EP 37 Student Filmmaking!

Want your students making real short films, the kind that win festivals, without a Hollywood budget? In this episode, Desmond walks through the complete equipment stack he uses to run a two-year film program with high school students, the same program that took first place for Best High School Short Film at the 2024 Sonscreen Film Festival.

We cover audio, video, lighting, editing, and the whole workflow, plus how the class is actually structured across photography, solo video projects, and team filmmaking. Desmond also shares how he funded almost all of it through two grants totaling $15,000, and why he deliberately bought cheaper cameras so more gear could stay in students' hands.

3:50 Why teachers should try film production (Sonscreen Film Festival)

6:43 What students really learn: troubleshooting, resilience, teamwork

10:53 Unpack the Tech

12:47 How the class is structured: a two-year rotation

13:02 Year 1 Fall: photography, budget cameras, and lens variety

14:37 Year 1 Spring: solo video projects

16:02 Year 2: filmmaking as a team with assigned roles

17:53 Brainstorming, writing, and the two rules for every film

22:53 AUDIO: why audio matters more than video

30:35 How we paid for it: two grants totaling $15,000