# Film & Video Programs & Competitions for High School Students

Film programs for high schoolers include summer production intensives, youth film festivals, and media-arts mentorships covering directing, editing, and screenwriting.

A finished short film that has screened anywhere is a portfolio piece most applicants simply do not have.

30 verified programs match this page; 18 of the featured listings are free; 12 can be done online.

## Programs (30 total)

| Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Sony World Photography Awards Youth Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/sony-world-photography-youth) | World Photography Organisation | Free | virtual | Grades 7–12 | 2027-01-05 |
| [Canadian Short Screenplay Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/the-canadian-short-screenplay-competition) | Canadian Short Screenplay Competition Inc. | $35 | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-12-02 |
| [SCAD Pre-College Summer Art & Design Intensive](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/scad-pre-college-summer-art-design) | Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) | $4,500 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2027-05-28 |
| [ArtCenter College of Design Pre-College Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/artcenter-college-of-design-pre-college) | ArtCenter College of Design | $3,000 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-05-15 |
| [Ocean Awareness Contest First Place](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/ocean-awareness-contest-first-place) | Bow Seat | Free | virtual | Grades 6–12 | 2027-06-08 |
| [Student Academy Awards](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/student-academy-awards) | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-26 |
| [Quill and Scroll International Writing, Photo Contests](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/quill-scroll-awards) | Quill and Scroll | $15 | virtual | Grades 10–12 | 2027-02-05 |
| [NSPA Photojournalism Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/photojournalism-contest) | National Scholastic Press Association | $15 | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-06-01 |
| [Young Animator Awards](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/young-animator-awards) | Animation Magazine | $25 | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-09-01 |
| [C-SPAN StudentCam](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/c-span-studentcam) | C-SPAN | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-20 |
| [Fangoria Blood Drive Short Film Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/fangoria-blood-drive) | Fangoria | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [American Association of Physics Teachers High School Physics Photo Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/american-association-of-physics-teachers-high-school-physics-photo-contest) | AAPT | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-05-15 |
| [The Christophers Video Contest for College Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/christophers-video-contest) | The Christophers | Free | virtual | Grade 12 | 2027-02-15 |
| [Virginia Film Festival](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/virginia-film-festival) | Virginia Film Festival, University of Virginia | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-07-14 |
| [NYU Tisch School of the Arts Summer Programs](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nyu-tisch-summer-arts) | New York University | $5,000 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2026-12-01 |
| [Slamdance Screenplay Competition (Student Division)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/slamdance-screenplay-competition-student-division) | Slamdance Film Festival | $45 | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-09-15 |
| [Student Animation Festival Awards](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/animation-competition) | Various Organizations | $50 | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-01 |
| [Jacob Burns Film Center Creative Culture Summer](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/jacob-burns-film-center-creative-culture-summer) | Jacob Burns Film Center | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-15 |
| [Sundance Ignite Fellowship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/sundance-ignite) | Sundance Institute | Free | hybrid | Grades 12–18 | 2027-02-19 |
| [Boston University Summer Journalism Academy](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/boston-university-summer-journalism-academy) | Boston University | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-04-19 |
| [University of Rochester Pre-College Programs](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/university-of-rochester-pre-college-programs) | University of Rochester | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-05-01 |
| [Boston University Academy of Media Production](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/boston-university-academy-of-media-production) | Boston University | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [Expanding the Walls](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/studio-museum-expanding-the-walls) | The Studio Museum in Harlem | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nffty-national-film-festival-for-talented-youth) | NFFTY | $30 | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2026-12-11 |
| [Ghetto Film School Fellows Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/ghetto-film-school-fellows-program) | Ghetto Film School | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [AAPT High School Physics Photo Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/aapt-high-school-physics-photo-contest) | American Association of Physics Teachers | Not listed | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [Frist Art Museum Teen Film Camp](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/frist-art-museum-teen-film-camp) | Frist Art Museum | $525 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | Rolling |
| [Reel Works Filmmaking Labs](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/reel-works-filmmaking-labs) | Reel Works | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [Doc Films Student Engagement & Screenings](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/doc-films) | Doc Films, University of Chicago | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [New York Summer School of the Arts (NYSSSA)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/new-york-summer-school-of-the-arts-nysssa) | New York State Education Department | Free | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2027-03-14 |

## Frequently asked questions

### How many film & video programs are listed for high school students?

ExtracurricularHub currently lists 30 verified film & video opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link.

### Are any of these film & video programs free?

Yes — 18 of the programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Free programs are often funded and can be more selective, so apply early.

### Which deadlines are coming up soonest?

The next deadlines: Virginia Film Festival (July 14, 2026); Young Animator Awards (September 1, 2026); Slamdance Screenplay Competition (Student Division) (September 15, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site.

### Do film & video extracurriculars help with college admissions?

Yes — sustained, escalating involvement in film & video (participation → awards or leadership → independent work) reads far stronger than scattered one-off activities. Pick one or two programs from this page and go deep.

## Related pages

- [Arts for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/arts)
- [Journalism & Media Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/journalism)
- [Theater & Performing Arts Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/theater)
- [Writing Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/writing)
- [Browse all extracurriculars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars)
- [Find My Fit — 3-minute matching quiz](https://extracurricularhub.com/find-my-fit)

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Source: ExtracurricularHub (https://extracurricularhub.com) — a free directory of 1,826 verified extracurricular programs for high school students. Cite the canonical page above; always confirm binding details on each program's official site.