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Oxford Royale 2024

Film Academy Summer School

Oxford Royale Summer School

Film Academy: Oxford Through The Lens

Shoot, edit and screen your own short film on location at our ‘Film Academy: Oxford Through The Lens summer school, on campus in Oxford. With the city of Oxford – filming site of the Harry Potter films, James Bond, and much more – as your set, you will gain insights to film production and digital editing as you experience first-hand what it is like to produce a film.

Utilise first-class video production equipment including HD cameras and professional sound and lighting instruments. Practise your digital editing skills as you take your film through post-production using Final Cut Pro. Immerse yourself in screenwriting, location scouting, storyboarding, and digital editing.

Location Oxford
For Ages 13-18 years
Duration 2 weeks
Price
Start Dates 30 Jun, 14 Jul, 28 Jul
Enrol Today

See Our Film Academy in Action

Watch our Film Academy trailer to see our students making films with state of the art equipment and software. Hear from our students and teachers how our the international perspectives brought onto our course develop our students’ film-making ability and cultural understanding.

Marcus du Sautoy giving a lecture in the Sheldonian Theatre to our Oxford Summer School

The Oxford Experience

Watch our Oxford Summer School highlights video to hear from students about the life-changing experience they had whilst attending our Oxford Summer School. See the amazing Oxford venues of our lessons, excursions and parties as students discuss meeting friends from all around the world whilst having an amazing educational experience.

Oxford Film Academy Summer School Details

Our Film Academy Summer School is perfect for students hoping to break into the film industry, offering a uniquely hands-on learning experience in which attendees are guided through all stages of the film production process. Whether you are already a seasoned actor hoping to take your turn in the director’s seat, or an aspiring cinematographer looking to try out professional equipment for the first time, this programme will exceed your expectations.

Having welcomed students of over 175 nationalities since our foundation in 2005, we pride ourselves on being the world’s most international summer school. Our Film Academy programme is intensely collaborative, offering students authentic experience of what it is like to form part of an international film school as they experiment with different roles in the production process. Attendees will reap the rewards of working as part of a global team, and connect with like-minded budding filmmakers from all over the world. As our alumni embark on their life’s ambitions, a vast network of potential collaborators will be a great boon to their future success.

Our faculty is made up of world-leading subject experts, from whose collective decades of experience in the film industry students will benefit as they embark on their very first cinematic projects. Your tutors will guide you through the process of filmmaking, providing you with invaluable feedback and nourishing your ideas as you take creative ownership of your work.

Students will collaborate in groups to produce a unique film over the course of the programme, acquiring hands-on experience of working with industry-grade equipment in a variety of different roles. They will: 

– Experience the roles of writer, director, and producer

– Learn about key stages of the production process, including story-boarding, script-writing, filming and editing

– Experiment with different camera angles and learn how to use microphones in recording scenes

– Produce and execute a location schedule 

– Edit their films to perfection using FinalCutPro

Attending our Film Academy will furnish you not only with the technical skills to excel as a filmmaker, but also with the interpersonal skills to collaborate with others throughout the production process, or in any other professional endeavour that you might undertake. Attendees will also have ample opportunities to develop their ‘soft’ skills outside the classroom, through our bespoke extracurricular programme. They will:

– Participate in the Oxford Royale debating society, where students will master the art of persuasive public speaking

– Benefit from a variety of masterclasses on career and academic skills, such as interview preparation 

– Engage in stimulating team building activities, such as an immersive fact-finding scavenger hunt

– Network with and glean insights from leading lights from a range of professions through interactive headline addresses and careers seminars

Life on set is notoriously hard work for all members of the production process, but make no mistake: filmmakers and actors don’t skimp on having fun. Students on our Film Academy Programme will have plenty of time for rest and relaxation between creative sessions, as well as enjoying an action-packed extra-curricular calendar. Attendees will:

  • Enjoy cultural excursions, including walking tours of Oxford and day trips to nearby cities such as London and Bath
  • Partake in a wide range of sporting activities, designed to suit everyone, from the beginner to the seasoned athlete
  • Relax on our beautiful campus grounds, in aesthetic and comfortable gardens, common rooms, and dining halls
  • Imbibe local culture, trying out new cuisine, going to the cinema, or exploring bustling commercial centres nearby

Although students will be working under the guidance of expert tutors, they will have complete freedom in deciding the subject and nature of their project. Whether you are a budding documentary filmmaker or an aspiring actor, our Film Academy offers you the chance to unleash your creativity as you learn the discipline required of your craft. The final product will be a film that is authentically and uniquely yours – the perfect addition to any creative portfolio.

