Home Contact Sitemap Checkout

Print This Page

Write2Film 2026

July 12 - July 17, 2026

Overnight Camp For Ages 14-19
An unforgettable experience for creative youth to gain first hand experience in film making. Learn the basics from professional instructors while filming, editing, and producing a film!

$825.00 CAD
Add to QuoteAdd to Cart
  • Out of stock


Write2Film is brought to you through a partnership with CSIF - the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers. Click the link to find out more about CSIF!

Write2Film Experience!

2026 registration now closed!

Write2Film is a multi-disciplinary filmmaking day camp for youth aged 14-19. It offers campers - with interests in front of and behind the camera - a chance to collaborate on a short film all the way from brainstorming ideas and writing a screenplay to screening a finished film. Their process will be supported by a team of professional screenwriters, cinematographers, editor, actors, musicians and more.


    • Ages 14-19
    • July 12th - July 17th, 2026
    • Overnight camp. Sunday to Friday. July 12th (Sunday) is Orientation.
    • Campers arrive Sunday evening and stay until Friday afternoon.
  • SR1 Site: 241001 Range Road 42, Rockyview, Alberta, T3Z 2X5 (include the postal code when using Google maps!)
  • Tuition - $825.00

Write2Film Fees Include

9 hours of daily instruction/activities led by highly qualified instructional and supervisory staff, supervised meals and break times. All supplies are provided. Each participant is required to dress for the weather, bring PPE, indoor/outdoor shoes, and will receive a complimentary copy of YouthWrite: The Magazine.

For those of you new to YouthWrite:

Registration steps continue after registration on this site. After you complete the registration on this site, we ask that you proceed to Campfax, a secure camp database and:

  • fill in important details
  • provide a letter of reference from a teacher/mentor
  • provide the answers to the three Write to Film questions

You are not fully registered until all steps are completed.


Please note

Refunds:

All fees include $100 non-refundable fee.  No refunds will be made if registration is cancelled after June 30, 2026.

A full refund will be possible in the event an applicant is not accepted into the program or if COVID restrictions require that we cancel or reconfigure camp. YouthWrite Society Canada reserves the right to cancel courses and restrict enrollment. Courses, instructors and supervisors may be subject to change.

Medical:
In consideration of our campers' and staff well-being, we strongly advise that all attendees be up-to-date on vaccinations for measles, rubella, and mumps.




When

July 12th - July 17th, 2026

Full Week



 

Where

SR1 Site

241001 Range Road 42, Rockyview, Alberta, T3Z 2X5

(include the postal code when using Google maps!)

Who

Guest Instructors thus far:

Miranda Martini
Gillian McKercher
Alex Mitchell
Kaz Nakajima
Annisha Plesche
Elinor Svoboda
Kaytlyn Turner
Miranda White


 

Special Guest Presenters:

Desiree Bilon
Glenn Dixon


Our Super Supers:

Miranda Martini
Jess Davidson
Gina Schnepper
Eli Smart


Write 2 Film Coordinator:

Anna Cooley


YouthWrite Director-Coordinator:
Gail Sidonie Sobat


Guest Instructors

YOUTHWRITE INSTRUCTORS: THE CREAM OF THE CROP!


Throughout YouthWrite's history, we have prided ourselves on the calibre of our fine instructors.


YouthWrite invites superbly talented and reputable instructors who represent the many facets of the performing, visual, musical, dance, film, and written arts. 




Anna Cooley


Bio

Anna Cooley is the coordinator of Write2Film! Her amazing bio is below in the "Coordinator" section. 


Course

Filmmaking Fundamentals - Filmmaking involves a lot of moving parts. In order to get a movie from their imaginations to the big screen, filmmakers must come together as a team to create a shared vision and a plan to make it happen. Using her experience working in camera, lighting, grip, sound, video editing, production design, set decoration, props, writing, producing, directing and more, Write2Film coordinator Anna Cooley will cover the basics of film production and collective creation, so campers feel prepared to work together in the creation of your films. 




 Miranda Martini


Bio

Miranda Martini has been writing music since she was twelve, when she composed an original song for her grade six graduation. Since then, she has composed for theatre, film, television, video games and beyond. She’s currently working on a sci-fi musical and just launched a new album, The Historian (which you can find on Bandcamp and wherever music is streamed). Her favourite movie score is Joe Hisaishi’s for Princess Mononoke.


