Frame by Frame: Exploring Film Through Horror
(Fall 2026)
Registration is open.
Grades: 9th–12th
Time: 4:00–7:00 PM
Dates: October 30–December 11, 2026
Session Length: 5 Classes. One Day/Week, Fridays
Cost: $250
Camp and Course Policies at the Lab
Scholarships are available for participants with financial need. Scholarships are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here to apply now.
Frame by Frame: Exploring Film Through Horror
In this after-school introductory cinema studies course for high schoolers, students will explore how horror films do far more than just scare us; they reflect our fears, our culture, and ourselves. Through five films covering various horror subgenres, we’ll uncover how filmmakers use sound, editing, performance, and visual storytelling to create tension and meaning. Through pre-screening lectures and open post-film discussions, we will ask: Why do we enjoy being scared? What do monsters represent? And how does horror help us process the world around us?
Students will view five films: A Quiet Place, Smile 2 , Talk to Me, Late Night with the Devil, and The Return of the Living Dead.
Parents and guardians, please note the rating of each film below to determine if this course will be appropriate for your child before registering.
Course Dates:
October 30 – A Quiet Place (PG-13) – 2018
November 6 – Smile 2 (R) – 2024
November 13 – Talk to Me (R) – 2022
November 20 – No Class
November 27 – No Class
December 4 – Late Night with the Devil (R) – 2024
December 11 – The Return of the Living Dead (R) – 1985
Instructor
Detroit Hamell, MA, MS
Detroit Hamell earned a Master of Arts in Cinema Studies from the NYU Tisch School of the Arts and a Master of Science in Adolescent Education from the Pace University School of Education, where he received certification in English Language Arts and Theater Arts and was honored with the 2026 Outstanding Student of the Year Award. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Film Studies from Pace University in Manhattan and plans to continue his scholarly work by pursuing a doctorate in Cinema Studies.
Detroit’s journey with cinema began at the Jacob Burns Media Arts Lab as a fourth grader, where he first discovered his passion for storytelling and filmmaking. Since 2018, he has worked as an educator at the Media Arts Lab, helping young filmmakers develop both their technical skills and creative voices. His work has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Jacob Burns New Lens Award, Best Director and Best Picture at NYLIFF, and Best Director at the Revolution Me Film Festival. He is also a published poet whose work was recognized with the Sarah Willis Award.
CampDoc
We are excited to partner with CampDoc, a third party program we will be using to collect and consolidate student registration information in order to streamline the registration process, and enhance the parent and guardian experience while your child is participating in our program(s). CampDoc will give parents and guardians full access to their own participant portal which they can log into at any time to view course details and information, and previously submitted documents.
Once a course has been purchased on the JBFC website, an email from CampDoc will follow within a few days with instructions on how to create a CampDoc account (if you do not have one already) and submit additional required registration information, such as an updated immunization record, a list of allergies, names of individuals who are authorized to pick your child up, doctor and insurance information, etc., and the deadlines by which this information must be received. We look forward to seeing your child this year.
