Elementary Film School

Does Your Child have an Inner Filmmaker?

Do they love telling stories?

Do they love watching movies?

Wish your kids could be creators, not consumers?

Wish your kids had less screen time?

Feel guilty for how much media they consume?

Blocking and Staging

A safe, age-appropriate online film course for elementary aged kids!

Watch the Trailer & Subscribe!
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Learn

Join our animated friends through adventures and sing-alongs as we learn the foundations of great storytelling and filmmaking.

Notebook

Review

Students complete activity sheets after each episode to learn vocabulary, practice handwriting, and review basic filmmaking principles and techniques. 

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Experience

Practical training and filming exercises give hands-on camera experience so students feel confident to go shoot their own movies, all on a smartphone!

It's important we teach our kids to be creators, not consumers.

As our children are forming who they are and what they value, it’s important we teach them to be producers, not consumers.

Good habits and life skills are created when what we feed into our minds has meaning and purpose.

Storytelling is fundamental to human nature. Stories are all around us. They are one of the most powerful ways we can reach, teach, and influence others. Regardless of language, stories connect people to others. History is remembered and handed down through stories. We wouldn’t be human without the art of telling stories.  

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Video has become one of the greatest means of telling stories.

Whether it's a children’s book, an ad, a movie, a novel, oral history, a parable, or just 2 friends reliving a moment, stories are all around us.

And with the increase of technology, the internet, streaming apps and more, video has become one of the greatest means of telling stories.

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When was the last time you watched a video?

Today? I bet you saw one in your Facebook feed. They’re even at the pump now! How many video streaming platforms are you subscribed to? Perhaps you uploaded a video this week to your Facebook or Instagram or even Tik Tok story.

We’re all storytellers in some shape or form, and technology has made it insanely easy for us to use video to express ourselves and tell stories. 

Even if you don’t pursue a profession that involves storytelling (although I’d argue most professions involve storytelling at some level), we need to have the skills and abilities to interpret the stories around us. And so do our kids.

But the problem with the mass amount of video content at our fingertips - the ability to binge entire shows at any moment - is that we can quickly become mindless consumers who can’t think for ourselves. It's easier to consume than to create. It’s time to train our children to be creators, and not just consumers. 

My kids are all in elementary school, and they all love telling stories (some don’t know how to stop!)

It has been said that we form our worldview and our values by the age of 9 – most perhaps by the age of 6. In other words, elementary school is the time that we lay the foundation that we will take for the rest of our lives.

My kids are forming their values as we speak. And they are being bombarded with video, movies and shows that teach them to be consumers. Just sit back and watch. Consume to keep yourself distracted. 

Have you ever made any of these statements?

  • "My kids watch too much tv"
  • "My kids are passive and need to be more engaged
  • "I want my kids to be better communicators, readers, team players, and be able to handle criticism and feedback with humility"
  • "I need something fun and awesome that also enhances their literature studies"
  • "My kids incessantly talk and tell stories. I want to encourage this and not diminish their natural giftings"
  • "I want an activity that’s fun and engaging for my kids and myself, but doesn’t require any prep or learning on my part"
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I’ll be the first to admit that no matter how good my intentions are, there are times where as a parent I just need a break and I put a movie on for the kids, or let them watch a show on their tablets so we can get a quick nap, or cook dinner, or go to the bathroom uninterrupted (yet they always seem to find us when we’re in the bathroom, right?) and sometimes hours go by and it’s easy to feel guilty about feeding their desire to consume. 

Our kids are hungry to learn, to find answers to all their questions, and we as parents can easily stifle that by over indulging their brains with mindless entertainment. 

In reality, we’re not going to stop watching video content. It’s not going away. We must learn to embrace it and use it as a tool.

If you’re like me, you want the best for your kids. We want them to have good habits. We would do anything for them, right?

Do you feel guilty, as I sometimes do, in letting your kids consume a little bit too much?
What would you give to not only point them in the right direction, but to help them to think for themselves and build their own strong, solid foundation on which to build their life upon?
What are some things you wish you could do for your kids that you don’t feel like you have the time for, or that you aren’t qualified to do?