At the end of the summer course, students will present and exhibit their completed films to tutors and other members of their cohort. What better way to celebrate your achievements than to see your hard work come together on the big screen?

Attendees of our Film Academy Summer School will enjoy an unforgettable excursion to a nearby city halfway through the programme. 13-15-year-olds will visit the stunning historical city of Bath, benefitting from a guided tour of the Roman Baths before they are given free rein to follow their interests and explore locations such as the Jane Austen Museum and Topping & Company bookshop. Meanwhile, 16-18-year-olds will be taken to London, where they’ll have the chance to snap pictures of iconic landmarks as they soak in quintessential British history and culture.

Get a flavour of the red carpet as you celebrate your achievements in style at the end of the two weeks. Students’ accomplishments will be honoured through an illustrious graduation ceremony at an iconic University of Oxford venue, where each member of the Film Academy cohort will receive a certificate and personal congratulations from our course director. Following this, students will dance the night away at a show-stopping graduation party – a worthy send-off for those who have just produced their first cinematic masterpiece.

Full Timetable

To download a full sample timetable for our Film Academy Summer School for ages 13-15 click here, and for the timetable for ages 16-18 click here.

An Oxford Royale Graduation Certificate

What’s Included

  • Residential in the prestigious colleges of the University of Oxford

  • Inspiring programmes taught by experts

  • A truly international environment - over 170 nationalities

  • Accommodation, meals (breakfast and dinner only for ages 16-18), tuition and cultural programmes included

  • Graduation, report cards and certificate

  • 20+ hours tuition / week

  • Talks and debates with world-class guest speakers

  • Inspirational cultural programme, including excursions to historic UK locations

Watch our video Graduation 2023

Learn from world-leading experts

Whatever your motivation, our exceptional, inspiring, world-leading teachers can help you achieve more this summer. Our amazing array of talented tutors includes Oxbridge academics, Ivy League lecturers, groundbreaking medical researchers, glittering industry leaders, acclaimed authors, and more!

Meet our Faculty

John Maxwell Hobbs

Film Academy

John Maxwell Hobbs has devoted over 20 years to the exploration of art and technology. As Head of Technology at BBC Scotland, and Media Consultant to brands like IKEA, he has pushed the boundaries of creativity and innovation. He now shares his expertise as a member of the Board of Screen Academy Scotland, and as a tutor at Oxford Royale.

Bruce Windwood

Film Academy

Bruce Windwood is one of Oxford Royale’s most senior tutors, having helped design and develop our filmmaking classes. He is a multi-award winning filmmaker, a commissioned writer for TV and audio, and also composes soundtracks for film, audio, and TV content.

Dr Anisa Butt

Business & Entrepreneurship

A member of the Oxford Royale team for 3 years, Dr Anisa Butt is a lecturer in economics at King’s College London. Currently completing a PhD in Economics from the University of Reading, her focus is on gender and ethnic income inequality.

Dr Endrit Shabani

Law & Politics

A trained lawyer, Dr Endrit Shabani has a Doctorate in Politics from the University of Oxford where he studied with a full Clarendon scholarship. He has consulted for multiple international organisations including UNICEF, UN Women and the EU, and has taught Politics internationally.

Dr Claire Keene

Medicine

Dr Claire Keene is a public health clinician with a masters in International Health and Tropical Medicine from the University of Oxford. She is an experienced clinical trial manager, recently managing a Médecins Sans Frontières project on HIV and tuberculosis.

Dr Abdulazeez Imam

Medicine

Dr Imam, lecturer in Medicine, has over 14 years of clinical experience and a strong commitment to medical education. He completed a 6 year Paediatric programme in Nigeria and is currently studying for a PhD at the University of Oxford. He also holds an MSc in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of Leeds.

Dr Rehan Shah

Engineering

Dr Rehan Shah is a Lecturer in Engineering Education at Queen Mary University of London. He has completed a BEng in Mechanical Engineering with Business Finance at UCL with LSE, an MSc in Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing at the University of Oxford, and a PhD in Applied Mathematics at UCL.

Dr Amy Booth

Dr Amy Booth

Medicine

Dr Amy Booth is a celebrated physician who graduated summa cum laude from the University of Cape Town. Now working towards a PhD at the University of Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship, she formerly worked with the World Health Organisation.

How You'll Learn

Escape ordinary classroom teaching and learn through interactive and immersive lessons.

Workshops

Hands-on classes designed to help students learn through practical application.

Masterclasses

An interactive forum with an expert in the field, giving students valuable insights into related and new topics.

