Filmmaking Workshops and Summer Camps for Teens at CSU

The Odyssey Program at Cleveland State University’s School of Film & Media Arts, which offers interactive and fun-filled learning opportunities for students aged 13-18 who are interested in filmmaking, has announced their schedule for the 2022 season. Established through a generous gift from Lee and Ageleke Zapis in 2019, the Odyssey Program helps young students build their film skills and gain professional exposure to the industry through a range of exciting offerings that illuminate the many different aspects of the wonderful world of film, including one-day Saturday workshops and immersive summer camps available in one or three-week sessions.

The new season kicks off in January with “Exploring the Language of Film”, the first of a monthly series of one-day workshops focused on a different filmmaking topic and taught by experienced School of Film & Media Arts faculty. James Denny, who has been teaching film history and analysis at Cleveland State University since 2006, leads the workshop on Saturday, January 15 from 1-5pm.

The workshop series, which concludes in May, will also cover using green screens in production and postproduction settings, building cinematography skills, story development in screenwriting, and acting for the camera.

“It’s an incredible way to connect with others who love film and the art of filmmaking just as much as you,” said 15 year old Odyssey alum Xavier Reichbaum.

During the summer, students can choose between four sessions of in-person camps offered in June and July. With options for both day camp and residential students, the summer includes an experiential three-week camp from June 13-July 1, followed by three one-week intensive camps that focus on acting and directing (July 11-17), documentary production (July 18-24), and screenwriting (July 25-31).

Through interactive workshops, film screenings, focused activities, and visits from special guest speakers, Odyssey participants learn storytelling, screenwriting, acting, directing, cinematography, editing and much more as they create their own original films in a fun and collaborative environment.

During these activity-packed experiences, students see behind the scenes and learn how the film industry actually works through special guest lectures and site visits to real-world media environments. Outside of class, residential students get a preview of college life by staying in Cleveland State University dorms and experiencing Cleveland's robust cultural offerings through scheduled trips and activities.

With access to the film school's professional soundstages, Mac editing labs, and vast inventory of film production equipment, students work with expert instructors and CSU film student camp counselors as they hone their skills, often finding their creative community and making friends along the way.

Lia Polster, age 15, who attended the Odyssey Program Experiential Three Week Summer Camp in Summer 2021 as a day camper, had this to say about her time with the program: “I thought it was a really awesome and informative experience! Everyone there was interested in some aspect of film, so I loved being in a group of people whose interests aligned with mine.”

Visit the Odyssey Program’s website for more information or to register: csufilmodyssey.com