
Repetition in Form
Discover how to create tableware by blending wheel throwing, slabs, and bisque mold-making techniques, mastering consistency and precision in every form.
This two-week program provides teenage artists the opportunity to use industry-standard equipment and software—including digital cinema cameras, professional lighting equipment, and advanced editing software—as they work with industry-experienced faculty and Acting for the Camera students to create short films that will premiere in a final culmination.
June 29 – July 12, 2025
Two week session
Final Showcase
Saturday, July 12, 2025
The Rustic Theatre @ 10 AM
54290 N Circle Dr, Idyllwild
14 – 17
(includes tuition, room & board, and all fees)
$5,150
(includes tuition and all fees)
$2,630
Learn more about our cost breakdown
All levels
20 students
Total Capacity includes Residential and Day Students
The Film Intensive Summer program is designed for young artists who are passionate about filmmaking. A team of industry-experienced faculty introduces students to the art of visual storytelling and guides them through the process of filmmaking. Students learn the importance of collaboration while touching on every facet of the filmmaking process; from developing narrative and writing screenplays, learning lighting and camera techniques, staging and blocking scenes, casting and working with actors, on set process and protocols, visual storytelling and editing theory.
Week 1: Pre-production & Production Setup
Day 1–3: Introduction to Equipment and Storytelling
Students will be introduced to industry-standard cameras, lighting, and sound equipment. A brief but focused workshop on Cinematography will cover camera operation, shot composition, and lighting techniques.
In parallel, students will work on script development. Two short film scripts will be pre-selected or finalized during these days.
A short concentration in Production Design will introduce students to the basics of set building, costume selection, and prop sourcing. This ensures that the films have a strong visual identity.
Day 4–6: Pre-production and Rehearsals
Casting actors from the Acting for the Camera program.
Students will begin pre-production activities like location scouting, shot listing, and rehearsing scenes with actors.
Concentration in Production Design: Work with the faculty to procure and design simple sets and costumes.
Rehearse and finalize logistics for the film shoot.
Day 7: Sunday is off to enjoy camp activities
Week 2: Production & Post-production
Day 8–10: Film Production
Filming for both short films takes place over these three days. Students rotate roles on set, learning about Cinematography (camera angles, lighting adjustments), sound, and set management.
Actors from the Acting for the Camera program will be on set, bringing the scripts to life.
Day 11–12: Post-production & Editing Concentration
Students will edit their films, learning the basics of Editing Theory and software techniques. Each student will contribute to editing the two short films, guided by faculty.
Day 13: Final Touches and Screening Preparation
Complete final edits, add sound and music, and prepare the films for their debut.
A short concentration on Film Marketing and Promotion could introduce students to poster design, social media teasers, and promotion strategies for film releases.
Day 14: Final Screening
Family and friends will join the final screening of both short films at the Rustic Theatre in the town of Idyllwild.
Be sure to schedule your departure in the afternoon or evening so that you can be there for the Saturday morning culmination.
Film workshops are open admission. Instructors will work with your child at their level. Your child will improve and learn new skills, whether they are a beginner or have been acting or creating films for years.
Closed-toe shoes
Comfortable work clothes
Reusable water bottle
Sunscreen
Notepad and pens/pencils and/or a laptop
Rain jacket/poncho
Good set of enclosed-ear headphones (optional)
PC or Mac laptop with screenwriting software (optional)
External hard drive (optional)
Digital camera and/or a phone with a camera (optional)
In addition please bring:
An open mind
A healthy dose of courage
A can-do attitude
On any given day, film campers will be exposed to professional film techniques, equipment instruction, practical lab work as well as actual filmmaking crew experience. All of this rigorous learning is balanced with time for campers to enjoy being at camp, making new friends and experiencing the mountainous majesty and natural beauty of Idyllwild.
Jesse Wolfe: Directing, Producing
Haley Breese: Editing, Camera, Sound
Oliver Young: Lighting, Grip/Electric
Tim Collins: Production Design/Art Direction
Jesse Wolfe holds a Master’s Degree in Film Direction from The American Film Institute (AFI)’s Center for Advanced Film & Television Studies. Early education includes a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theater arts/performance from Rollins College, acting apprenticeships at New York Stage & Film’s Powerhouse Theater at Vassar, and at Actors Theater of Louisville. Original member of the award-winning Off Broadway Company, Zena Group. Film and television writing, production and consulting work for Castle Rock Entertainment, Warner Bros., ABC Television, the Disney channel, AMC and Showtime Networks. He has served as Special Guest Director for the Florida Film Festival, on the film and theater faculties of Rollins College and the University of Central Florida School of Visual Art and Design, and is currently a Professor of film and Television at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).
Tim Collins is a production designer who graduated from Brooks Institute of Photography with a degree in Film and Digital Media. Tim has been based out of Los Angeles working in the film industry for over 15 years. As a key contributor to the creative landscape at BuzzFeed, Tim’s ingenuity and expertise have played a pivotal role in shaping the visual identity of the digital media giant. From crafting captivating sets to conceptualizing compelling visual narratives. Tim has worked with major brands such as Google, Ford, Hyundai, Samsung, Lego, and Geico. Tim Collins approaches his role as a high school production design teacher with a blend of passion, creativity, and dedication to nurturing the next generation of visual storytellers.
After graduating from Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, Oliver Clinton Young began working as a Cinematographer in the Los Angeles area, New York, Atlanta and beyond. Oliver had spent most of his childhood on the Disney lot in Burbank where his father worked in production, and at A Noise Within in Glendale where his mother performed Shakespeare, Chekhov and Ibsen amongst other incredible stage actors. Working his way up from Gaffer and Key Grip to Cinematographer has given Oliver a vast knowledge of different lighting styles, methods, and equipment. Oliver brings a unique skill set and versatility that aids him in creating deeply textured images, and the ability to show others how to do the same.
Born and raised in California, Haley Breese is currently a filmmaker based in Savannah, GA. She recently earned her MFA in Filmmaking from SCAD, where she expanded her passion for storytelling through editing. Over the past six years, she has been teaching and sharing her love for filmmaking, constantly inspired by her students to push her creative boundaries. Whether it’s a short narrative, a fashion film, or a documentary, she thrives on the challenge of crafting unique stories. Her goal is to keep growing as an editor while passing knowledge on to the next generation of storytellers.
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