A solid way to start your journey into filmmaking as a high school student is by enrolling in free programs that help you master practical skills. These programs go beyond basic video production to focus on advanced techniques like motion graphics, color grading, sound mixing, and cinematography.
Many programs specialize in niche areas such as visual effects (VFX), animation, screenwriting, or directing. In addition to learning how to break down scripts, manage productions, and edit footage, you’ll also explore aspects like budgeting, scheduling, and collaboration within a creative team.
Here’s a list of 10 free film programs for high school students to check out, including summer intensives, school-year fellowships, and multi-year programs!
10 Free Film Programs for High School Students
1. Warner Bros. Reach Honors Program
Warner Bros. Reach Honors Program offers high school seniors a solid opportunity to explore careers in film and media. The program provides two tracks: Production/Studio Operations and Business.
If you’re interested in the creative and technical aspects of filmmaking, the Production/Studio Operations Track covers areas like film production, post-production, content development, and studio management. You’ll learn about the filmmaking process, from concept to final edit, with opportunities to work on actual productions. For those interested in the business side, the Business Track focuses on roles in marketing, finance, and communications.
Location: Varies depending on the internship opportunity.
Cost/Stipend: No cost to participate. Paid summer internships at Warner Bros. Discovery Studios, plus a $5,000 scholarship ($1,250 annually).
Application Deadline: March 1 (tentative, based on previous year dates)
Program Dates: Summer internships are typically offered between June and August (tentative)
Eligibility: Applicant must be a graduating high school senior in Burbank or LA County, with a minimum GPA of 3.0, and plan to attend an accredited college or university.
2. Fresh Films Weekly Filmmaking Program
The Fresh Films program lets you gain hands-on skills in filmmaking using professional equipment. You’ll work with industry professionals from companies like Sony, Paramount, and Roku, and get experience in areas like camera operation, lighting, audio, and editing. You’ll also work on a variety of projects, including creating social videos, filming a scene for a Paramount film, producing a music video, developing a documentary for Roku, and working on a short film with Sony Pictures.
Location: Available at 30 locations including across the U.S.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Stipend is provided to the interns.
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the location.
Program Dates: Vary by location. The schedule includes January–May for film projects, June for the premiere, and summer internships.
Eligibility: All teens between the ages of 13–19 interested in film, content creation, or storytelling are eligible to apply.
3. BRIC’s Youth Media Fellowship
As a BRIC Youth Media Fellow, you’ll team up with NYC-based filmmakers under 21 to create Concrete Stories, an annual festival celebrating bold, young voices. You’ll help decide the theme, curate submissions, design eye-catching posters and social media campaigns, and throw a public screening event at Brooklyn’s BRIC House.
Along the way, you’ll explore festival planning – from marketing strategies to video editing and connect with guest speakers working in film and media. You’ll leave with tangible skills and a good portfolio in event planning, digital promotion, and storytelling.
Location: Brooklyn, NY.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; information about stipend unspecified.
Application Deadline: February 28
Program Dates: May
Eligibility: High school students under 21 years old and based in New York City.
4. Museum of the Moving Image Teen Council
The Museum of the Moving Image Teen Council offers paid internships for NYC teens to help shape the Museum’s programs for young adults, including leading the annual Teen Film Festival. Throughout the program, you’ll gain experience working at an arts and cultural institution, connect with museum professionals, and develop skills in organizing and project management. You’ll also learn about the history and technology of the moving image. The Teen Council provides a stipend upon completion and serves as a job development opportunity.
Location: Queens, NY.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Stipend is provided to the participants after completion of the program.
Application Deadline: October 18
Program Dates: Typically runs from November through May (tentative)
Eligibility: Open to high school students ages 15+ and enrolled in 10th, 11th, or 12th grade (or equivalent program)
5. NYU Tisch Future Filmmakers Workshop
The Future Filmmakers Workshop is a free, 14-week program that guides you through the entire filmmaking process, from brainstorming ideas to editing your final cut. You’ll focus on telling personal stories and exploring perspectives that are often missing in film. You’ll use a DSLR camera and Adobe Premiere to create short films, both solo and with peers between February and May. Alongside practical skills like directing and editing, you’ll analyze films, discuss your work with classmates, and chat with professional filmmakers and NYU Tisch faculty.
Location: NYU Tisch, NY
Cost: Fully funded
Application Deadline: November 30 (tentative, based on previous year dates)
Program Dates: February 1 - May 10
Eligibility: Open to high school students who can attend all sessions.
