Northridge, LA, CA, USA
Campers step in front of and behind the camera as they build a short acting reel from a range of performance styles. The week combines acting practice with filmmaking skills, giving children chances to try serious and funny monologues, newscasting, theatrical scenes, commercials, voiceover work, accents, and other on-camera material. Along the way, they work on diction, projection, character choices, scripting, storyboarding, and collaboration in film-crew roles.
The program is designed for ages 9–14 and runs as a daytime arts camp. Campers learn how performance choices translate to the camera while also seeing how scenes are directed, filmed, edited, and mastered. The goal is a personal Sizzle Reel made from selected clips that show different sides of a camper’s acting. The program describes the reel as an edited collection of a camper’s best three performances. Each camper receives a copy of the finished reel on a flash drive. Campers also work together in workshops and film-crew roles, so the week includes both individual performance practice and collaborative production work.
At the Northridge location, the program takes place in an auditorium setting. The regular camp day includes supervised arrival time, morning warm-ups and activities, specialty workshops, scheduled snack and lunch periods, group play, and pickup after the regular day. The format suits children who want a focused creative week that mixes acting, writing, speech, teamwork, and hands-on filmmaking.
| Ages: | 9–14 |
| Type: | Day |
| Gender: | Co-Ed |
| Setting: | City |
| Academics: | Academics, Liberal Arts, Creative Writing |
| Arts: | Arts, Performing Arts, Acting, Film, Speech, TV |
| Meals Type: | Bring Your Own |
| Time: | 09:00 AM - 03:00 PM |
| Staff to Сamper Ratio: | 1:10-12 |
| Address: | Temple Ramat Zion, 17655 Devonshire Street, Northridge, CA 91325 (In Auditorium) |
| Northridge, LA | |
| USA |
You won’t be charged yet. The camp will contact you to confirm all terms first.
| Dates | Days | Price | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 19 - Jul 23, 2027 | 5 | $595 |
The week is organized around building an actor’s Sizzle Reel: a short edited collection of performance clips. Campers explore different roles and scene styles so they can practice range rather than repeat one kind of performance. The acting side includes commercial, film, television, and theatrical technique, along with on-camera work and speech training in diction, projection, accents, and dialects.
Filmmaking is part of the learning process rather than just a final recording step. Campers participate in creative writing and scripting, develop ideas through storyboards, learn about film-crew roles and collaboration, and work through directing, filming, editing, and mastering. The program page also describes clips such as serious and funny monologues, newscasting, theatrical performance, accents, and voiceover.
By the end of the session, each camper’s reel is assembled from selected scene work into a personal video showcase. PAW describes a Sizzle Reel as an edited collection of a camper’s best three performances, so the final project is built around selecting and shaping the strongest clips from the week. PAW provides a copy of the finished Sizzle Reel on a flash drive, giving campers a concrete record of the acting and filmmaking work completed during the week.
Families should send campers with a mid-morning snack, a complete and filling lunch, a beverage, and a bottle of water each day. The camp does not provide refrigeration for children’s lunches, so food should either be safe without refrigeration or packed in an insulated lunch box with an ice pack. PAW recommends packing enough food for both snack and lunch because the camp day is active and campers may be hungry early. Parents are also asked to disclose allergies and other health needs so staff can follow the guidance provided for each child.
Every camper must be signed in at arrival and signed out at pickup. PAW uses written authorization procedures when someone other than a parent or guardian will pick up a child, and separate written permission is required for a camper to walk or bike home. Teaching staff are screened before placement and are required to clear a criminal background check. The FAQ also gives activity-clothing rules intended to support safe movement, including closed or secure footwear rather than flip-flops. Campers’ cell phones are kept put away during the camp day so staff can maintain supervision and communication through the PAW office and on-site team.
Parents are required to disclose allergies, medications, disabilities, or special needs and provide written guidance at enrollment. In some circumstances, and with written permission, PAW can help administer simple medications. Any medication accepted for assistance is given to the on-site director for safekeeping, with the child’s name and use instructions clearly labeled. Families with medical or support needs are asked to review the plan with the on-site director before camp. PAW also notes that its arts instructors do not have medical training or specialized training for children with disabilities and special needs, so some situations may require additional documentation, a doctor’s release, or an adult aide.
PAW describes its teachers as professionals in their arts fields who have or are working toward bachelor’s or master’s degrees and have prior experience working with children. Teachers are screened and must clear a criminal background check before placement. The published teacher-to-student ratio is one adult for every 10 to 12 children. The organization also emphasizes specialized arts training and an ability to teach curriculum in an engaging, kind, and entertaining way. Staff come from a range of arts backgrounds and disciplines, matching the program’s focus on specialized creative instruction.
Parents can contact the PAW office during camp when they need to relay an important message or ask a question for the on-site team. Directors and teachers call the office multiple times during the day, allowing information to move between the camp site and families without taking teaching staff away from supervision. Campers’ cell phones are kept zipped in backpacks during camp.
Drop-off and supervised playtime run from 8:45 AM to 9:00 AM, with the regular camp day beginning at 9:00 AM. At Northridge, the regular day ends at 3:00 PM and pickup/playtime continues through 3:20 PM; this location does not offer Extended Play. Families should send a packed snack, lunch, drink, and water bottle, and Actor’s Sizzle Reel campers should bring the composition book PAW provides. Written authorization is required for alternate pickup or for walking or biking home.
