Young Filmmakers Lab
Intensive Short Filmmaking Course for Young Filmmakers
London, Summer 2023
Young Filmmakers Lab
Ages 11-14 & 15-18
The Young Filmmakers Lab is an advanced short film course and creative space for young filmmakers.
Taking place over two weeks in the summer, the Young Filmmakers Lab enables filmmakers ages 11-14 and 15-18 to master their craft and develop their practice.
This advanced level filmmaking course teaches professional filmmaking skills and is suitable for young filmmakers with existing previous experience, such as participation in Sparks film courses (general level) or independent filmmaking at home or at school. This course is not suitable for beginner filmmakers.
In the Young Filmmakers Lab, students build their film portfolios, develop professional filmmaking skills and enhance their experience.
By the end of their time with the Young Filmmakers Lab, young filmmakers taking part will have produced a complete, high quality short film production to include in their portfolios or showreels, as well as a host of advanced skills in filmmaking and plenty of new collaborators.
What’s Involved?
The Young Filmmakers Lab is a two week programme across 10 days, Monday – Friday, with spaces for filmmakers aged 11-14 and 15-18 to take part.
Young filmmakers taking part will develop their skills in all-round film production, as well as exploring specialist areas.
They’ll have the chance to work collaboratively to produce their own ideas into a short film production, made to professional standards and using industry grade equipment.
The programme includes skill-based workshops in film production as well as a guided film production project, resulting in a complete short film.
Skills sessions including directing, cinematography, lighting, sound, screenwriting, editing and production design are all taught by specialists with working knowledge of the industry.
For their production projects, young filmmakers are led by creative mentors to develop and produce their own film projects. They go through each phase of film production, working to professional production models and working with industry grade equipment.
Film projects are led by the young filmmakers, with guidance and support from our workshop team.
Young filmmakers devise their stories and develop them into film scripts. They produce their films on broadcast-standard camera and sound equipment, with access to a range of grip, lenses, lighting and filters. They will also have access to professional editing software and post-production libraries.
By the end of the programme, they will have produced their own professional-standard short film production, which can be included in their portfolios/showreels and will be entered into film festivals as part of the programme.
Application Criteria:
To apply, filmmakers should be aged 11-14 or 15-18.
The Young Filmmakers Lab is designed for young filmmakers interested in pursuing a future career in film, or seeking entry to film school degree programmes. It is a higher level programme than our other courses, for general level filmmaking summer courses, please see the Summer Shoots.
Some prior filmmaking experience (e.g. making films at school or involvement in other Sparks programmes) is recommended. Entry to this programme is by application only. Please see the details below for more information.
Young Filmmakers Lab Course Dates:
Dates: 24 July – 4 August 2023 (Monday – Friday only)
Please be aware this is a non-residential programme.
Times: 9am – 5pm
Course Location: Sparks Young Filmmakers’ Lab, Dulwich College, Dulwich Common, SE21 7LD
Course Fees: £1450.00
Course fees for the Young Filmmakers Lab are payable in instalments, with a deposit to confirm your place upon acceptance.
There are bursary places available for this programme, please see Scholarships and Bursaries for more details.
How to Apply:
Entry to the Young Filmmakers Lab is via an application process, with places awarded based on merit and demonstration of individual potential as a filmmaker.
As part of your application to the Young Filmmakers Lab, you’ll be asked to demonstrate your passion for filmmaking and, if available, to share some examples of your work.
