JAM is now offering film and media courses to support in-depth learning in diverse areas of digital storytelling and media creation. Intended for adults (16+), courses are designed by JAM staff members eager to share their passions and practices with the community. JAM values accessibility for all; tuition assistance or waiver is available upon request. Winter-Spring 2025 courses run Jan. 21-April 11. See below for details
Intermediate Screenwriting
10 Sessions, Jan 22 – April 9, 2025 (no classes Feb 12 or March 12)
The aim of this course is to help participants familiar with the screenwriting process complete or rewrite a project for film or television in a supportive community of fellow writers. Specific skills participants will gain include: command of screenwriting form; ability to analyze story structure in feature film, short film, and TV (episode/series); strategies for developing characters; writing practices for completing and revising work. Homework will include weekly writing, reading peers’ pages, and optional reading assignments (expected 5-10 hours/week). Prior experience with screenwriting is recommended.
- Wednesdays, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
- For Adults (16+)
- 4 – 8 participants
- $250 tuition fee (assistance or waiver on request)
About the Instructor
Samantha Davidson Green is a writer and director who enjoys storytelling on screen and stage (when she’s not leading JAM and raising her three boys). Samantha earned her MFA in Film Directing (2005) from UCLA Graduate School of Film, TV and Digital Media where she and fell in love with the collaborative process of filmmaking. Her short films took home some festival awards, including Best Student film at Tribeca for “Dead End Job” and Best Director at Tupelo Film Festival for short doc “Mr. Jimmy’s Birthday Challenge.” Two of her scripts were selected by Gotham Film’s “Emerging Narrative” program, and she directed her first indie feature Thrasher Road in 2016 (now streaming on Amazon, TubiTV, etc). She has taught filmmaking and directing at Dartmouth and CCV, but screenwriting – where the story begins – is her favorite part of the process. Learn more at sdavidsongreen.com.
Intermediate Editing
7 Sessions Feb 18 – April 1, 2025
What techniques make a good cut? Why do editors make choices to cut? We’ll get into storytelling technique, putting yourself in the position of the audience, making time for peer critique, and generally making your work fit into the larger body of video productions based on what style you’d like to emulate. We’ll get into some of the editor/ director/ writer relationships and how they feed into each other – and why, even when you are doing every one of those jobs yourself, each part should be planned and treated as a distinct job, each with unique priorities and philosophies. We will work in Adobe Premiere Pro, however this class is less of a “learning the toolbox”, and more “learning the craft,” so your skills will be applicable no matter the software you use in the future. Some prior experience is recommended (not required).
- Tuesdays, 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
- For Adults (16+)
- 4 – 8 participants
- $200 tuition fee (assistance or waiver on request)
About the Instructors
Jordyn Fitch grew up in Florida and attended Dartmouth College where they pursued a Film and Media Studies major. They are the Production Manager at Junction Arts & Media. They live in Lebanon, NH with their lovely wife and slightly wilting plants. They are beyond thrilled to put it to use educating, empowering, and entertaining the Upper Valley community through media arts.
Mike Cannon has been an active creative member in several local visual-arts, music, and media groups including Here in the Valley (HiTV), EatVermont (instagram), Rocket in Vermont (instagram), and JAM. He has a background in music, sculpture, art and design (2D, 3D), and MAKING of all kinds, yet finds the medium of story-telling through video creation to be the most unifying and socially activating. From an undergrad arts education beginning in 1999, Mike has “sailed” through a Naval enlistment, Drexel College of Engineering, and most recently a Design & Media studies degree at CCV. Excited by the recent accessibility of low-cost, universally available media technology, Mike is dedicated to helping others skillfully tell stories and share their experiences in a compelling way that effectively ties them to the larger community of creators shaping our world through grassroots media involvement.
Animation
7 Sessions, Feb 18 – April 1,2025
This class will teach the basics of animation and help to foster students’ artistic voices. Participants will work to create a short, animated final project of their choosing such as a narrated experimental piece or a music video. We will try out classic animation exercises and work in a few different softwares to overcome the blocks many people have from starting animated projects. Any and all experience levels are welcome.
- Tuesdays, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
- For Adults (16+)
- 4 – 7 Participants
- $150 tuition fee (assistance or waiver on request)
About the Instructor
Noah Mauchly graduated in 2020 from the Kingston School of Art with a degree in Animation and Illustration. His animated short films have played in festivals across North America and Europe. People can see his YouTube channel Noah Sportsman, where he posts most of his animated shorts and videos or find him on instagram @idontnoahmockley for all the other bits and bobs.
Short-Format Cinematography Intensive
One-week intensive March 11 – 15, 2025
So you want to take your cinematography skills to the next level? This class is for you! This course will guide participants through creating a 1-minute film as a group over the course of a week. Participants will develop skills around camera operation, directing, lighting, acting, audio engineering, and writing with a focus on achieving that “cinematic look.”
- Wednesday – Friday 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm + Saturday/Sunday full days (times tbd)
- For Adults (16+)
- 3 – 6 participants
- $300 tuition fee (assistance or waiver on request)
About the Instructor
Chico Eastridge is Senior Producer at JAM and an art school drop out and admittedly has a lot to learn. Despite himself, he has occasionally managed to make some moving images that are pretty nice to look at. Here are a few of them.
Drone Cinematography
4 Sessions April 5 – 26, 2025
This course invites participants to discover the exciting and largely untapped potential of drones across numerous fields. Each session will feature a classroom portion and a field trip where participants will get hands-on experience piloting. You can practice flying your own drone or fly JAM’s DJI Mini. Starting with piloting basics and an overview of the types of drones, then progressing to real-world applications from drone-racing to ecological applications to business and real estate ventures, this program offers a special introduction to First-Person-View (FPV) drone piloting. Participants will leave this course not only with new filmmaking skills but also with a vision of how drones can help address shared community goals. Whether it’s saving frogs and salamanders, contributing to wildlife data, or creating cinematic visuals, this class will open the door to a world of discovery and innovation.
- Saturdays – April 5, 12, 19 & 26
- 10:00 am-12:00 pm
- For Adults (16+)
- 8 participants
- $120 tuition fee (assistance or waiver on request)
About the Instructor
Ben Fletcher is a passionate drone pilot and creative communicator specializing in one of the newest developments in drone technology: First Person View (FPV) flight. Ben holds a degree in Neuroscience from the University of California Santa Cruz and has worked extensively in environmental education and research. He is the creator of the Hartford Salamander Team project, which organizes free public meetups to guide and train volunteers in amphibian conservation efforts during spring migrations. Ben is a Part 107 Licensed pilot, has worked for JAM as a Government Videographer, for the Vermont Center for Ecostudies as a Project Biologist. He is eager to teach this class and explore the innovative applications of drones in film, science, and beyond with the JAM community. You can view his photography and keep up with his adventures on iNaturalist.