FAQ

We are happy to offer several scholarships.

We generally advise that students fall between 14-18 years of age.

However, we have made exceptions in the past for parents who think their students could still be a good fit. Please email us if you would like to discuss attending outside the age ranges. This also applies if your student is slightly older than 18. Contact us at cineacad@iu.edu.

For most of our programs, you don't need much experience to enjoy the sessions. But if you have already had opportunities to get exposure to filmmaking, writing, animation etc. you certainly won't be bored. We cater to all experience levels. Here are the minimum expectations for each session:

1. Into to Filmmaking Bootcamp - No experience needed
2. Screenwriting Academy - You should have some experience with creative writing, but not necessarily with screenplay format. If you've written a short story, poem, play, song lyrics or anything along those lines, you will be fine!
3. 2D/3D Animation Academy - You should have some drawing experience, and be generally proficient in learning new computer software, but no specific animation experience is needed.
4. TV Production Bootcamp - No experience needed
5. Advanced Filmmakers Academy - Unlike the above sessions, you have to apply to be considered for this program. Experience is required, but it could be from any area within filmmaking (directing, writing, camera, editing, set design, lighting etc).
6. Acting for the Camera - As with the Advanced Filmmakers Academy, you have to apply to be considered for this program. Some acting experience is required, but experience acting for the camera isn't needed. 

The main content for the in-person sessions runs from 9am-5pm EDT.

Evening activities run until 10:30pm for the overnight students. However if they wish to head to their rooms earlier, that is completely fine.

For information on pickup and drop-off for the in-person sessions please go here.

As a reminder, the Advanced Filmmakers Academy and Acting for the Camera sessions are overnight only. There is no day camp option. All of the other in-person sessions offer either day camp or overnight.

The Virtual Screenwriting Academy runs from 10am-4pm EDT.

The Cinema Academy is committed to our campers' safety. Campers will be supervised at all times during the day, when walking from building to building, and in the evening. The residence halls are very secure and don't allow anyone onto the floors that isn't staying there. Additionally, no one can enter the building after business hours that isn't a resident. 

We consult the Motion Pictures Association for film ratings. We will not be screening any R-rated films during the sessions. Short scenes from R-rated films may be shown, but they will not contain any content that extends beyond the guidelines of the PG-13 rating.

For the TV Production Bootcamp, we will refrain from showing any "TV-MA" content. 

All in-person activities take place on the Indiana University Bloomington campus. The Media School is split into two different buildings, Franklin Hall and Radio-TV. Here is a breakdown of where the sessions take place:

Franklin Hall, 601 E. Kirkwood Ave. Bloomington, IN 47405

1. 2D/3D Animation Academy
2. TV Production Bootcamp

Radio-TV Building, 1229 E 7th St, Bloomington, IN 47405

1. Intro to Filmmaking Academy
2. Screenwriting Academy
3. Advanced Filmmakers Academy
4. Acting for the Camera

Overnight campers stay in a residence hall no more than .9 miles from their classroom building.

For overnight campers, lunch and dinner are included in tuition and will be held at Forest Dining Hall, an all-you-care-to-eat campus dining location, located .5 miles from the dorm and .9 miles from the classroom building. Breakfast items (granola bars, fruit cups, etc.) will be provided at the dorm.

Most types of diets can be accommodated by the wide variety of menu items.

Reach out to us with any questions!

Email: cineacad@iu.edu 

Phone: Andrew Behringer, Precollege Program Director, 812-856-8083