Fresh Films

Rock Island-based Fresh Films transform the lives of under-represented teens to build their work and life skills, confidence, and realization of their potential by actively involving them in the collaborative, creative and technical process of filmmaking. Teens consider filmmaking a blast. We see it as a dynamic training ground and gateway to college and careers in the rapidly growing media and film industry.

Fresh Films began 20 years ago as an after-school program for at-risk Chicago teens who developed short films and documentaries that often got accepted to national film festivals. Today, its year-round career development program gives hands-on learning in media and film production to teens and young adults in 28 schools and youth programs across the country. Teens work with practicing professionals on real film projects that get released on television, streaming services, and in theatres, intern with Fresh Films-produced television and movies, and intern with local and national media and film companies. Student mentors include industry professionals from Sony, Paramount, Roku, Fremantle, Lifetime and others. Locally, Fresh Films offers this program at Davenport Central, Rock Island High School, and Augustana College that serves students from high schools throughout Scott and Rock Island counties.

Wastyn & Associates has written grants for Fresh Films since 2017, raising nearly half a million dollars to support their important programs locally and across the country.

“We came to the Quad Cities in late 2016 after being in Chicago for 15+ years. We didn’t know the local community of funders. And they didn’t know us. Working with Linda Wastyn helped us change that! Linda was able to refer us to local funders who were more willing to take our calls and learn about us. She also knew what the local funders were looking for when writing our grants - which proved to be wonderfully effective - as we were able to secure over 10 local grants in our first year working with Linda!”

— KELLI FEIGLEY, MANAGING DIRECTOR, FRESH FILMS