Film production course for beginners
ReelStart Academy
Practical filmmaking course for colleges
Reelstart Academy:
Mediorite’s ReelStart Academy gives students thinking about creative careers a foundation in filmmaking with this practical film production course. College students can learn the filmmaking process and make a short film.
Recommended student age: 18+
Duration: 6 weeks (we work to your schedule)
Suitable for: Colleges, Education Providers, Organisations
Pricing: See training rate card
Learning type: Classroom / in-person learning
Location: Venue of your choice
Info for Colleges & Education Providers
College students can learn the filmmaking process and make a short film with ReelStart Academy
ReelStart Academy is Mediorite’s film production course for beginners. Students can go from zero experience to creating a finished film that’s screened at a private film networking event for clients, young people, and industry experts.
The ReelStart Academy film course takes one of two routes: scripted or promotional. Either route involves creating a short film in line with Pre-Production, Production, and Post-Production best practice.
Scripted route: Students share a film hero and a favourite moment from a film. They remake this iconic film scene as a group.
Promotional route: The group acts as a film agency, taking a live brief from a charitable client. Students team up to pitch creative concepts. Once the client signs off on an idea, the students produce a film realising their concept.
Be seen on the big screen: Once the students complete their short film, it’s time to celebrate their achievement. The film is shown at a private film screening and networking event for clients, young people, and industry experts.
Read on for: Aims, Skills & Behaviours, and Outcomes
Aims & Goals
The ReelStart Academy course aims to achieve the following student outcomes:
- Study existing film products and find inspiration
- Learn the 3 phases of production: pre-production, production, post-production
- Create a short film (either working to a live client brief, or restaging an iconic film scene)
- End product is screened at a private industry networking event
Skills & Behaviours
ReelStart Academy course students are supported to experience and embed the following skills and strengths:
- Confidence
- Planning
- Organisation
- Leadership
- Teamwork
- Problem solving
- Understanding of the filmmaking process and phases involved
- Practical and technical filmmaking skills
Outcomes
ReelStart Academy students achieve the following outcomes on completing the film production course:
- Bronze Arts Award accreditation (optional)
- Creation of a final film product that can be screened and shared
- Improved understanding of the planning, creative and practical aspects of the filmmaking process
- Increased confidence in soft and technical skills using a distance travelled tool
Impact and CEIAG
Students will be able to self-assess their increased confidence in soft and technical skills using a distance travelled tool.
The positive social impact of Mediorite’s film training is supported by evidence-led data from our award-winning measurable social impact reporting.
Gatsby Benchmarks: 2, 3, 4, 5, & 8.
CDI Framework: Grow, Explore, Manage, Create.
What clients say
We love hearing from colleges, organisations, and students training with ReelStart Academy!
Mediorite have delivered an outstanding series of workshops to equip adults with industry skills in commercial film production.
Mediorite’s dedication to fostering talent and creating real-world opportunities is truly commendable. We are incredibly grateful for their partnership.
It was really insightful in how to create content in a short period of time. I really appreciated the scripting, filming and editing in the space of a few hours. It opened up my creative possibility to create more opportunities to make films more often.
Our adult students have enjoyed experiencing hands-on, real client briefs where they get the opportunity to create promotional commercial films for community organisations and businesses.
The results have been phenomenal, with glowing feedback and significant progressions emerging from the programmes.
We look forward to continuing to work together with Mediorite to empower London residents through skills and creativity.
I would recommend this course. I have been in similar spaces before and I can confidently say I enjoyed my time learning new skills. Thank you for this opportunity!
I loved how hands on this course was, having developed and created multiple short films
Our Expertise
Mediorite offer a range of tried and tested safeguarded and accredited training programmes designed to help young people develop a love of film whilst learning skills for life and work. Courses range from fast and fun 1-day MovieMagic outreach sessions, to the 6 week beginner’s programme ReelStart Academy, and our 8 week work ready programme SHIFT.
The output of each course is a film shot and edited by your young people! We love working collaboratively, tailoring film briefs that work for you. All programmes focus on teaching vital soft skills including communication, teamwork and leadership delivered by two experienced youth workers each with camera and editing equipment. Our training Alumni have gone on to work at Sky, The BBC, Netflix, Apple TV and Weiden Kennedy.
Over the course of our film production training programmes in 2023, 607 young people were employed, trained or involved in our activities.
Our founding CEO Lucy Ferguson was awarded an MBE in 2024 for her services to social enterprise.
Contact us
We’re delighted to help you arrange an unforgettable and rewarding early career insight experience for your young people. Delivering high quality film production training for all levels of experience is part of our mission as a social enterprise to connect diverse young people with creative careers. Please contact our Head of Training, Reuben Bell, at reuben@mediorite.co.uk for further information or bookings.
Our Film Course Packages
Our accredited film training programmes are designed for schools, colleges, employers, youth organisations, and prison services.
- MovieMagic: Filmmaking Workshop Activity Day | Ages 13-17 (KS3-5)
- ReelStart Academy: Beginner Filmmaking Course for Colleges and Organisations | Ages 18+
- ReelStart Academy in Prison: Beginner Filmmaking Course for Young People in Prisons | Ages 18+
- Teach the Teacher: Filmmaking Training Course for Youth Workers
- SHIFT: Work Ready Video Production Training Course | Ages 18-25
Training course queries
Our Head of Training, Reuben Bell (