Emmy-nominated writer and producer Katherine Roberts and award-winning filmmaker Rob Shearer will be mentoring 10 youth filmmakers for YouthZone’s 2022 Ascent Youth Film Festival, taking place on Sept. 30.

The talents of these young filmmakers will be showcased through video, animation, music, writing, poetry and photography. Mentors will work directly with each youth filmmaker to achieve their goals and then feature their projects in the film festival. Filmmakers will also receive cash rewards for completing films.

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In addition to her Emmy nomination, Roberts is a Telly Award and PROMAX-winning writer and producer, as well as an elected board member of the Colorado Film and Video Association (2016-2018) and Aspen Film, serving on the Fundraising and Governance committees. She has also been the director of Video Production at Carbon8 (now 9th Wonder), a digital marketing firm.

While living in Los Angeles, she worked as a network executive at a top-rated national broadcast television network, responsible for marketing the launch of the celebrated TV programs “Glee” and “New Girl.” With more than 20 years of marketing, branding and communications experience across several industries, Katherine is a born storyteller. She is the founder and CEO of Carington Creative, a boutique marketing firm. Prior to starting her own agency, she was the director of marketing and communications at the highly respected Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass.

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Rob Shearer is an award-winning filmmaker based out of Denver and president of the Colorado Film and Video Association. His work ranges from narrative and documentary projects to corporate videos and commercials. With a passion for telling stories, he is constantly finding ways to translate a client’s product or brand into an engaging and compelling story.

Rob has worked for clients like Weber Grills, Gogo Business Aviation, Einstein Bros Bagels, Bonfils Blood Center, and Rocky Mountain PBS, to name a few. His work has been screened at the Denver Film Festival, the Big Bear Lake Film Festival and the Marche du Film at the Festival de Cannes. His documentary series “Denizen” is shown regularly on Colorado PBS.

Tickets for the Ascent Youth Film Festival’s watch party and silent auction will go on sale soon. We are excited to have The Orchard in Carbondale hosting and The Rolling Fork catering this fun charity event. Additional tickets will be available to watch these films from home at your leisure. There are still opportunities to sponsor the event and donate to the silent auction. 

YouthZone thanks our mentors, as well as our premier sponsor, Alpine Bank. Your generous support makes our annual Ascent Youth Film Festival a creative, inspiring and anticipated fundraising event.

YouthZone provides comprehensive assessment and advocacy to inspire healthy relationships between youth, families and communities from Aspen to Parachute. If you would like to learn more about Ascent Film Festival or YouthZone’s services, please give us a call at 970-945-9300 or visit youthzone.com.

Carol Wolff has worked in the nonprofit sector since 2005, as the executive director of the Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre in Grand Lake, Colorado, for 11 years, followed by four years as the executive director of the Colorado Honor Band Association in Denver. Carol’s degree is in Elementary Education from the University of Northern Colorado.