News – Heights Middle School Shorts

August 16, 2024August 18, 2024

Big News: Heights Middle School Shorts Teams Up with the Cleveland International Film Festival!

We’re absolutely buzzing with excitement to share that Heights Middle School Shorts (HMSS) has forged an incredible new partnership with the prestigious Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF)! 🎬✨

An Unstoppable Collaboration This groundbreaking collaboration is set to unlock a treasure trove of opportunities for our budding filmmakers. Picture this: our students’ creative visions showcased on a national stage, learning experiences supercharged, and exposure to the world of professional filmmaking like never before.

Lights, Camera, Action: Our Students in the Spotlight One of the most thrilling aspects of this partnership is the inclusion of our students’ films in CIFF’s renowned FilmSlam® Streams program. This virtual showcase brings the best student cinema directly into classrooms across the country. Now, our talented young filmmakers will have their work seen by a wider audience, earning the recognition they so richly deserve. This isn’t just a milestone—it’s a launchpad for their future careers in film and beyond.

Interactive, Inspirational, and Insightful But that’s not all! CIFF will be hosting a Zoom Q&A with our student filmmakers, giving them the chance to discuss their work and the filmmaking process with industry pros. This is a golden opportunity for our students to share their journeys, gain insider knowledge, and spark new ideas. And to top it off, CIFF is crafting an in-depth study guide around our students’ films. This guide will be packed with insights about HMSS and all things filmmaking—perfect for anyone eager to dive deeper into the craft.

Hands-On Experience and Giving Back Our partnership goes beyond the screen. CIFF is opening the doors for our students to volunteer at the festival, including those from Heights Career Tech Education (CTE). These roles will not only help students earn community service hours but also give them hands-on experience in a professional festival environment. It’s a win-win: giving back to the community while building real-world skills.

Exclusive Screenings and Networking Galore Get ready for a major highlight of CIFF49: the premiere of our 2024 student films in the FilmSlam® Student Cinema section! This special screening is a momentous occasion, offering our students the chance to see their work celebrated on a grand stage. And the benefits don’t stop there—CIFF will provide access to an extensive network of filmmakers, giving our students unique opportunities to connect, learn, and grow in all aspects of filmmaking, from screenwriting to editing.

Strengthening Our Film Community This partnership is about more than just film—it’s about building a stronger, more connected film community. Our students will have the chance to join CIFF’s Student Screening Team, diving deep into the art of film critique and analysis alongside their peers who share a passion for cinema.

Looking Ahead: A Bright Future for Our Filmmakers We couldn’t be more excited about the potential of this partnership to elevate our students’ educational journeys and shine a spotlight on their incredible talents. We’re on the edge of our seats, eager to see the amazing projects that will come out of this collaboration. Together with CIFF, we’re not just making films—we’re making the future of filmmaking.

Stay tuned, because this journey is just beginning. We’ll be sharing more updates as we embark on this exciting adventure with the Cleveland International Film Festival. Together, we’re paving the way for the next generation of filmmakers and storytellers.

#HeightsMiddleSchoolShorts #HMSS #HMSSSeason5 #CIFF #NextGenFilmmakers #FilmEducation #CommunityEngagement #FilmFestivalMagic

November 23, 2022November 23, 2022

It Truly Does Take a Village…

When we started Heights Middle School Shorts nearly three years ago, we had a single objective: give middle school students in Cleveland Heights and University Heights the opportunity to make movies.

We’d seen the creativity of Heights kids in our theater camp. We knew they could write thought-provoking stories, play compelling characters, and lead complete productions. But when COVID-19 forced us to move to an all-remote format featuring plays that campers filmed on cell phones, we were captivated. We wanted more movies!

So we launched Heights Middle School Shorts in the summer of 2021 with 14 campers who each wrote, acted, produced, and directed their own short film. And thanks to the generosity of the entire Heights community – the donors who provided funding, the merchants who provided meals and supplies, the CHUH district that provided space for our campers to learn and work, the parents who brought their kids to camp and picked them up again at the end of the day, and too many others to mention – it was a fabulous success.

The following year, the HMSS class of 2022 did not disappoint: campers produced ten stellar films, six of which were screened at the 2022 Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival (GCUFF), followed by a panel discussion hosted by the district’s own Emmy Award winner, Cynthia Booker, who teaches media and TV production, and featuring the students who wrote, produced, and directed those films. Equally important, the community continued to embrace our work and provide us the support we need: Reaching Heights, which acts as our fiscal agent, the CHUH district, which once again opened its doors to give our camp a home in 2022, the CHUH PTA Council, which allows us to operate under their umbrella, and most importantly the generous donors who continue to write checks and make donations to ensure that our middle school students can explore their creativity at Heights Middle School Shorts.

Our goals have changed a bit as we look to HMSS 2023 (and beyond). We’re no longer satisfied with giving campers a camera and telling them to ‘start shooting:’ we still aim to spark their imaginations, of course, but we also want to provide them with a hands-on perspective of careers in the film and television industry. To teach them to work together, to collaborate, and to compromise. To show them how to find inspiration, to nurture their creativity, and to trust their vision.

With your assistance, we’re confident that we can get there. Please help us meet our goal of raising $5,000 by December 31, 2022. Click here to donate. Thank you.

February 17, 2022February 17, 2022

Your Name in Lights? Apply Now for HMSS 2022!

Lights! Camera! Action! The application period is now open for Heights Middle School Shorts 2022!

All middle school students in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights district are encouraged to apply for HMSS, a three-week mixed-media film arts camp, where campers will discover their own creativity and artistic expression by writing, producing, directing, and starring in short films.

Up to 20 campers will receive full scholarships for the camp, which begins on May 14 with five Saturday writing workshops followed by two-weeks of in-person camp from June 20-30 at Heights High.

To be considered for one of the limited scholarships*, students must complete our online application prior to the March 7, 2022 deadline. Students not seeking a scholarship have until March 30 to send in their application materials.

Need more information? Visit us on the web or send us an email.

We can’t wait to see what the HMSS class of 2022 has to offer!

* Note: returning campers are encouraged to apply but cannot be considered for a scholarship.

January 25, 2021February 9, 2021

What’s new at Heights Middle School Shorts? Plenty!

We’re thrilled to report that over the past few weeks, there have been a number of key milestones met and goals achieved for Heights Middle School Shorts 2021, and that the camp is coming together nicely.

Here are four of the most significant developments:

Application Period Open

The application period is now open for the camp and, based on the number of applications we’ve received so far, student response to the camp has been overwhelming. We’re excited to see so many kids interested in HMSS!

Potential campers have two more weeks to apply for the 2021 Heights Middle School Shorts, so students should apply today to make sure they don’t miss the February 5 deadline. Visit our website for details on how to apply (a simple process using our new online application form).