festival, with help from prominent UT alumni, get their movies screened before the Director’s Guild in Los Angeles, solidifying CinemaTexas as a true festival.
In 2003, the University of Texas Film Institute (UTFI) was set up. Not only does it help students keep up with the newest film technologies, but it is also partnered with Burnt Orange Productions, allowing students to participate directly on feature length big budget independent films.
Some local budding filmmakers looking to gain some skills, but not deal with UT’s bureaucracy find themselves enrolling at Austin FilmWorks. Their 14 week-long course is taught by former UT professor, Steve Mims. When Robert Rodriguez couldn’t get into UTs film school due to a low GPA, he turned to Mims classes for insight, and considers him a crucial influence on his filmmaking skills.