Course

Hearing Pictures: Using Music and Sound to Elevate Your Films! - Whether you want to tug heartstrings or build tension, music is an essential tool in your filmmaker’s toolbelt for communicating with your audience. As we take our films into post-production, we’ll learn about music’s role in establishing genre, character, and tone, as well as some ways to create an effective film score even if you don’t play an instrument.




Gillian McKercher


Bio

Gillian McKercher is a filmmaker best known for directing the feature film, Circle of Steel, an Audience Award winner at the 2018 Calgary International Film Festival. She studied directing at the Canadian Film Centre, where she developed her next feature film, Lucky Star, which also received support from the Harold Greenberg Fund and CFC/Netflix Development Accelerator. Her documentary about oil and gas cleanup, Orphaned, is streaming on CBC Gem.


Course

Directing - Orson Welles once said, "the only job a director can do in a film of real value is to do something more than what will happen automatically". What is directing and why is it important? Gillian McKercher breaks down the mythology of directing with exercises to bring your "vision" to actuality. Going over techniques such as emotional storytelling, actor blocking, shot lists, and stress management, you'll be introduced to the craft of direction.




 Alex Mitchell - DCPi Film Services


Bio

Alex Mitchell is an independent filmmaker and technician, with experience in every leg of production. He has been repeatedly recognized by the Alberta Motion Picture Industry Association for his work on set, and is a member of both IATSE 212 and ICG 669—as a production sound mixer and digital image technician, respectively. Off set he volunteers as a board member and the chair of the production committee at the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers, where he has been a member for over twenty years.


Course

Let's Develop! - Developing film is a process. After shooting some black and white Super8mm film stock, learn how the photochemical process happens, using chemicals that can be easily sourced locally. From pouring the chemicals into a miniature development lab--known as a Filmomat--before the Super8 film is loaded in to a light-tight container, to then programming in the processing cycle, watch just how film is developed. Once the stock is removed and dried, you'll use a light table to inspect the images you've shot before scanning to a computer for editing your short film.







 Kaz Nakajima & Katlyn Turner


Bio

Kaz Nakajima is a Calgary-born artist. His highly observant and curious personality drew him to storytelling and filmmaking. His film credits include: Lost & Searching and Cotard as director; Sleepwalker and Outrun as cinematographer; Lucky Star and Faultline as key grip. He also worked as grip on Heartland, Ghostbusters - Afterlife and Fraggle Rock. Kaz’s goal is to delve deeper into his creative side and create works of art such as his photography, woodworking or anything that ignites his creative drive and can be enjoyed by those around him.
Kaytlyn Turner - Kaytlyn Turner is a writer/director who refuses to fit her life and work into neat boxes. Originally form Northern BC, now living in
Calgary, Kaytlyn works in the camera department on large scale
projects like Die My Love and The Last of Us while also directing
and writing her own more experimental works on the side. Her
short films and music videos have played at festivals across North
America and her first feature-length project, a dark comedy titled
Puddy Tat, is currently in post-production with the support of
Telefilm Canada. Drawn to imperfections, Kaytlyn lives for the
moments when a project’s seams become visible and is always
trying to find the humour in all things awkward, strange and sad.


Course

Film Craft: Intro to Film Cinematography - In this convenient era of digital imaging and content we will explore the analog process of shooting on Film (specifically Super 8). We will dive into how you can capture and create stories with just camera work and lighting. We’ll briefly delve into how we can create images photochemically. Because we are shooting on film, participants will learn how to be economical and choose carefully how to shoot their story. Once the film is exposed there’s no going back!





 Annisha Plesche


Bio

Annisha Plesche -  is an actor and artist. She graduated from the University of Calgary with an MA English Literature with a specialization in Creative Writing. She also holds a Diploma in Acting for Film & Television from Vancouver Film School. She has worked as an actor in film/television, professional theatre, and voice over. Most recently you would have seen her in Lunchbox Theatre’s production of Thank You for Your Order, for which she was nominated for a Betty Mitchell Award for “Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Comedy.” Annisha believes that it
is the role of the artist and actor to serve others through story, craft, and
sincere vulnerability.


