A New Push to Put Families Behind the Camera: SmallRig and FamilyLens Roll Out Global Filmmaking Initiative

Launched in Beijing, the program promises training, gear access and small grants for family storytellers

At the 3rd FamilyLens International Film Festival in Beijing this week, camera gear maker SmallRig and the festival organizer FamilyLens announced a new Global Family Filmmaking Initiative. The launch brings together a commercial equipment maker and a community-focused festival to create workshops, equipment loans, and a small grant pool aimed at families who want to make films together. Organizers describe the program as a way to lower the barriers that stop many parents and kids from trying storytelling on camera.

How the festival and the partners set the stage for family filmmaking

The FamilyLens International Film Festival has spent its first two editions building a niche: spotlighting films made by parents and children, and films about family life. The festival draws both local filmmakers and international entries and has become a meeting place for educators, indie creators and small cultural groups. SmallRig, known for making affordable camera rigs and accessories for hobbyists and pros, has increasingly positioned itself as a practical partner for grassroots creators.

That fit—an on-the-ground festival and a maker of equipment aimed at indie users—helps explain why the tie-up matters. The festival brings trust and programming expertise; SmallRig brings gear and distribution muscle. Together they hope to move family filmmaking beyond a few festival screenings into ongoing practice and local groups.

What the Global Family Filmmaking Initiative will do: programs, partners and rollout

The plan covers several strands. First, there will be training: short courses and hands-on workshops on basic filming and editing for mixed-age teams. These are aimed at families that have never made a film before and at community groups looking to run their own projects. Second, the initiative will create a gear-lending program. SmallRig will supply camera rigs, lights and basic accessories that festival partners and community centers can borrow for productions.

Third, organizers announced a small grants program to seed short projects. The grants are meant to be modest and quick-turn: enough to cover basic shooting costs, small fees for local help, or post-production. Finally, there will be showcase events and touring screenings that help finished films reach audiences beyond the festival itself.

The rollout will begin with pilot activities attached to the FamilyLens festival circuit and a set of partner cities in Asia and Europe. Organizers say they plan to expand the program to more regions over the next year, pairing local cultural groups with SmallRig technical support.

What this could mean for creators and the broader film community

On a practical level, the initiative lowers two common hurdles: cost and know-how. Families often have ideas but no camera or no clear way to learn the basics. Access to simple training and borrowable gear removes the most immediate barriers. For small manufacturers and local rental groups, it creates demand for low-cost kit and local technicians. For festivals and distributors, more family-made films mean new programming options and new audience outreach.

There are also community benefits. Organizers stress the social side: working on a short film can be a way for children and adults to communicate, learn new skills and preserve family memories in a creative form.

Voices from organizers and filmmakers

FamilyLens’s festival director said the initiative is about opening doors. “We want to make making films something families can do together, not something only professionals do,” they said. “The festival has always shown what families can create; this program lets them keep creating after the lights go down.”

A SmallRig spokesperson framed the effort as practical support. “We build tools for storytellers. This partnership helps us put those tools into hands that haven’t had them before,” they said. Early participants at the festival described the idea as energizing: parents talked about using short, guided projects to help children explore memories or local history.

How families and creators can get involved and what’s next

For now, the first public activities are tied to the festival season and to pilot sites announced at the launch. Families should watch for local community centers and festival partner announcements that will list workshop dates, gear-lending locations and grant application windows. Organizers say the program will run a rolling application process for small grants and that training sessions will repeat as the initiative expands to new cities.

The near-term milestones to look for are the publication of workshop schedules, the opening of grant applications, and the first touring showcases of family-made shorts. If the pilots work as planned, the initiative could grow into a steady network that helps turn family stories into made films—one borrowed camera and one short course at a time.

Sources

• prnewswire.com