New York Film Academy
Film Making Summer School

4001-699-686

Modules

Directing
Develop visual storytelling and cinematic language, and complete hands-on directing practice from concept to final film
Screenwriting
Strengthen narrative structure and character development, transforming creative ideas into production-ready scripts
Cinematography
Learn professional camera operation and shooting techniques, taking on different roles within a film crew to experience the full filmmaking process
Film Editing
Master industry-standard editing software and post-production workflows, and witness the transformation from raw footage to a finished film

New York Film Academy

New York Film Academy (NYFA) is a world-renowned institution specializing in film and performing arts education. The Academy is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), one of the six regional accrediting bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. WASC accreditation is widely regarded as one of the highest standards in higher education quality assurance in the United States.

Founded by film and Broadway producer Jerry Sherlock, NYFA has always upheld a core belief: anyone with passion and dreams for filmmaking deserves access to high-quality film education. Each year, thousands of students from diverse academic backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures travel from around the world to study professional, hands-on filmmaking programs at NYFA. Today, the New York Film Academy has become one of the most influential centers of film education globally and is a preferred choice for many Hollywood film professionals.

Every year, hundreds of students from China travel to the United States to participate in NYFA’s filmmaking programs. Since 2016, NYFA has partnered with ASEEDER to offer a filmmaking program for secondary school students at the Beijing Film Academy, allowing Chinese students to receive the original NYFAstyle American film education locally, without traveling abroad.

 
Review
New York Film Academy Present
Student assessment

项目亮点


纽约电影学院官方夏校

  • 纽约电影学院金牌导师团队来华线下教授专业电影艺术类课程
  • 收获纽约电影学院官方结业证书，产出个人电影作品
  • 为同学申请世界名校提供证明艺术能力的有力支持，结交世界各地影视朋友
  • 加入“电影创作小组”体验电影孵化过程中的不同角色与技能
  • 所有教学设施与专业电影拍摄设备均由纽约电影学院统一提供，提升专业视角和认知


Course Contents

■ Directing

Directing is the art of visual storytelling. Students will learn how to communicate narrative through cinematic language, including blocking, composition, pacing, and continuity editing. Through film analysis and hands-on group exercises, students will develop the ability to coordinate script, cinematography, lighting, and performance as a director.

Screenwriting ■

How does a creative idea become a compelling, filmable script? Students will explore story structure, theme, character development, conflict, and emotional arcs. Through guided practice, they will develop character backstories, story outlines, and ultimately a production-ready screenplay that serves as the foundation for their final film project.

■ Cinematography

Cinematography is a core component of the program. Students will receive systematic training in the use of professional camera equipment and practical shooting techniques. Topics include camera setup and maintenance, focus and exposure, lens language, camera movement, visual rhythm, dynamic range, and color control—helping students build a strong visual sensibility

Team-Based Filmmaking Practice ■

Students will work in small production teams of 5–6 members, rotating through roles such as screenwriter, director, cinematographer, lighting technician, editor, and actor. This project-based approach allows students to experience the entire filmmaking process, from pre-production planning to on-set execution and post-production.

■ Film Editing

This module introduces students to the full post-production workflow, from raw footage to final cut. Students will learn industry-standard editing software (such as DaVinci Resolve), timeline editing, montage techniques, sound-image relationships, and post-production logic, completing their films under professional guidance.

Sample Faculty

* For reference only. Please be subject to the final arrangement of the summer school.

Mike Civille

MFA in Film Studies (Boston University); PhD in American Studies
Mike is a film scholar and director whose work bridges academic research and cinematic practice. He has presented research on Hollywood cinema and popular culture at leading institutions, including the Society for Cinema and Media Studies, the Popular/American Culture Association, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. His short film After June (2006) screened at major international festivals such as the Tribeca Film Festival and the Palm Springs International ShortFest, demonstrating his ability to translate film theory into impactful visual storytelling.

