4-Week Online Film Camp for Teens

Core Subjects

• Director’s Craft: Students will explore the language of filmmaking, learning how to make both creative and technical decisions that enhance their ability to tell stories visually. Through a combination of lectures and hands-on exercises, they will develop the skills needed to bring their ideas to life.

• Writing: Students will begin with an introduction to story structure and script formatting before shifting focus to workshopping their own film ideas. Through this process, they will refine their understanding of story arc, pacing, character development, and narrative beats.

• Cinematography and Lighting: Students will learn how to capture compelling visuals using their phone or any available camera, while working with natural and practical light sources to enhance their storytelling.

• Digital Editing: Using Adobe Rush, students will explore the fundamentals of post-production, learning how to shape their narratives through cutting techniques, pacing, rhythm, and sound design.

Final Projects

Over the four weeks, each student will write, direct, shoot, and edit three short films, each designed to progressively build upon their filmmaking skills. All projects will be non-dialogue films, relying entirely on visual storytelling, music, and sound effects to convey emotion, meaning, and narrative structure.

• Mise-en-Scène Project (First Project) – The first and foundational project of the course, the mise-en-scène film challenges students to create a movie in a single shot. This exercise encourages them to explore the many possibilities of framing, using blocking and/or camera movement to construct a more cinematic and meaningful sequence. By limiting the use of cuts, students will learn to think critically about composition, movement, and visual storytelling to engage the audience within a single, continuous shot.

• Continuity Film (Second Project) – This project focuses on achieving seamless visual continuity and flow, an essential aspect of effective storytelling. Through this exercise, students will explore how to construct clear, engaging sequences where the movement and progression of time feel natural and cohesive. This project reinforces fundamental filmmaking techniques, such as matching action, screen direction, and spatial continuity.

• Music/Montage Film (Third Project) – For their final project, students will take a more expressive approach to filmmaking, where music and sound effects play a pivotal role in storytelling. By experimenting with rhythm, juxtaposition, and visual composition, students will explore how the relationship between sound and image can shape mood, tone, and meaning. This project encourages creative editing techniques and a dynamic approach to narrative construction, allowing students to push their storytelling skills to the next level.

Throughout the course, students will engage in peer collaboration and feedback sessions, simulating a real-world filmmaking environment in an online format.

By the end of the program, students will have developed a stronger command of visual storytelling, a deeper understanding of cinematic techniques, and a portfolio of three completed short films showcasing their ability to craft engaging narratives using only images, music, and sound design. 

This four-week intensive program provides the most in-depth online filmmaking experience available at NYFA, making it the perfect next step for aspiring filmmakers looking to develop their craft in a remote setting.

To learn more about NYFA’s teen camps, visit the NYFA Camp Brochure.