25 High School Film Internships + Summer Programs in 2025
What’s Covered:
- 7 Film Internships for High School Students
- 18 Film Summer Programs for High School Students
- How Do Internships and Summer Programs Affect College Admissions?
Creative teens with a passion for storytelling may just find their niche in the exciting world of film. There are plenty of opportunities in this industry, from producing to editing to directing to technical work.
Curious about whether filmmaking is the path for you? Through these programs and internships geared toward high school students, you can find out. Included are some internships, scholarships, and film programs both during the school year and in the summer.
7 Film Internships for High School Students
1. Museum of the Moving Image Teen Council
Application Deadline: October
Duration: 7 Months (November – May)
Participants of the Teen Council help the Museum of the Moving Image shape its program offerings for young adults. Students build leadership skills and teamwork while gaining real-world project management experience by organizing events like the museum’s annual Teen Film Festival. Participants receive a stipend at the conclusion of the program.
2. Film Consortium San Diego Internships
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: N/A
The Film Consortium San Diego offers several internship opportunities to high school and college students. Internships are customizable and able to meet the unique needs of students and cover fields ranging from film-focused areas like editing and production to film-adjacent fields such as event planning and marketing.
3. Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS) Internships
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: 16 weeks (minimum)
ATLFS interns get hands-on experience in the production of a film festival. Interns assist with a variety of administrative duties and can explore concentrations such as film programming, screenplay programming, and outreach. Although the ATLFS doesn’t offer internships in production, their internships are an excellent way for aspiring filmmakers to connect with the local film community.
Interns must be 18 years old, and high school seniors can apply.
4. Greater Cleveland Film Commission (GCFC) Internships
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: N/A
Since 2007, the GCFC has hosted more than 120 high school and college interns. The GCFC offers a number of internship opportunities throughout the year, all of which allow interns to gain real-world experience in media production, non-profit organizations, and day-to-day office life. Interns handle various tasks and can find themselves doing everything from stuffing packets for an upcoming production to working on the set of a local film.
5. Media Arts Center San Diego Internships
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: N/A
The Media Arts Center San Diego—an organization that provides new media tools and channels to create equitable and engaged communities where underserved voices are heard—offers internship opportunities to San Diego County high schoolers.
No prior film experience is required, however, interns are expected to possess excellent written and communication skills and be prepared to work professionally.
6. New Hampshire Film Festival Internships
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: N/A
Participants in this internship might not have the chance to get behind the camera or in the editing bay. Still they can connect with local filmmakers and get an up-close and personal look at the production of a film festival. Interns assist with day-to-day operations from distributing festival materials like badges to helping set up and break down venues and events.
Friendly, courteous, and dependable high school seniors are welcome to apply.
7. ArtWorks: Internships in the Arts
Application Deadline: April 3
Duration: Six weeks (June – July)
Florida high schoolers in grades 9 through 12 can participate in this paid six-week internship. Participants can flex their creative muscles and develop essential skills while making art under the guidance of professional artists and staff. Opportunities are available in several creative fields, including film. Interns will be paid $14 an hour and receive payment for up to 180 hours of work during the six-week program.
18 Film Programs for High School Students
8. Fresh Films Weekly Filmmaking Program
Dates: Tuesday/Thursday after school from January – May
Location: Varies
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: Free
Students in this program participate in weekly meetings with the Fresh Films team and professionals from Sony, Paramount, Discovery Networks, Roku, and more to learn the ins and outs of the film industry.
By the end of the program, students will have helped produce a music video for a real band, a competition show, a social video and movie scene for Paramount+, a documentary with Roku, and a scripted short film with Sony Pictures!
9. NYU Tisch Future Filmmakers Workshop
Dates: Saturdays from February 1 – May 10
Location: NYU
Application Deadline: May 1
Cost: Free
Through the famed NYU Tisch School of the Arts, teenagers can take advantage of a free, 14-week program where they will hone their “personal vision and voice.” Storytelling and technical skills are emphasized. Participants will also get hands-on experience and have discussions with professional filmmakers and Tisch faculty. The workshop is open to all high school students with an interest in the arts and demonstrated academic achievement, who are committed to completing the entire workshop.
10. Summer Arts Institute
Dates: July 7 – August 1
Location: Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, Queens
Application Deadline: March 2
Cost: Free
This free four-week program for New York City students in grades 8 through 12 will not be missed. Participants can major in several creative fields, including film. Students selected for the program work with professional artists to build skills and gain hands-on experience. The program culminates with an exhibition of participants’ work.