Course

Acting  - Coming Soon


 

 Miranda White


Bio

Miranda White loves editing and has been an editor for the last 18 years in Calgary. She has worked on documentaries, corporate videos, television shows, CTV & CBC news, and short films. She has taught editing at SAIT, NUTV (University of Calgary), Emmedia, Telus Community Stories and GIFT (Girls in Film & Television). The coolest project she worked on was Fraggle Rock - season 2 episodes 1-4 (as the dailies operator). When not editing, she is can often been seen taking an art class, and has recently been blowing glass and learning pottery.


Course

Editing -  Editors are the third writer of a film, using visual and audio queues to make the audience feel and believe the story. Editing is taking all the hard work from the first four days of the program and piecing it together to tell your story. You can add music, sound effects, transitions and visual effects to bring it to life. This is challenging, but can be a lot of fun! 


The Amazing Supers

Handpicked and multi-talented, YouthWrite Supers are the centre of our camps. As artists, teachers and mentors, they bring the X-Factor to YouthWrite.

Miranda Martini - Lead Super

Miranda Martini has been writing music since she was twelve, when she composed an original song for her grade six graduation. Since then, she has composed for theatre, film, television, video games and beyond. She’s currently working on a sci-fi musical, and just launched a new album, The Historian (which you can find on Bandcamp and wherever music is streamed). Her favourite movie score is Joe Hisaishi’s for Princess Mononoke.




Gina Schnepper


Gina Schnepper is a poet, artist, athlete, teacher, and lover of literature. She is the author of A Yearning Recollection, SEAGULL, and Hireath, and is looking forward to a memoir of her time solo backpacking the Great Divide Trail. Gina is also an avid rugby player and coach, enjoys sour candy, hiking, history, and spending time with her mischievous orange cat, Finnegan. This summer, she is excited to try her hand at nonfiction writing, and connecting deeply to the present moment through art. Gina is a YouthWrite alumni herself, and knows firsthand the opportunities and connections that camp creates for young writers. She knows she is Gail's favourite.




Eli Smart  


Eli Smart (He/They) is a local award-winning director/writer/producer from YYC. He started writing prose at the age of 9 which, in turn, kickstarted his filmmaking and theatre journey, which he began at age 15. Eli’s passion for filmmaking has given them many amazing opportunities, and shown him that the best part about the arts is the community surrounding it. Whether it’s staying up late with your friends trying to finish a project, or sharing ideas while juggling the ones you already have, being in the arts is one of the greatest joys in the world, and Eli is honored to be a part of it!! They are also eager to become Anna’s favourite! 




Write 2 Film Coordinator

Anna Cooley


Anna Cooley is thrilled to be back as coordinator of Write 2 Film! She is passionate about championing the next generation of storytellers, and very excited about the talented group of instructors and supervisors who have been assembled to guide campers through the filmmaking process during camp. 


Anna is an award-winning filmmaker, born and raised Mohkinstis (Calgary). Her directing credits include feature films Faultline and A Sauropod Abroad, short films Garden Shark: there are some things dementia can’t touch, See Me, BrokeHer and Sleepwalker, and web series Gender? I Hardly Know Them, Abracadavers and Scout. Her cinematography credits include Living Without Menace, The Goats of Monesiglio and Clebs. 




YouthWrite Director- Coordinator

Gail Sidonie Sobat


is a multi-award-winning teacher and author, with thirteen books for children, teens and adults, and a number of educational and academic articles. A Global News Woman of Vision and an Arts and Culture Citation Award recipient, she is the YouthWrite creator/ coordinator, an international presenter, an instructor in the professional writing program at MacEwan University and in the Faculty of Education at U of A. Gail was The Writers’ Union of Canada Regional Representative for Alberta, NWT and Nunavut, and writer in residence with the Metro Edmonton Federation of Libraries. 


She has moved forty times in her life from Badlands to Siksika Nation Reserve to hideous suburbs to Istanbul to the Sunshine Coast to her writer’s garret in a century-old temperamental house. She adores all of her Supers & Coordinators equally, and loves YouthWrite like a madwoman!