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Directing: Creating Your Short Film
Learn on your own time and earn a Certificate of Completion.
Program Overview
Make a great short film with your smartphone — and master the entire process of film production.
In this course, learn how to prepare a script for filming, assemble a highly collaborative team, scout filming locations, work with actors, utilize readily available tools to pull off a successful shoot, navigate post-production and bring everything together for an edited final cut.
At the culmination of the course, you’ll engage in creative exercises, hear from industry experts, get inspired from film clips and real-world examples of movie-making in action — plus walk away with a completed short film.
Key Information
Featured Topics
- Pre-production
- Actors and casting
- Preparing your scenes
- Using your tools
- Post-production
Learning Outcomes
- Build a filmmaking portfolio for your college applications
- Create a collaborative film team, scout locations, arrange sets and prepare actors
- Conceptualize a script through creating a storyboard, shot list and schedule
- Understand commercial filmmaking tools, how to use alternative DIY equipment and how to use creativity in lieu of professional resources
- Execute the most classic types of coverage to capture a master shot
- Use different camera movements, lighting setups, filters and lens to achieve a range of cinematic styles
- Undergo post-production to assemble footage, edit, apply elements of sound design and music to arrive at a final cut
Format and Course Length
- This course consists of recorded lectures and demonstrations, film clips and industry connections. Each topic provides context for key elements of creating a short film from pre-production to post. Students will engage with creative exercises to generate and revise work in order to complete the course with a final cut of a short film.
- Combined coursework of recorded lectures, readings and assignments is approximately 20–25 hours, to be completed at the student’s own pace.
- Students are expected to complete the course in four weeks but have 90 days of access if more time is needed.
Featured Faculty
In this course, you’ll be taking classes from Sanford Bookstaver, who has worked as a director and producer in film and television for over 20 years on shows like Dexter: New Blood, House MD, Power, Chicago Fire and more.
He fell in love with movies at an early age and has collaborated with some of the most creative and talented people in Hollywood throughout his career. Sanford graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts before beginning his journey toward becoming a director. He paid his dues working as an assistant at DreamWorks for Jeffrey Katzenberg, during which time he co-wrote and directed his short film Scriptfellas, a parody of Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas. He shared this film with Katzenberg, who later shared it with Steven Spielberg, and one week later his lifelong dream would become a reality as a director on the NBC show The Others. Bookstaver has been nominated for several awards for his directing talents and lends his time teaching aspiring young filmmakers whenever he can.
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Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis. Applicants who submit a completed application can expect an admission decision within three to five business days.
- Include basic contact information from you and your parent(s) or guardian.
- Tell us why you want to take the course and a little about yourself through a short-answer essay.
- Share a piece of writing, video or social media content that reveals something about yourself (optional).
- Submit the $35 application fee.
- Students must be at least 14 years old or older and enrolled in a high school or secondary program.
Recent high school graduates, students taking a gap year or time off from college, and students who are older than 18 can request an exemption to apply by emailing precollegeonline@usc.edu. Please include a short paragraph (no more than 200 words) stating your interest and how this program will add value to your academic or career plans.
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In addition to the requirements listed above, international applicants are expected to be proficient in English. International students who successfully complete an online course will receive a digital Certificate of Completion and, by request, a USC Pre-College Programs transcript at no additional cost.
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Program Start Date Application and Tuition Deadline Monday, November 10, 2025 Wednesday, November 5, 2025 Monday, November 24, 2025 Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Monday, December 8, 2025 Wednesday, December 3, 2025 Monday, December 22, 2025 Wednesday, December 17, 2025 Monday, January 5, 2026 Wednesday, December 31, 2025 Monday, January 19, 2026 Wednesday, January 14, 2026 Monday, February 2, 2026 Wednesday, January 28, 2026 Monday, February 16, 2026 Wednesday, February 11, 2026 Monday, March 2, 2026 Wednesday, February 25, 2026 Monday, March 16, 2026 Wednesday, March 11, 2026 Monday, March 30, 2026 Wednesday, March 25, 2026 Monday, April 13, 2026 Wednesday, April 8, 2026 Monday, April 27, 2026 Wednesday, April 22, 2026 Monday, May 11, 2026 Wednesday, May 6, 2026 Monday, May 25, 2026 Wednesday, May 20, 2026 Monday, June 8, 2026 Wednesday, June 3, 2026 Monday, June 22, 2026 Wednesday, June 17, 2026 Monday, July 6, 2026 Wednesday, July 1, 2026 Monday, July 20, 2026 Wednesday, July 15, 2026 -
Application fee: $35
Tuition: $1,990
Tuition and fees cover access to the chosen online course and materials for up to three months after your chosen start date.
Please note that application fees are nonrefundable. All course cancellations requests must be made in writing to precollegeonline@usc.edu. Any tuition paid to the university will be refunded, not including fees, if requested no more than three days past the course start date. Requests to drop the course more than three days after the start date will not be eligible for a refund.
The university will not refund tuition for USC Pre-College online exploration courses for students who are removed from the program due to a violation of our Letter of Understanding for Online Participation and our Student Code of Conduct.
Hear From Former Students
