CAMP Film Fest Brings Online to the IRL Theatre

Online content creation is filled with storytelling innovation, but there's no money in it. Hollywood has the money, but it's being stifled by IP mania. The new CAMP Film Fest, coming to Austin later this month, aims to bridge that divide.

Hosted by Creator Camp and Patreon, the two-day event will bring together both sides of the equation, meshing the talents of rising stars like Backrooms creator Kane Pixels and Oscar-winning scriptwriter Roger Avary (Pulp Fiction) for a weekend of screenings, presentations, music, and more.

Founded in 2021 as a way to create meaningful community for and beyond digital content creation, Creator Camp's founders have held a series of events designed to help online filmmakers make the next step, including their Base Camp artist retreats, and the first ever film festival in Leukerbad, Switzerland. Now the team brings the project home to Austin for their biggest experiment yet.

“We started the CAMP Film Festival because we saw an incredible wave of storytellers and artists emerging on the internet,” said CAMP Film Festival Co-Founders Chris Duncun, Max Reisinger, and Simon Kim. “Yet, there were no spaces to convene and celebrate their work. We wanted to create a movement that brings these creators together, elevates their voices, and gives them the recognition they deserve — redefining cinema by bringing their powerful narratives to the big screen.”

The festival will do exactly that, with a series of screenings at the Paramount including Two Sleepy People, the feature directing debut of Austin-based TikTok sensation Baron Ryan. However, this will just be the start of the exhibition life for these films. A selection will then receive digital premieres and watch parties, provided by Patreon, followed by further theatrical screenings.

However, this isn't just about showing completed works, but also encouraging new talents. In between the festival screenings there will be keynote speeches from the Paramount stage. For anyone wishing to get a little more hands-on, LZR (former home of La Zona Rosa) will host in-person workshops with online talents such as Canadian mixed-media artist Marina Totino. Plus, of course, this being the live music capital of the world, there will be live performances from musicians including soundscape creator Austin Geller, rising chanteuse Marianne Beaulieu, and French indie experimentalist Mandelbro, who will also be performing in Austin at the 13th Floor after the film fest is over on April 28.

CAMP Film Fest runs April 26-27. Tickets and info at campfilmfestival.com.

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Film Premieres

FEATURE

Two Sleepy People
D: Baron Ryan
Every night, two distant coworkers find themselves married, but every morning, they are strangers.

Shorts

"ASHES TO ASHES"
D: Monique Jones
When a cryptic box appears on her doorstep, a young woman grappling with depression is plunged into a vivid, mind bending journey that forces her to confront her past and rediscover her connection to life.

"HOW LONG UNTIL NOW?"
D: Sonya Akulshina
A young woman drifts between reality and imagination as her daily routines blur with surreal visions. When her mind grows overwhelmingly restless, she must confront her urge to escape and learn to stay present in her life.

"MAKE NO CHANGE"
D: Zach Schy & Jonah Warmoth
In pursuit of a perfect existence, a reclusive genius escapes into a simulated utopia of his own design, but when the program malfunctions, he must accept the painful truths he tried to erase or surrender his physical body forever.

"NATURAL TWENTY"
D: Aidan Gallagher & Sam Conine
When a stolen game piece threatens their long-running campaign, a group of D&D enthusiasts embarks on a real-world quest to retrieve it, reclaim lost love, and prove they’re more than just losers.

"PASSING THROUGH"
D: Nneka Julia
A romantic getaway turns into an emotional reckoning when a young photographer realizes she’s been shrinking to keep her relationship afloat. A chance encounter leaves her with an aching choice between the comfort of what is and the pull of what could be.

"RETURN TO SENDER"
D: Nicholas Adams
On a mission to retrieve a package from the abandoned surface of Earth, two couriers find unexpected refuge in each other when a solar storm traps them in pre-apocalyptic Texas.

"THEY WERE ART THIEVES"
D: Phillip Linnik
In a 1980s Ivy League town, a blue-collar brother chases his art school dream while the other brother hatches a risky plan to fund it. But when faced with the moral consequences, they must reconcile their differences on soul vs. survival, and realize the true purpose of art.

