectures by renowned directors and screenwriters, and take part in networking events where budding and established filmmakers connect. There are also exclusive premiere parties and panel discussions discussing current developments within the film industry.
The Keep an Eye Foundation plays a vital role in this festival and acts as its main partner. Together with the prestigious Eye Film Museum in Amsterdam, the foundation ensures that young film talent has the opportunity to show their work to a wide audience.
For anyone with a passion for film, this festival offers a unique opportunity to discover tomorrow’s filmmakers and be part of a vibrant cultural event full of inspiration and innovation.
Scriptbank
Recently, Keep an Eye has a new collaboration partner: Scriptbank. Scriptbank seeks new talented screenwriters for producers, broadcasters and platforms. They get to know writers through a network of script coaches, script teachers and talent hubs, by reading scripts or assignments and experiencing writers in workshops. Scriptbank organises various introductions, helps to develop ideas into pitches or scripts and advises on putting together writing teams.
June 2024 Scriptbank, together with the Keep an Eye Foundation, presented the new batch of screenwriters from eight writing courses. They presented themselves to producers, directors and screenwriters.
Every year, new screenwriters graduate from various courses. Then they face the big task of finding their place in the film business: approaching producers and directors, gaining experience, submitting to funds. In short: getting a first chance. The graduating screenwriter often gets snowed under at the premiere of a graduation film, or graduates as a loner within another art or writing discipline.
That is why we offer new screenwriters a series of meetings, so they can get a good start in the professional field. Because a career starts with a personal click!
After a short plenary programme, the alumni will have a series of introductory talks (speed dates) with film professionals. These interviews were pre-arranged to increase the chances of success. This first edition was a particularly successful afternoon and a number of concrete appointments have already been made. This tastes like more!
Visual storytelling
Keep an Eye supports two pathways within the St. Joost School of Art & Design. For several years now, we have contributed to the development of young talents, and we will continue to do so with inspiring master classes and an incentive prize for exceptional graduates.
For third-year students following the minor Development for Storytelling, we organise master classes given by leading animators and character designers. This minor focuses on developing a strong concept within Visual Storytelling. How do you develop an idea into a graphic novel, picture book, TV series, film or VR experience? Or even into a multi-platform project? Students learn not only how to convey the essence of a story clearly and convincingly, but also how to bring it to life visually. The end goal is a professional pitch package, which brings together the story, visual style, a production plan and a prototype to show that the concept is ready for realisation.
We also continue to support newly graduated master’s students. One promising graduate will receive an incentive prize of €10,000 to further develop his or her graduation concept. The winner of this prize is traditionally announced in October during the Playgrounds Digital Arts Festival.
With these initiatives, we continue to invest in the future of visual storytelling and help young creators take their creative ideas to a professional level.
The Keep an Eye Photography Stipendium
Since 2020, Keep an Eye has partnered with the Utrecht School of the Arts (HKU) to provide additional opportunities for young creative talent. Every year, three promising students receive a €10,000 scholarship, which they can use to further develop and realise their artistic projects.
With this collaboration, we expand our focus to interdisciplinary projects, an exciting new direction compared to previous photography projects. Whereas in the past we mainly supported photography, we are now looking for initiatives that push boundaries between different art forms. Think combinations of film, animation, visual art, design, music and technology. We encourage projects that bring together new media, digital storytelling and experimental forms of art and expression.
The collaboration with HKU is a conscious choice. The academy is known for its innovative and multidisciplinary approach, where students are encouraged to think outside the box and enter into collaborations that transcend traditional art forms. Bringing together talents from different disciplines creates surprising and groundbreaking projects that make audiences look at art in new ways.
Each year, the three winners are carefully selected based on their artistic vision, originality and the potential of their project to make an impact. Support from Keep an Eye not only provides them with financial space, but also a platform to make their work visible and further professionalise it.
