Annapolis Filmsters Academy

Lights, Camera, Action!

If you’ve got a budding Spielberg in your home, Annapolis has a place for him or her this summer. Founded in 2002, Filmsters Academy teaches the art of film-making to children ages 11 to 20 years old.

The academy runs the first two weeks in August only. The reason? Co-founders Patti Obrow White and K. Lee Anderson are Anne Arundel County residents who spend most of their time in Los Angeles, Calif., where they are partners in a production company called Filmsters.

“We do TV and documentaries,” said Ms. White, who, like Ms. Anderson, has extensive credentials in the field and has won numerous awards, including three Emmy’s.

The academy typically enrolls 50 students per season. Most hail from Anne Arundel County although they have had students from Denver (“A family member here heard about us”) and even France and Italy (“They were staying with relatives in town”).

Ms. White credits her son, then a teenager, for her starting the academy. He was interested in film-making but at his age, there weren’t any options.

“There is a big interest in film schools at the college level, but not a lot before then, where you can learn the basic skills,” she said. “People who knew us asked, ‘Why don’t you do something for young people?’”

The academy is divided into age groups and skill levels: beginner, ages 11 to 16; intermediate, ages 14 to 18; and advanced, ages 16 to 20. Beginners usually attend for one week; intermediate, two weeks; and advanced, two weeks and two weekends. Entry to the advanced session is “by invitation only,” meaning prospective students are interviewed and asked about their commitment to film-making.

Whatever the level, all of the students learn how to “pitch” a story, develop that story idea into a script, direct and shoot a short film, and edit it for viewing. The advanced students create a more complex and lengthier film for potential entry into student film festivals.

“It’s not just film-making. It’s the art of story-telling,” said Ms. White. “I love pitch night. That’s when everyone gets up and tells their ideas to the entire camp. It’s so much fun.”

Tuition for Filmsters Academy begins at $745. The academy has a staff of 20, some of whom attend college-level film and writing programs. The academy also has the full complement of film and editing equipment for students to use.

Filmsters Academy is held at The Key School, 534 Hillsmere Drive, Annapolis, Md.

This summer, Filmsters Academy begins on August 2. For information about the programs, visit its Web site, www.filmstersacademy.com, email filmsters@filmsters.com or telephone 410-263-3023.

By Barbara Pash