About

The Ocala Film Derby brings together students, teachers, mentors, workshop leaders, and national industry guests for a five-day immersion of education and celebration. Reflecting a growing impact, this year’s Derby features an increased number of participating schools and students. The OFD creates a platform that empowers educators, mentors, and students alike to explore the limitless possibilities of digital media and filmmaking. And peer-selected seniors will take away twenty thousand dollars worth of industry related educational scholarships. 

Now in its fourth year, the event features hands-on workshops—including newly added sessions focused on Career Development, a College Expo, a dedicated Parent Panel, and a Financial Aid Support Seminar. OFD fosters a supportive, innovative environment that nurtures artistic growth, storytelling, technical proficiency, and future career opportunities.

These educational components lead to the “main event”: a fast-paced, real-world student filmmaking competition. This year, eight narrative teams, guided by eight industry mentors, alongside a ninth specialized, unjudged promotional B-roll team, will put their skills to the test to produce eight distinct short films in just nine hours!

These student teams will ultimately share their completed films on the big screen at the Downtown Historic Marion Theatre. There, they will receive invaluable feedback from professional filmmakers, win awards, and earn scholarships designed to help them continue their studies in the digital media, video technology, and filmmaking fields.