As of 3/9/2023, the UCLA Film & Television Digital Filmmaking Summer Institute is closed to new applicants. Students interested in applying for a 2023 summer institute in filmmaking are encourage to apply to the UCLA Film & Television Cinematography Summer Institute.

Track 5: Pre-College Digital Filmmaking

The UCLA Film and Television Summer Institute shapes the filmmakers of tomorrow from the heart of Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the world.

Study at the world-renowned UCLA Department of Film, Television and Digital Media this summer! The UCLA Film and Television Digital Filmmaking Summer Institute is designed for talented and highly motivated rising juniors and seniors, and spring 2023 high school graduates. This program is a three-week, intensive production workshop that offers an overview of the production process, from conceptualization to post-production. This includes story structure, the principles of cinematography, and editing. Students are immersed in the creativity and technique of cinematic storytelling and challenged to create entertaining narrative projects. Previous experience in digital filmmaking is not required.

Students use the Department of Film, Television and Digital Media's latest editing software and digital cinema cameras
Student 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, it is important to note that this is a disciplined and rigorous program and requires a significant time commitment. Please refer to the program schedule for details.

Curriculum

This program carries 3 quarter units of UC credit. Students in this track are enrolled in FTV 72 Production Practice in Film, Television, and Digital Media.

Housing

Due to the rigorous and intense nature of the program, the residential plan, which includes a meal plan, is mandatory for all participants. Participants will be housed in one of the UCLA residence halls, comfortably furnished and conveniently located within easy walking distance of classrooms, libraries, and recreational facilities.

Supply List

External Hard Drive

You will need a 500gb (minimum) external hard drive to save your film work this summer. It should be:

7200 RPM HDD or Solid State Drive (SSD)
With either a USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt connection. USB 2.0 is supported, but not recommended, as it will be very slow for video editing.
Examples of acceptable drives:
- Samsung T5 Portable SSD - 500GB - USB 3.1 External SSD (MU-PA500B/AM)
- G-Technology 1TB G-DRIVE ev RaW USB 3.0 Hard Drive with Rugged Bumper

USB Flash Drive

USB Flash Drives (4GB or 8GB) are recommended but not required.

Admission

Admission to the program is by instructor consent only. This track is open to high school students enrolled in 10th - 12th grade in Spring 2023.

Schedule

View the program layout for
Digital Filmmaking Session A (June 25 – July 15, 2023)

Registration

Registration opens February 15, 2023. Please check back for more updates or visit the Summer Sessions website for more information.

Grades and Transcripts

Program participants will earn units of credit on a letter grading basis and will be recorded on an official University of California transcript. Please note that official transcripts are not automatically sent to students. To request a transcript, please contact the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

Housing

Due to the rigorous and intense nature of the program, the residential plan, which includes a meal plan, is mandatory for all on-campus participants. Participants will be housed in one of the UCLA residence halls, comfortably furnished and conveniently located within easy walking distance of classrooms, libraries, and recreational facilities.

Summer Scholars Support

Scholarship support may be available for continuing California high school students with a family annual adjusted gross income of $100,000 or less. For deadlines, eligibility requirements and application information, please visit the Summer Scholars Support page.

Student Quotes

“Attending the UCLA Film and Television Digital Filmmaking Summer Institute was one of the best decisions I could have made. Working in the film industry has always been my biggest dream, and this program made me even more excited to have a career in this industry one day! The instructors were absolutely amazing, and I made friends that I still text with every day. Living at UCLA for two weeks was also super cool. It’s a once in a life time opportunity that no one should pass up!”.
-Emma Romano, Digital Filmmaking 2018

“As an international student seeking to study in the US, the program was a great opportunity to get some insight on what life at a US university was like. I met a ton of friends from all over the world who shared the same passions as me, and we even got to hold our own casting sessions! Although it was a rigorous and demanding two weeks, I learned a lot about the nuances of film production. Whether you've been filmmaking for your whole life or have never held a camera in your life, this program caters to everyone. I would definitely recommend this program to any high schoolers looking for something not only fun but also enriching to do over the summer.”
-Nadya Suprobo, Digital Filmmaking 2018

“This program was the best part about my summer and I definitely would recommend it to future filmmakers!”
-Digital Filmmaking Student 2018

Contact Us

UCLA Summer Institutes
1332 Murphy Hall
Box 951418
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1418
Tel: (310) 825-4101
Fax: (310) 825-1528
E-mail: info@summer.ucla.edu