Treat your students to a brand new kind of learning! School classes can come to the Gulf Islands Film & Television School in the spring of 2012 and, in an action-packed creative week, act, shoot, and edit their own short films.

Following very successful pilot programs with White Rock Elementary School, St. Joseph’s from Smithers, Kimberly Independent School, Calgary Arts Academy and École Beairsto from Vernon, GIFTS is offering eight one-week residential sessions at GIFTS from April29 to June 17, 2012. Thanks in part to generous donations, GIFTS is able to discount the standard tuition by up to 65 percent during these programs. Students can take courses ranging from dramatic video production and acting for camera to game design and computer animation.

Weeks available in 2012 are: April 29, May 6, 13, 20, 27 and June 3, 10, 17

Creating a film together gives students creative, cooperative, and technical skills. Working in groups of three or four, students will be closely supervised throughout the week by a skilled mentor. Before their session, a professional screen writer will work with students at their school. Students, teachers and chaperones arrive Sunday evening and leave Friday afternoon with polished films. Students can screen their films back at their schools for family and friends, as the White Rock students did to great acclaim.

Want to know more? Click on the links for a letter of support from a White Rock Elementary School teacher and a documentary the students made about their “awesome” week at GIFTS. You’ll also find details on the weekly schedule, costs, menu, and transportation and safety plans.