Lights. Camera. The Best Summer of Their Life.
Summer in LA moves fast. Before you know it, August is over and your kid spent most of it staring at a screen that somebody else made. What if they made the screen this time?
Film Summer Camps Los Angeles gives kids ages 7 to 14 the tools, the team, and the real Hollywood studio space to write, shoot, and edit their own short film in five days flat. No toy cameras. No watered-down curricula. Just a junior filmmaker program Los Angeles that treats young people like the creative professionals they can be.
We run every session of our hands-on film camp LA at Solar Studios in Glendale — a working production facility minutes from the Disney and Warner Bros lots. Your child spends the week surrounded by the kind of gear, energy, and mentorship that actually sticks.
Friday afternoon, families arrive. Kids walk a red carpet. Films screen on a real monitor. That's not a metaphor for anything. That's literally what happens.
⚡ Summer camp registration Los Angeles fills up fast — some sessions close out six weeks before the start date. Don't wait until July to think about July.
There's an old saying that goes: in a city of stories, the kid who learns to tell one never runs out of power. That's Los Angeles in a sentence. And that's Film Summer Camp in a mission.
Other creative summer camp Los Angeles options teach your kid to paint, perform, or code. All good things. This one teaches them to combine all three — and then put it on a screen with their name in the credits.
Here's what makes our LA summer camp filmmaking experience different from anything else you'll find this summer.
Every instructor at our Hollywood film camp kids program has actual industry credits. Netflix. Disney. Amazon Studios. Sundance. These are working professionals who chose to spend their summers mentoring young filmmakers instead of auditioning for the next gig. That energy is impossible to fake.
Your kid won't just hear about filmmaking from someone who read a textbook. They'll learn it from Hollywood instructor kids camp veterans who were on a set last month.
Every session of our movie making camp Los Angeles uses the exact same cameras, lighting rigs, and boom microphones you'd find on a real production. Professional film equipment kids interact with from day one — not plastic replicas, not simplified tablet apps.
Think of it like learning to drive in an actual car instead of a simulator. Kids rise to the level of the tools they're handed. We hand them real ones.
We cap sessions at 12 campers per instructor — period. That low ratio summer camp LA commitment is core to what we do. In a small group film camp Los Angeles setting, no child spends the afternoon sitting on the sidelines.
Every team has 4 to 6 kids. Everyone directs. Everyone acts. Everyone edits. The production team kids camp structure mirrors how real film crews operate — because it is a real film crew, just a smaller one.
Our youth filmmaking program Los Angeles doesn't cherry-pick the fun parts and skip the hard parts. Kids do all of it. From screenwriting camp for kids LA sessions on Monday morning to post-production camp kids edit sessions on Friday, the entire arc of short film production camp is covered in one week.
Scriptwriting kids camp, cinematography for kids LA, costume design camp kids, makeup design camp kids, sound recording camp kids, digital film editing kids — it's all here. By the end, your child isn't just a consumer of film. They're a maker.
This is a confidence building summer camp LA as much as it is a filmmaking one. We hear this from parents constantly: their quiet kid came home loud. Their nervous kid came home proud.
Acting on camera, directing a team, pitching a story to a group — these are terrifying things for most adults. For kids at our film camp for shy kids LA program, they become second nature by Wednesday. It happens because the environment is safe, the teams are small, and the instructors are genuinely good at this.
Every Friday at 3 PM, we set up a proper premiere. Families walk in, kids walk the carpet, and completed short films screen for everyone in the room. The film showcase event kids remember isn't the making — it's the moment the lights go down and their name rolls in the credits.
Parents tell us the red carpet premiere kids camp LA event is worth the tuition on its own. We believe it. We've watched hundreds of families leave with their phones full of photos and their kids already asking when they can come back.
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Our cinematic arts camp LA curriculum covers every department of professional film production — rewritten for kids ages 7 to 14 without dumbing it down. Whether your child is drawn to directing, acting, editing, or building the world their characters live in, they'll do all of it.By Friday they won't just know about filmmaking. They'll have a finished short film to show for it.
By Friday they won't just know about filmmaking. They'll have a finished short film to show for it.