Scott Marshall

Veteran Hollywood director and actor
Marshall is a director and actor with over 30 years of experience in the film industry. He began his career as an actor, appearing in iconic television series such as Laverne & Shirley, Happy Days, and Mork & Mindy. He later transitioned into directing, with works including Keeping Up with the Steins, Blonde Ambition, and All’s Faire in Love and War. His films span comedy and romance and are known for their lighthearted tone and nuanced character development.

Nick Ozeki

MFA from Chapman University; BA from Amherst College
Nick Ozeki holds a master’s degree from Chapman University, one of the world’s leading film schools, and a bachelor’s degree from Amherst College, a top U.S. liberal arts institution. He is an accomplished writer and director whose feature film work received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Awards. Selected for the Fox Writers Program, Nick combines strong academic training with extensive industry experience and has been deeply involved in teaching masterclasses.

Fong

MFA in Filmmaking, New York Film Academy
Fong holds a Master’s degree in Filmmaking from the New York Film Academy. During his studies, his work was nominated for Best Director at the New York Film Festival. He brings diverse teaching and industry experience, having taught directing and post-production editing at universities and mentored students who went on to win national collegiate visual arts awards. Fong has also served as a short film editing instructor for CCTV-6 training programs.

Sample Schedule

Date 9:00-12:00 13:30-16:45 After 17:00
Day 1  • Students Arrive • Registration
*Check-in usually starts around 3:00 PM. Group students will depart from the hotel together, while day students should check in on campus independently. Final timing will be confirmed by the team leader.
• Orientation		 • Finish Assignments
• Crews Shooting
• Group Work
Day 2 • Screenwriting: Learning how to create the stories of movie
• Hands on Camera: Learning how to use cameras and photographic equipment.		 • Hands on Camera: Learning how to use cameras and photographic equipment.
• Director’s Craft：Understanding writing and directing
• Case Study：Selection of movie clips
Day 3 • Director’s Craft：Learn how to act as a director and how to coordinate the shooting of a film
• Hands on Camera ：Using and operation of cameras and photographic equipment.		 • Hands on Camera：Understanding digital media, including shutter speed, aperture, and focal length.
• Director’s Craft ：Understanding shot scheduling, visual storytelling, and continuity editing, among other filmmaking techniques.
Day 4 • Editing：How to bring written creativity to the screen
• Hands On Lighting： Learn how to use lighting		 • Editing：How to be a screenwriter
• Hands On Lighting：Learn how to use lighting
• Group Work
Day 5 • Team Project Brainstorming: Students will work in teams to initiate an original filming project, completing script development, role assignment, and storyboard design.
• Filming Project Guidance: Instructors will review each team’s filming plan and provide feedback and suggestions to help optimize their shooting strategies.
• Film Shooting: Team members will carry out preliminary location shoots and gather video footage according to their filming plans.
Day 6 • Film Shooting: Team members will carry out preliminary location shoots and gather video footage according to their filming plans.
• Edit Films：Operation of video editing software and post-production.
Day 7 • Edit Films：Operation of video editing software and post-production.  • Edit Films：Importing and capturing materials, creating a timeline, inserting materials, applying digital effects, and creating digital audio tracks.
Day 8 • Turn In Final Films
• Turn In Final Films		 • Graduation Ceremony • Students Leave

*Final schedule is subject to the New York Film Academy’s official plan. Parents are welcome to attend the final project screening via reservation.
*Filming equipment and editing software follow the instructor’s requirements.

Achievements

Certificate of completion from the New York Film Academy

Expressive Art Certificate by ASDAN UK

Completion of an original short film (written, directed, shot, and edited by students)

All student films will be screened on the final day during the graduation ceremony. Parents are welcome to attend. (Reservation required; details to be announced during the program.

Testimonials

During the film course, my favorite project was the final class where we reviewed and critiqued everyone’s work. In this process, we heard perspectives from different angles, bringing various creative ideas, opinions, and feedback. This gave us affirmation as well as directions for improvement. Professional instructors also provided detailed analyses and critiques on our shots, music, angles, and frame composition. These insights greatly contributed to our growth, allowing us to learn about filmmaking in a more direct way. Moreover, by seeing the final product we created, we could recognize our own weaknesses and areas for improvement.

