Filmmaking & Media Production Exploration Academy
Want to write a script? Direct a scene? Cut a film together? You’ll do it here—hands-on, with pro-level gear.
The Filmmaking & Media Production Exploration Academy offers students the opportunity to learn about many of the exciting careers available in creating content for film, television, and streaming, including movies, web series, documentaries, commercials, social media, drama, comedy, and more.
Students work together in a hands-on, supportive environment under the guidance of an international filmmaker with extensive experience in the film, music, and art communities. As students are exposed to a wide variety of roles within the world of digital media, they will have the opportunity to meet professionals currently working in the film and television industries while creating original works for their portfolio.
By the end of the Academy, students will have a greater understanding of what it means to work in film and where their passions lie within the filmmaking process—whether it is in the realm of fiction or nonfiction.
A sample of the sessions students will take includes:
- Screenwriting & Pitching
- Production Management & Producing
- Directing & Assistant Directing
- Production Design & Costume Design
- Cinematography & Lighting Design
- Sound Recording & Sound Design
- Editing & Motion Graphics
|
Ages & Grade Level |
Dates |
Cost |
|
| Filmmaking & Media Production Exploration Academy | Ages 15–18 Grade 10–12 |
Monday, July 19 – Friday, July 30 |
$4,500* |
*This Early Bird Rate ends on January 4, 2027, at 5:00 PM. Use code EARLYBIRD27 when registering.
What you’ll do
- Write and pitch ideas with Final Draft software
- Explore directing, producing, and production design
- Film with professional-level camera, sound, and lighting
- Learn cinematography and lighting design
- Learn sound recording and sound design for film
- Edit your work in Premiere Pro, with motion graphics
- Meet professionals working in film and television
This isn’t film class. It’s hands-on, collaborative, and built around making, not just watching. You’ll write, shoot, and edit, explore genres from drama to documentary, and discover where you fit.
Why You’ll Love the Filmmaking & Media Production Exploration Academy
In the Filmmaking & Media Production Exploration pre-college summer program, students will:
- Write and pitch ideas with Final Draft software
- Explore directing, producing, and production design
- Film with professional-level camera, sound, and lighting
- Learn cinematography and lighting design
- Learn sound recording and sound design for film
- Edit your work in Premiere Pro, with motion graphics
- Meet professionals working in film and television
In this pre-college summer program, you’ll learn from Champlain College professors with extensive expertise in screenwriting, directing, producing, editing, and cinematography.
Program attendees will have a lot in common with their fellow students. By working together in the classroom, living together in the residence halls, and enjoying extracurricular activities, students form friendships that last far beyond the length of the academy.
In an ever-changing world, Champlain College is renowned for preparing future leaders in the most sought-after career fields and professions that today’s students are most passionate about. Explore our facilities, learn from our industry-expert faculty, and enjoy our beautiful campus.
Who It’s For
- Students entering grades 10–12 and recent high school graduates
- Students interested in filmmaking and video content creation who want hands-on time with professional-level equipment
- Students who want to explore the many roles in making film
- Students looking to create original work for their portfolio
What You’ll Gain
- Original work for your portfolio—a piece that shows your skills and interests, made by you
- Hands-on experience with professional-level camera, sound, and lighting equipment
- A greater understanding of what it means to work in film
- A clearer sense of where your passions lie in the filmmaking process, whether in fiction or nonfiction, as you explore careers
Sample Daily Schedule
| TIME | ACTIVITY |
| 8:00–9:00 AM | Breakfast and Morning Meeting |
| 9:00 AM–12:00 PM | Classroom-Based Instruction |
| 12:00–2:00 PM |
Lunch and Recreation |
| 2:00–5:00 PM |
Group Work or Screening ith Vermont International Film Festival Programmers |
| 5:00–10:00 PM |
Dinner and Evening Lab or Recreation Activity |
| 11:00 PM |
Lights Out |
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