Winter Classes For Students
Winter Classes for Students in Grades 6 – 12
Scholarships are available for qualified students
* Filmmaking 101 * Middle School Filmmaking * High School Filmmaking *
* Indie Filmmaking: Portfolio Building * Screenwriting Crash Course *
* Screenwriter’s Workshop * Director’s Lab * Editing with Premiere Pro *
* Editing With Premiere Pro II (New!) * VFX 101 (Middle School) *
Filmmaking 101
In this one-day, hands-on workshop, students will learn how to generate ideas for their films, and will be introduced to the fundamentals of filmmaking including: shot composition, camera angle, shooting, lighting and sound. With an emphasis on practical, guerilla-style filmmaking, students will discover how to bring their ideas to life! This is an excellent class for students who want to test the filmmaking waters before committing to a longer workshop. (Class size 7– 15)
Middle School Filmmaking
In this hands-on workshop, students will learn how to generate ideas for their films, and will be introduced to the fundamentals of filmmaking including: shot composition, camera angle, shooting, lighting and sound. Students will learn to work together, taking on the many jobs involved in filmmaking as they create a short film of their very own. Act, direct, shoot, light, edit! The class will culminate with a screening of their short films in our own Cinema505– family and friends are invited to join!
No experience is required, however, this class can be repeated since each unique film presents new challenges and opportunities to develop and sharpen your filmmaking skills. (Class size: 7-12)
“It taught us so much in such a little amount of time. It was a perfect balance between talking and doing activities.” – Middle School Filmmaking Student
High School Filmmaking
In this hands-on filmmaking workshop, students will learn and practice the art of filmmaking from script to screen. Students will work together as a film crew to generate ideas, work with actors, and master camera, lighting, and sound techniques. Students will also learn the basics of editing in Adobe Premiere Pro. In each class, students will work both behind and in front of the camera, in both exterior and interior locations, so that they can gain as much experience as possible. Final films will be screened for friends and family in Cinema505 on the last day of class!
No experience is required, however, this class can be repeated since each unique film presents new challenges and opportunities to develop and sharpen your filmmaking skills.(Class size: 7-12)
“I really liked that it involved everything. Screenwriting, directing, cinematography, sound, editing, everything. I also like that it was a very positive environment that made it really fun.” -Teen Student, High School Filmmaking
Indie Filmmaking: Portfolio Building
Already made a few short films? Want to take a class with other experienced students? In Indie Filmmaking, work with a crew of peers under the guidance of experienced instructors and teaching assistants to make some awesome shorts. These films can be used as sample works when applying to a college film program, a stepping stone towards building a competitive portfolio.
If you are a motivated high school filmmaker who is interested in creating a polished short film in collaboration with your peers, then this workshop is for you!
Some filmmaking experience is required, and students should be comfortable writing and editing on their own. Apply below!
(Class size: 7 – 12)
“The Indie Filmmaking Intensive is my favorite experience I’ve ever been lucky to be a part of. Lasting new friendships, wonderful projects and great instructors are all things you’ll find here.” – Genevieve
Screenwriting Crash Course
Students will learn the fundamentals of screenwriting from formatting to basic story structure. Students will analyze a short film, screenplays, and do some prompt-based writing to solidify the fundamentals. This class is perfect for anyone who wants a low-commitment way to see if screenwriting is for them! It’s also a great introduction (or refresher) for students interested in joining Screenwriter’s Workshop. (Class Size: 7 – 10)
Screenwriter’s Workshop
This workshop is for screenwriting students who want to take their screenwriting ability to the next level. Dive deeper into aspects of pace, tone, and character. Read and workshop your screenplays in a writers room format, receiving feedback from their peers and their instructor. This is a great class for students coming from High School Filmmaking, or screenwriters with a working knowledge of screenplay formatting. (Class Size: 7 – 10)
Looking to learn the fundamentals before jumping into Screenwriter’s Workshop? Take a look at our Screenwriting Crash Course!
“The Montclair Film screenwriting class was the first screenwriting class I ever took and I just recently pressed “Accept” to be a dramatic writing major at NYU TISCH. Thank you for being the first experience to spark my interest!” -Kianni Keys, High School Screenwriting Student
Director’s Lab
A director’s job is to visualize the script, and manifest it from the page to the screen through craft, creativity, and communication. In this workshop, students will learn the tools of directing — from how shot choice, lens choice, camera placement and movement, lighting, sound, and performance all combine in ways to articulate the narrative beats of a scene; to working with actors and understanding how to find the truth in a performance through actionable direction. Students will work on small exercises to sharpen their directing skills, study and analyze the creative decisions made by independent and Hollywood directors, and take turns putting on their director’s hat of choice and shooting a scene in class. (class size: 7 – 12)
Editing with Premiere Pro 1
Great editing skills can really make a film come alive! In this hands-on beginner workshop, students will learn the interface, controls, and features of the industry-standard software, Adobe Premiere Pro. Our instructors will teach you how to log footage, create a rough cut, add titles and credits, implement transitions, work with sound, and even play with color. Students will also begin to learn the craft and language of editing. (Class size: 8-12)
Editing with Premiere Pro 2
Great editing skills can really make a film come alive! In this hands-on intermediate workshop, students will expand on their knowledge of Adobe Premiere Pro learning more advanced skills such as: chromakey, advanced key framing, basic color grading and more. Experience is required. Students enrolling in this class should have taken Editing with Premiere Pro 1, or have previous experience with premiere. (Class size: 8-12)
VFX 101 (Middle School)
Learn how movie magic is done! Go behind the scenes and discover the exciting high-tech world of VFX. In this hands-on workshop, students will explore visual effects and how they are created. Students will learn a variety of techniques such as Compositing, Chromakeying, in-camera plate shots, and more. This is a great way to learn the basics of visual effects using adobe premiere pro.
(Class size 7– 12)
MEMBERS: Log in to receive a MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT.
(Please Note: Discount applies to $95 Film Lover+ membership level or higher)
Montclair Films is committed to providing access to our education programs for all students. Financial assistance is available to all qualified students!
Scholarships are available for qualified students
Don’t see the class you want? Help us make it happen: Film Academy Class Request
For More Information Contact: Education@MontclairFilm.org