Let me tell you

When I was in elementary school, I chose to become a filmmaker. Filmmaking was like magic. Once you put a camera in between life and those observing it, anything became possible. You could tell any story. You could make anything happen. So I saved up my allowance and bought a camera.  I started filming everything. I then turned to lighting and spent years crafting light. I then moved to editing, all the while amassing an array of toys and equipment to help me make better looking videos. Everyone online was debating which camera had better image quality, which dolly was the smoothest, etc. But the key element I missed growing up was how to tell good stories. My videos looked better and better, but they were lacking substance.

Here’s an example. Have you seen a big blockbuster movie, with A-list stars and all the money in the world to do whatever they want, and the movie was still a bust with poor reviews? Why was that? The filmmakers are magicians with unlimited potential... but the movie is still terrible. Why? Because all that money, no matter how much they have, only brings to life what is on the page - the script. That blueprint, the foundation they had was a poor one.

Writer, Director, Editor

The one thing I’ve learned as a filmmaker is this: you can never be too good to stop focusing on story.

Story is key to everything. The script is key to everything. As a director, every single conversation I had with every single crew member was about the script. Every phone call, every meeting, every decision, every dollar spent was about the script. The more I knew what was in the script, the better I could help my team bring it to life. And the better the story was, the better the film will be. If it wasn’t in the script, it didn’t make it into the movie.

My point is, the story is the most important thing you can learn as a filmmaker.

"If your kids want to be filmmakers, they first have to be storytellers."

Before they even pick up a camera or turn on a light - they have to be passionate about telling good stories. And all great stories include the same elements that the human heart relates to. If you can master these things, you’ll tell a great story every time. 

Here’s where I’m at:

All my kids love telling stories

All my kids love watching movies

Some of my kids seem to have an inner filmmaker

Here’s the problem I ran into:

There’s a ton of great teaching on YouTube. Pretty much everything I know as a filmmaker can be found on YouTube, somewhere.

But the problem was, the visual and audible movie examples combined with the practical teaching was not appropriate for my elementary children.

I didn’t have time to proof every single video in full to make sure it was safe. And the videos that I thought were safe, they weren’t.

My kids don’t need to see explicit content or hear profanity. Frankly, I don’t know why those are even necessary to include in teaching content!

I don’t want to tease my children with film clips they are not allowed to watch.

So what was my solution?

Let me first ask you:

Do you want to foster your child's inner storyteller, but don't know how?

Wish your kids could be producers, not consumers?

Want to foster your child’s ability to express themselves?

Wish you could use technology as a tool, not just an escape?

Do you want reading and movie watching to just come alive?

Do you feel in over your head when it comes to technology (let alone teaching it to our kids!)?

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10 Tips to Foster Your Child's Inner Filmmaker-low

My solution: My wife and I sat down with our kids in the evenings and let each one tell us the story in their hearts. They were in the spotlight. We wrote down what they said, and showered them with praise. They lit up.

We ended up doing 10 different things with our kids that helped us to see their inner storyteller come alive. This is when we knew they were ready for the next step. 

Join our free online training and get started now on helping your child or children tap into their imagination & become better storytellers, in fun and easy tips you can implement tonight! What are you waiting for?

Learn our 10 Tips to Foster Your Child's Inner filmmaker RIGHT NOW!

WATCH THE FREE TRAINING NOW!

From there, I knew I wanted to teach my children to embrace filmmaking as an avenue to become creators. Some of my kids already wish they could be YouTube creators one day. Some love to document our family vacations. 

And as I mentioned before, YouTube was too risky to share existing content with my kids. And I didn’t want to risk that at their age.

So I created the content myself. As I broke down what I know to an elementary level, I filmed myself so that other parents could benefit from the same safe and age appropriate teaching, without having to bring any pre-knowledge to the table.

And then my kids got involved, and it became really fun and exciting.  And Elementary Film School was born.

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Imagine a tool, a resource that:

Helps our kids become better communicators

Sparks their imagination

Encourages kids to use their free time to create

Prepares kids to accept criticism and feedback to improve their work

Promotes teamwork and leadership skills

Secretly helps our kids improve their handwriting

Opens the door to entrepreneurship

Coincides with literature studies and develops reading comprehension

Elementary Film School!

