Camp Genesis Film Camp

ABOUT

INTRODUCTION

Filmmaking is a fantastic way for young people to develop their creative skills and express themselves. It also offers the chance to explore many fascinating careers in a wide range of industries, from film and cinema to marketing and advertising to a head start in the digital media landscape.

Whether you are a high school or tertiary education graduate – entering the formal film industry poses real challenges in terms of life, occupational and entrepreneurial skills.

Students will learn technical skills, produce powerful short films content, and build friendships with peers and artist mentors. They are provided with quality instruction and appropriate equipment in an environment that respects and nurtures each individual’s abilities while gently pushing them to challenge themselves in new ways. It is fast-paced, engaging, and fun.

Set Yourself Up For Success!

This Film Boot Camp is an opportunity for aspiring filmmakers to learn to express themselves, as well as to experience what it’s like to be part of a creative team. Each camper is involved in every step of the process, from operating the camera, to manning the mic boom, to editing the final cut. There is no substitute for gaining hands-on ‘Learning-by-Doing’ in-service training experience under the inspiring guidance of our Programme Directors and mentorship of industry professionals.

Join your creatively-minded peers and bring your story to life. There's nothing quite like the experience of taking an idea, putting it on paper, and working with a dedicated crew to turn it into something visual and tangible that can be shared and revisited whenever you'd like.

Early booking is essential as this is an exclusive program that is high in demand and usually fully booked months before the camp session starts!

DATE: 31 March - 9 April 2023 

RATES: For costs of camp and other eligible criteria, read our General Information page.

Program suitable for ages 17-24

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PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

This groundbreaking program is led by our Program Directors, Jarrod de Jong & Tony Wake, assisted by a team of industry professionals. Whether you see yourself pursuing a career in filmmaking or want to learn these practical and applicable skills for yourself, this Film Boot Camp is perfect for everyone with an interest in making films.

In association with the New York Film Academy (NYFA), our filmmaking boot camp takes students through the entire filmmaking process in just 8 days!

This groundbreaking programme is led by Programme Director, Tony Wake, assisted by a team of industry professionals. Whether you see yourself pursuing a career in filmmaking or want to learn these practical and applicable skills for yourself, this Film Boot Camp is perfect for everyone with an interest in making films.

In association with the New York Film Academy (NYFA), our filmmaking boot camp takes students through the entire filmmaking process in just 8 days!

WHAT WILL STUDENTS DO IN THE FBC PROGRAM?

All students collaborate to write, direct and edit a short film of their own, and work as crew for one another, providing each student the opportunity to work as a Director of Photography, Sound Technician, or Production Assistant. Due to time constraints, the emphasis here is on single system film production, where sound and image are captured by the same camera. Students make creative use of sound, recording wild-sound and effects in production, and building a multi-layered soundtrack of ambience, effects, voice-over, and music in post-production. This way, boot camp students avoid the pitfalls of time-consuming sync-sound production and are naturally steered away from overly talky scripts towards more polished, visual cinema.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

Our film boot camp is designed for young adults (age 17 – 24) with little or no experience in making films. The programs focus on the fundamental elements of visual storytelling that enable the students to direct their own projects.

During the film boot camp, each day is split between in-class instruction and on-set production. Curriculum subjects are taught both in-class and on set, where students get to apply the lessons they learned to a real film set.

The first three days of the week are spent learning the fundamentals of filmmaking with separate classes in screenwriting, directing technique, and cinematography. Students then go “in production” making their films in small crews. Each crew is supervised by an accomplished production instructor who helps guide the director and crew to ensure a safe and successful day of shooting.

Once the films are “in the can,” we start with an introduction to professional editing software. Students edit their films and are critiqued in class by their instructors. At the final showcase, all the short film content is screened on a big screen for the entire camp.

Some classes and subjects that students can expect to cover in the filmmaking boot camp include the following;

• Director’s Craft
• Screenwriting
• Hands-on Digital Camera & Lighting
• Digital Editing
• Working with Talent
• Production Management
• Producing

The programme combines thought-provoking talks by industry professionals and invited speakers with a programme of testing challenges and action-packed activities. Each day is constructed around:

• Masterclasses
• Practical Training
• Goal-setting exercises and time management
• Innovative team-building exercises and
• A programme of off-camp excursions

WHAT WILL STUDENTS RECEIVE UPON PROGRAM COMPLETION?

A NYFA certificate of completion for your resume, as well as tangible skills in the following:

• Technological Expertise – or at the very least, a very solid working understanding of the latest filming technology and software
• Flexible Creativity
• Written and Visual Storytelling
• Decisive and Problem-Solving Leadership
• Communication and Team Work
• Time Management
• Goal Setting 101
• Personal Development

HIGHLIGHT ACTIVITY DAYS

Our students are growing up in an increasingly competitive and stressful world, where they might opt out of trying an unfamiliar activity for risk of embarrassment or failure. At Camp Genesis, we expose students to a variety of activities as we think it’s important for them to learn healthy and rewarding ways to spend their time. Activity days are challenging, great fun and require patience, fortitude and teamwork skills.

