2025 Programs

APAC collaborated with the Asbury Park High School on an After School Film Club by assisting with program development and coordinating a roster of guest speakers drawn from our network of film professionals. The Film Club’s intent is to expose students to filmmaking fundamentals, harness their creativity, and help create future filmmakers all while providing marketable skills in a growing field of employment in New Jersey.

A one month Summer Enrichment Program was held in July and students worked with professional instructors from Roaming Dingo Productions to get hands on filmmaking experience, culminating in a short film that was screened at the AP’N3 Premiere event in November to an enthusiastic audience.

AP’N3 – The Asbury Park Film Challenge returned in 2025 and included two categories, AP’N3: No Borders and AP’N3: On Location. Each category had its own distinct requirements and filming timelines. In the No Borders category participants could imagine Asbury Park from anywhere in the world, while filming in Asbury Park remained a requirement of the On Location category. No Borders was added to expand the participation of the popular challenge and was conceived in response to feedback of those who have voiced interest in participating but were limited by the requirement to shoot in town.

The filming timeline for No Borders was from June 1st through June 21st and for On Location was August 1st through 21st.The AP’N3 Film Challenge is a creative competition where participants have three weeks to produce a three-minute film that includes a required theme, prop, location, and line of dialogue that are revealed on Day One of the challenge. Completed films are judged by a panel of creatives and the top films are screened for the public at a Premier Screening Event where prizes are awarded.

APAC continued our popular Filmmaker Meetups which provide a casual atmosphere to network with those interested or working in film. In May, guest speaker Adam Koontz screened his short film shot in Morocco, Merci Dix, and talked to the group about the challenges and highlights of filming in a foreign location. In June, the group was joined by Jay Webb, Executive Director of the Indie Street Film Festival, who talked about the ins and outs of submitting to a festival, but also the logistics involved with running one. The Red Bank-based Indie Street Film Festival celebrated its 10 year anniversary in 2025.

In September, Bonnie Bertram, VP of Content Development at the Retro Report, a non profit news room that produces documentary videos and classroom resources, shared her experience producing her latest project, the documentary Free Joan Little. Little is the first woman in U.S. history to be acquitted for using deadly force to resist sexual assault.

In December, guest speaker Chris George shared insights from his 25-year career as a New York film and television professional and Directors Guild of America member. Most recently, George served as Co-Producer and Unit Production Manager for Season 5 of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, where he oversaw budgets, schedules, and on-set logistics—ensuring the creative vision was delivered efficiently and on time.

APAC coordinated a workshop for APHS students with visiting Wooden Walls artist Dennis McNett, known professionally as Wolfbat. Students were able to print T-shirts using a hand-operated relief press with pre-carved blocks designed by McNett. In addition to the printing activity, students engaged in a creative stencil art session using cardboard as a base, allowing for expressive compositions. The workshop was designed to introduce students to traditional and contemporary printmaking techniques in a dynamic, accessible, and inspiring way.

Back for its second year, the For Artists’ Sake lecture series was created to provide professional development opportunities for the area artist community. The initiative is spearheaded by Bob Ellis, an APAC Board Member and founder of Long Fellow Deeds, Inc, a non profit dedicated to using the arts to impact the lives of the community. Again held at the Jersey Shore Arts Center, this year was a one day event in early November that included the following topics and speakers: protecting intellectual property and AI (Paul Weinstein, Esq), growing a social media presence (Marissa Anema), pricing your art (Keith Fiori), public art as an extension of studio practice (George Bates) and working with a gallery (Jenn Hampton, Brittany James, & Meaghan Moon). These local industry professionals provided practical tools to grow, protect and sustain attendees’ creative practice.