Filmmakers Collaborative’s popular FC Academy is back to help middle and high school students explore the world of professional filmmaking. This summer, the FC Academy will host nearly 30 motion picture and stop motion animation classes in cities across Massachusetts. The week-long courses guide students through every step of the process of writing, shooting, and editing a short film. At the end of the week, students have their own film for screening at the Boston International Children’s Film Festival in November 2022. Registration is now open at filmmakerscollab.org.
“Our classes are constantly improving and developing, which means we can create more opportunities for children to learn the art of filmmaking,” said Laura Azevedo, Executive Director of Filmmakers Collaborative. “Many students arrive with little or no experience and at the end of the week they have something they can proudly share with friends and family. It is always inspiring to see students return year after year and develop their skills and passion, and then one day pursue a career in the film industry.”
Through these week-long, in-person programs, students will learn the basics of screenwriting, storyboard sketching, character development, improvisation, and camera skills for filmmaking. As a group, students will write, shoot and edit a film in a genre of their choice, all in a fun and exciting environment. Every child learns the ins and outs of professional editing software to expertly shape their vision in a movie.
Stop-motion animation courses give students the opportunity to learn the principles of animation. Allowing for total creativity, students also create their own film at the end of the program using objects found in their own homes and brought to class. Students taking Stop-Motion Animation courses will need to bring their own smart device with a camera and access to the free Stop-Motion Studio app.
All summer cinema programs will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with the exception of Newton (8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.). All summer stop-motion animation programs will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the exception of Wakefield (1 p.m. – 4 p.m.). Registration for summer programs is now available at filmmakerscollab.org.