Guest Speakers

Successful and famous guest speakers offer students the chance to pose their most important questions.

Debates

Essential for honing students' reasoning abilities and public speaking skills.

Interactive Lectures

Dynamic lectures given by passionate teachers packed with facts and viewpoints to engage the audience.

Group Projects

An opportunity to work closely with, and learn from, different perspectives.

Seminars

Working in pairs and small groups, students have plenty of opportunity for discussion and debate.

Challenge Days

Apply the skills and knowledge gained throughout your two-week programme in an immersive full day simulation event.

Exciting Activities and Trips

Ashmolean Museum

The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology is one of the largest museums and art galleries in the UK. Home to fascinating examples of historic artefacts from across the globe, join Oxford Royale to discover examples of art and archaeology from across the globe.

See our exclusive events Ashmolean Museum

Natural History Musuem

Immerse yourself in British history through visits to incredible venues like the Oxford Museum of Natural History. Affiliated with the University of Oxford, this magical museum is home to centuries of Natural History, including the Oxford Dodo, the only surviving remains of dodo tissue to exist anywhere in the world!

See our exclusive events Night at the Museum

Cambridge summer school trip to London

Visit London

Discover the UK’s most exciting city! From Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace to the Museum of Natural History and National Portrait Gallery, there are endless ways to be entertained. With luxury shopping and hundreds of restaurants, London is a must-visit location. This trip is for our 16-18 year old students. 

Summer school students graduating

Graduation

Experience an Oxford Royale graduation, on campus at your residential college in Oxford. Dress up with your new friends, dine in a magnificent venue, and celebrate everything you have achieved on your programme. 

See our exclusive events Oxford Royale Graduation

Punting in Oxford

Feel like a real student in Oxford and try your hand at punting, a type of rowing that uses a metal pole to push the boat forward! Relax in the sun and view Oxford’s stunning natural landscape as you punt along the Cherwell river.

“It’s incredible. I have met people from Lebanon, from Brazil, from all over the world. It’s so cool because everyone speaks a different language but we come together to speak to each other, and we get to learn so much about other people’s culture and life.  I have never been to Oxford, but I really like it. It is such a historic city, but with all these young people together it is a very vivid city, it is very diverse. There are restaurants from every culture which is really cool.”

Kira, Austria

“I had been to Oxford before, but now I am truly experiencing it. Seeing all the different colleges and campuses is absolutely amazing, as well as the city itself. It is great to see such old architecture still being used today, and being able to actually study here is amazing. My favourite memory was just walking around and exploring the city with friends.  ”

Edoardo, Italy

“I love the city. With Oxford Royale, you live in one place for two weeks and become knowledgeable about the city, but you also become part of a small community with the people you are living with, as you see them every day and develop close bonds. I had never been punting before, but it was so much fun! Our counsellor did the actual punting, and we spent the whole time laughing – even when we bumped into the river banks!”

Yashvi, India

“Living in the dorms by myself gave me a sense of responsibility, and getting to know other people and has pushed me out of my comfort zone, and taught me a sense of cultural awareness. The programme has pushed me to think out of the box and experiment with things I haven’t learned before, learning from both my teachers and my peers!”

Rouza, United Arab Emirates

Reviews

We have a 4.8 rating based on 769 reviews on Reviews.io.
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Hannah

I had an absolutely incredible time doing Summer school with Oxford Royale Academy! I learnt new things about myself and the world around me, and would definitely recommend to others!

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Clara

I loved the Oxford Royal program, I met many people with bright personalities and unique minds, and I also learned a lot from the teachers, campus staff etc. You will enjoy it!

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Francesca

Oxford Royals Academy made my summer amazing! I learned many new things and I met people from all over the world that I know I can call true friends. I definitely recommend ORA to anyone who wants to make unforgettable memories!

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Minquan

The twelve days I spent in Oxford Summer School were very happy, the teachers were very kind and professional, and the curriculum was very reasonable, which expanded my knowledge. All the courses mean a lot to me and I hope I can come back next summer.

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Jade

The oxford royale academy was definitely the highlight of my summer. I have not only learnt more about the course I have chosen, but I've also met a lot of new friends, friendly staff and helpful teachers from different cultures all in the same campus and had a lot of unforgettable memories.

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Katherine

Oxford Royale was a great expreince. It was amazing to get to know people all over the globe and form life long relationships.

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you have decided which programme you would like to attend, and where you would like to study, you can book online using our secure booking system. You will need the details of the student and of the person paying the bill, the name of the programme or programmes you would like to study, and a credit or debit card to pay the relevant enrolment fee.

