Film programs for high school students can take many forms, from short-term workshops and summer intensives to semester-long classes and paid internships. Some focus on hands-on production, where you write, shoot, and edit original projects, while others emphasize screenwriting, film analysis, or the operational side of arts and media organizations. These programs may be hosted by universities, independent film schools, museums, or public arts institutions, and can be in-person, online, or hybrid. What connects them is structured instruction, guided projects, and exposure to how film and media are created and managed. Participation often results in completed work, such as a short film, a script, or documented professional experience.
Why should you participate in film programs in NYC?
New York City offers access to an active film and media ecosystem rather than a purely classroom-based setting. Many programs operate alongside working production environments, cultural institutions, and professional artists, which shape both curriculum and expectations. Coursework may incorporate real locations, industry-standard tools, and current production workflows. NYC-based programs also span multiple areas of film, including narrative production, documentary work, screenwriting, media studies, and arts administration. The city’s concentration of universities, film schools, museums, and nonprofits allows you to pursue more targeted interests instead of a single generalized path.
The following list outlines 15 film programs for high school students in NYC that differ in structure, focus, and duration, helping you identify options aligned with your goals.
However, if you’re interested in exploring other relevant creative fields, check out these blogs on creative writing summer camps and art internships for high schoolers.
15 Film Programs for High School Students in NYC
1. Tisch Future Artists
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: January 31 – May 9
Application Deadline: August – November 10
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-11
Tisch Future Artists is a fully-funded 14-week spring program that runs on Saturdays and introduces you to university-level arts training at NYU. If you choose the Future Filmmakers track, you’ll focus specifically on developing personal voice and storytelling through hands-on filmmaking projects. Classes and workshops are taught by Tisch School of the Arts faculty and mirror the rigor of undergraduate coursework. You’ll spend full days working through creative exercises, production fundamentals, and collaborative assignments. The curriculum is focused on articulating ideas visually while gaining exposure to all stages of the filmmaking process.
2. NYU Precollege
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost: Varies by course and unit
Dates: July 1 – August 12
Application Deadline: June 15
Eligibility: Rising 11th-12th graders with a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
NYU Precollege allows you to enroll in actual undergraduate courses for college credit while living or commuting in New York City. Film-related options include classes such as The Language of Film, Producing Essentials, and Arts & Media, all taught by NYU faculty. You’ll work on the same assignments and projects as degree-seeking undergraduates, with coursework designed around lectures, readings, and analytical or creative work. Courses run in small, college-style classes rather than workshop intensives. In addition to academics, you’ll attend College 101 sessions that cover admissions, financial aid, and academic planning. Access to NYU libraries and campus resources is included.
3. Tisch Summer High School Filmmakers Workshop
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost: $8,008 (additional fees apply); Limited full scholarships offered
Dates: July 5 – August 1
Application Deadline: December 1
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.0
The Tisch Summer High School Filmmakers Workshop is a full-time, weekday program offered through the Kanbar Institute of Film and Television. As a participant, you will spend Monday through Friday in academic classes, production workshops, and post-production labs using professional digital cameras and editing workstations. The curriculum parallels NYU’s undergraduate filmmaking program and does not require prior film experience. Early exercises introduce documentary, narrative, and experimental approaches while building comfort with equipment. You’ll work in crews to write, direct, and edit multiple short projects, including a final 3-4 minute film. The program concludes with faculty and public screenings of student work.
4. Frank Sinatra School of the Arts – Summer Arts Institute
Location: Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, Astoria, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: July 7 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Students entering grades 8-12 who are currently enrolled in or will enroll in a New York City Department of Education public high school
Summer Arts Institute is a free, four-week program for NYC public high school students pursuing intermediate or advanced arts training. If you major in film, your days are structured around studio work led by professional artists and Department of Education arts specialists. The instruction is supplemented by workshops, rehearsals, and visits to cultural institutions across the city. Partner organizations such as Ghetto Film School and other arts institutions contribute mentorship and exposure, and career pathways in arts and media are discussed alongside hands-on training. You’ll focus on developing technical skills while also building a portfolio for future study. The program ends with a public exhibition or performance showcasing original student work.