What We Teach:

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Story

00CAMERA

Camera

00SOUND

Sound

00ACTING

Acting

00EDITING

Editing

Family Film Crew

Teamwork

00LIGHTING

Lighting

00DIRECTING

Directing

00FEEDBACK

Humility & Feedback

For ages 6-12!

What You'll Get!

Kid-Friendly Episodes

Fun, exciting episodes designed specifically for elementary-aged kids from 6-12, yet safe for the whole family!

Activity Sheets

Students apply what they've learned to their own stories.  Review, vocabulary, letter tracing, coloring pages, exercises and activities for each episode!

Animated Characters

Our animated friends engage with your kids throughout the journey!

Sing-along Songs

Happy, Exciting Sing-alongs to help retention!

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Quizzes

Challenge yourself as you go and see what you can remember!

Personal Mentorship

Access to a feature-film writer and director with over 17 years experience in the industry!

Private Community

Parents can interact with other parents, post their kids work, pass along feedback to their kids, all in a safe and private group!

Questions Answered!

Students can safely ask questions and leave comments right inside the course that only other parents and students can see. We'll even answer your questions!

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25

Episodes

4+

Hrs of Content

5

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Course Curriculum

The Elementary Film School is organized into 5 modules, each containing 6 episodes. Episodes are designed to be followed by an activity sheet and hands-on camera experience to practice the skills and tools in a bite-sized experience.

Students only need a smartphone, a printer, a pencil, and some colored pencils or markers to go through our course.

There are some paid apps we use and recommend, so you'll probably need to purchase those to keep the pace. We recommend optional gear and accessories to enhance your filmmaking,

Module 1: STORY

5 Elements of Story

6 Plot Points

How to Build Great Characters

Create Compelling Conflict

Craft Touching Themes

Students will leave with a custom story blueprint of all aspects of their story to use to create their own movie of any length.

 

Module 2: CAMERA

 Learn Smartphone Camera Basics

Discover Optional Gear & Apps for Filming and Editing

Learn 10 Shot Types and Camera Placement

Learn how to Block and Stage Any Scene

Multiple kid made, short film workshops!

Camera Exercises help build confidence!

Module 3: ON SET

Learn to Light Right in your Home

Learn fun and effective communication on and off set!

Let your imagination soar as you learn to use your imagination with acting tips and exercises!

Learn how to lead your set and direct your actors!

Professional and kid made on set workshops!

 

Module 4: EDITING & FEEDBACK

Learn how to import, trim and edit their footage right on your smartphone!

Watch other kids edit their own films

Create Your Own Sound Effects & Foley!

Learn how to accept positive and negative feedback

Hear how to find and work with a mentor!

Learn how Humility is what makes a great filmmaker

Module 5: BONUS CONTENT

This upcoming module will teach advanced techniques such as scripting, storyboarding, advanced apps, computers and gear.

Dive deeper into additional filmmaking workshops in different mediums such as YouTube/vlogging, animation, and more.

Students will learn how to work with people outside their family and cover their bases with contracts, licenses, and legal stuff that might seem scary.

 

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Early Enrollment Bonuses:

FIRST 100 Students ONLY!

BONUS #1: ASK FOR HELP

A $500 VALUE

Get access to two 15 minute 1:1 Zoom calls to answer your child's questions if they get stuck at any point in the film school.

BONUS #2: MENTORSHIP

A $2,500 VALUE

Have a Movie Director review your work! When your kids finish the course, I’ll personally watch their work, review it, and jump on a 1:1 30 minute call to share my feedback and critique to help launch them into their filmmaking journey.

BONUS #3: EXPOSURE

A $1,000 VALUE

For a select group of students that put in the work and show promise, I’ll promote their work to my audience, peers and mentors.

SIGN UP NOW TO GET ALL 3 BONUSES!

BONUS #1 (Ask for help):  $500

BONUS #2 (Mentorship):  $2,500

BONUS #3 (Exposure):  $1,000

25 Engaging Episodes + All Handouts/Worksheets: $397

Lifetime Access & 30 Day Guarantee!

