The Fellows Program is a 15-month, three stage preparation leading towards a career in filmmaking. The Program consists of:

GhettoFilm 101: Laying the Foundation
A nine-week introduction to cinematic storytelling, offering daily workshops and screenings, as well as interactive seminars with industry professionals. Each Fellow completes a script, casts actors and then shoots, directs and edits their own narrative project. At the conclusion of this course, student work is showcased at the GFS Annual Public Screening at Lincoln Center.

Industry101: Making the Connections
A twelve-month practicum that features a weekly seminar covering industry organization and culture, distribution and festivals, as well as training in advanced screenwriting, lighting, and sound techniques. Guest speakers from the industry will lead students through these discussions. The practicum also assists in career planning, and students will gain hands-on experience through an internship at a partnering industry site. Fellows are also provided college application and financial assistance, going on to study at the most prestigious university-based film schools.

The Thesis Film: The Third Act
A three-month real world production demonstrating the mastery of skills, knowledge, and aesthetics of filmmaking, culminating in a high-quality competitive work. The Thesis Film involves preproduction, production, post-production, and distribution, and offers experience in budgeting, projects management, location scouting, casting, equipment packages, marketing and festivals. Working as a group, Fellows compete for crew positions (e.g., Director or Cinematographer) while receiving advanced instruction in these specialized areas.

Digital Bodega is a GFS student-operated production company that creates commissioned media products, e.g., DVD annual reports, videos for special meetings or events, and electronic press kits (EPK). Clients have included the NY Presbyterian Hospital, Child Care, Inc., German Department of Economics and Technology, The Independent Film Channel (IFC) and the NYC Department of Education. Digital Bodega provides paying work for advanced GFS participants that have proven themselves reliable and able to participate in a group business. Various tasks in the business (e.g., bookkeeping, marketing, production schedules) along with the creative aspects of product development create a wide range of opportunities for our students.

Film Credits brings GFS programs and services directly to NYC schools providing classroom and out-of-class support for student productions, and professional development for teachers. GFS plans customized Film Credits programs at each client school by involving students, teachers and administration in a comprehensive educational process. Through the New Visions for Public Schools initiative, GFS is also the lead partner at New Explorers HS in the South Bronx. Using a project-based, experiential education model NEHS students incorporate cinematic technique throughout all their course work – creating stand-alone narrative stories and documentaries but also creative new ways to present and or fulfill academic assignments.