5. New York University : Online High School Screenwriters Workshop
Location: Virtual
Cost: $8,008
Dates: July 6 – 31
Application Deadline: Early: May 11; Final: June 10
Eligibility: High school first-years, sophomores, juniors, and seniors
NYU’s Online High School Screenwriters Workshop introduces you to writing for film and television in a fully remote format. The course combines pre-recorded lessons, weekly writing assignments, and live one-on-one video meetings with a Tisch instructor. You’ll work through core elements such as character development, story structure, and visual storytelling. Writing exercises and film analysis form the foundation of the curriculum, and collaboration with peers happens through feedback and discussion. By the end of the program, you’ll have completed scripted scenes, a short screenplay, and a synopsis for a longer project.
6. New York Film Academy : 1-Week Filmmaking Camp for Teens
Location: New York Film Academy, New York, NY
Cost: $1,552.50
Dates: Multiple sessions between July and August
Application Deadline: Open enrollment year-round
Eligibility: High school students aged 14-17
NYFA’s 1-Week Filmmaking Camp is an intensive, hands-on introduction to visual storytelling. Over the course of one week, you’ll write, direct, shoot, and edit a short non-dialogue film. The curriculum covers directing fundamentals, basic story structure, camera operation, lighting, and digital editing using Adobe Premiere or DaVinci Resolve. Lessons are paired with practical exercises designed to move quickly from concept to execution. You’ll also get to rotate through crew roles on classmates’ projects. The final film relies entirely on visuals, music, and sound effects rather than spoken dialogue.
7. New York Film Academy: 6-Week Summer Film Camp for Teens
Location: New York Film Academy, New York, NY
Cost: $6,592.50
Dates: June 28 – August 8
Application Deadline: Open enrollment year-round
Eligibility: High school students aged 14-17
The NYFA 6-Week Filmmaking Program is structured as two consecutive three-week sessions that progress from visual storytelling to dialogue-driven filmmaking. In the first half, you’ll produce non-dialogue films focused on continuity and music-based montage. The second half introduces directing actors, recording professional sound, and writing scripted dialogue. Across six weeks, you complete three short films: a continuity project, a music or montage film, and a dialogue film. The experience covers directing, cinematography, lighting, sound recording, editing, and producing. You’ll rotate through key crew positions to gain set experience beyond directing.
8. New York Film Academy: 3-Week Online Filmmaking Camp
Location: New York Film Academy, New York, NY
Cost: $2,025 (early bird discount: $1,822.50)
Dates: July 20 – August 7
Application Deadline: Open enrollment year-round
Eligibility: High school students aged 14-17
NYFA’s 3-Week Online Filmmaking Camp adapts its hands-on curriculum to a remote environment using mobile devices and accessible editing software. As a participant, you will write, direct, shoot, and edit two non-dialogue short films while attending live Zoom classes. The instruction focuses on visual storytelling, story structure, cinematography with natural light, and editing with Adobe Rush. Days are split between virtual classroom sessions and independent filming at home, and each completed film is screened and critiqued by faculty online. Peer feedback sessions replicate collaborative studio dynamics.
9. New York Film Academy : 1-Week Filmmaking Camp for Teens
Location: New York Film Academy, New York, NY
Cost: $ 742.50
Dates: July 27 – 31
Application Deadline: Open enrollment year-round
Eligibility: High school students aged 14-17
The 1-Week Online Filmmaking Camp provides a short, structured introduction to filmmaking for students working remotely. Classes are held live via Zoom and focus on core concepts such as directing, writing, cinematography, and editing. You’ll complete all production using a phone or available camera and edit with Adobe Rush. The primary assignment is a 2-3 minute non-dialogue film developed over the week. The program balances lectures with guided production exercises. Peer collaboration and critique are built into the schedule.
