Summer camp plans have been thrown into disarray for many families, but Tampa Theatre has come up with a very entertaining variation — a camp in which kids can learn how to make movies from the safety and comfort of their own homes.

Backyard Movie-Maker Virtual Summer Camp will offer online instruction for budding directors entering grades 3-12. Registration opens today for four week-long (M-F) half-day sessions, each of which will lead campers through a hands-on filmmaking challenge. There’ll be virtual gatherings for group instruction and smaller tutorials on shooting and editing, with counselors available for “office hours” if campers have questions as they work. Families are encouraged to participate together, and each registration covers the entire household working together on their film project. The sessions are as follows:

• June 15-19 – Create a scene in the style of your favorite DIRECTOR
• June 22-26 – Create a scene in the style of your favorite ACTOR
• July 13-17 – Create your own FAMILY DOCUMENTARY FILM
• July 20-24 – Create a scene in the style of your favorite DIRECTOR

The morning session from 9 a.m.-noon is for students entering grades 3-7, and the afternoon session from 1-4 p.m. is for those entering grades 6-12. Each session is $125 per household, and participation is capped at 32 families per session.

Backyard Movie-Maker is presented in conjunction with the Florida Center for Instructional Technology (FCIT) at the University of South Florida. FCIT has been a partner in the Theatre’s popular Summer Film Camp for nearly two decades.

PS: The Tampa Theatre Movie School page offers lots of other resources for your aspiring George Lucas or Ava DuVernay, including suggestions for movies to watch and a project guide that’ll make watching movies even more fun.