If you’re still in high school but you have an interest in making films, you should know that many universities and organizations around the country offer excellent filmmaking summer programs that teach great filmmaking skills for people your age, many of which are listed here:
NYFA’s summer film camps are well-known for being very productive for students. Designed for kids with little to no experience, it provides both in-class instruction and hands-on learning.
As far as summer camps go, this is one of the best. You have to be 16 years old to attend, but industry professionals highlight the two 6-week sessions.
This is a year-long paid internship for talented students and includes workshops, college preparation courses, and professional development, among other things.
This four-week course teaches high school students all about shooting, editing, directing, and much more. You’ll produce a music video and learn documentary filmmaking, to name a few.
Based in the heart of Los Angeles, the course is two weeks long and features numerous guest speakers.
An eight-week course in Austin, Texas, this program emphasizes editing, screenwriting for the big screen, writing for video games, and a lot more.
You’ll create three short films before creating your final film, so you get a lot of hands-on experience.
This hands-on program teaches you all aspects of filmmaking and allows you to meet guest artists who are working in the industry.
Though not an in-person camp, this class is three weeks long and teaches all about the practices and concepts of filmmaking.
Designed for teens ages 13-18, this creative high school film program through the School of Creative and Performing Arts offers six different areas of specialization. You can attend in Los Angeles, New York, or Vermont.
The Brooklyn Cultural Adventures Program offers classes in film, photography, and more.
Based in Orange, California, this two-week-long program provides teens in small groups with classes, film screenings, narrative projects, and more, highlighted in a performance when they’re done.
This is a five-day very intense camp that requires real film projects from its students.
Learn all about the film industry in this program, as well work with real actors working in the field.
Teens can work with real actors and directors at this camp, which is taught by an actor and director who has worked with some very big names.
The school is a three-week program that emphasizes diversity and all areas of filmmaking.
The courses are offered in more than a dozen locations throughout the U.S., as well as online.
Developed for kids ages 14-18, it offers programs for both beginners and those with more experience. It is located at the University of San Francisco.
This school is in Winston-Salem, N.C., and introduces high school sophomores through college freshmen opportunities to learn about cinematography, digital filmmaking, directing, and more.
GMU’s programs are for kids ages 11-18 and allows them to produce their own films and take their talents to the next level, preparing them for future film festivals or to pursue a full-fledged career in the entertainment industry. This program provides young people with a high-level knowledge of filmmaking and experience with many aspects of film production such that by the end of each session, students have gotten advanced experience with technical skills used by adult professionals working full-time in the real world of film.
This program emphasizes digital filmmaking and is located in Michigan. They offer one-week camps at different times, with the end of the week culminating in final projects that encourage creative teens to become the filmmakers of tomorrow and master a hands-on field of study few current students are exposed to.
This college offers two-week programs for grades 10-12 and is located in Vermont. The film studies offered center around digital filmmaking.
This versatile university offers classes for college credits and even online classes. You can visit their site to sign up for their mailing list or request additional information.
Located in Garden City, NY, they offer a total of ten courses and a personalized approach to learning filmmaking.
This program is located in Seattle and offers a unique opportunity to study digital filmmaking and more to kids in grades 6-12.
Conclusion
For talented students interested in the filmmaking process and the technique of cinematic storytelling, a lot of filmmaking summer programs exist at some of the most prestigious film schools to provide an unparalleled opportunity for motivated high schoolers. Most of these narrative filmmaking programs include hands-on lab time, deep-dives into the basics of filmmaking, the art of character development, and an intensive production workshop that exposes students to the technical aspects of bringing stories to life on the screen. In most cases, students work on numerous short projects and experience a screening of student work to help improve their skills. Most unique and exciting of all, they’ll also work with professional filmmakers that are actually in the business, thus gaining a robust grasp on the industry and potential careers in behind-the-scenes entertainment.