We are happy to accept enrolment fee payments via a number of other, non-card payment methods (including domestic and international bank transfer), thanks to our partnership with education payment specialists, Flywire. If you would prefer to pay your enrolment fee payment by bank transfer or another method, please contact our Admissions team who will be able to assist you.

Once your application has been submitted, your enrolment fee has been received by us and your booking processed by our system or our team, you will be sent an email confirming your place. You will also receive a login to the Oxford Royale Portal, which you will use to provide us with important additional information about you as your time with us approaches.

A Welcome Pack is available to download from the Oxford Royale Portal.

If at any time you would like to discuss your booking with a member of our award-winning Customer Service team, please feel free to contact us.

All enrolments require an enrolment fee to secure the booking. For Summer 2023, enrolment fees are structured as follows:

  • Summer Schools for ages 13-15 and 16-18 (Oxford, Cambridge, London, Berkeley and Yale) – £1295 GBP for each 2-week session

You may either pay the full programme fee when you book your place, or pay the enrolment fee and then settle the balance at a later date.

The balance clearance is required no later than 90 days before the start date of the programme. Where the student is booking less than 90 days before the start date, the programme fees must be covered in full. We appreciate that, with the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, people may require additional flexibility to these terms, and we are doing our best to accommodate that – please contact us if you have concerns regarding making the balance payment in line with the 90-day deadline.

Enrolments received via our online application form will require a debit or credit card payment of at least the enrolment fee. If you would like to pay your enrolment fee via Bank Transfer or another method, we are happy to facilitate this. Please contact our Admissions team to arrange this.

Balance payments for existing enrolments can be made via a number of methods, including domestic and international bank transfer, credit or debit card, as well as local payment options; please log in to the Oxford Royale Portal and click on the ‘Pay Now’ button on your booking details.

All programme fees include the following:

  • Classes and tuition
  • Study files/materials
  • Guest lectures by academic speakers
  • Personalised academic reports and graduation certificate
  • Accommodation at a top university
  • Meals in the dining hall of your college, every day of your programme (Meals provided are typically as follows: breakfast, lunch and dinner for ages 13-15; breakfast and dinner for ages 16-18)
  • Free WiFi (subject to availability)
  • A wide selection of afternoon and evening activities
  • Coach excursions (kindly note that excursions can be to local attractions or to sites further afield)
  • Welcome and graduation events
  • A multitude of extras, including an Oxford Royale notebook and branded clothing

If you wish to change your programme or study options (including dates), please do not hesitate to contact us. However, changes to programmes are always subject to availability. For this reason, it may be more difficult for us to accommodate any changes requested less than 60 days before the programme start date.

Oxford Royale’s terms and conditions for refunds are as follows:

Any cancellation must be received in writing and can only be made on the following terms:

  • No refund of enrolment fee will be made under any circumstances once the two-week cooling-off period has concluded;
  • For cancellations before your programme start date, the remainder of the programme fees excluding the enrolment fee amount will be proportionally refunded as per the table below:
Period Before Start Date Total Refunded
120+ days 100%
90-119 days 50%
45-89 days 10%
0-44 days 0%

Cancellations made after the commencement date of the programme will not receive any refund.

Our English language requirements are as follows:

  • B1 for EFL courses
  • B2 or IELTS level 5.5 – 6.5 for IELTS Preparation
  • C1 or IELTS level 6.5 or higher for all academic courses

Students who have studied at an English speaking school for two or more years are exempt from English requirements.

Yes, all students will be awarded an Oxford Royale Graduation Certificate upon satisfactory completion of the programme. This will be presented in a graduation ceremony on the final evening of the programme. In general, the graduation ceremony is for students only, but in certain cases, it might be possible for parents to attend on request. Due to limited seating and viewing facilities in the colleges, it is essential that parents contact the campus office well in advance to ascertain whether space is available.

All students will be well looked after, and security is carefully monitored on campus.

In order to leave campus students are required to sign out and sign themselves back in with a counsellor, and curfews are enforced on campus. Any issues that arise can be taken up with staff.

Students will also always be accompanied during lessons, trips, and excursions.

It is certainly possible to take more than one programme and combine a variety of study programmes. This can be done by enrolling on two different programmes. For example, you may wish to have two weeks on the Film Academy and then two more weeks on Architecture.

Students staying for two consecutive sessions will be provided with accommodation for the Saturday night, and their campus will provide supervised activities between their first session ending and second session starting. Should you have any queries about how to take more than one programme please do not hesitate to contact us.

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