Course Overview
This course is a part of the Summer Filmmaking Academy.
In this hands-on filmmaking workshop, students will work in small creative and production groups and will have individualized mentoring. The program will focus on film and visual cinematic storytelling, creativity, and cinematic imagination. The team of instructors will meet students where they are. Through a series of hands-on workshops, students will learn basic filmmaking tools, concepts, and skills such as cinematography, sound recording, script writing, animation basics, editing, and post-production. This is a fast-paced course. We expect you to live, breath and dream cinema, while participating in this workshop. Each student will walk away with completed work made during this course and a more concrete command of the skill set needed to take a film idea from concept to creation.
Over the two weeks of the course, students will work on short projects that are 1-3 minutes in length. Short film is the creative lab of cinema and that is how we approach the course. There will be a mini film festival on the final day of class.
For the seventh consecutive year Syracuse University was ranked by The Hollywood Reporter as one of the “Top 25 American Film Schools.” The 2023 list, which The Hollywood Reporter compiled after consulting with educators, industry professionals and alumni, ranks Syracuse at No.19.
All students who successfully complete the course will receive a Certificate of Completion and have the opportunity to request a Syracuse University noncredit transcript.
Learning Objectives
- Explore basic filmmaking skills and learn basic principles of visual and cinematic storytelling.
- Experience the study of film with a distinguished creative team from the Syracuse University Film Program.
- Have fun while working hard on a short film
- Develop a film portfolio
Course Information
Course Prefix and Number: SCN 099
Format: On Campus (at Syracuse University)
Eligibility: Students must be of rising high school sophomore, junior, or senior status – or a 2025 high school graduate.
Credit: Noncredit
Grading: Pass/Fail
- Residential: $4,295
- Commuter: $3,318
Program rates are subject to change and will be approved by the board of trustees. Discounts and scholarships are also available.
Program Information
Summer College – On Campus: Experience what college is really like: take a college-level course, live in a residence hall, have meals with friends in a dining hall, and participate in activities and events on campus.
“Film has always been a great passion of mine, both to create and to analyze, and Syracuse University gave me the opportunity to hone both of those skills. I did so through the high level of enrichment provided by my film instructor and teaching assistants and their expectations that my fellow students and I could meet the challenges presented in this college-level course. We stepped up and worked together to make films with each other despite not knowing each other beforehand…”
— Samuel M., Summer College Filmmaking Student, 2020
Course Dates and Details
| Program | Course Dates | Class Time (Eastern Time) | Credit/Noncredit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer College – On Campus | 2-Week Session I: Sunday, July 6 – Friday, July 18, 2025 | MTWThF 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Noncredit |
| Summer College – On Campus | 2-Week Session II: Sunday, July 20 – Friday, Aug. 1, 2025 | MTWThF; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Noncredit |
To see if this course is ‘open,’ refer to the full course catalog.
Course Requirements
Technology Requirements
Basic film equipment is available for students to borrow. You are also welcome to bring your own camera & laptop, in which case please make sure you have those covered by insurance.
Please remember that filmmaking is not about fancy or sophisticated equipment, but about the ability to see, your imagination, and creativity. As filmmaker and cultural icon Agnès Varda put it, “In my films, I always wanted to make people see deeply. I don’t want to show things, but to give people the desire to see.”
Student Expectations
Filmmaking requires self-discipline. A significant commitment in time, focus, and creative effort outside of scheduled class meetings is necessary and expected on the part of students to successfully complete this course. If students fully invest themselves into their creative work, we will be able to create successful portfolio projects.
Typical Day
Tentative Schedule
Students are required to attend morning and afternoon classes, and an evening open studio / open screen session. It is also expected that you will find yourself writing scripts, filming on set, editing your project, or reviewing and discussing your project-in-progress or final edit with your instructors or classmates outside of scheduled class time. The instructional team will work with students in small groups and in individual mentoring sessions. This is a fast-paced, intensive, hands-on program. Students will have open lab/screen hours from 7-9 p.m.
When class is over, and on weekends, students can look forward to various Summer College – On Campus activities to meet and connect with other students! Check out our On Campus Experience page for more information!
Faculty Bios
Evan Bode
Evan Bode is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, composer, and animator with an interest in playful, compassionate storytelling that challenges systems of oppression. His work has been screened internationally at festivals in Brazil, Germany, Greece, Croatia, the U.K., Australia, India, and South Africa, as well as in festivals across the United States.
Evan’s film, Thine Own Self, has screened at festivals around the world including Animafest Zagreb. In 2021, Evan was one of five filmmakers nationwide selected as a winner of the Gotham Institute’s 2021 Student Showcase sponsored by JetBlue and Focus Features, a success featured in Filmmaker Magazine.
Evan is a recent MFA graduate of Syracuse University’s College of Visual & Performing Arts film program. For the past two years, he has taught undergraduate courses in SU’s film program.
Teaching Philosophy: My objective is to nurture the unique strengths of each student’s personal voice and facilitate their growth within a supportive and encouraging environment. In the classroom, I aim to cultivate a space of acceptance and curiosity, as opposed to fear and judgment; I believe students learn best when they can feel safe to explore their craft and express themselves as artists, and I hope I can offer an experience that inspires them to pursue what they love to the best of their ability.