Every movie starts with a page. Our storytelling camp for kids curriculum teaches the mechanics of visual storytelling kids need before a single camera turns on. Kids build characters from scratch, structure a story that actually holds together, and write dialogue that sounds like a real person talking.
Our directing camp Los Angeles kids module puts every camper in the director's chair. No exceptions. Kids learn to communicate a creative vision, guide actors, and make fast decisions when the schedule says the scene has to be done in an hour.
On-camera acting kids Los Angeles training is different from stage work. In close-up, everything reads bigger — but in the wrong way if you're not trained for it. Our summer acting classes kids Los Angeles module covers what makes a performance feel real when a camera is eighteen inches from your face.
This is the week's beating heart. Our film production camp LA module is where the theoretical becomes real. Kids rotate through every crew position in a systematic way — which means every camper understands every role, not just their favorite one.
That rotation is intentional. Real film crews function because everyone understands what everyone else is doing. We build that from day one.
Every visual choice in a film tells part of the story. Our production design camp kids module teaches children to think like art directors — what belongs in the shot, what the costume says about the character, and how a simple prop can carry meaning the dialogue never states.
Post-production camp kids sessions are where raw footage becomes a finished film. This is the module that surprises parents most — kids who had never opened editing software on Monday are cutting scenes with real pacing instincts by Thursday afternoon.
Every week is a complete story arc. Kids arrive Monday not knowing each other. They leave Friday with a short film and a team they made it with. Here's exactly how the week unfolds.
Each day builds on the last. Skills compound. Confidence builds. By Wednesday most kids can't believe they only started two days ago.
Morning (9 AM to 12 PM): Welcome ceremony, team introductions, and the icebreakers that actually work. Campers meet their future collaborators, learn every filmmaking role, and dive straight into a film analysis workshop — watching and discussing what makes a short film work, what makes it fail, and what their own film is going to do differently. The film school for kids Los Angeles philosophy: observe first, then create.
Afternoon (1 PM to 4 PM): Story development begins in earnest. Brainstorming sessions generate dozens of raw ideas. Campers pitch their favorites, teams form around shared creative visions, and scripts start taking shape with instructor support. Storyboarding camp kids LA sessions cap the day — every scene visualized before any camera gets touched. By 4 PM, every team has a story and a plan.
Morning (9 AM to 12 PM): Scripts get their final pass and teams do their first table read — actors reading through the whole script together, discovering what lands and what needs another look. Then the acting workshop kids Los Angeles sessions begin. On-camera acting kids Los Angeles techniques: hitting marks, working with shot sizes, emotional authenticity in close-up, and the nervous kid who discovers by 11 AM that they're actually good at this. Happens every single week.
Afternoon (1 PM to 4 PM): Camera and equipment orientation with real professional film equipment kids engage with from this point forward. Safe handling, basic operation, framing fundamentals. Shot lists get built. Locations within the studio get scouted. Costume design camp kids pull their looks together. By 4 PM, every team is locked and ready. Tomorrow, everything gets filmed.
Morning (9 AM to 12 PM): Three-point lighting camp kids sessions open the day — kids set up their first professional lighting rig, learn how light shapes mood, and understand why this takes so long on a real set. Then cameras roll. Principal photography begins at our Hollywood studio camp. Instructors stay close but let teams lead. Mistakes happen. Teams solve them. That's the point.
Afternoon (1 PM to 4 PM): Filming continues with full crew rotation. Every camper directs. Every camper operates camera. Every camper records sound with boom in hand. Every camper acts on screen. The rotation isn't optional — it's the method. Kids who start the day convinced they want to edit only end up falling in love with cinematography for kids LA work by 3 PM. We've seen it a hundred times.
Morning (9 AM to 12 PM): Final filming sessions close out principal photography. Pick-up shots fix anything that didn't land Wednesday. Re-shoots address scenes that need more work. Teams review all footage together before the cameras get packed away. That review moment — watching what they shot — is often the first time kids truly understand what they built over three days.
Afternoon (1 PM to 4 PM): Post-production begins. Introduction to professional editing software — not a simplified version, the real thing. Teams start assembling footage, learning the basics of digital film editing kids programs rarely teach at this level: cuts, pacing, how the order of shots changes the meaning of a scene. Film editing camp Los Angeles training kicks into gear.
