Industry Film School Prepares Teens for Careers in Movies

The technical aspects of the movie business have become more and more fascinating. Special effects, digital photography, and 3D film enhancing are among the innovations dominating filmmaking today. Skill and experience are essential to finding a job. Neal Bennett, founder of the Industry Film School offers an excellent approach to young people wishing to make filmmaking a career.

Bennett who is a professional filmmaker, editor and videographer, has worked on Kevin Smith’s Chasing Amy, Judy Berlin with Edie Falco, “Trading Spaces” for TLC, HBO shows, and YES network programming, to name a few. His freelance experiences have created a network to help showcase his students.

This concept was born six years ago when, as a teacher at Communications High School in Wall, he received a free rental grant from Panasonic and Abel CineTech to work on a documentary. The project was a movie about surfing. This award-winning film titled Locals Only depicted the cultural mores associated with the sport. The enthusiastic response of his students and encouragement from Pete Able of Abel CineTech motivated his decision to strike out on his own and start the school.

Located at 922 Business Route 33, classes meet after school and for summer sessions. Students range in age from eighth grade to college level. Bennett caters to the individual students by giving them lessons on their specific needs and interests in a workshop atmosphere. Katie, the lovely young lady in the picture, travels over an hour each way to learn about the newest and most advanced cameras available.  Bennett also takes his students along on professional shoots to afford them a real experience on a set.

The Industry Film School has been recognized for its excellence by the Telly Awards, Student Television Network National Awards, and the Best Student Film Awards at the Garden Film Festival.

Bennett and students from the Industry Film School are part of the production crew of the documentary series, Dream Camp, in association with Joe Patane of Joe’s World foundation. The films depict a group of troubled youth selected to be campers by Patane. Those selected challenge themselves in once-in-a-lifetime adventures and situations. By the end of their stay, most of the campers experience an amazing transformation and a sense of accomplishment, self-worth and happiness. “Dream Camp:  Air, Land and Sea,” will premiere on Aug. 20.  A variety of celebrities are involved in the series including Drew Carey, James Cameron, Steve Wozniak and Patane himself, who is a former cast member of the Real World Miami season five. 

For more information about the Industry Film School, please visit them online at industryfilmschool.com or call them at 877-593-8953.