We offer workshops all year round to middle and high schoolers (ages 11-18). Click on the workshop titles to expand the class description. Applications are downloadable as a pdf.
Summer workshops can be purchased online through PayPal. Please note: there is an additional transaction fee built into the cost of the workshop when purchasing online. You may also send in a check with the applicatioafn to:
Light House Studio
Attn: Summer Workshops
121 E. Water Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902
workshops
Summer registration is now open! Scroll below to see what we’re offering this year!
summer 2012
Summer registration is now open! Summer workshops can be purchased online through PayPal. Please note: there is an additional transaction fee built into the cost of the workshop when purchasing online. Click the “View Cart” button at the bottom of the page to finalize your purchase.
You may also send in a check for the original amount with the application by mail. For questions, contact Rebekah at rbrooks@lighthousestudio.org.
Click below for details on these upcoming workshops.
Introduction to Filmmaking (2 sessions)
Session I:
June 4 – 8, Monday – Friday, 9am-3pm
Session II:
June 11 – 15, Monday – Friday, 9am-3pm
TUITION: $225
A survey of the wide world of movie production, Intro to Filmmaking covers both media literacy and film production. Students examine Hollywood classics and are exposed to the production techniques of animation, documentary, and narrative filmmaking and finish out the week by making a short film piece of their choice.
APPLICATION (Session I) [pdf]
APPLICATION (Session II) [pdf]
Purchase online: $232 (includes transaction fee)
Introduction to Animation-- FULL
THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL.
To be placed on a waitlist, please call 434-293-6992.
June 18 – 22, Monday – Friday
9am-3pm
TUITION: $225
Discover the endless creative possibilities of animation! The Intro to Animation Workshop allows budding filmmakers to unlock their inner creative potential through claymation, illustration and other exciting animation techniques. Perfect for middle and high school students with limited animation experience.
Reel Stories: Documentary Workshop
June 18 – 29, Monday – Friday
9am-3pm
TUITION: $450
Explore Charlottesville’s culture, innovation and occasional controversies through visual storytelling, research, and documentary filmmaking techniques. Students receive instruction in videography, writing, editing, and interviewing before teaming up to document a local person, group or political hot topic.
Purchase online: $464 (includes transaction fee)
Film Directing: Narrative Workshop
July 9 – 20, Monday – Friday
9am-3pm
TUITION: $500
One of America’s greatest homegrown innovations in the fiction film. Existing at the intersection of literature, drama, performance, business and countless other modes of human effort and expression, narrative film is one of the most difficult challenges any person can pursue. In Film Directing, young filmmakers take on that challenge and team up to write, produce and direct a short fiction film with the support of Light House mentors and staff. For High School students only.
Purchase online: $515 (includes transaction fee)
Advanced Animation
July 23 – August 3, Monday – Friday
9am-3pm
TUITION: $450
Discover the endless creative possibilities of animation! The Light House Animation Workshop allows students to realize their wildest and most imaginative stories through claymation, illustration and other exciting animation techniques.
Purchase online: $464 (includes transaction fee)
Music Video Workshop (*ONLY HS SPOTS LEFT*)
August 6 – 10, Monday – Friday
9am-3pm
TUITION: $275
Since its inception, the music video has functioned as cinema’s experimental testing ground, debuting cutting edge techniques and effects before they were used in major Hollywood productions. Some of Hollywood’s greatest directors honed their craft in this short format. In this exciting new workshop, students will collaborate with a local Charlottesville artist or band and put their knowledge to work to produce a music video by the end of the workshop.
*ONLY HIGH SCHOOL SPOTS LEFT*
Purchase online: $283 (includes transaction fee)
Exploring Filmmaking (8-10 year olds)
August 13 – 17, Monday – Friday
9am-1pm
TUITION: $150
A fun hands-on introduction to the exciting world of movie production, this workshop is geared towards younger students (8-10 years old) with an interest in movie making. The students will work in small groups and be guided by mentors through each step of the production process from script to screen. Along the way, they will be exposed to the fundamentals of storyboarding, screenwriting, cinematography, directing and editing. The students will use high-definition video cameras and non-linear editing software just like they do in Hollywood. At the end of the week they will have their own short film that they helped produce.
