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Free Classroom Workshops

Our FREE classroom workshops offer an opportunity to have a professional in the filmmaking industry teach students about what goes on behind the scenes in their profession, helping students become informed film viewers and conscious film content creators. 

Meet Our Teaching Artists

Will King

William King

William is born and bred in Springville, UT. William graduated from Provo High and went to BYU studying history, and after graduating there, went to UVU to study filmmaking. William works locally in the film industry in a variety of roles, but primarily as a screenwriter and script doctor.

Emily Low Nichols

Emily Low Nichols

Emily Low Nichols has been a fan of stop motion animation since she first watched Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer as a child. Having originally received a BFA from BYU in graphic design, she has more recently completed stop motion industry training courses with the UK based Aardman Studios (Chicken Run, Shaun the Sheep), from which her work has been featured in several film festivals. Emily’s biggest delight is to create short animations that make people look at things differently and laugh. She loves that stop motion animation can be done with a simple set up in the classroom and at home and is excited to introduce kids to this exciting and creative medium.

Weber Griffiths

Weber Griffiths

Weber was born and raised in Salt Lake City and is a Utah boy through and through! He graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media and has been professionally teaching and making films ever since. His short films have been featured in major festivals and received numerous awards from across the country. Weber’s love of movies is rivaled only by his love of fast cars, tasty Pho, and swimming around in lakes, rivers, and pools!

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Joseph Buenning

Joseph Buenning is a Visual Development Artist with experience and training at Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney Television Animation, Warner Bros Games, and more. 

He grew up in China and southern Utah. Outside of work, he loves to go hiking, lifting, baking, and spending time with family and friends.

How to Book a Workshop for Your Classroom

Request the date and time that works best for your class—in-person or virtually.

Receive a confirmation email with details of the workshop. Some workshops will have pre-workshop and post-workshop info and lesson plans.

On the date and time of your reservation, a professional film artist will enter your classroom in-person* or virtually!

*NOTE: Utah Film Center teaching artists will follow all federal, state, and school district guidelines for entering the classroom safely and healthfully. 

What to Expect in a Workshop

Each one-hour workshop is a combination of lectures and hands-on activities. It is recommended no more than one class (20-30 students) per reservation to get the full benefits of a workshop.

If you want your entire grade level to participate in a workshop or you have any questions about the workshops, dates, and times they are available, please contact the Education department at edu@utahfilmcenter.org. 

For grades 3-12
Learn the basics of storytelling in the movies, and the tools and techniques to write a story for the screen.
This workshop is available both virtually and in-person.
The in-person option is available to the Alpine, Canyons, Davis, Emery, Grand, Granite, Jordan, Juab, Millard, Murray, Nebo, North Sanpete, Park City, Provo, Salt Lake, Sevier, South Summit, Tintic, Tooele, and Wasatch school districts. For school districts outside of this list, please book by special request via email.
For grades 4-12
Learn the basics of storytelling in the movies, and the tools and techniques to write a story for the screen.
This workshop is available live via Zoom.
The virtual option is available to all school districts in Utah.
For grades 3-6
Create a stop motion animation through demonstrations, behind-the-scenes footage, and hands-on activities.
This workshop is ONLY offered in-person.
Open to Alpine, Canyons, Granite, Jordan, Murray, and Salt Lake school districts. For school districts outside of this list, please book by special request via email.
For grades 3-6
Examine films with a critical lens through the basics of storytelling, genre, style, cinematography, production design, sound, and editing.
This workshop is available both virtually and in-person.
The in-person option is available to the Alpine, Canyons, Davis, Emery, Grand, Granite, Jordan, Juab, Millard, Murray, Nebo, North Sanpete, Park City, Provo, Salt Lake, Sevier, South Summit, Tintic, Tooele, and Wasatch school districts. For school districts outside of this list, please book by special request via email.
For grades 3-6
Examine films with a critical lens through the basics of storytelling, genre, style, cinematography, production design, sound, and editing.
This workshop is available live via Zoom.
The virtual workshop is available to all school districts in Utah.
For grades 3-8
Discover the process, creativity, and collaboration that goes into an animated film from the idea for the movie to the final film.
This workshop is available in-person.
This workshop is available to Alpine, Canyons, Granite, Jordan, Murray, Provo, and Salt Lake school districts. For school districts in central and southern Utah, please inquire via email.
For grades 3-6
Discover the process, creativity, and collaboration that goes into an animated film from the idea for the movie to the final film.
This workshop is available live via Zoom.
This workshop is available for all school districts in the state of Utah.

Self-Paced Lesson Plans and Pre-Recorded Videos

In addition to the classroom workshops above, we also have our new self-paced lesson plans and pre-recorded videos . These lessons give educators and community members the opportunity to discover new filmmaking elements that fit into their schedule. If you enjoyed our classroom workshops or didn’t find one for your grade, we encourage you to check out some of these resources below.

Similar to our workshops, the self-paced lesson plans were created to meet selected Utah Core Standards. You can find these standards at the end of each lesson plan.

Stay connected! Sign up for emails about educational resources at Utah Film Center.

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Utah Film Center Media Education programs are supported by POPS

About POPS
POPS (Professional Outreach Programs in the Schools) is an educational outreach program in the fine arts that provides a mechanism for Utah’s professional art organizations to assist in teaching the Utah’s fine art core curriculum in the public schools. Professional organizations match state revenues to support and enhance the delivery of art education through demonstrations, performances, presentations, and educational activities in the schools. The program ensures that each of the 41 school districts have the opportunity to receive services in a balanced and comprehensive manner over three years.

Utah Film Center POPS 2019-20 Final Annual Report

For more information contact Utah Film Center’s Media Education team at edu@utahfilmcenter.org

COVID-19 Considerations

The Utah Film Center’s Media Education Department is committed to the health and safety of the teachers, students and families we serve, and to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We are carefully following school district, state, and national public health requirements and guidelines to ensure the safest possible event at your schools.

As such, we commit to the following protocols for the 2022-2023 academic year:

For in-person programs and events, Utah Film Center staff will…

  • Wear masks while presenting events
  • Maintain social distancing of 6 feet or more
  • Follow any school district/school-specific COVID -19 for entry into the schools.

In the event of a school district or school closure with a planned in-person Utah Film Center event/program offering, the Media Education Department will…

  • Offer the program or event virtually at the same time of the scheduled in-person event
  • Offer the teacher/school a “rain check” to reschedule in the spring or when guidelines permit in-person events
  • Offer a cancellation of the event and provide alternative programming that does not require a Utah Film Center staff member to access.

Through this uncertain time, the Media Education department at Utah Film Center is honored to serve you and your schools, and we look forward to being in your classrooms!

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