11. NYU Tisch Online High School Filmmakers Workshop
Dates: July 6 – August 2
Location: Online
Application Deadline: April 18
Cost: $7,664
The NYU Tisch School of the Arts offers an online filmmaking workshop for high schoolers focused on directing, shooting, and editing. Participants will produce a crew-based documentary, a crew-based music video, three technical assignments, and a final narrative film that they write and direct in a program that mirrors an undergraduate degree program.
The program is open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
12. New York Film Academy Teen Filmmaking Camp | 1 Week
Dates:
- Session I: July 6 – 12
- Session II: July 13 – 19
- Session III: July 27 – August 2
- Session IV: August 3 – 9
Location: NYFA New York
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $1,725
The 1-Week Filmmaking Program is an immersive, hands-on course designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of visual storytelling. Over a week, students will explore the director’s craft, learning to translate ideas into compelling visual narratives using the digital format. Through structured lessons and practical exercises, they will gain experience in all key aspects of filmmaking.
13. New York Film Academy Teen Filmmaking Camp | 3 Week
Dates:
- Session I: June 29 – July 19
- Session II: July 20 – August 9
Location: NYFA New York
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $4,525
The 3-Week Filmmaking Program is an intensive, hands-on course designed to give students a deeper understanding of the fundamentals of visual storytelling. Through structured lessons, practical exercises, and production workshops, students will explore the director’s craft and learn how to translate their ideas into compelling visual narratives using the digital format.
14. New York Film Academy Teen Filmmaking Camp | 6 Week
Dates: June 29 – August 9
Location: NYFA New York
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $7,325
The 6-Week Teens Filmmaking Program offers a dynamic, comprehensive immersion into the art and craft of cinematic storytelling. It is structured as two progressive 3-week sessions taken back-to-back. This carefully designed format ensures a seamless and continuous learning experience, guiding students from the foundations of visual storytelling into the complexities of crafting dialogue-driven films.
15. New York Film Academy Teen Filmmaking Camp | Level II
Dates: July 20 – August 9
Location: NYFA New York
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $4,525
The students who graduate from NYFA’s 3-Week, 6-Week, or 12-Weekend level-one classes may return for the level-two film summer camps.
In these camps, students continue to build their knowledge of filmmaking and strengthen their cinematic storytelling skills, working on projects such as creating a short film with dialogue. In order to attend level-two classes, students will have to complete NYFA’s level-one classes.
16. New York Film Academy Teen Filmmaking Camp | Online
Dates:
- Session I: June 23 – July 18
- Session II: July 21 – August 8
- Session III: Weeks between July 7 – 28
Location: NYFA New York
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $825 – $2,625
In the 1-Week Online Film Camp for teens, students aged 14-17 receive an exciting introduction to the craft of storytelling through film. Applying a hands-on approach, as in all of the New York Film Academy filmmaking camps, students have the opportunity to write, direct, shoot, and edit their short project.
During the 3-Week Online Film Camp, students write, direct, shoot, and edit their creative content using mobile devices and digital editing software. The camp is structured around the production of two short film exercises of increasing complexity, and days are spent in the virtual classroom and on their own home set. Through a series of online intensive classes on production, editing, writing, cinematography, and directing, students get a thorough introduction to the various creative and technical demands of filmmaking.
In the 4-Week Online Film Camp, aspiring filmmakers write, direct, shoot, and edit three short films of their own, using mobile devices and industry-standard editing software. Students spend their time in class learning the essentials of filmmaking from leading industry professionals or applying those lessons to their original film projects. In addition, students study topics such as directing, writing, editing, cinematography, and production.
17. SOCAPA Filmmaking Summer Camp
Dates: Varies
Location: Varies (New York, Los Angeles, Vermont)
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $2,195 – $3,095
Offered in New York, Los Angeles, and Vermont, the School of Creative and Performing Arts Filmmaking Summer Camp Intensives “mix the best of elite film programs and exciting summer camps.” Six different filmmaking intensives are available for students from ages 14-18, through which participants craft their films and work collaboratively with other participants.
18. UCLA Film and Television Summer Institute
Dates:
- Session A*: June 23 – August 1
- Session C*: August 4 – September 12
(* Hybrid)
Location: Virtual & UCLA
Application Deadline:
- Session A: June 13
- Session C: July 25
Cost: $5,546
UCLA is renowned for its film programs; now, high school students can take advantage of them too. In this three-week intensive workshop, students will learn about the art of cinematic storytelling and will create their film projects, working independently and collaboratively. They will also observe lectures featuring guest speakers.
