An unparalleled opportunity to study filmmaking at one of the most prestigious film schools in the world
Gain hands-on experience in cinematic storytelling from concept to post-production and learn story structure, cinematography, and editing
The UCLA Film and Television Summer Institute shapes the filmmakers of tomorrow from the heart of Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the world.
The Film and Television Digital Filmmaking Summer Institute gives high school students from across the country and around the globe an unparalleled opportunity to study filmmaking at one of the most prestigious film schools in the world. The program is a three-week, intensive production workshop designed for highly motivated rising high school juniors, seniors, and 2024 High School graduates.
Students are immersed in the creativity and technique of cinematic storytelling and challenged to create entertaining narrative projects.
- Students use the Department of Film, Television and Digital Media’s latest editing software and digital cinema cameras
- Students work collaboratively on projects that are filmed as daylight exteriors on location across the UCLA campus
- The program curriculum consists of a combination of lectures, practical camera exercises, guest speakers, and post-production labs
- This workshop carries 3 units of UCLA college credit
- Program activities include film screenings, guest speakers, and a visit to a Hollywood studio
- All films will be screened in a state-of-the-art theater during the certificate ceremony at the end of the workshop. Friends and family are welcome!
This is an intensive immersion experience for beginning filmmakers designed to form a basic understanding of the aesthetic, creative, and logistical decisions involved in making a film. While previous experience in digital filmmaking is not required, this is a disciplined and rigorous program and requires a significant time commitment. Please refer to the program schedule for details.
As of 2/26/2024, the Digital Filmmaking Summer Institute is closed to new applications. Interested students are encouraged to apply to the Cinematography Summer Institute.
Film and Television Summer Institute – Digital Filmmaking Program
This program offers a hands-on overview of the production process, from conceptualization to post production. Through lectures, discussions, workshops and group projects, students will form a basic understanding of the aesthetic, creative, and logistical decisions involved in making a film. This includes story structure, the principles of cinematography, and editing. Letter grading.
Application deadline: June 1, 2024 | Enrollment deadline: June 15, 2024
Applications are reviewed and admission to the program is granted on a rolling basis starting February 15th. Applying at your earliest convenience, prior to June 1st, is highly recommended.
To participate in the Film and Television Summer Institute – Digital Filmmaking, students must apply and receive acceptance into the program.
Applicants who successfully submit all requirements will be reviewed and notified via email of an admission decision within 2-4 weeks.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete the following:
- An unofficial transcript from grade 9 to present reflecting a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. All previous high school grades (9th grade to present) must appear on the transcript for an application to be reviewed. Applications missing grades will be denied.
- If your school transcript utilizes a different grading system, please submit your transcript as is. If available, please attach a translation/equivalency guide.
- INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: If you are an international student, a transcript refers to your complete secondary academic record. To learn more about converting your grades into a US-based GPA, please click here.
- If your school has a translation/equivalency guide, please also include it with your transcript. If you do not have a translation/equivalency guide, please still submit your most up-to-date transcript as is for staff to review.
- Value statement: At the time of registration, ALL applicants will be prompted to submit a few short sentences reflecting on their pursuit of participation in a UCLA Precollege Summer Institute. Please note that students are strongly discouraged from relying on ChatGpt/AI tools for their application responses and are encouraged to submit original and authentic answers.
- Responses to the following essay prompts:
- Why would you like to participate in the program, and what would you expect to gain from the experience? (100 words or less)
- What prior experience, if any, do you have in digital filmmaking? Include both academic coursework and extracurricular activities. Previous experience in digital filmmaking is not a requirement. (100 words or less)
- Filmmaking requires creative collaboration at every stage. Describe an example of your collaboration experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time. (250 – 300 words)
- Artistic creativity and expression can be a vulnerable process, especially when working with individuals from different cultural backgrounds. Describe a time you fostered an environment of inclusivity when working collaboratively. How did that experience impact how you approach creative collaboration? (200 – 250 words)
- As a program that carries UC college credit, students are expected to exhibit maturity inside and outside of the classroom and to abide by the UCLA Student Conduct Code. Bullying, academic dishonesty, and disorderly behavior, among other violations, will not be tolerated. Describe a time that you witnessed bullying or disrespectful behavior among your classmates. How did you respond? What did you learn? (150 – 200 words)
- Is it better to be perfect and late, or good and on time? (100 words or less)
- This is a disciplined and rigorous program. Describe a time you took on an academic challenge. What were some of the obstacles you encountered and how did you overcome them? (250 – 300 words)
NOTE: Students should compose their responses to the essay prompts before beginning the online registration process. There will be text fields on the online registration form of which the response text can be copied.
Due to the intense nature of the Film and Television Summer Institute – Digital Filmmaking (In-person) and the time commitment involved, living in on-campus housing is mandatory.
For more information on UCLA housing precollege programs, please see the Housing for Minors page.
