Cinematic Arts students write, shoot, and edit their own short films.  The curriculum begins with simple "setup and punchline" storytelling and grows to include more complex plot elements such as character arc.  Students learn all aspects of the filmmaking process from the very beginning, advancing these elements and stretching into more difficult genres with each subsequent film they complete.   

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To the parents: Teaching filmmaking offers me the opportunity to work with students as they become storytellers and learn to voice their hopes, dreams, fears, and passions with the films they make.  Your children will need your support and encouragement in their filmmaking endeavors.  We want our filmmakers to follow the directions, pay attention to the rubric for filmmaking, and cultivate positive relationships during the filmmaking process.  Creating a brilliant film may not be within their grasp right away and that is a notion to be embraced.  A finished film can earn an "A" even if it feels like a "flop".  There is always something positive to focus on in any film your child makes.  Your most important job is to find the positive aspect of your child's film and congratulate them for it.  Let me take care of the corrections.

 

To my students:  If you work hard, problem solve, write, re-write, wait for the perfect light, apply diplomacy on your film set with your cast and crew, troubleshoot the equipment, and spend hours editing to capture the perfect rhythm of each scene...you will likely fail as much as you succeed in creating a successful film, especially in your first few years as a filmmaker.  Filmmaking will humble you in a way nothing else in the world can.  It is more of a team sport than any that I have encountered in my lifetime.  Always remember: the goal is a finished film.  The goal is to have fun and remember the hard lessons learned for the next film project.  Your first film will be rough but your films will get better over time.  

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Welcome to the independent student filmmaking community.  We are all pulling for you.  When you finally make a film that connects with an audience and makes them laugh where you wanted them to laugh or cry where you wanted to strike an emotional chord; you'll see why we put ourselves through the grueling filmmaking process again and again.  It is SO worth it!

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Love,

Ms. Bennett