19. USC Cinematic Arts Summer Program
Dates: June 20 – August 1
Location: USC
Application Deadline: April 30
Cost: $9,416 – $18,832
The oldest film school in the U.S. encourages high school students to learn about filmmaking, screenwriting, computer animation, or the film/television business through these six-week summer sessions at USC. Students take real college-level courses and have the opportunity to earn college credits.
20. Austin Film Festival Young Filmmakers Program – Summer Film Camp
Dates: June 2 – July 25
Location: Austin, TX
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $250 – $495
The Austin Film Festival’s Summer Film Camp offers classes and workshops in the arts of screenwriting, filmmaking, claymation, and more! The program helps budding artists build their storytelling and collaborative skills while providing them a forum to express themselves.
21. Interlochen Filmmaking Summer Program for High School Students
Dates:
- Session I: June 22 – July 12
- Session II: July 13 – August 3
Location: Interlochen Center for the Arts
Application Deadlines: Rolling
Cost: $6,985
Participants will be able to work with professional filmmakers, guest artists, and other talented students to create a movie from scratch. The program includes classes and hands-on lab time to practice technical production and post-production skills. As filmmaking students, participants will participate in workshops focused on production, post-production/editing, screenwriting, tech skills, and film history.
22. Oklahoma Arts Institute, Quartz Mountain
Dates: June 14 – 29
Location: Quartz Mountain State Park & Lodge
Application Deadline: February 17
Cost: $375
Artistically advanced Oklahoma high schoolers can build their skills and connect with other young creatives in this free, two-week, residential summer program. The cross-disciplinary program seeks to inspire and push students from eight disciplines—film and video, acting, chorus, creative writing, dance, drawing and painting, orchestra, and photography—to develop their skills and collaborate on projects.
Every accepted student receives a full scholarship to attend OSAI, worth over $4,200 each. Attending students will be asked to pay a commitment fee of $375.
23. Modern Storytelling: Movie-Making
Dates: July 14 – 18
Location: Quinnipiac University
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $1,400 – $1,680
Participants in this program at Quinnipiac University learn to tell their stories across various media platforms—building skills in producing, scripting, cinematography, and post-production. Students work with experienced faculty and filmmakers, get hands-on experience using industry-standard cameras and editing suites, and conclude the program with content they can use in portfolios for college applications.
24. Writers Week Summer Writing and Theatre for Teens
Dates:
- Session I: July 7 – 11 (Virtual)
- Session II: July 21 – 25 (On campus)
- Session III: August 4 – 8 (On campus)
Location: Sarah Lawrence College
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: Virtual: $1,095; On-campus: $1,750
Since 1999, Writers Week at Sarah Lawrence College has offered creative young people an immersive week-long experience with creative writing and the performance arts.
Each day, participants attend writing and theatre workshops led by prose writers, poets, and performance artists. The week includes mini-workshops taught by program faculty, graduate students, and guest artists. Rooted in the Sarah Lawrence College tradition of one-on-one interaction, the program allows students to meet in small groups with workshop leaders. The program also includes faculty and student readings and a celebration of student work on the final day.
25. Bryn Mawr Summer Filmmaking Workshop
Dates: June 23 – July 31
Location: Bryn Mawr College
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $2,250
Just 12 students are chosen to participate in this six-week summer filmmaking camp. Participants will work with one another to write, produce, direct, and edit a film under the mentorship of professional moviemakers. Students learn the craft of filmmaking, find their voice, and get real-world experience using professional equipment.
Students will screen their films on the big screen at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute.
How Do Internships and Summer Programs Affect College Admissions?
Participating in internships can influence your chances at college admission, but this depends on many factors, including the scope of the internship, its prestige, your role and performance, the institution’s connections to or sponsorships by certain colleges, and even how much weight a college places on extracurricular activities in general.
Colleges consider four tiers of extracurricular activities when reviewing applicants’ activities. Selective, competitive, and prestigious activities are often found in the top tiers, Tier 1 and Tier 2. Tier 1 includes being a highly recruited basketball player or an award-winning national science fair competitor. Tier 2 is similar but is usually reserved for more common activities than those in Tier 1. Tiers 3 and 4 are reserved for more common extracurricular achievements, such as holding school leadership positions or being a debate team member.
Many film schools consider a prestigious, selective program such as the one offered by NYU Tisch, for example, to be a Tier 1 activity.
Do you want to understand how the internship you participated in might change your admissions chances at your dream college? CollegeVine has created a free chancing calculator to estimate your odds of getting into hundreds of colleges and universities! It uses many factors such as your high school grades, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities, while also providing feedback on how you can improve your odds.
