Frame by Frame: The A24 Aesthetic
(Fall 2025)
Registration is open!
Students may not register themselves for this course. Parental registration is required. Parents and guardians, please note the rating of each film below to determine if this course will be appropriate for your child before registering. Several of the films that will be screened may contain subject matter that may not be suitable for all audiences.
Grades: 9th—12th
Time: 4:00–7:00 PM
Dates: September 30–November 25, 2025
Session Length: 8 Classes. One Day/Week, Tuesdays
Cost: $425
Camp and Course Policies at the Lab
Email registrar@burnsfilmcenter.org to receive scholarship information.
Frame by Frame: The A24 Aesthetic
An exploration of the unique filmmaking aesthetic of A24, one of the most influential independent studios of the 21st century. In this introductory cinema studies course for high school students, we will examine stories of coming-of-age, survival, creativity, and self-discovery through some of the most aesthetically striking and talked-about films of the past decade. Students will learn what makes the A24 style so influential and why it resonates with audiences today. They will also be introduced to the art of producing and distributing independent films.
Students will view eight films: Lady Bird, Mid90s, Priscilla, The Florida Project, The Disaster Artist, Aftersun, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, and Sing Sing.
Students may not register themselves for this course. Parental registration is required. Parents and guardians, please note the rating of each film below to determine if this course will be appropriate for your child before registering. Several of the films that will be screened may contain subject matter that may not be suitable for all audiences.
9/30 – Lady Bird (R) – 2017
10/7 – Mid90s (R) – 2018
10/14 – Priscilla (R) – 2023
10/21 – The Florida Project (R) – 2017
10/28 – The Disaster Artist (R) – 2017
11/4 – Aftersun (R) – 2022
11/11 – NO CLASS
11/18 – Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (PG) – 2021
11/25 – Sing Sing (R) – 2023
Instructor
Detroit Hamell, M.A.
Detroit Hamell earned a Master’s Degree in Cinema Studies from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and his Bachelor’s Degree in Film Studies from Pace University in Manhattan. He plans to pursue a doctorate in Cinema Studies. His journey with cinema began at the Jacob Burns Media Arts Lab in 4th grade, where he cultivated his passion for storytelling and filmmaking. Since 2018, he has worked as a teaching assistant at the Media Arts Lab, inspiring young students to explore the fundamentals and joys of filmmaking. Detroit’s work has been recognized with several prestigious awards, 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, a collection of which was honored by 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.
