Things to do · Arts and crafts
Make a short film
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A short film asks you to tell a story in pictures and sound, then cut it down until every shot earns its place. Beginners' courses take you from an idea to a finished film, and many now teach you to shoot it on a phone.
Moderate£100 to £500 / $130 to $650A few weeksIndoors or outAlone or with othersUK and US
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What you learn
City Lit's two-day smartphone course covers using a phone as a camera, framing shots handheld or on a tripod or gimbal (a handheld stabiliser), recording sound with an external microphone, lighting, and editing and exporting in an app. It also covers visual storytelling and script writing, and how to enter online festivals and competitions. You come away with a finished short.
Longer courses go further into planning. City Lit's five-week Shoot a short film course, last seen running in autumn 2024, covered pitching and scripting, shot types and camera movement, and editing in DaVinci Resolve. Portland Community College's documentary class has you plan, shoot, edit and present a short film on any subject, from a family holiday to a political issue.
Some courses are made as a group. Purchase College's Guerrilla Filmmaking class writes, shoots and edits short films together and screens them for friends and family on the last day.
Ways in and what they cost
| Provider | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| City Lit, London | Create a short film on your smartphone, two Saturdays in person (21 and 28 November 2026) | £209 (full, senior and concession) |
| National Film and Television School | Making the Successful Short, online, eight weekly evening sessions from 20 January 2027 | Not shown on the course listing; ask the school |
| Portland Community College, Oregon | Intro to Mini-Documentary Making, eight Tuesday evenings in person (spring 2026 run, now past) | $219 |
| Purchase College continuing education | Guerrilla Filmmaking, six Saturday sessions, short films made as a group (year of the run not stated) | $495, or $470 with discounts including early registration |
City Lit asks for a phone with at least 16GB of storage, and the course covers recording sound with an external microphone. Portland asks students to bring a device with video production software.
How to start
- Book a short beginners' course at an adult education college or community college that ends with a finished film.
- Check whether you shoot on the college's kit or your own phone, and what editing software or app the course uses.
- Write down a story that can be told in a few minutes with one or two locations and people you can call on.
Where to go
- City Lit: Create a short film on your smartphone (London) UK
- National Film and Television School: short courses UK
- Portland Community College: Intro to Mini-Documentary Making (Oregon) US
- Purchase College continuing education: filmmaking (New York) US
We opened these links on 12 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
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Questions people ask
Can I make a short film on my phone?
Yes. City Lit runs a two-day course for beginners that ends with a finished smartphone film, and asks for a phone with at least 16GB of storage and an editing app.
Do I need any experience to take a filmmaking course?
Not for a beginners' course. City Lit says its smartphone course suits beginners, and Portland Community College says basic editing experience is helpful but not required.
What equipment do I need to make a short film?
A phone or camera and something to edit on. City Lit's course also covers recording with an external microphone and shooting with a tripod or gimbal.
Can I enter my short film into a festival?
City Lit's smartphone course covers sharing films and entering them in online festivals and competitions.
Where this comes from: City Lit, Create a short film on your smartphone; City Lit, Shoot a short film: beginners; National Film and Television School, NFTS short courses; Portland Community College, Intro to Mini-Documentary Making; Purchase College, Filmmaking (continuing education). Opened 12 November 2026.
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