$4,397 VALUE

$249

*Early enrollment Pricing. Regular pricing is $397.

JOIN NOW!
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Life Time Access & 30 Day Guarantee

Unlimited access to all of the content forever, current and new.

If it’s not what you expected or you’re unsatisfied in anyway, you’ll receive a full refund within 30 days.

 

Hi, I'm Your Teacher!

Family Film Crew

I'm your host and teacher, Kevin! When I was 9 years old, I set my heart on wanting to become a film director! Now I’ve been a filmmaker for 17 years and I’m a father of 8 kids - and together... we want to teach your kids how to make better videos!

In 2021 I'll directed a multi-million dollar movie which will hit theaters worldwide in 2022.

I bring fresh, current expertise from the field, right into this film course for kids.

Your kids will have access to a working, feature filmmaker as their personal mentor in their filmmaking journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

The homework assignments are focused on ages 6-12, however kids as young as 3 enjoy watching the episodes and coloring the pages. Don't spend the money on the course if your child is 4 and under, however they can sit in, watch, laugh, sing and color along with other students.

Yes! At this time, we're offering a single low price per household. So as many children that you claim as dependents can watch and partake in the course. Just note that you'll have a single login per household, not per student, and when interacting online in the quizzes and comments, only one student name will appear. You'll also need to print off the right amount of worksheets for each child.  

We only show movie clip footage from G-Rated films to make sure the course is safe and age appropriate for entire families to watch, even if kids are present in the room that aren't actively engaged in the course. We show select content from specifically curated PG-rated films that are safe for all audiences, specifically the family-friendly films I have directed myself. 

It's your job as a parent to decide what you put in front of your kids. We have 8 kids ranging from 11 months to 11 years old. Some of our kids are allowed to see PG-Rated content, and you may allow your children to watch more than that.

Rating systems aren't based on what content you see, but how long you are exposed to that content in each film, so each film should be screened and proofed by each parent, even the ones we use in the course. We feel that the G-rated films used throughout this course are safe and age appropriate for all viewers and have not incorporated some G-rated films that we feel still contain inappropriate content.

At a minimum, your child needs access to a smartphone or a tablet with a camera, plus a printer to print off the activity sheets. They'll also need pens or pencils, colored pencils or crayons.

No other gear or equipment is required to complete the film course. However, we do recommend gear and apps in the course that we have found to be helpful in assisting the quality of work one can create with a smartphone, but they are optional and again are not needed to complete the course.

We do recommend the editing app LumaFusion, which costs $29.99. If your child chooses not to purchase this app, they can edit their work in the iPhone's included editing app iMovie, which we will soon have an editing tutorial for. The benefit of LumaFusion is that we can teach and all our students can use the same software despite what smartphone they bring to the class.

In our experience, LumaFusion is a much better editor than the included apps. 

That's ok! We totally understand. But you enjoy watching movies, right? There's no pre-knowledge required, and even if you don't watch the episodes with your kids, the worksheets are easy enough that you can help explain to your kids what to do, and they can fill in what they learned.

All you need to do for your kids in this course is this:

  1. Help them get setup to watch the course by streaming it from the website to your TV, or get them setup to watch it on a tablet or laptop computer.
  2. Provide them with access to a tablet or a smartphone with enough memory so they can film videos throughout the course as instructed. Video quality doesn't matter so you can set your phone's resolution and recording quality to whatever you choose to fit the file sizes acceptable to you.
  3. Print out the activity sheets or setup your kids so they can hit print from inside the course.
  4. Spend a few minutes with any younger students and help walk them through the activity sheets, if needed. 
  5. Pretend to be a kid again, use your imagination, and allow yourself to be cast in your kids films. They'll love you for the extra time you spend with them!
Elementary Film School!

ONLY $249

25 Kid Friendly Episodes

20 Activity Sheets + Coloring Pages, Note Sheets, & more!

Limited Edition Bonuses (worth over $3K)

Personal Mentorship

Lifetime Access

30-Day No-Risk Guarantee

A $4,397 Value

ONLY $249

Let's invest in the next generation to make creators, not consumers.

ENROLL A STUDENT TODAY! Click here to buy now!

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