Filmmaking Institute
Lights. Camera. Action. Tell the story.
The Wake Forest Summer Immersion Program Filmmaking Institute is an unforgettable experience for high school students. Do you have an interest in filmmaking? Are you passionate about storytelling? Do you love shooting vlogs and dream about creating the next great movie, Do you have an interest in filmmaking? Are you passionate about storytelling? Do you love shooting vlogs and dream about creating the next great movie, documentary, or television series? If so, then the Filmmaking Institute is for you. The Filmmaking Institute is a week-long program designed for high school students to gain an understanding of visual storytelling and the fundamentals of film production. Students will learn about various film forms, including documentary filmmaking and narrative storytelling. Students will create two short films by the end of the week.
At a Glance
2025 Dates: Week of June 8 – 13
Program Length: Sunday – Friday, overnight
Who Can Apply?: Current 9th – 12th grade students
Tuition: $3,200
*Tuition is subject to change per year
Location: Winston-Salem, NC – Wake Forest University Reynolda Campus
*Courses carry no secondary school or college credit. Upon completion of the program, an official Wake Forest University Certificate of Completion will be awarded to all Filmmaking Institute participants.
What You’ll Experience
Topics Covered:
- Fundamentals of Filmmaking
- Camera and Sound Basics
- Storyboarding and Basics of Screenwriting
- How to Interview for Documentaries
- Video Editing – Using Premiere Pro
Hands-On Experiences:
- Work to create two short films
- Watch and analyze different styles of filmmaking
- Engage in discussion with film professionals
- Hear about trends and see behind the scenes
*Hands-on experiences are subject to change.
A Day in the Life
Typical Daily Schedule
- 8:00 am – Morning Meeting and Breakfast
- 9:00 am – Welcome and Program Introduction
- 9:30 am – Special Guest Lecture: Jobs in the film industry
- 10:00 am – Technical Skills: Fundamentals of Using Adobe Premiere Pro for Film Editing
- 12:00 pm – Lunch and Learn: Watch a Documentary Film
- 1:00 pm – Create your own documentary!
- 4:30 pm – Debrief for the Next Day
- 5:30 pm – Dinner
- 6:30 pm – Evening Activities
- 7:30 pm – Free Time
- 9:00 pm – Prepare for Bed
- 10:30 pm – Lights Out
*The “A Day in the Life” sample schedule is subject to change.
Meet the Academic Leader
Christopher Zaluski
Academic Leader, Filmmaking Institute
Zaluski is an associate teaching professor at the Wake Forest University Documentary Film Program. Prior to higher education, he worked as a multimedia journalist for The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and The Roanoke Times and spent time as the Director of Video at Teach For America.
His work has earned him distinctions from such organizations as the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Webby Awards, Broadcast Education Association, and the Online News Association. His work has screened at film festivals, museums, and universities around the world and can be found on most major streaming platforms.
Originally from Canton, Ohio, he enjoys cheering for the Cleveland Guardians, singing Karaoke, and eating perogies.