—Wang

Hangzhou Shanghai World Foreign Language School
In the directing class, I learned about the complete filmmaking process and truly appreciated the greatness of creating a film, where every step is important. Filmmaking emphasizes practice—having a good idea is just the first step, but bringing it to life is far more complex than imagined. The shooting tasks assigned by the instructors allowed me to fully practice techniques such as camera movement and editing. Through their feedback, I was able to identify shortcomings and improve for next time.

— Wu

Beijing No. 80 High School

Outcomes

 
Student's work 2025
Student's work 2024
Student's work 2023
Student's work 2022
Student's work 2021
Student's work 2019
Student's work 2018
Student's work 2017
Student's work 2016
Student's work 2015

2025 Selected Outstanding Student Works Showcase

 

Time Paradox

THE CUBE

Another

The Note

2024 Selected Outstanding Student Works Showcase

 

Where are you going, Where have you been

Journey

Illusion

Flower

2023 Student's Work

 

Mia

Deadman's Gun

A Dream Come True

A Done Deal

Student's Independently Created Short Film

2022 Students’ Work

 

The Man in the Shadows

Fantasy travel

Student's Independently Created Short Film

2021 Students’ Work

 

Timeline

绑？


  

Students work in groups of 6 to produce a 5-minute short film.

2019 Students’ Work（Section A）

I dream of you

The rabbit

Utopia

who am i

  

2019 Students’ Work（Section B）

Time starts

我太难了

Six students form a group to complete a 5-minute short film.

2018 Students’ Work（Section A）

 

The Letters

Redemption

Ready for it

Crush

2018 Students’ Work （Section B）

 

decay

The confession of Murderer

A Lesson

Big Bro

Six students form a group to complete a 5-minute short film.

2017 Students’ Work（Section A）

 

A Ture Story

Illusion

Secert

God Eyes Always on you

2017 Six students form a group to complete a 5-minute short film.（Section B）

 

Dreams Do Come True - Angel

Lead The Path

Capture re

the wish list

6名学生一组完成5分钟短片。

2016 Students’ Work（Section A）

Once Upon a time

The Exhibition

Dropping

Show off

Father’s Pigeon

STAKING

  

2016 Students’ Work（Section B）

Found My Savior

Exchange

Imaginary Escape

Taking Dream

Who Are You

Students work in groups of 6 to produce a 5-minute short film.

2015 Students’ Work

The Keeper

一分米的距离

$5 For Love

DOOR: A Modern Masterpiece Paying Homage to Silent Film

Moments

Program Information

■ Date：

Aug. 2 - Aug. 9, 2026 (8 days)

■ Location：

Beijing Film Academy

■ Language:

English, with Chinese suppor

■ Age：

14-18

■ Fee

• Included: Tuition fee, instructor service fee, device fee, certicate application, ASEEDER group leader service fee, insurance；
• Not included: Transportation fee, meals during the program, hotel residence fee(optional)

■ Requirements:

  • English language level equivalent to IELTS level 5.5 or TOEFL 70
  • A phone or online interview with an ASEEDER teacher if the above standards are not met.

— Q&A —

Is the program official?
Yes, the program is officially organized by the New York Film Academy. It is led by New York Film Academy mentors, and the certificate of completion is officially issued by the New York Film Academy, featuring the academy's logo.
What is the student's final output?
Students will receive an official certificate and, under the guidance of mentors, independently plan, shoot, and edit to produce a short film.
What software is required for the program?
For film production and directing, DaVinci Resolve is typically used. The specific editing software will be subject to the instructor's official arrangement.
Can students use their own editing software?
If students in the film production and directing track have prior experience with certain editing software and can keep up with the instructor's teaching using other editing tools, they are free to use whichever software they prefer. However, if they have no prior relevant experience, it is recommended to use the editing software recommended for the program, as this will allow them to better follow the instructor's guidance during practice.

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