Directed by Sam Dalton and Cody Nelson

ages 14 and up
$300 two weeks
(12 days, Sat & Sun included- These are usually shoot days)

Two weeks with classes from 9 AM – 4 PM  times are a general idea . . . filming and editing days are longer and depending on the scenes required for shooting there may be evening shoots. 9-4 is a loose idea, this is the minimum time and there will be days that require more time.

Food is important, daily fuel is important, BRING IT!  Lunch and sometimes dinner.

Program Description

The art of film making (including writing, cinematography, directing, and editing) is part of a business that requires hard work, dedication, and perseverance throughout one’s career, especially if one is to achieve a modicum of success. A high level of proficiency in the craft is necessary for high school students whose college and future career interests lie in any aspect of the entertainment business. What do you do?  Where do you go following high school? Who do you contact? What do you need to know? What is it like to attend film school?  This “hands-on” course takes a no-nonsense approach to the realities of becoming a professional filmmaker (including most careers within the discipline i.e. producer, director, AD, cinematographer, script supervisor, writer, editor, sound tech, grip), especially in Southern California.

This is a no-nonsense film making course that is designed to give high-school and college students hands on experience in the art of film making from concept to completion compacted into an intensive two-week, Monday through Sunday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM schedule. Students are expected to comport themselves as though attendance, participation, discussion, and assignments during the Pre-college Program/Film Track at Presser Performing Arts Center are part of a full-time college-level film making course, if not part of an industry-related summer job or internship. Behavioral Contracts will be signed! Students are expected to be on time, do the work, turn in the assignments, and participate in class.

Students work in collaboration as a team to create and produce a short-length digital film (10-15 minutes) in length, of their own design and execution, from concept to story development to script writing to pre-production to production to post-production and distribution. Through this process, students acquire comprehensive knowledge of the duties required and gear used to produce motion pictures and television programs.

Students rotate through all the typical positions that are incumbent in the process of creating their project film including writing, directing, videography/cinematography, script supervision, lighting, and sound. In addition to a screening of the completed film that is open to industry professionals as well as the general public, the completed film is submitted for consideration to several Film Festivals.