Highlights from the JBFC Director's Cut: Narrative & Documentary Filmmaking Courses

This spring, the Jacob Burns Film Center proudly concluded the latest session of its Director’s Cut High School Fellowship program—offering Narrative Filmmaking for a second year, and launching the inaugural Documentary Filmmaking track in partnership with NYU Tisch School of the Arts and Imagine Entertainment.

Over the course of 10 weekends, twenty driven high school students came together on the JBFC campus for an immersive, college-level filmmaking experience. Led by NYU Tisch Adjunct Professor Anthony Q. Artis, students gained more than 50 hours of hands-on instruction and creative collaboration—all at no cost to participants, with stipends provided to offset transportation and potential lost wages.

Director’s Cut: Narrative Filmmaking welcomed back a new cohort of young storytellers eager to write, direct, and produce a short fiction film. Working as a crew, students tackled all stages of production—from developing storyboards and scouting locations, to test shoots, principal photography, and editing. This returning fellowship continues to grow in scope and skill, nurturing the next generation of directors and visual storytellers.

Meanwhile, Director’s Cut: Documentary Filmmaking launched its first-ever session—presented in collaboration with NYU Tisch and Imagine Entertainment, the award-winning production company co-founded by JBFC Board Member Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. Students in the Documentary cohort created a collaborative nonfiction short film while participating in exclusive Zoom sessions with Imagine Entertainment advisors and touring their Manhattan offices to gain firsthand insight into the industry.

The program culminated in a showcase screening where both fellowships premiered their final films for an audience of family, friends, and invited guests. The Narrative cohort made a short film titled Trapped, which screened at the JBFC Theater on Tuesday, June 10. Meanwhile, the Documentary cohort made two short films—one about the JBFC and another about the Westchester Table Tennis Association. Both film screened at the JBFC Theater on Tuesday, June 17.

A highlight of the evening came when acclaimed director and Imagine Entertainment co-founder Ron Howard attended the documentary screening in person. He met with and congratulated each Documentary fellow individually, recognizing the skill, passion, and vision they brought to their work.

Howard, a longtime JBFC Board Member and passionate supporter of its education programs, shared:

“The Jacob Burns Film Center has always been a leader in providing transformative educational experiences, and I’m thrilled to see this new collaboration with Imagine Entertainment take shape. By connecting these talented students with Imagine, we’re expanding their learning opportunities and providing them invaluable insight into the industry. It’s exciting to think about the creative voices and future filmmakers that will emerge from this program.”

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