Press & Events
Apply Today for YDA 2022
WRITERS PHOTOGRAPHERS STORYTELLERS FILMMAKERS ADVOCATES APPLY HERE The Youth Documentary Academy (“YDA”) is an intensive, eight-week summer documentary filmmaking fellowship serving teenagers, with under-represented voices, in Southern Colorado from ages 14-18. From initial concept to final edit and distribution, you will learn the process of documentary filmmaking, including hands-on training … Read more »
Youth Media Matters Film Festivals
The Youth Media Matters Film Festival was conceived in 2021 by Colorado Springs School District 11 and the Youth Documentary Academy. Since then, YDA has implemented over 50 festivals Youth Media Matters in high schools across Colorado, two universities, the Air Force Academy, and numerous community events. So far, over … Read more »
Closing Night Red Carpet Event — Bing Liu’s MINDING THE GAP
To celebrate the first Youth Media Matters Film Festival, the Youth Documentary Academy and School District 11 presented a special red-carpet screening event at Palmer High School main auditorium on Saturday, March 5. Festivities began at 6:30pm as we watched the Sundance award-winning and Oscar-nominated MINDING THE GAP and met the filmmaker, Bing Liu, … Read more »
2021 Indy Give! Launch
Dear Friend and Supporter, Let me thank you in advance for reading this personal statement. For some time, I’ve wanted to express to you what the Youth Documentary Academy (YDA) has meant to me personally this last decade. YDA has become the work of my professional life and work that … Read more »
2021 Master Class & Special Screenings
Join us each Tuesday evening in June at Kimball’s Peak Theater for a special screening and intimate and in-depth conversation with notable documentary filmmakers from around the country. This summer, we will screen films and excerpts from five award-winning directors whose work has made significant impact nationally and internationally. Join us for screenings … Read more »
YDA Student Films Shown at Short Circuit Film Festival
A big shout out to YDA filmmakers, Stevie Earnest, Bailey Fransisco, Samuel Faux, Taylor Novak, Rebecca St. John, and Kalia Hunter whose films were shown at the Short Circuit Film Festival this past March. An extra congratulations to Kalia Hunter who took the Women in Film Award and Bailey Francisco … Read more »
Tom Shepard Talks YDA on KRDO
YDA was featured prominently on KRDO’s Morning Show as part of Indy Give’s coverage. You can listen to YDA Director Tom Shepard talk about the program by going 19 minute-mark in this recording.
New Beginnings — Youth Documentary Academy
Dear Friends, We can’t thank you enough for your support this season in the Indy Give Campaign. We know there are many needs in the community, especially this year, and we really appreciate you stepping forward to keep our program alive and well in Southern Colorado. Our goal this year was … Read more »
Youth Documentary Academy student films accepted to festivals
Check out this write-up from the Colorado Springs Independent by Alissa Smith! “Student films from the Colorado Springs-based Youth Documentary Academy’s summer youth film training academy have been selected for two noted film festivals. “Students are recruited from a wide variety of schools and communities and are selected through a competitive … Read more »
YDA Alumni Share Films at the Scout Film Festival
So proud of our three YDA graduates whose films are screening at the Scout Film Festival this month. Congratulations Bat De La Cruz, Madison Goddard and Kallista Palapas. The festival programming is quite selective. Tomorrow, they are interviewing Casey Affleck, among others as part of their winter fest. … Read more »
While walking around Boulder, so many people came up to me and my dad to thank me for making AFTER WAR.
Bailey Francisco, 17