All precollege programs with mandatory housing also feature scheduled non-curricular evening and weekend activities that all students are expected to participate in. The nature of these scheduled activities is at the sole discretion of the individual academic department offering the program, and are not operated by UCLA Summer Sessions. To learn more about when your selected program will host such activities, please consult the schedules for each program, or contact the department in question directly: summer2@tft.ucla.edu
Most of our precollege programs with mandatory housing will hold check-in on the Sunday before the start of the program between 4-6pm, and hold check-out the Saturday after the final day of class at 11am. Please contact the department in question directly to confirm check-in and check-out times: summer2@tft.ucla.edu
Coursework
FILM TV 72; 3 units
Grading Basis
Students will receive a letter grade upon completion. See University Credit, Grades and Transcripts for more information about academic credit.
In order to successfully complete the program, students must not have more than 1 excused or unexcused absence.
UCLA Summer Sessions Summer Scholars Support
Qualified students attending grades 9th – 11th in Spring 2024 in the state of California may be eligible for Summer Scholars Support, a need- and merit-based scholarship offered by the UCLA Summer Sessions Office. Students must be 15 years old by the first day of Summer Sessions 2024 on June 24th in order to participate in a Precollege Summer Institute and/or apply for Summer Scholars Support. A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available to support enrollment in SCIP/eSCIP, one Summer Course, or a Precollege Summer Institute.
Summer 2024 deadline to apply: March 15.
As of 2/26/2024, the Digital Filmmaking Summer Institute is closed to new applications. Interested students are encouraged to apply to the Cinematography Summer Institute.
Program Dates: June 23, 2024 – July 13, 2024
Program Type: Mandatory Housing
Program Eligibility: 10th-12th grade in Spring 2024*
Application deadline: June 1, 2024
Enrollment deadline: June 15, 2024
*All participants must be at least 15 years of age by the first day of Summer Sessions 2024 on June 24th, no exceptions allowed.
The schedule and syllabus are subject to change. Enrolled students will be given updated materials closer to the program start date.
Fees and Payment Info
The program fee includes the unit fees for the UCLA coursework offered as part of the program and thus varies by UC student status. The program fee also includes the cost of UCLA Housing (for mandatory housing programs). In addition to the program fee, students are assessed other campus and administrative fees during the summer. This is a summary of fees that commonly apply to the selected student type.
Actual tuition and fees are subject to change by the University of California. Visit the fees, payment, and financial aid section for important disclaimer, as well as more details on fees, payment instructions, and information on delinquency, refunds, and financial aid.
Meet your instructors
Instructors for the UCLA Film and Television Summer Institutes are UCLA Department of Film, Television and Digital Media faculty.
Sarah Jean Kruchowski
InstructorSarah Jean is a writer/director who has also written for Lifetime, Bad Robot and Sony. In 2017, Sarah Jean directed two episodes of ABC’s 20/20: IN AN INSTANT. In addition, she’s written and directed commercials for Cheerios, Hamburger Helper, Delta, Mott’s, President Brie, and 3M, as well as several shorts, which have played around the world at prominent film festivals and garnered several awards such as the Barbra Streisand Fellowship for women filmmakers, IFP Fresh Filmmaker Grant, and Hollywood Foreign Press Donor Award. As well as, a residency at the Screenwriters Colony, Comedic Episodic Lab, in partnership with the Nantucket Film Festival. In her spare time, Sarah Jean dabbles in experimental animation, runs her cats insta account and continues unsuccessfully to learn French.
Film and Television Summer Institute – Digital Filmmaking FAQ
The Film and Television Summer Institute – Digital Filmmaking is intended for beginning filmmakers. Intermediate students are welcome to apply. However, they should be aware that this track is designed for beginners.
Please have the following supplies for your Summer Institute:
External Hard Drive – You will need a 500gb (minimum) external hard drive to save your film work this summer. It should be:
- 7200 RPM External Hard Drive or Solid State Drive (SSD) External Hard Drive w/ minimum 500GB Storage Capacity Connectivity/Interface: USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt 2
- (USB 2.0 is supported, but not recommended, as it will be very slow for video editing.)
Examples of acceptable drives:
- SAMSUNG SSD T7 Portable External Solid-State Drive 500GB, USB 3.2 Gen 2, MU-PC500T/AM
- G-Technology 500GB G-DRIVE ev RaW SSD Portable External Storage with Removable Protective Rubber Bumper – USB 3.0 – 0G04755-1
Laptop
- A laptop is recommended but not required.
Required and Recommended Supply Lists will be sent out to enrolled students as part of their welcome packet after registration and acceptance to the program.
Students should expect an hour of homework per day.
Students are expected to work on elements of their film’s pre-production outside of class hours to complete before the respective deadlines.
Students will work in production groups as learning creative collaboration is an important component of this program.
Students will study many styles of filmmaking and are encouraged to develop their own unique storytelling voices.
Yes, all films will be screened during the certificate ceremony at the end of the program. Friends and family are welcome to join!
Still have questions? Check out the general Summer Institutes FAQ.