Morning (9 AM to 12 PM): The final editing push. Color correction editing camp techniques polish the look. Music for film camp kids gets added — carefully chosen tracks timed to match the emotional beats. Titles go on. Credits roll. Sound mixing evens out the audio. Every team presents their cut to an instructor for final feedback, then goes back and makes it better. By noon, films are locked.Final editing push! Adding music that enhances emotional moments, creating professional titles and credits, sound mixing to balance dialogue and music, and basic color correction to give films a polished look. Teams finalize their masterpieces.
Afternoon (1 PM to 4 PM): Final exports and premiere prep. At 3:00 PM sharp, families arrive. The red carpet goes down. Campers walk it. Films screen. The room does the thing it always does — goes quiet during the tense scenes, laughs at the jokes, claps at the end. Every kid collects their film camp certificate completion, shakes hands with their team, and walks out a filmmaker.
🎬 3:00 PM Friday — Families arrive for the RED CARPET PREMIERE. You don't want to miss this.
Film Summer Camps Los Angeles is led by instructors with real production credits — not resumes padded with workshops and certificates. Our lead instructors have worked on projects for Netflix, Disney, and Amazon Studios, and have screened work at Sundance and SXSW. These are working professionals teach film because they actually love this, not because it's between jobs.
Every supporting instructor brings specialized depth — an acting coach who ran an acting workshop kids Los Angeles program for five years, a cinematographer who went through USC film school graduates training, an editor who studied under AFI-trained instructors before cutting indie features. Many are UCLA film school alumni maintaining active careers while building the next generation.
Our 12:1 camper-to-instructor ratio is not a marketing claim — it's written into every session's operational plan. Every child gets real feedback on their directing, real critique of their acting, and real mentorship from people who know what they're talking about.
And when a shy kid finds their voice on camera? Our instructors feel that. That's why they keep coming back every summer.
Film Summer Camps Los Angeles runs at Solar Studios in Glendale, California. We chose this location on purpose and we'd choose it again every time. Solar Studios sits in the center of LA's entertainment industry corridor — just minutes from the Disney and Warner Bros studio lots. That proximity isn't incidental. It shapes how kids feel the moment they walk through the door.
This is a professional studio summer camp in the most literal sense. Not a school gymnasium with borrowed cameras. Not a community center with a projector screen. Solar Studios is designed for film production, which means every room we use is built for exactly what we do there. Soundstage for filming. Editing suites for post. Multiple set environments so different teams can shoot simultaneously without stepping on each other.
Film camp drop-off Glendale is straightforward — the facility has ample free parking with easy access from the 134, 2, 5, and 210 freeways. Whether your family is coming from Beverly Hills, Studio City, Pasadena, or Santa Monica, the location works.
Fully climate-controlled throughout. Because a summer camp where kids roast in 95-degree heat isn't a summer camp — it's a discipline exercise.
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Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (35 hours of professional instruction)
Professional cameras, lighting rigs, sound equipment, editing software access, props, costumes, and all production materials
Morning and afternoon snacks provided throughout the week (please pack lunch daily)
Every camper receives their own crew shirt to keep as a memento
HD download link for sharing with family, friends, and social media
Official Film Camp certificate celebrating your young filmmaker's achievement
Friday afternoon family screening with celebration, photos, and awards
Secure checkout powered by Stripe. Spaces are limited and sessions fill quickly!
A safe summer camp LA isn't optional — it's the starting point. Every protocol below is in place before the first camper arrives on Monday morning, and every staff member knows them by heart.
Every background-checked camp instructor undergoes comprehensive screening before working at Film Camp. We verify credentials, run reference checks, and review work history. No exceptions and no shortcuts. Ever.
We maintain a strict 12:1 camper-to-instructor ratio throughout every full day summer camp Los Angeles session. Supervision is built into our operational structure, not improvised based on who showed up that morning.
Solar Studios has controlled access with mandatory sign-in and sign-out for every camper every day. Only authorized adults listed during registration can pick up a child at end of day. Secure facility kids camp safety is non-negotiable.
All CPR-certified camp staff maintain current certifications in first aid, CPR, and emergency response. First aid camp Los Angeles supplies are stocked and accessible throughout the facility at all times.
Note any allergies or dietary needs during summer camp registration and they go straight onto the daily sheet. Our allergy-aware summer camp staff knows every restriction in the room before the first snack comes out.