Purchase online: $155 (includes transaction fee)
spring 2012
Introduction to After Effects
Saturdays, May 26th and June 2nd
10am – 4pm
Tuition: $125
(Scholarships available)
No prior experience needed–just an interest in graphics and effects!
Recommended for 8th graders and above.
For questions, contact Jason Robinson (jason@lighthousestudio.org).
Learn how to digitally enhance your movies with professional titles, motion graphics and other visual effects. Adobe After Effects (AE) is the industry-leading solution for creating sophisticated motion graphics and cinematic visual effects. In this class, students will be introduced to the complete AE workflow, starting with importing video and still images and concluding by rendering and exporting an original composition as a Quicktime movie. All basic applications of the program will be touched upon, including manipulating various forms of media, working with layers, keyframe animation, creating dynamic titles, and basic compositing.
About the Mentor:
Jonah Tobias has been creating graphics and visual effects professionally for 11 years. His work was featured in the Academy Award nominated documentary Super Size Me, he created the intro graphics for TED conferences and TED Talks, and more recently the graphics for Dave Matthews Band and American Idol.
Editing with Final Cut Pro X
Saturdays, April 28th & May 5th
10am – 4pm
Tuition: $125
(Scholarships available)
Light House is offering the opportunity to learn Apple’s newest and most advanced version of the world’s most popular editing software: Final Cut Pro X. This workshop will be taught by Stace Carter, a professional editor, who currently works in the Digital Media Lab at UVA. Stace is an Apple Certified Trainer for Final Cut Pro X and has been editing for 20 years. Here is your chance to learn advanced editing techniques from an expert!
Space is limited. This is an intensive special skills workshop similar to Cinematography and Directing from fall 2011 and students should have had some prior editing experience.
Spring Break Workshop: In the Scene...Behind the Scene
WHO? 10-13 year olds
WHAT? In this acting and filmmaking workshop, kids learn basic camera skills and on-camera Acting technique to make and perform in their own movies!
WHEN? Week of April 2nd – 6th, Mon – Fri 9-3 pm
WHERE? Live Arts & Light House at 123 E. Water St.
WHY? Because you oughta be in pictures! (And you can make ‘em yourself!)
HOW MUCH? $300*
HOW DO I REGISTER? Register online HERE. (Call Bree at 434.977.4177, ext 100 or email for more information.)
During this one-week workshop, Light House Studio and Live Arts present the In The Scene… Behind The Scene Workshop, which simultaneously introduces young filmmakers to the crafts of performance and visual storytelling. A combination acting/filmmaking workshop taught by a Live Arts acting coach and a Light House mentor, young artists spend half of their camp time studying acting and the other half learning basic camera operation and visual story telling techniques. The workshop culminates in a short film combining all the skills and abilities of the group.
Creative Filmmaking: Open Studio
January 15 – May 17, 2012*
Thursdays 4pm-7pm, Sundays 1pm-5pm
*Open Studio will not meet 4/1, 4/5, or 4/8. Additional cancellations may occur. All participants will be notified in advance.
TUITION: $50
An exciting opportunity for young filmmakers and their friends to learn filmmaking tools in a casual, creative environment. Open Studio is designed as a flexible workshop and attendance is always optional. Students have the opportunity to explore storytelling, develop and refine camera skills, learn editing, and develop a personal project while meeting and working with other student filmmakers. It is a great place to work on independent study projects and college portfolios. Students work at their own speed with the support of Light House mentors and other students. Equipment provided. Drop in anytime!
APPLICATION [pdf]
Music Documentary Workshop with the Music Resource Center
Thursdays, March 15th – May 10th*
*(Will not meet 4/5)
4:00-7:00pm
Tuition: FREE upon acceptance
Telling the stories behind great songs has long been a favorite topic of documentary filmmakers. Scorsese, Coppola, and Godard are just a few of the legendary directors to turn their cameras toward the creative process of musicians. In this class, student filmmakers from Light House will team up with student musicians from the Music Resource Center to document the trials and triumphs that go into writing a song, forming a band, and preparing for a performance.
