WHYY Summer Filmmakers
Do you want to make movies? Are you a creative storyteller? Do you have dreams of going to Hollywood? Whether you’re a Vine superstar or the next J.J. Abrams, take your skills to the next level during this three-week intensive filmmaking experience. You’ll join other imaginative high school students in learning how to script, shoot, act and edit movies using WHYY’s filmmaking equipment. By the end of this three-week session, you’ll already have one credit to your name: your very own short film.
See work from WHYY Summer Filmmakers alumni »
More Information
What is WHYY Summer?
WHYY Summer offers intensive multi-week experiences for teens finishing grades 9-12 and a spring break program for middle school students. The project-based programs provide immersive media-production experiences in which the participants work in teams to create original news or film productions in news.
As a student of WHYY Summer Filmmakers, what will I be doing each day?
You’ll be making your own movies. This is a crash course in all things film, from writing the script to editing the final scene. You’ll learn the basics of scripting, storyboarding, locating scouting, casting, lighting, recording sound, shooting video, editing and even acting!
During the first week, you’ll work on smaller projects to help you learn the basics. You’ll practice editing, multi-camera shoots, shot composition and storyboarding, and you’ll learn how to use Final Cut Pro. Over the next two weeks, you’ll work with a small team of other creative students to take your own short film into production. You’ll be on location and shooting scenes in the neighborhoods around WHYY’s studios, and you’ll be in the editing room at WHYY. By the end of this three-week course, you and your team will be ready to premiere your own short film before an audience of family and friends!
WHYY will air the best videos produced by WHYY Summer Filmmakers on its Anthology television program.
What kinds of students attend WHYY Summer?
Students who attend WHYY Summer are high school students who love to learn new things and find out more about the world around them. Maybe you’ve wanted to be a reporter or a filmmaker for as long as you can remember. Maybe these are new interests you’d like to explore. Either way, you’re an active, engaged people person who is thinking about college and beyond.
About WHYY’s Public Media Commons
The Dorrance H. Hamilton Public Media Commons at WHYY puts the power of media in the hands of anyone with a story to tell and helps all of us become more discerning media consumers. This ground-breaking new venture is named in honor of Mrs. Dorrance H. Hamilton, whose generous leadership gifts have helped move this project from idea to reality. With training programs for students and teachers, hands-on instruction for WHYY members with an interest in media and a facility that can host and record events for non-profits and business alike, Hamilton Commons opens new avenues of expression to the residents of the Philadelphia region.
The Public Media Commons is a physical embodiment of WHYY’s commitment to community engagement. It serves as a hub of media literacy for the Philadelphia area, a gathering place for educators, a hands-on learning environment for students and a venue for performers and lecturers.