SARASOTA FILM ACADEMY

online film classes and afterschool programs for kids 8-14

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Film Classes

Using our extensive film knowledge and experience, we teach industry filmmaking techniques.

Film Camps

During vacation weeks and summer months, we offer popular film camps. Now in their fourth year, the camps have been enjoyed by kids from all over the world.

Screening opportunities

We don't just teach the kids how to make films. We help them find opportunities to screen them and organize our own showings.

About Us

The Sarasota Film Academy offers popular live and online film camps and after-school programs to kids 8-14. Our unique curriculum is taught by film professionals with decades of industry experience in Hollywood as well as educators from the 23-year-old Sarasota Film Festival, an event of world renown. Our instructors will keep your kids learning, entertained, and occupied in the safety of their homes, enriched with an invaluable skill set for our times.

Filmmakers learn in a fun, conservatory model where each student gets to experience different film-related professions. The students will also truly understand the value of teamwork and collaboration.

The finished projects have public screenings for family and friends at the end of each week of camp or month of after-school programs.

CAMPS & CLASSES

Please check out our current camp and afterschool offerings. Note: These programs are currently all ONLINE, using a combination of Zoom, Teachable, YouTube, and at-home film assignments. Once safety regulations allow, we will also resume on-location camps and classes in Sarasota, Florida.

DEC 21 – 24, 2020

10AM-1 PM EST

ONLINE CAMP for Fans of “Star Wars,” “Wall-E”, “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”, “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” “The Avengers” and all the superheroes out there, this virtual camp is for you! The campers will learn how to make sci-fi movies, focusing on screenwriting, cinematography, VFX, directing, and acting. We will teach the campers how to use the necessary filming equipment, including green screens, as well as how to edit in Adobe Premiere or similar applications.
We will also learn much film history, watching and analyzing clips from many awesome sci-fi adventure movies.

COST: $150

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DEC 28 – DEC 31, 2020

10AM-1 PM EST

The ONLINE campers will learn the ins and outs of making social media videos, from TikTok to Youtube vlogs, Instagram influencer videos, gameplay videos, comedy skits, and more. We will teach the campers how to use the necessary filming equipment as well as how to edit in Adobe Premiere or similar applications and how to start your own Youtube channel.

We will also teach the campers how to be safe on the internet and the principles of being a good digital media citizen. We will discuss the history of social media, learn about Youtube stars, and more.

All the videos created will be available daily on our YouTube channel and via social media for the kids to share.

COST: $150

REGISTER

WEDS 5PM-6:30PM EST
2021: JAN 6, JAN 13, JAN 20, JAN 27
THURS 5PM-6:30PM EST
2021: JAN 7, JAN 14, JAN 21, JAN 28

Do you want to learn how to make movies? This fun ONLINE afterschool class is for you! We will cover all the steps of moviemaking, from coming up with an idea and screenwriting, production to post-production (editing), cinematography, VFX, SFX, and more! We will also teach you how to get your film shown at film festivals and distributed. We will also cover latest filmmaking techniques, like screenlife, and practice making films in a variety of genres, including comedy, sci-fi, action, horror, fantasy, adventure, drama and more. Get a crashcourse in filmmaking and produce your own short film(s) by the end of every month-long program!

COST: $85 / month (4 sessions)

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Our Team

Paul Ratner

Paul is a writer and filmmaker. His award-winning films like “Moses on the Mesa”and “The Caveman of Atomic City”, have played at numerous festivals around the world. Prior to moving to Sarasota, Paul lived and worked in Hollywood for over 12 years in a variety of capacities as a writer, director, and development executive, collaborating with top agencies (WME) and studios (Universal, Paramount) to develop and package film and TV projects. Paul has a Master’s in film and television from Chapman University and a Bachelor of Theater Arts degree from Cornell University. He has taught film previously at Full Sail University and South New Hampshire University. Paul is currently the Managing Director of the Sarasota Film Festival.

Petra Ratner

Petra Ratner has worked in film, commercials, and television for over 17 years. She worked as an assistant director on such Hollywood films as “Hostel”, “Alien vs Predator,” and “Doom”. She also coordinated the art department on the blockbuster “Wanted”, starring Angelina Jolie and James McAcavoy. Petra has produced commercials, feature documentaries and over a dozen award-winning short films which played at 50+ film festivals around the world. She currently works as the Director of Development and Events for the Sarasota Film Festival, produces film and television projects both in the U.S. and internationally, and is an exhibited painter.

Christy Chilton

Christy Chilton is an actress who has been in the entertainment industry for decades. She has studied with Benson Simmons, Julia Gagne, Ginny Eason, Ellen Meade, and received her BFA in Theatre-Acting from The University of Central Florida. Christy starred in Vin Diesel’s film “The Paint Job” which premiered at The 2015 Cannes Film Festival. She also starred in the independent films, “Limited Liability”, “Love and War”, and “Choices”. Christy had supporting roles in Dylan McDermott’s “Sugar”, “S.o.l.tice”, “The Truth about Monsters”, and “Rogue Island”. She has been in numerous other independent feature films, web series, and commercials, as well as stage productions in the Florida theatre community. She currently lives in Sarasota, Florida where she continues to pursue a career in the entertainment industry and is the Marketing Coordinator at the Sarasota Film Festival.

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