Experimental Film
Wednesdays, April 11th – May 16th
5:00-7:00pm
Tuition: $40
This class is an introduction to the ground breaking (and rule breaking!) world of avant-garde film and video. Through screenings, discussions, and hands-on production, we will explore the intersection of contemporary art and cinema starting with legendary experimental filmmakers such as Stan Brakhage and Maya Deren all of the way to their modern counterparts like Jem Cohen and Jeremy Blake. The class will culminate in a screening of the students’ work at The Bridge PAI in late May.
'What’s Going On C’ville' TV Production Workshop
Mondays (Times, TBD), Jan – May
Light House Studio is teaming up with Lana Young who hosts the television show “What’s Going on C’ville” Most of the shows will be filmed at Light House Studio on alternating Mondays starting 9/26. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about television production and see your show air on television. Credits are given to student participants. Interested students should email rbrooks@lighthousestudio.org.
About the show:
“What’s Going On C’Ville” is a fresh new show celebrating the extraordinary people of Virginia. Our mission is to inspire, motivate and entertain our viewers with a “who’s who” parade of musicians, artists, healers, scientists, filmmakers, historians, heroes and anyone else who is deserving of the spotlight.
C.H.E.C. (Community Homeschool Enrichment Center) Workshop: Sweded Challenge
More info on the CHEC website
Search for your favorite movie on YouTube followed by the word “sweded” and you’ll find hilarious parodies by filmmakers using the sparsest of resources. Inspired by the movie “Be Kind Rewind” with Jack Black, this underground movement is still a cult-favorite. “The Sweded Challenge” workshop will challenge you to “swede” your favorite film either as a live action or animated movie. This is a great exercise in dissecting a film, and learning about style, editing, and how to work with a limited budget. It’s not all just fun and games either: Light House’s 2010 Sweded film “Tron” was accepted into the Chicago Cineyouth Film Festival! Take the challenge!
Coming later this spring:
Music Scoring for Film
Shenandoah National Park Trust Environmental Film
other collaborations in the community:
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Getting to Know You: an Introduction to Filmmaking
In this 8-week workshop at Light House Studio on the Downtown Mall, Matches will use the medium of film to learn more about each other and tell each other’s story. They will be exposed to the wide world of movie production, covering animation, narrative, and documentary filmmaking. Over the course of the workshop, Bigs and Littles will have the unique opportunity to create their own short film. This does not require any experience, only a desire to learn!
Keep it Reel
Light House mentors conduct weekly after-school filmmaking workshop in under-served communities and centers (Westhaven, Southwood Boys and Girls Club, Cherry Avenue Boys and Girls Club).
past workshops
winter 2012
UNICEF Tap Project PSA Workshop
Saturdays, January 14th, 21st, and February 4th, 11th
10am-4pm
TUITION: Free upon acceptance
First appearing in New York City in 2007, the Tap Project is a UNICEF fundraising campaign that recruits restaurants to solicit patrons to donate $1 for their normally free tap water. The funds are collected and used to support UNICEF’s goal to bringing clean drinking water to millions of children worldwide. This is the third year UNICEF and Light House are teaming up to create a Charlottesville specific public service announcement to help get the word out about the project in our area.
APPLICATION [pdf]
Creative Filmmaking Open Studio
January 15 – May 17, 2012*
Thursdays 4pm-7pm, Sundays 1pm-5pm
*Open Studio will not meet 4/1, 4/5, or 4/8. Additional cancellations may occur. All participants will be notified in advance.
TUITION: $50
An exciting opportunity for young filmmakers and their friends to learn filmmaking tools in a casual, creative environment. Open Studio is designed as a flexible workshop and attendance is always optional. Students have the opportunity to explore storytelling, develop and refine camera skills, learn editing, and develop a personal project while meeting and working with other student filmmakers. It is a great place to work on independent study projects and college portfolios. Students work at their own speed with the support of Light House mentors and other students. Equipment provided. Drop in anytime!