"VIS-À-VIS"
D: Mamadou Yattassaye
When a first-generation Malian son gets trapped in an elevator with his immigrant father, the weight of displacement, manhood, and generational disparities forces the confrontation of their West African identity in America.

"ZULIAN PRETZEL"
D: Harold Boborquez
When a policeman catches two homeless brothers running an illegal food stand, he recruits them to his wife’s failing restaurant—forcing the couple to confront a hidden pregnancy, a fractured marriage, and the true meaning of family.

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Workshops

Bridging Generations: Independent Filmmaking Across Eras
Father-daughter duo Roger and Gala Avary explore how filmmaking has evolved across analog and digital eras. With lessons, creative tension, and collaboration stories, this session bridges two filmmaking worlds.

Building Little Worlds
Using a live miniature motel diorama, Marina Totino and participants construct a story in real time by adding objects, adjusting lighting, and reacting to sound. Collaborative, playful, and cinematic.

Capture a Story in 5 Frames
This photography workshop encourages visual storytelling through play. Participants use toys to create a 5-frame narrative with just their phones, followed by a gallery-style showcase and personal reflections. Hosted by Jeffrey Sun.

CAMP Film Fest Kickoff
Creator Camp is kicking off the festival, and you won’t want to miss it! We’ll kick things off with a warm welcome, then Jack Conte, CEO of Patreon, will share an inspiring message to get everyone excited. Join us and get ready to jump into an unforgettable experience!

Director on Director: Natalie Lynn and Gawx
This three-part session includes breakdowns of each other’s favorite clips, a casual conversation about craft and platform, and a Q&A. Natalie Lynn and Gawx explore storytelling through their unique internet-native lens.

Filmmaking is a Marathon
This engaging session explores the stamina behind a creative career. With honest reflections, critiques, and personal metaphors — like comparing creativity to marathon training — Eric Floberg and Jake Frew unpack the discipline and mindset needed for sustainable storytelling.

From Sketch to Story: Comic Strip Workshop
Team up in small groups to play The Comic Strip Game, where captions and illustrations build wild, collaborative stories. Wrap up with a group share and insight on intuitive storytelling and co-creation. Hosted by Tiffany Tan, Linh Truong and Max Kolo.

Hollywood Watches YouTube Too
In this Director-on-Director session, Kane Pixels and Wesley Wang break down each other’s clips, dive into their creative processes, and discuss the future of internet storytelling, studio crossovers, and digital-native filmmaking. Followed by Q&A. Zurkie also in attendance.

How to Tell a Story About Any - Thing
Joel Roache and Paolo Abeabe teach how random objects can inspire meaningful stories. Attendees pick an item and share a quick story with their group, demonstrating that inspiration is everywhere.

Intro To Day 2
The Creator Camp team’s MC James Harwan will kick off the second day with a few words, followed by Zurkie introducing the next set of films.

The Lost and Found
Unlock your creative vibe in this stop motion animation workshop. Pick a quirky object from the “Lost and Found” box and animate a short story. Ben Treat and Caleb Shaw will guide storytelling basics and animation fundamentals in a fun, collaborative space.

One-Day Film Challenge
A Creator Camp tradition: 60-100 attendees form teams to make a 90-second film in a few hours as part of Epidemic Sound film challenge. Films will be screened that evening. This session kicks off the challenge with guidelines, parameters, creative encouragement, and announces the prizes.

Sit Down With The Filmmakers
A late-night talk show–style event hosted by James Harwan. Expect highlights, inside stories, and reflection from all 12 filmmakers in the cohort in an SNL-style format.

YesTheory: Building A New Path For Independent Creatives
YesTheory’s founders Thomas Brag, Ammar Kandil, and Kate Ward reflect on their journey from YouTube to global film success. From turning down deals to self-distributing Project Iceman, they share a blueprint for creative freedom and conscious storytelling.