6. Pegasus Media Project’s Portable Film Program for Youth (PFPY)
The Portable Film Program for Youth (PFPY), run by the Pegasus Media Project, gives you hands-on filmmaking experience if you’re a high school student in an under-resourced community. You’ll learn screenwriting, cinematography, sound design, and film editing from industry professionals. The program adapts to your school’s needs, letting you create short films in different genres. Your work will be showcased at the Pegasus Film Festival. It’s free and helps you build technical skills, express creativity, and explore careers in film.
Location: Dallas, TX, particularly Spruce High School and Townview High School
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Determined by each school’s schedule
Program Dates: Structured according to each school’s calendar
Eligibility: Open to high school students
7. Ghetto Film School Los Angeles Fellows Program
The Ghetto Film School’s Los Angeles Fellows Program gives you over 1,000 hours of college-level filmmaking training over 30 months. You will learn both the creative and business sides of filmmaking through industry-led instruction, set visits, and international travel. You will also screen your films at top venues, get college application support, and land internships at major media companies. With transportation and meals covered, this program makes it easier for you to explore the film industry.
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Cost: Fully funded
Application Deadline: April 1
Program Dates: 3-year program. Course timeline here.
Eligibility: Applicants must be between the ages of 14-18 with no prior film experience needed.
8. Jacob Burns Film Center High School Fellowships
The Jacob Burns Film Center has launched two fellowships for 10th and 11th graders through its Director’s Cut High School Fellowship program. You can choose between Director’s Cut: Documentary Filmmaking, created in partnership with NYU Tisch School of the Arts and Imagine Entertainment, or Director’s Cut: Narrative Filmmaking, also in collaboration with NYU Tisch.
Both programs give you hands-on experience, expert guidance, and opportunities to learn from industry professionals. In the documentary fellowship, you will explore the process and business of documentary filmmaking while creating your short film. The narrative fellowship focuses on visual storytelling, allowing you to collaborate on a short narrative film.
Location: Jacob Burns Film Center Media Arts Lab, Pleasantville, NY
Cost: Fully funded. $1000 stipend provided.
Application Deadline: February 23
Program Dates: March 22–June 14 (documentary filmmaking) | March 23–June 8 (narrative filmmaking)
Eligibility: Applicants must be in grades 10 or 11 in high school to participate.
9. Robinson Film Center Teen Council
The Teen Film Council at Robinson Film Center gives you the chance to explore filmmaking through workshops led by industry professionals. You will learn screenwriting, lighting, editing, and special effects while collaborating with peers to create short films. The program combines film history, technical training, and creative storytelling, with opportunities to take on leadership roles in group projects.
Guest speakers from the film industry will share insights into their careers, and all experience levels are welcome. You will take part in hands-on activities, discussions, and screenings in a supportive environment that helps you develop a deeper understanding of cinema.
Location: Robinson Center, Little Rock, AR
Cost/Stipend: Free of cost
Application Deadline: January 24
Program Dates: 10-week sessions in the fall and spring. Sep 23 — Dec 16 | Jan 27 — Apr 14
Eligibility: Open to all high school students.
10. StudioBinder’s Filmmaking Courses
StudioBinder offers free, self-paced online courses for high school students and aspiring filmmakers. You will learn cinematography, screenwriting, and pre-production through structured video lessons. The platform also provides tools to create shot lists, storyboards, and production schedules, helping you plan and execute film projects on your own. Whether you want to direct, write, or produce, StudioBinder’s free resources can support your filmmaking journey.
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free of cost
Application Deadline: Open enrollment
Program Dates: Open to starting any time!
Eligibility: Open to all aspiring filmmakers.
Bonus –
Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students in subjects such as data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more. You can choose between quantitative or qualitative research, allowing you to focus on the method that suits your interests.
Once you’ve selected your area of study and research approach, you’ll be matched with a professor or PhD scholar from a top university who will guide you throughout the research process. Your goal will be to produce a 20-page, university-level research paper, which you may submit to academic journals for publication. This program offers an opportunity to conduct research in specialized fields with the support of an experienced scholar. Apply here!
Location: Virtual
Cost: Full financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines for each of 4 annual cohorts
Program Dates: Spring: March 3; Summer: June 16! Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply 4 weeks in advance.
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
Lumiere Research Scholar Program
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program offers high school students the chance to work closely with a Ph.D. mentor on an independent research project over 12 weeks. You’ll be paired with a mentor who will guide you through the research process in areas such as history, art, literature, culture, and more.
By the end of the program, you’ll have completed your research paper. This program offers a personalized and focused approach to research at the high school level. Find more details about the application here!
Location: Remote – you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Full financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. The Summer Cohort I priority application deadline is March 9!
Program Dates: Summer: June – August, fall: September – December, winter: December – February, spring: March – June
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school. Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement. (Note. Students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4). No previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
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