Florida Surf Film Festival Presents: 

Taylor Steele Filmmaking Residency 

June 11-16, 2023 - Atlantic Center for the Arts

New Smyrna Beach, FL

Taylor Steele's Background: 

Apple, National Geographic, Corona, Pacifico, Samsung, and HP computers represent a sample of Taylor's commercial clients, but some time before, he made surf films.  Named one of surfing’s “Ten Most Influential People” by Surfer Magazine, director Taylor Steele’s two decades of experience and 25 award-winning films continue to challenge and redefine the ways we see, think about, and experience the art of surfing.  Steele’s breakthrough films Momentum, Campaign, and Loose Change of the ’90s established The Momentum Generation, a close-knit collection of progressive surfers including Kelly Slater, Rob Machado and Shane Dorian, who have each proceeded to redefine the limits of modern surfing.  This group, including Taylor, was featured in an Emmy Award winning feature documentary of the same name on HBO in 2018.  He recently completed work on Barons as executive director and second unit director, a television series about the early days of a major surf brand.  Over the past decade, Steele’s films have continued to pioneer the outer limits of the genre, with epic travelogues like Sipping Jetstreams and Castles in the Sky, eclectic profiles like The Drifter and Missing, and social experiments like Innersection and This Time Tomorrow. “I never want to repeat myself,” says Steele, “so each project I try to push to another level. Something that scares me just a little.”

Taylor's Residency Statement: 

I am interested in working with dedicated, imaginative, curious filmmakers that could work in any film genre. Applicants should be interested in expanding and understanding their creative practice through discussions, workshops, masterclasses, and lots of unstructured creative time. Through these activities, we will develop creative and business understanding skills and understanding of how to talk to crew, cast, peers & clients. We will also discuss the broader cultural context of intention in our artmaking. 

As a multidisciplinary filmmaker, I am committed to making artwork that profoundly impacts viewers’ understanding—both intellectual and emotional. I’m looking to mentor and work with filmmakers that combine disciplines within their practice.  The week-long engagement will also include a workshop that will address strategies and intentions to advance your creative practice. 

Information about the Residency:

Florida Surf Film Festival (FSFF) will operate a filmmaking residency at Atlantic Center for the Arts (ACA) for up to fourteen early to mid-career artists, chosen from a pool of applicants.  

Artists will work with Taylor as part of the five-day residency, gaining first-hand experience through an interactive and practical approach to the art of filmmaking.  While surfing and documentary films can be a focus of their work, there are no restrictions on an appropriate topic of their choice.  Their work may have already been shot in some cases and brought to the residency for further post-production work. The candidate may have an idea in its infancy, needing further work and writing.  Core curriculum for the guided lectures may include topics such as how to develop story ideas, film financing, developing a budget, approaching and working with sponsors, and a practical discussion of social media tools for marketing and fundraising.  Artists may also work in small production groups as well, developing interviewing, research, and writing skills.

The structure of each day will be open to the mentoring artist’s discretion.  However, Taylor will meet with candidates for at least four hours per day for guided lecture on various topics, group discussion, workshopping artists’ work, and demonstrations of editing, technique, and craft.  

FSFF will provide a light breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day at Atlantic Center for the Arts.  Every associate artist will be required to bring their own camera and editing equipment.  Lodging must be handled by parents if under 18 years of age, and if over 18, ACA will be providing housing should the candidate choose to stay on-campus.  

The cost of the workshop is $2,500 for on-campus lodging at ACA, and $2,100 if you do not need on-campus lodging.  This DOES include a Patron Pass for the Florida Surf Film Festival.  This includes a 2023 FSFF t-shirt, FSFF YETI Tumbler, and Clancy's Cantina dinner both nights at the festival.  Your room on campus will be automatically extended, checking out on Sunday, June 18th.

Financial Aid:

If you are selected and you need financial assistance to attend, you may apply for need-based aid.  We will require a copy of your most recent United States tax filing and/or bank statements or copies of recent pay stubs to ascertain need.  If you live outside the USA, you will not be eligible for financial aid.