Homeschool Filmmakers Program

Ages 13-18

LEARN, LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

The principle idea of Action Academy is that class time is action time! Through an innovative homeschool program combining online learning with real life classes, students acquire knowledge through online material and will learn even more from the hands on process of making their films with professional mentorship. Through video lessons provided online, students will learn at their own pace, and then they will develop and workshop their film projects in real life class sessions with a group of peers.

​In our increasingly media saturated world of Youtube and TikTok, it is nearly as important to understand film and video as it is to read and write. Whether they pursue filmmaking as a career or simply dabble with it as a hobby, the skills and knowledge that youth will gain from studying and practicing film will be a benefit to their entire lives.
Program Objectives
  • Give young filmmakers the motivation and self-confidence to produce their own movies
  • Develop filmmaking skills and knowledge to understand modern day media
  • Develop personal skills: communication, teamwork, problem solving, creative thinking and expression
  • Provide access to filmmaking resources to young filmmakers​
  • Structured program leads youth from the fundamentals to full-fledged filmmaking
  • Hands on learning
  • Participants develop their own movie productions with professional mentorship
Other things to look forward to!
  • Movie Nights
  • End of the Year Student Films Screening and Awards​

Act 1: Introducing The Fun-damentals of Filmmaking
​One Day Workshop ($75)

This one day workshop is an introductory experience to the fun of filmmaking and it teaches all the basic fundamentals that a young filmmaker needs to know to start making movies. This will be a very hands on workshop in which participants learn to shoot with the camera, record audio, act and work as a team as they bring a story to life. Through improvisation, the participants will come up with a story and shoot the movie in 5 hours. This might sound really challenging but it has been proven doable countless times, and they will have mentorship and guidance through the whole experience. Editing will be done separately by the interested workshop participants or the instructor.

Upcoming Workshops: 
Sunday September 24, 11am to 4pm

Act 2: The ABC's of Cinema
​10 Week Semester ($360)

In Act 2, students will begin to build their repertoire of filmmaking skills and knowledge by studying the many aspects of film: history, scriptwriting, storyboarding, cinematography, and more. From the knowledge they gain, participants will then work with their peer group and their mentor over the span of 10 weeks to complete five fun filmmaking challenges. In this behind the scenes experience, each participant will work hands on creating their own short films by writing scripts, drawing storyboards, auditioning actors, then shooting and editing.

Completion of Act 1 Workshop recommended or other filmmaking experience.

Starting Fall 2023

*If you are unable to do the above day/time but are eager to participate, please let me know and if there is enough interest for another day/time then we will schedule another day.

Act 3: The Poetry of Motion Pictures
​10 Week Semester ($360)

In Act 3, students will dive deeper into the art of filmmaking and learn advance techniques and processes to enhance the artistic expression of their films. From the knowledge they gain, participants will work with their peer group and their mentor over the span of 10 weeks to complete five more difficult filmmaking challenges that will expand their filmmaking experience.

Completion of Act 2 required.

​Starting 2024

Act 4:
​The Greenlight Project
($360)

Act 4 is the climax of the Action Academy learning experience! Having successfully completed all the challenges of Act 2 and Act 3, students are ready to tackle their full-fledged short film project. Students will have mentorship through the full film process from script to screen in the making of their short film.

Completion of Act 3 required.

​​Starting 2024
Note that participants may partner up with a fellow student to be a creative duo for challenges and their Greenlight Project.

Classes are currently in Nanaimo but with enough interest we can start workshops/classes in other areas on Vancouver Island.
[email protected]

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