These include:

• Bundu Bash – a skilful team competition
• Team Building – outdoor adventure
• Initiative Courses – content creation for social media
• Secret Sunrise/Sunset – empowering you to share positivity and celebrate the joys of life
• Educational Excursion* – Cape Town Film Studios
• Zip-lining** – conquer your fear

* Cape Town Film Studios

The first world-class, custom-built, Hollywood style, film studio complex in Africa, and has been rated as the best film studio complex of its kind, in the developing world by international production executives. It is the dedicated hub for media, new media, entertainment, film and related industries in Sub-Saharan Africa – with state-of-the-art facilities and supporting services.

**Cape Canopy Tour (The best experience in Africa)

A zip-line canopy tour in the company of soaring eagles, surrounded by breathtaking Cape fynbos panoramas and mountain scapes, located in the Elgin Valley near Grabouw, and scaling the rugged Hottentots Holland mountains in the Cape Nature reserve of the same name. It has been described as “vertigo-tinged fun”.

Other activities include:

• Talent Shows
• Karaoke Wars
• Night Hikes
• Minute to Win It Games
• Camp Craft & Cooking
• Storytelling
• Camp Newspaper

EVALUATION

At the end of a camp session, students fill out a survey evaluating their camp experience. Feedback is an important way for us to constantly improve our programming.

We will also conclude with an award ceremony, recognizing and honour filmmakers our young filmmakers. Nominees and winners will be chosen by our program facilitators.

The films produced in the camp will be distributed through Camp Genesis' website, and will be curated into an online film festival screening package.

PROGRAM DIRECTORS

Jarrod de Jong has been in the media business for over twenty years. As a successful producer and writer in the film industry, he used his media studies degree from UNISA to break into the profession. He is well-connected and has media clout.

Jarrod has more than 20 years of production experience in various formats and has produced a number of notable television shows and feature films currently on Netflix. He has steadily shifted his focus over the last few years toward international co-productions, developing and promoting local projects with international distribution potential.

For Jarrod, the mission of Camp Genesis is to provide every camper with the resources and experiences necessary to reach their full potential. It is because of his passion for youth development and desire to assist young adults in discovering and developing their unique skills that Camp Genesis was founded.

Jarrod De Jong

Tony Wake

Tony Wake is a renowned leadership coach and highly sought-after International speaker, teacher, and success strategist.

He is a thought leader in the fields of influence, persuasion, communication, and negotiations and a recognized authority on the psychology of human behaviour, personal development and transformation.

Many say that he is a modern-day ‘Sherlock Holmes’ and if you are lucky (or to some unlucky) enough to be in a conversation with him, you will soon find out that you are in the presence of someone who, for the lack of a better explanation, can read your mind.

He is well-known for being an exceptional motivational speaker, trainer of many tools and techniques for powerful personal and business results and an expert in the development of leadership and personal empowerment skills.

Thanks to his interactive approach, Tony captivates our young leadership campers, ensuring that every participant is actively involved in his presentations and high-value teachings.

INDUSTRY-LEADING GUEST SPEAKERS

The quality of the renowned program instructors continues to be the bedrock of the acclaimed FBC program.

Talia Hughes – Associate Director/FBC Art Lecturer

Talia is a multifaceted businesswoman with a vibrant artistic background. She graduated from the National School of Arts with a Bachelor degree in Fine Arts and Art History, and her career has taken her from being a key account manager at one of South Africa's top advertising agencies to working as a production designer on notable domestic and international film productions.

JC Bosman – FBC Director/Writer/Lecturer

JC is a renaissance man by heart. By day he is a film director, editor, actor, and artist. But he is also a passionate permaculturist and mycologist. With a Bachelor of Arts & Drama, majoring in Directing and Production Design, he is a filmmaker of note and creates content that can inspire positive change in the world. He firmly believes in education and knowledge.

Josua De Vries – FBC Director of Photography/Lecturer

Josua has always been passionate about photography, and so naturally transitioned into Cinematography after obtaining his degree at AFDA. He has a talent for capturing the essence of people’s personalities, as well as beautiful nature and landscape shots. He has worked on notable domestic and international film and television productions.

Wynand Fourie – FBC Sound Recording Lecturer

Wynand has a film degree from AFDA with an emphasis in sound. In addition to his studies in the area of film, Wynand has been recording and booming for domestic and international film, series, and commercials. He has recently wrapped an international series in Spain for Netflix.

Tristram Atkins – FBC Screenwriting Lecturer

Tristram is a Mandela Rhodes Alumni. His film, “Ongeriewe”, received a Palme d'Or nomination at Festival de Cannes in 2006 and won Best South African Short Film at DIFF. He has written on many television dramas, worked on internationally acclaimed documentary productions, judged at film festivals and a national award show. He worked as a scriptwriting lecturer at a SA Film School and has an honours degree in motion picture medium.

Marie Midcalf – FBC Editor/Lecturer

Marie has a film degree from AFDA with an emphasis in editing. She runs her own company, PureLiquid Editing, and has worked on projects with RichRed Productions, The Michael, and Susan Dell Foundation, Global Initiative, Bloomberg TV, Sanlam, and Deloitte among others.

ACCOMMODATION & VENUE

Students attending the FBC program are based at SOS Outdoor Centre, which is situated 7 km outside Villiersdorp and just over an hour’s drive away from Cape Town. The facility is surrounded with picturesque environmental beauty – offering magnificent views of the Theewaterskloof Dam and nature in general – where this unique program has exclusive use of its ideal camping facilities and amenities.