Filmmaking at Arts Academy
Why Study Filmmaking
In a world of exploding content and expanding platforms, what does it take to bring your vision and stories to life? As one of the nation’s leading film high schools, Interlochen Arts Academy helps young filmmakers build the creative, technical, and collaborative skills needed to bring original stories to the screen.
What You'll Learn
Interlochen Arts Academy is the top-rated boarding school for filmmaking. You'll take a combination of production and theory-based courses. You'll have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in all aspects of the filmmaking process, including screenwriting, producing, directing, and post-production and editing. You'll immerse yourself in the art form's history and explore other disciplines that can help shape your work.
Our experienced instructors are seasoned industry professionals who will teach you the technical skills, aesthetic possibilities, and creative tools to capture your story in film. Your practical education in lighting, cinematography, music/sound, directing, and editing will prepare you for highly competitive undergraduate film programs or other courses of study.
As a student of the Filmmaking program, you will:
- Develop proficiency in the elements of cinematic technique, including: story, screenwriting, directing for camera, directing the actor, lighting, editing, cinematography, production, and sound
- Refine and articulate an individual cinematic voice
- Analyze the history, theory, and aesthetics of cinema
For information on graduation requirements and academic curriculum, please visit Academy Academics.
Why Choose a High School for Film?
Choosing a high school for film gives students time to develop their voice before college. At Interlochen, filmmaking students study story, screenwriting, directing, cinematography, sound, editing, and film history while completing a college-preparatory academic curriculum. They learn how to collaborate on set and respond to feedback. You will leave having built a portfolio that reflects both your technical growth and your original point of view.
Get to Know Ella
"The decision to come to Interlochen was an easy one for me. I thought about where I wanted to be later in life—and I knew Interlochen would be the place to help get me there." - Ella, Film & New Media
Program Highlights
The DeRoy Center for Film Studies
The DeRoy Center for Film Studies is the only facility in the country dedicated to film and animation studies at the high school level. You'll have access to professional facilities and equipment including specialized classrooms, edit suites, a multipurpose 2D/3D studio, a soundstage, stop motion rigs, cameras and lighting packages, and a 180-seat viewing space. You'll have the technology you need at every step of the animation process.
Awards & Honors
Our students have earned coveted awards like Presidential Scholar in the Arts, National YoungArts Competition, the Scholastic Awards National Medals, and National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts—and have shown their work in the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
Student Film Reel
Awkward first parties, animated origami love stories, gritty thrillers, fulfilling your dreams, and coming of age—oh my! Check out this film reel for a glimpse of our students' work.
A Film Festival Right On Campus
The Future of Cinema Film Festival gives high school filmmakers access to guest artists, screenings, master classes, and conversations with professionals working across the industry. For students considering film boarding schools or high schools for filmmaking, the festival is one example of how Interlochen brings the professional film world directly to campus.
Work with the Interlochen Cinema Collective
The Interlochen Cinema Collective is an intergenerational cohort that unites Interlochen alumni, faculty, staff, students, and guest artists to create fully realized professional film projects. As a student, you’ll have chances to work on real-world projects and learn from professionals in the industry.
Recent Projects
“Jedo’s Dead”
The inaugural production of the Interlochen Cinema Collective, “Jedo’s Dead” made its world premiere at the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival, where it was selected as the winner of the Texas Shorts Jury Award. Since its success at SXSW, the film has screened at prestigious film festivals across the nation and received additional accolades—including Best U.S. Short Special Mention from the Palm Springs International Shortfest and Best Short from the Minnesota Film Festival.
Grounded
Produced in partnership with Greenacres Foundation, Grounded is a feature-length documentary created with Interlochen Arts Academy students, faculty, and guest artists. The film follows a group of high school students at a boarding school in northern Michigan as they explore regenerative farming, agro-ecology, Indigenous growing traditions, and the systems that shape food and land stewardship. Through the project, students gained hands-on experience with research, field production, documentary storytelling, and the collaborative process of bringing a real-world film from concept to completion.
