Summer Camps

Film Production Summer Camps

This year BIFF presents film production camps each summer for kids ages 7-13. The camps are held under the umbrella of our BIFF Film Academy educational programme and cover core filmmaking skills such as acting, directing, cinematography, animation and elements of set design, make-up, costumes, sound, lighting and props. All of the films made during our summer camps are screened during public screenings of age appropriate film festival shows.

The camps are not only a creative outlet; they also promote important social values such as teamwork and discipline, which help create better citizens as well as better films.

The camps this year are based at Warwick Camp, South Road, Warwick. They are $315 per week for non-members and $295 per week for members. After-camp care is available for $15/child/day from 3.00pm to 5.00pm. Non-members can click on Buy Now above to sign-up online or, to get the member discount, members please click here for an application form (non-members can click too if you prefer not to do online transactions).

Animation

One week $315, 1-5 August for 10-13 year olds: Make your own movies! This week long seminar is designed to introduce students to the techniques and methods used in the making of animated movies. Students will learn the difference between each of the techniques by inventing their own unique stories. From Storyboarding, to creating the sets and characters, they will be animating and having a very fulfilling and fun learning experience! Instructor - Erik Goulet

Film Production

Two weeks $630, 8-19 August for 10-13 year olds: Production Camp is for those budding young storytellers interested in practicing the various hands-on roles of the filmmaker. This two week camp begins by familiarizing students with the tools of the trade and the key creative positions that make up the Film Production Team. Emphasis is placed on collaboration, communication and identifying the strengths and interests of each student in order to work towards a common goal. During Week One, students will receive instruction and complete production exercises in various disciplines, from writing and story-boarding to cinematography and directing. Film excerpts will be screened and discussed to demonstrate strong contributions in each department. All instruction and exercises will serve to work towards Week Two, when Production Camp students will combine forces with the Acting for Film Camp to shoot your own short film! Lights, Camera, Action! Instructor - Bayard Outerbridge

Acting for Film

Two weeks $630, 8-19 August for 10-13 year olds: This two week camp teaches LIFE SKILLS through acting for film! Your kids will explore and shape their imagination in a safe and positive environment. Fun acting games teach children how to focus, listen, solve problems and empathize with their given situation. Our ultimate goal is to build self esteem and confidence while showing children how to find truth in a character for the camera. They will spend the first week working on a script. They will be taught acting techniques to help them learn lines, build their character and explore their relationships within the script. Knowing how to behave on set is also very important. Your kids will learn what happens behind the scenes and how they fit in. A skill they will put to the test in the second week of camp when we merge with the Production Camp to shoot a short film. Instructor - Lana Young

Acting Camp

On week $315, 22-26 August for 7-9 year olds: This one week camp teaches LIFE SKILLS through acting for film! Your kids will explore and shape their imagination in a safe and positive environment. Fun acting games teach children how to focus, listen, solve problems and empathize with their given situation. Our ultimate goal is to build self esteem and confidence while showing children how to find truth in a character for the camera. Each morning will begin with warm ups, theatre games and acting technique followed by rehearsals and blocking for the end of week filming of their scenes. We purposely keep the camps small so the kids will receive individual attention and all get a chance to truly shine. Their scenes will be taped and a movie montage will be edited and emailed to all the parents after the end of the camp. Instructor - Lana Young

The Instructors

Erik H. Goulet has been active in the film industry since 1990. After studying stop motion animation at Concordia University in Montreal, he worked in the film business for animation production houses before joining Softimage in 1998 as a 3D product specialist. During these years, Erik continued to produce puppet-based animated shorts such as the Adventures of Saro Wormy. Since 2001, he has been teaching animation workshops (www.Saro.tv) in schools, at film festivals and at Concordia University. His latest project is The Montreal Stop Motion Film Festival (www.StopMotionMontreal.com), which promotes and celebrates the talents of all stop motion artists.

Bayard Outerbridge obtained his BFA in Film Production, with distinction, from the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema at Concordia University in Montreal. Since discovering his passion for film, he has worked on over 50 productions in various capacities. He began working in the camera department on many productions, including Gillian Armstrong's DEATH DEFYING ACTS in London and episodes of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA in Montreal, soon discovering that his penchant for visual storytelling was a viable career choice in the role of the producer. He is currently completing his MFA in Producing at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, is in the development stage on a short film about the absurdity of war, and is concurrently interning with the Hollywood Production Company of recent Oscar fame, Phoenix Pictures.

Lana Young is a Bermudian born Actress who has 18 years of professional acting experience on the stage and in front of the camera. Her camps and classes are full of invaluable insight, direction and enthusiasm for the art and science of acting. Lana trained in London at the Arts Educational Schools of London where she received her M.A. in Acting. She spent five productive years in Los Angeles where she had the privilege of acting with Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer. She now resides in Virginia where she started the Hollywood Theatre Lab, an acting school for kids and adults. She is still a working actress and voice over artist and just recently shot a remake of Plan 9 along side Brian Krause.