Parents receive daily parent updates camp staff send throughout the week — photos, progress notes, and highlights from the day's sessions. You stay connected to your child's experience without hovering over the studio door.
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"My kids loved the camp so so so much. Everyday was a new adventure. This was both of their first time acting and being behind the camera. They are already asking to go back. Absolutely worth it, great instructors!"
Los Angeles, California
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"It was a great experience for my son. He was excited from day one. Kids wrote the script, participated in discussion, played, acted, filmed. They did so much in these 5 days! Highly recommend for any creative kid."
Glendale, California
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"My son was excited for camp but had little experience! By week's end my guy was fully involved and invested. He learned so much and loved seeing his ideas come to life. Thanks for a super fun week!"
Burbank, California
Curious about our filmmaking program? Find answers to the most common questions from parents below. Don't see your question? Reach out to our team at (323) 471-5941 or hello@film.camp.
We're happy to help!
Film camp ages 7 to 14. We group campers by age and experience level. Younger kids ages 7 to 10 focus on creativity, story instincts, and the joy of making something. Older campers ages 11 to 14 go deeper into technical production, take more complex roles, and are generally the ones who spend Thursday night thinking about their edit.
Zero experience needed. Our beginner film camp LA curriculum is designed for first-timers. At the same time, advanced film camp Los Angeles campers who come in with some camera or editing background will find the projects and gear are at a level that still challenges them. Both ends of the spectrum leave having learned things they didn't know before Monday.
A packed lunch, a refillable water bottle, and clothes they can move in comfortably. We supply all equipment, materials, and snacks. If your child has costume pieces they want to use in their film, bring them and label them. Label everything, honestly.
Full refunds for cancellations made 14 or more days before the session start date. 50% refund for cancellations 7 to 13 days out. Within 7 days, we issue credit toward a future Film Camp session rather than a cash refund. We work with families when plans genuinely change.
Max 24 campers total per week, organized into production teams of 4 to 6. Our strict camper-to-instructor ratio of 12:1 ensures every child receives real instruction, real feedback, and real time in every crew role throughout the week.
Yes — crew rotation is mandatory. Every camper directs, operates camera, records sound, and acts on screen during the week. No one gets assigned to one role and stuck there. The rotation mirrors how real sets operate, and it also helps kids discover what they're actually drawn to — which is often not what they expected walking in Monday.
Completely. All activities run inside Solar Studios. Weather never affects the schedule. That's one real advantage of an indoor summer camp LA at a professional production facility — rain or 100-degree heat, we film on time. No outdoor cancellations, no scrambled plans.
Absolutely. The film showcase event kids present on Friday afternoon is open to parents, grandparents, siblings, and whoever your child wants watching. Doors open at 3 PM. Your kid walks the red carpet, their film screens, and the room does what audiences do. Families consistently tell us this is the single best moment of the whole summer. We believe them.
Is film camp near me Los Angeles? If you're anywhere in LA County or the surrounding areas, the answer is almost certainly yes. Our Solar Studios Glendale location puts us right at the center of the entertainment corridor, with easy freeway access from virtually every corner of the metro area.
We welcome young filmmakers from communities across the region. Film camp Glendale California is home base — but the kids who fill our sessions come from all of these neighborhoods and more:
Easy freeway access via 134 Freeway, 2 Freeway, 5 Freeway, and 210 Freeway
Free parking at Solar Studios. Summer camp Burbank kids, summer camp Pasadena kids, summer camp Studio City kids, summer camp Sherman Oaks families, summer camp Beverly Hills parents, summer camp Santa Monica kids, summer camp West Hollywood kids, summer camp Glendale kids — we see all of you here every summer.
So here's the real question: what does your child actually make this summer? What do they create? What do they finish? What do they carry into September feeling good about?
Film Summer Camps Los Angeles gives kids ages 7 to 14 something most summer programs never do — a real finished product, made by their own hands, screened for people who love them on a Friday afternoon.
Summer 2026 film camp LA sessions are already filling. The best summer programs kids LA families want always go first. Summer camp registration Los Angeles for peak weeks in July often closes out weeks before the session starts.
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Questions? Call us at (323) 471-5941 or email hello@film.camp