APPLICATION [pdf]
STATIC: Cult Classic Edition
Wednesdays, Jan 25th – March 14th
5:30-8pm
TUITION: $45
This session of STATIC is dedicated to the good, the bad and the so-bad-they’re-good world of Cult Cinema. We’ll be watching and discussing both new and old, obscure, misunderstood and forgotten films that have gained notoriety and rabid fan bases for their completely original and sometimes strange take on movie-making.
About STATIC:
You can’t be a great filmmaker without seeing the great films. Static gives young film enthusiasts an opportunity to view modern and classic film works in a critical environment. Once a week, students watch an important film and discuss the cinematic and artistic devices used in the film as well as the film’s cultural impact. These critical discussions are an excellent way for students to increase their analytical abilities as well as their media literacy. It’s also an incredibly fun environment for young people to meet peers with similar interests and to see some films they have heard about but never taken the time to watch.
APPLICATION [pdf]
IRC Documentary Workshop
Saturdays, Feb 25 – April 21*
*Will not meet 3/31 or 4/7; additional meeting times may be scheduled with advance notice
10am – 12pm
TUITION: Free upon acceptance (Previous Light House experience OR instructor permission required. Email Jason with questions (jason@lighthousestudio.org).
Light House Studio and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) team up to give refugee youth settled in Charlottesville a chance to learn filmmaking skills and tell their stories. This event pairs experienced Light House teen filmmakers with students from the IRC to create short videos about the challenges of leaving home and coming to the US.
APPLICATION [pdf]
'What’s Going On C’ville' TV Production Workshop
Mondays (Times, TBD), Jan – May
Light House Studio is teaming up with Lana Young who hosts the television show “What’s Going on C’ville” Most of the shows will be filmed at Light House Studio on alternating Mondays starting 9/26. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about television production and see your show air on television. Credits are given to student participants. Interested students should email rbrooks@lighthousestudio.org.
About the show:
“What’s Going On C’Ville” is a fresh new show celebrating the extraordinary people of Virginia. Our mission is to inspire, motivate and entertain our viewers with a “who’s who” parade of musicians, artists, healers, scientists, filmmakers, historians, heroes and anyone else who is deserving of the spotlight.
C.H.E.C. (Community Homeschool Enrichment Center) Workshops
(More info on the C.H.E.C website)
Introduction to Stop-Motion Animation
Thursdays, Jan 5 – March 1
10-11:30am
Discover the endless creative possibilities of stop motion animation and learn the secrets behind classic films like The Fantastic Mr. Fox and Wallace and Gromit! The Intro to Stop Motion Animation Workshop allows budding filmmakers to unlock their inner creative potential through claymation, illustration and other exciting animation techniques. This class is recommended for students between the ages of 9-12 with an interest in animation. No prior experience is required.
Rosebuds to Robots: A History of Cinema
Fridays, Jan 6 – March 2
10-11:30am
You can’t be a great filmmaker without seeing the great films. In this class young film enthusiasts will have an opportunity to view modern and classic films in a fun yet academic environment. Each week, students will explore a different genre from the history of cinema (Sci-Fi, Film Noir, Western) by viewing clips from several significant movies and discussing the production techniques as well as the cultural impact of the work. These critical discussions are an excellent way for students to increase their analytical abilities as well as their media literacy. It’s also an incredibly fun environment for young people to meet peers with similar interests and to see some films they have heard about but never taken the time to watch.
Saturdays, January 14th, 21st, and February 4th, 11th
10am-4pm
TUITION: Free upon acceptance
First appearing in New York City in 2007, the Tap Project is a UNICEF fundraising campaign that recruits restaurants to solicit patrons to donate $1 for their normally free tap water. The funds are collected and used to support UNICEF’s goal to bringing clean drinking water to millions of children worldwide. This is the third year UNICEF and Light House are teaming up to create a Charlottesville specific public service announcement to help get the word out about the project in our area.
