KIDS FIRST! ANNOUNCES $10,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO BE AWARDED TO BEST HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE FILMMAKERS

The KIDS FIRST! Film Festival in conjunction with the Watkins College of Art, Design and Film in Nashville, TN will offer two scholarships to student filmmakers this year. Five thousand dollar ($5,000) scholarships will be offered in two student filmmaker categories: High School and College Student. Winners will also receive a $250 travel allowance to attend the 10th Annual KIDS FIRST! Best Awards Day, October 17th at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

High School and College student films accepted to the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival for the 4th quarter of 2008 and 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarters of 2009 are eligible for consideration for the scholarship awards, subject to selection by the judges and submission of a successful application to Watkins. Judges will consider live action, animated, narrative and documentary films and the films may be features or shorts. The winners will have up to 2 years to accept their scholarship. Judges will be from both KIDS FIRST! and the Watkins College of Art, Design and Film.

As part of Watkins College of Art, Design and Film, the Watkins BFA Film program is distinguished by a film curriculum that explores the artistic, technical, and business aspects of independent filmmaking. Students will specialize in one of the five concentrated areas of filmmaking, while developing competency in the entire filmmaking process. With a focus on dramatic narrative film, Watkins Film School helps students find their personal voice and style and helps them incorporate these factors into their narrative work. The Watkins College of Art, Design and Film is located in Nashville, TN.