Lights, Camera, Action!

Middle & High School Students to Create Movies at C.W. Post Summer Film Camp

March 24, 2003 — Matthew Tarle always loved movies. But it wasn’t until he attended the Summer Film Camp at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University in Brookville, N.Y., that he finally made up his mind to make films for a living.

"The camp is what really got me focused," says Tarle of Rockland County, now an 18-year-old college student studying filmmaking. "The program is like the real world, and it was a great opportunity for kids with enough interest in film to get together for the summer and make movies."

This year’s crop of campers will spend their vacations writing scripts, directing films and editing final footage. There is also a separate Acting for Film program for those interested in being in front of the camera. And when they finish the program, each student will return home with a DVD of all the films they created or performed in, an impressive addition to any college application.

"Even if they don’t go on to be professional filmmakers or actors, this program gives them a strong appreciation for the art of making movies," says Jamie Yerkes, a cinematographer, editor and writer/director who directs the camp and serves as a professor of film at C.W. Post. "It’s a nice way to test the waters before signing on to a four-year college program."

Students begin the Summer Filmmaking Program with classes in writing, directing and camera technology. They gradually move on to writing their own stories and getting one-to-one feedback from instructors.  They’ll learn about producing, casting, directing and everything in between. In short, they will learn what it takes to put out a good film. Students in the Acting for Film program take classes in scene study, movement, method acting and auditioning. When the students in the Filmmaking program go out to make their films each week, they utilize the talent in the Acting for Film program.

The best part is that they’ll learn it all from some of the brightest young filmmakers in the industry. And they will learn on the latest equipment available. Students can choose to shoot with 16-mm cameras or state-of-the-art, 3-chip digital cameras with synchronous sound. They all edit their films on non-linear, digital computer systems known as Avid and Final Cut Pro, which enables their final four films to have multi-track sound that incorporates music, voiceovers, sound effects and dialogue.

Yerkes and his staff will make full use of C.W. Post’s location on Long Island’s North Shore. Students can choose to film on the beautiful Brookville campus, at local beaches or in nearby New York City. There will also be field trips to film screenings, concerts and popular eateries.

"With C.W. Post’s proximity to New York City, we get the best of both worlds," says Yerkes. "We get to take advantage of all the industry resources and activities the city has to offer, while still enjoying all of the locations and luxuries of a summer beach resort. You can’t beat that for a summer learning experience."

The Summer Filmmaking and Acting for Film programs are each divided into two divisions: High School (ages 14-18) and Youth Filmmakers (ages 10-13). Programs range in length from two weeks to eight weeks. Sessions begin June 22 and end August 16. Tuition fees vary.

The Film Camp is co-sponsored by the C.W. Post Campus and the Manhattan School of Cinema, a non-profit educational institution. For more information call Professor Jamie Yerkes at 516-299-2114, 212-941-7711 or Jamie.yerkes@liu.edu. For further information visit www.filmit.org.