Alumni Stories
Film & New Media students find immediate success upon graduation from Interlochen. Recent graduate Shane Bagwell made his first feature gig as second assistant camera for number-one film The Wretched. Fellow alumnus Nic Weinfeld founded Five to Sixty, a production company that is already earning accolades for its social-first commercials. Alumna Kira Bursky has earned a number of prestigious awards and is currently working as an independent director and app developer.
College Matriculation
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ArtCenter College of Design
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Boston University
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California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)
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Chapman University
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College of Creative Studies
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Columbia College Chicago
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Emerson College
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Ithaca College
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New York University
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Northwestern University
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Pace University
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Pratt Institute
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Princeton University
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Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)
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Ringling College of Art and Design
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Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
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School of Visual Arts
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University of California
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University of Michigan
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University of Southern California (USC)
Upcoming Film & New Media Events
Monday, October 26, 2026 - 7:30 p.m. ET
DeRoy Center for Film Studies FREE, no tickets required
Future of Cinema Film Festival
Friday, November 6, 2026 - 7:30 p.m. ET
DeRoy Center for Film Studies FREE, no tickets required
Future of Cinema Film Festival
Saturday, November 7, 2026 - 7:30 p.m. ET
DeRoy Center for Film Studies FREE, no tickets required
Dive deeper into Interlochen Arts Academy with a free digital viewbook
In our free informational booklet, you'll learn more about:
- Each of our seven arts areas
- Renowned faculty
- College-preparatory academics
- Student resources
- How to apply and financial aid information
- And more
Frequently Asked Questions
What do students study in the Filmmaking major at Interlochen Arts Academy?
Students study the creative, technical, and collaborative foundations of filmmaking. Coursework may include screenwriting, directing, cinematography, sound, editing, production, film history, and film theory. As students grow, they develop original work and build a stronger understanding of how stories move from concept to screen.
How much hands-on filmmaking experience do students get?
Filmmaking students learn by creating. They write, shoot, edit, and refine original projects while collaborating with peers and receiving feedback from faculty. Students may also encounter opportunities connected to campus productions, screenings, festivals, and professional-style projects that help them understand the pace and expectations of real film work.
What makes Interlochen different from other film high schools?
Interlochen Arts Academy combines a college-preparatory academic program with daily arts training in a residential creative community. As a filmmaking high school, Interlochen gives students access to dedicated facilities, experienced faculty, interdisciplinary collaboration, and opportunities to share their work with audiences through screenings and campus events.
Is Interlochen a boarding school for film students?
Yes. Interlochen Arts Academy is an arts boarding school where students can major in Film & New Media with a focus on filmmaking. Students live and learn alongside young artists from many disciplines, creating an environment where filmmakers can collaborate with actors, musicians, writers, dancers, visual artists, and other storytellers.
What facilities do filmmaking students use?
Filmmaking students use the DeRoy Center for Film Studies, a dedicated space for Film & New Media students. The facility supports hands-on production and post-production work with spaces for editing, sound, screenings, classes, and collaborative creative work.
Do students have opportunities to screen their films?
Yes. Students have opportunities to share their work through screenings, showcases, and campus events. The Future of Cinema Film Festival also brings filmmakers, guest artists, and industry conversations to campus, giving students a closer look at the professional film world.
Can students explore directing as part of the Filmmaking major?
Yes. Students interested in film directing school or future directing programs can begin building important skills at Interlochen. Through coursework and production experience, they learn how to shape a story, communicate with collaborators, work with actors, make visual choices, and guide a project through production.
How does Interlochen prepare students for college film programs?
Students develop creative work, technical skills, collaboration habits, and a stronger artistic voice before college. The Filmmaking major helps students build experience with production, editing, critique, and storytelling while completing a college-preparatory academic curriculum.