10. Brooklyn Interns for Arts and Culture (BIAC)
Location: Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, NY
Stipend: Paid
Dates: Summer: 1 week in August; Fall: October – December; Spring: February – June
Application Deadline: June
Eligibility: Rising seniors attending a high school in one of the five New York boroughs (Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island, Queens, or the Bronx); Must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher
Brooklyn Interns for Arts and Culture is a paid, year-long after-school internship focused on arts management and cultural organizations. You’ll join a small cohort and gain behind-the-scenes exposure to performing arts venues such as BAM. The program includes workshops on arts administration, public speaking, wellness, and career planning. As an intern, you’ll receive comprehensive support for college applications and post-high-school decision-making. Professional resume development and networking are core components.
11. School of Creative and Performing Arts (SOCAPA) Summer Film Camps: Core Filmmaking
Location: SOCAPA Arts, New York, NY
Cost: Varies
Dates: Multiple sessions between June and August
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students ages 15-18
SOCAPA’s Core Filmmaking program is a multi-week summer intensive structured like an introductory college filmmaking course. You’ll rotate between writing, directing, cinematography, sound recording, and editing while producing a film each week. The program begins with fundamentals before moving into supervised production by midweek. Projects include the Lumière Film, a continuity-based Porter Film, and a longer final project inspired by Kubrick. You’ll crew on classmates’ films in roles such as cinematographer or sound technician. Each project is critiqued in class and screened for the full camp.
12. SOCAPA: Advanced Filmmaking
Location: SOCAPA Arts, New York, NY
Cost: Varies
Dates: Multiple sessions between June and August
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students ages 15-18
SOCAPA’s Advanced Filmmaking intensive is designed for students with prior production experience and requires a completed film for admission. You’ll work on creating two polished short films intended for college applications or festival submission. The curriculum expands into advanced cinematography, sound, editing, and directing actors. Writing workshops are focused on script refinement and performance-driven storytelling, and students receive one-on-one advisement throughout from instructors with professional and festival experience. Projects draw inspiration from filmmakers such as Hitchcock and Kurosawa to explore visual narrative and performance.
13. SOCAPA: Summer Screenwriting Camps
Location: SOCAPA Arts, New York, NY
Cost: Varies
Dates: Multiple sessions between June and August
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students ages 15-18
SOCAPA’s Screenwriting Camps are two or three-week intensives focused on writing for film and television. As a participant, you’ll develop multiple short scripts or the first act of a longer screenplay through varied workshops. Morning sessions focus on story theory, structure, and screenplay analysis. Afternoons are dedicated to supervised writing labs and individual feedback. Peer critique is a central part of the curriculum through group readings and pitch sessions. In longer sessions, you will collaborate on a group film project to understand how scripts translate to production.
14. Museum of the Moving Image Teen Council
Location: Queens
Stipend: Paid
Dates: November – May
Application Deadline: October 17
Eligibility: High school students (15+) in grades 10-12
The MoMI Teen Council is a paid workforce development program for NYC teens interested in media, film, and cultural institutions. Council members meet from November through May on select Wednesdays and Saturdays. As a member, you’ll help curate youth-focused public programs, including the Museum’s Teen Film Festival. The role includes mentorship from museum educators, filmmakers, and programmers. You’ll also gain experience in event planning, project management, and cultural programming. The program explores both the history and technology of the moving image.
15. UCLA Emerging Filmmakers: TV Writing
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,955 + $35 non-refundable application fee; Scholarships available
Dates: July 20 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 15 (rolling)
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12 with a GPA of 3.2+; A TOEFL score of 100+ is required for international applicants
UCLA Emerging Filmmakers: TV Writing introduces you to professional television writing through a structured, workshop-based curriculum. Guided by an industry professional, you’ll develop an original series concept while working in a simulated writers’ room. Core activities in this online program include pitching ideas, breaking story arcs, and drafting a beat sheet and pilot teaser. You’ll also create a visual pitch deck and participate in collaborative feedback sessions. The program concludes with a live table read performed by professional actors, and one-on-one portfolio reviews help outline the next academic or creative steps. A certificate of completion is awarded at the end.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like investigative film, media studies, journalism, and the ethics of information, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image Source – Museum of the Moving Image