Kids Summer Film School (2024)
The success of my 2023 school play ‘Trouble at the Monarch Academy Garden’ reminded me of how much fun it is to work with kids, and how much they can learn and grow through drama. These are the main reasons I have reconstituted my production company Pandora’s Box Office in order to begin tailoring drama programs for kids going forward.
This summer, I am pleased to be offering a 3-week summer film intensive for kids aged 10 and up. The camp will run Mondays through Fridays from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm in central Mississauga, from July 8th-26th. We will be limiting each program to 10 kids, who will be divided into two groups of 5.
Participants must attend all three weeks. The cost will be $899.00 per child (under $60/day), with an early-bird special of $799.00 for those who pay in full one month before the program starts. Kids will need to bring lunch and snacks, but otherwise all materials/gear will be provided.
Parents can reach out to me by email at pandorasboxofficer@gmail.com. I will be happy to meet with parents (and their child/children) to ensure this program will be a good fit for them.
Week 1: Building the Story
Kids will learn about the nature of story and the essential elements of all dramatic storytelling. They will learn about the different film genres and will choose one for their film. They will also be introduced to acting through improvisational theatre exercises.
Week 2 Mastering the Equipment
Kids will learn the basics about the film crew roles on set, and will each get some training for the department of the crew they choose to be a part of (camera, sound, lighting, set design/props, costume/makeup). They will also experience the audition/casting process, and will be exposed to some of the basics of scriptwriting as their scripts get completed (with as much input from the kids as possible) by the end of the week.
Week 3: Shooting the Film
Kids will rehearse their roles and be exposed to the importance of building their own character and understanding their character’s motivation. They will learn the on-set etiquette for both actors and crew as we shoot the two films, with the kids acting in their own film and operating as the film crew for the other group’s film.
After the course is over, the films will be edited, and the children and their parents will all be invited back to watch the films together.
