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Home · gift guide

13 Last-Minute Gift Ideas For The Budding Ava DuVernay In Your Life

Got an aspiring filmmaker on your Christmas list? These gift ideas are sure to please the future Oscar winner in your life.
13 Last-Minute Gift Ideas For The Budding Ava DuVernay In Your Life
Courtesy of Brands
By Sydney Scott · Updated October 23, 2020

Women in Hollywood made major moves this year, not only in front of the camera but behind it.

Ava DuVernay helmed Disney’s big-budget hit A Wrinkle in Time. Lena Waithe inked a first-look deal with Showtime and has a number of new projects on the horizon. And, Girls Trip writer Tracy Oliver is spearheading an adaptation of The First Wives Club, coming to BET, and a remake of Clueless.

This year has surely been inspiring for women hoping to step behind the camera and tackle their own projects.

But for those of us who don’t have a big budget, launching a new project can be tricky. So we’ve put together a quick list of gift ideas for the aspiring filmmaker in your life.

01
Ava DuVernay Poster

This perfectly minimal poster serves up a ton of inspiration. Hang it on your wall for constant good vibes from one of the best filmmakers around.

13 Last-Minute Gift Ideas For The Budding Ava DuVernay In Your Life

TheFilmArtist/Etsy

available at The Film Artist $12.00+ Hang It Up!
02
Camcorder

This camcorder has everything an aspiring filmmaker needs to get started at a price that won’t break the bank. One reviewer even wrote, “Light weight, high definition, and easy to use. Even my son who is 4-years-old can play it very well.”

13 Last-Minute Gift Ideas For The Budding Ava DuVernay In Your Life

Amazon

available at Amazon $119.99 Start Filming!
03
Tripod

Hands a little shaky? Get a clear, steady shot with this lightweight tripod, perfect for carrying around if you’re shooting in various locations.

13 Last-Minute Gift Ideas For The Budding Ava DuVernay In Your Life

Amazon

available at Amazon $23.49 Get A Steady Shot!
04
iPhone Lens Kit

If your gift-giving budget is tight, we suggest getting your favorite budding filmmaker a lens kit for their phone. Our cellphones are capable of just about everything, including shooting pretty good video. Remember 2015’s critically-acclaimed Tangerine? That was shot entirely on an iPhone 5S.

13 Last-Minute Gift Ideas For The Budding Ava DuVernay In Your Life

Amazon

available at Amazon $24.99 Zoom In!
05
Portable Charger

If you take the iPhone filmmaking route, you’re going to need a powerful battery to keep your phone charged while you’re shooting. 

13 Last-Minute Gift Ideas For The Budding Ava DuVernay In Your Life

Amazon

available at Amazon $49.99 Charge It Up!
06
Shonda Rhimes MasterClass

Like DuVernay, Shonda Rhimes knows good TV. Get a lesson from the woman behind TGIT with lifetime access to Rhimes’ master class on writing for television.

13 Last-Minute Gift Ideas For The Budding Ava DuVernay In Your Life

MasterClass

available at MasterClass $90 Learn A Little
07
The Devil Finds Work

Baldwin’s book-length essay is the perfect reflection on some of Hollywood’s most iconic stars and films. Baldwin mixes the personal with incisive cultural criticism.

13 Last-Minute Gift Ideas For The Budding Ava DuVernay In Your Life

The Dial Press

available at Amazon $5.99+ Read It!
08
bell hooks – Reel to Real

hooks is another writer who perfectly examines race, gender, and class through a cultural lens. Reel to Real mixes cultural commentary and conversations with filmmakers to create a must-read for anyone interested in film.

13 Last-Minute Gift Ideas For The Budding Ava DuVernay In Your Life

Routledge

available at Amazon $14.55+ Read It!
09
Mubi

Netflix is fantastic, but if the person on your list is a little pickier, Mubi has a great selection of curated films. Is your aspiring filmmaker more of a horror fan? Check out Shudder. 

13 Last-Minute Gift Ideas For The Budding Ava DuVernay In Your Life

Mubi

available at Mubi $5.99 Watch!
10
Film Lovers Journal

A Movie Lover’s Journal is the perfect way to keep track of films you love or hate with guided exercises and prompts.

13 Last-Minute Gift Ideas For The Budding Ava DuVernay In Your Life

Amazon

available at Amazon $19.95 Write It Down!
11
Trivia board game

Brush up on your film and TV knowledge with this fun trivia game that may spark a few ideas about your own projects. 

13 Last-Minute Gift Ideas For The Budding Ava DuVernay In Your Life
available at Amazon $24.89 + Play!
12
Mini Video Projector
You’ve got to share the fruits of your labor. After you’ve completed your film, share it with friends and family.
13 Last-Minute Gift Ideas For The Budding Ava DuVernay In Your Life
Amazon
available at Amazon $62.99 Make Your Debut
13
Tickets To ABFF
One of the biggest Black film festivals of the year, the American Black Film Festival has previously included discussions with Ryan Coogler, the stars of Claws, and Netflix’s Strong Black Lead.
13 Last-Minute Gift Ideas For The Budding Ava DuVernay In Your Life
ABFF
available at ABFF Varies Grab A Pass
TOPICS:  Ava DuVernay filmmaker gift guide Gift Guides
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