Heights Middle School Shorts is a three-week mixed-media film arts camp for Cleveland Heights-University Heights middle school students.
Guided by local professionals experienced in filmmaking, writing, acting, music, and facilitating youth creative expression, HMSS campers learn storytelling through the medium of film as they write short stories that they turn into short films. Each camper is part of a production team that writes and produces a film.
In 2023, campers wrote, directed, and produced six films, all of which were shown at the 2023 Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival.
Visit the Heights Middle School Shorts website here.
HMSS Trailers
Building on the success of Heights Middle School Shorts, our flagship program, HMSS Trailers, is designed to introduce CHUH 5th graders to the film arts while preparing them to participate in Heights Middle School Shorts.
Students will create 60-second film trailers to promote imagined movies. All students will get hands-on movie-making experience – writing, filming, acting, producing, editing, etc. – as they work in teams to produce their trailers.
Two students from each elementary school in the CHUH School District are eligible to participate in HMSS Trailers. To apply, interested students must pitch a story – the imagined film for which a trailer could be made – which will be judged on creativity, organization, theme, style, characters, etc. Applications and submission guidelines for HMSS Trailers will be publicized in late 2024.
HMSS Film Scores
Students work with an HMSS Music Instructor who will guide them in writing and producing music for the films of Heights Middle School Shorts. This FREE after-school program is available to all 6-8th grade CHUH School District students. The workshop sessions February-March at Heights High School. Click the image for more info.
HMSS Profiles
Open to Heights High 9th and 10th graders, HMSS Profiles will allow students to write, produce, and direct documentaries featuring Heights Alumni Hall of Fame members of the BIPOC community.