APPLICATION [pdf]
January 15 – May 17, 2012*
Thursdays 4pm-7pm, Sundays 1pm-5pm
*Open Studio will not meet 4/1, 4/5, or 4/8. Additional cancellations may occur. All participants will be notified in advance.
TUITION: $50
An exciting opportunity for young filmmakers and their friends to learn filmmaking tools in a casual, creative environment. Open Studio is designed as a flexible workshop and attendance is always optional. Students have the opportunity to explore storytelling, develop and refine camera skills, learn editing, and develop a personal project while meeting and working with other student filmmakers. It is a great place to work on independent study projects and college portfolios. Students work at their own speed with the support of Light House mentors and other students. Equipment provided. Drop in anytime!
APPLICATION [pdf]
Wednesdays, Jan 25th – March 14th
5:30-8pm
TUITION: $45
This session of STATIC is dedicated to the good, the bad and the so-bad-they’re-good world of Cult Cinema. We’ll be watching and discussing both new and old, obscure, misunderstood and forgotten films that have gained notoriety and rabid fan bases for their completely original and sometimes strange take on movie-making.
About STATIC:
You can’t be a great filmmaker without seeing the great films. Static gives young film enthusiasts an opportunity to view modern and classic film works in a critical environment. Once a week, students watch an important film and discuss the cinematic and artistic devices used in the film as well as the film’s cultural impact. These critical discussions are an excellent way for students to increase their analytical abilities as well as their media literacy. It’s also an incredibly fun environment for young people to meet peers with similar interests and to see some films they have heard about but never taken the time to watch.
APPLICATION [pdf]
Saturdays, Feb 25 – April 21*
*Will not meet 3/31 or 4/7; additional meeting times may be scheduled with advance notice
10am – 12pm
TUITION: Free upon acceptance (Previous Light House experience OR instructor permission required. Email Jason with questions (jason@lighthousestudio.org).
Light House Studio and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) team up to give refugee youth settled in Charlottesville a chance to learn filmmaking skills and tell their stories. This event pairs experienced Light House teen filmmakers with students from the IRC to create short videos about the challenges of leaving home and coming to the US.
APPLICATION [pdf]
Mondays (Times, TBD), Jan – May
Light House Studio is teaming up with Lana Young who hosts the television show “What’s Going on C’ville” Most of the shows will be filmed at Light House Studio on alternating Mondays starting 9/26. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about television production and see your show air on television. Credits are given to student participants. Interested students should email rbrooks@lighthousestudio.org.
About the show:
“What’s Going On C’Ville” is a fresh new show celebrating the extraordinary people of Virginia. Our mission is to inspire, motivate and entertain our viewers with a “who’s who” parade of musicians, artists, healers, scientists, filmmakers, historians, heroes and anyone else who is deserving of the spotlight.
(More info on the C.H.E.C website)
Introduction to Stop-Motion Animation
Thursdays, Jan 5 – March 1
10-11:30am
Discover the endless creative possibilities of stop motion animation and learn the secrets behind classic films like The Fantastic Mr. Fox and Wallace and Gromit! The Intro to Stop Motion Animation Workshop allows budding filmmakers to unlock their inner creative potential through claymation, illustration and other exciting animation techniques. This class is recommended for students between the ages of 9-12 with an interest in animation. No prior experience is required.
Rosebuds to Robots: A History of Cinema
Fridays, Jan 6 – March 2
10-11:30am
You can’t be a great filmmaker without seeing the great films. In this class young film enthusiasts will have an opportunity to view modern and classic films in a fun yet academic environment. Each week, students will explore a different genre from the history of cinema (Sci-Fi, Film Noir, Western) by viewing clips from several significant movies and discussing the production techniques as well as the cultural impact of the work. These critical discussions are an excellent way for students to increase their analytical abilities as well as their media literacy. It’s also an incredibly fun environment for young people to meet peers with similar interests and to see some films they have heard about but never taken the time to watch.