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- AFCOOP Updates - November 28th, 2025
AFCOOP Updates - November 28th, 2025
FILM 5 cohort, members in the news, workshop on Saturday, holiday deals!
📬 Busy week resulted in a slight delay in our newsletter delivery! It was great to see so many familiar faces at the SOLD OUT screening of CHERUB last night. Sign up for tomorrow’s workshop with Devin here! 🎬 Meet this year’s FILM 5 Phase 1 cohort below! 🎞️ Analog Artist-in-Residence: Jenna Marks is out this week and back in on December 6th. She’s been doing some amazing experiments. Be sure to sign up for her workshops ASAP (limited seats available)! 🌀 Grants for Filmmakers are now due on December 15th! 📰 Check out two different pieces on the east coast film scene below, featuring some of AFCOOP’s staff, instructors, and members! |  Getting in the holiday spirit today!
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HUNTER HOLIDAY LATE STAGE | LEAVE THE LIGHT ON LITTLE LAMB PLEASE FIX ME SHIRT! |
FILM 5 is a professional development and training program for emerging Nova Scotia filmmakers and aspiring technical crew, serving as a launching pad for careers in the industry for over 30 years. Eight creative teams, consisting of a director and producer, engage in phase one of the program, guided by mentors and instructors. They will pitch their films to a jury in December, then four teams will go on to complete their short film. In the winter, crew trainee workshops take place, and participants receive placements on the four film sets, learning hands-on with mentorship from trained professionals.
Questions about the grants and eligibility? Send Henry an email at [email protected]!
NEWS, NEWS, NEWS: CMF’s “EAST COAST IN FOCUS”, CBC ON DIY, QUEER REGIONAL FILMMAKERS
 | CBC’s Morgan Mullin released an article on the independent, DIY, queer filmmaking scene from the east coast. Interviews were conducted with Kevin Hartford, Ashley McKenzie, Devin Shears, Wayne Burns, Jane Mitchell Grace, A. Laurel Lawrence, and AFCOOP’s staff, Brielle LeBlanc. Interviews were conducted with Devin Shears, who’s debut feature film Cherub screened last night to a sold out audience in Halifax at Carbon Arc Cinema. Be sure to catch Devin’s workshop this Saturday at the co-op!  |
AFCOOP presents, in collaboration with Fleapit Cinema
DIY MICRO-BUDGET FILMMAKING with DEVIN SHEARS
AFCOOP & Fleapit partnered to organize a workshop instructed by Devin Shears on DIY Micro-Budget Feature Filmmaking. Learn more about Devin’s process of creating his debut feature film, Cherub, made through his MFA at York on a shoestring budget of $10,000 and has screened across the globe in the past year, including Festival du Nouveau Cinema, Vancouver International Film Festival, and JEONJU International Film Festival in Korea. Tickets are selling fast, so reserve your spot today.
AFCOOP Workshop Details
Workshop: DIY Micro-Budget Feature Filmmaking, instructed by Devin Shears
Saturday, November 29th from 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Location: Atlantic Filmmakers Cooperative
Analog Artist-in-Residence
PHYTOGRAMS & ANALOG-DIGITAL HYBRID ANIMATION WORKSHOPS!
Saturday, December 13th, 10am - 12pm: Intro to Analog with Phytograms Phytograms are a cameraless film technique that transfers plant material onto film strips and photo paper from direct contact of plant matter onto photochemical emulsion. Instructor Jenna Marks will provide a hands-on demonstration of the techniques and discuss her recent experiments with eco-processing during her residency with pine and ash! The workshop is open to the public and ideal for all skill levels. No previous experience with photochemical processes is required. Materials will be provided, but you’re welcome to bring any exposed film or photopaper you have lying around. This workshop also provides a great reason to head outdoors before the date to collect some fall foliage around a park or your home to experiment with. | Sunday, December 14th, 10am - 12pm: Analog-Digital Hybrid Animation Using materials made during hands-on instruction on Saturday, Jenna will lead a classroom-style presentation on Sunday showcasing ways to transfer analog film into your future projects. She will break down ways to apply your analog experiments into digital animation with After Effects. Whether you’re interested in alternative processes or animation, come hear our analog artist-in-residence, Jenna Marks, one of our region's most accomplished and innovative independent animators, share tips and tricks of blending analog and digital methods to help inspire the creation of your next film! No previous animation or analog experience required. It is NOT mandatory that you take the Saturday workshop to attend the Sunday workshop, but it is strongly recommended. |
SPECIAL HOLIDAY OFFER!
When you rent gear over the holiday closure, you will receive an additional 50% off! YES, this half-off stacks with 75% membership discount!
rent from December 18th - January 6th, and receive an additional 50% off the rental (On top of the Full Members usual 75%).
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!
When you purchase a 100ft Roll of Kodak Color Neg or 2× 100ft of 3378 stock, you receive a 16mm camera rental FOR FREE (this offer applies to the Bolexes & Scoopic ONLY. It excludes the ARRI SR-3. Light meter not included).
Questions? Reach out to Tech Coord, Cody Chandler, [email protected] / 902-405-4474.
 PEACOCK |  MEEK’S CUTOFF |
|  Visual AIDS Day With(out) Art 2025: Meet Us Where We're AtSeverely Queer Caucus at NSCAD is proud to partner with Visual AIDS for Day With(out) Art 2025 by presenting Meet Us Where We’re At, a program of six commissioned shorts that forefront the experiences of drug users and harm reduction practices as they intersect with the ongoing HIV crisis. Location: |
 Attention arts and crafts lovers of Halifax! It’s that time of year again. Collab Studio North opens its doors for their Annual Open Studio & Sale! | Its makers are already busy creating items for this upcoming holiday gifting season! Stuff those stockings with locally made ceramics, textiles, print media, baked goods and more! We always go all out with snacks and mulled wine and boozy egg nog because this is essentially our holiday staff party too :) Gather round the big main table to make a holiday card - all materials supplied! It’s all happening on Saturday, December 6, 6-9pm @ 3200 Kempt Rd. Suite #215. Bring your friends and family! |
FESTIVAL SUBMISSIONS
HIFFHalifax Independent Filmmakers Festival wants to see your film! Submissions for HIFF 2026 are NOW OPEN. We're seeking bold, boundary-pushing works from new and unique voices. HIFF 2026 will take place May 27–30 at the Bus Stop Theatre in Halifax’s north end. Send us your latest work in the following categories:
Early-bird Deadline: January 12, 2026 Regular Deadline: February 16, 2026 Late Deadline: March 16, 2026 Find more info and submit at filmfreeway.com/halifaxindependentfilmmakersfestival. | Anifest HalifaxAnimation Festival of Halifax 2026 submission deadlines! Hot DocsSubmissions are open for North America’s biggest documentary film festival! |
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Viewers discretion advised, must be 18+ to join. |
Updated: I'm looking for a small film crew to help put together a show I have in mind. If the show is sold to a TV station or played on YouTube we can negotiate pay. Otherwise this is a volunteer position. The show may run for a year. Dedicated crew only. I'm looking for film crew: script writer, editor, camera, lighting, and logistics assistant. Anyone else? Let me know. The show is an important project to help bring inspiration, education & | awareness to all people who want to get physically fit but who deal with mental health conditions. 1-3 people filmed who disclose their condition and want to get fit. We will follow their unique journey to achieving a healthy body with supports in place; trainer, nutritionist, friends/family and therapist. If your interested please contact me. Thanks, EM |
