BHAM FILM CAMP
BHAM FILM CAMP
Why Birmingham Needs
BHAM Film Camp
Breaking into the film industry is notoriously difficult, shaped by informal networks, financial barriers, unpaid early work, and a lack of clear, accessible pathways. For many young people, especially first-generation creatives, talent alone is not enough to open doors.
Our program introduces students to filmmaking so they can explore a new creative interest and begin to envision themselves as future filmmakers.
By connecting students with local industry professionals, we help students build skills, confidence, and relationships that can lead to meaningful, paid work and long-term creative careers.
Meet Our Team
Varina Shaughnessy
Camp Director
I grew up in Birmingham, where I fell in love with storytelling and video editing in high school. I was a bit of a creative misfit—full of passion and ideas, but without a clear path. I didn’t know any filmmakers, and had no one to teach me how to really work a camera or help me break into the field. So I stopped editing, put down the camera, and went to college. But I should’ve gone to film school.
It took several years of switching majors multiple times, taking a gap period in college, and working in several free internships while living with my parents to finally realize that I still wanted to be a storyteller.
Fast forward: in 2021, after building a career traveling around the world making brand films, I returned to my hometown to volunteer and lead my first summer of film camp. Watching our first 12 students tell their own stories with honesty and courage reminded me of why I fell in love with filmmaking in the first place.
Today, Bham Film Camp exists to give young people—especially those who have never seen themselves represented in film—a place to try out filmmaking, discover their own voice, learn new skills, and make connections with the film community so that they can have support and a pathway into the industry.
Rachael Porter
Assistant Director
Growing up, camp was always a place of magic for me—a break from routine where you could try on something new, be a little braver or sillier, make friends, and discover more about who you are in a safe, playful way.
This stage of life is all about identity and exploration. At Film Camp, we get to walk alongside kids through filmmaking—teaching them how to observe the world, find stories, and use creativity to tell them. Through storytelling, they learn not only about craft, but about themselves and each other, participating in one of the oldest human traditions: making meaning through story.
We don’t know where each camper is coming from or where they’re headed, and it’s not our job to make them love filmmaking or even camp itself. What we can do is offer opportunity—space to try new things, make mistakes, ask questions, be mentored, connect with others, and yes, take a break, grab a snack, and be a little silly. Because in the end, it’s not about the final film, but the process and the people.
We’re passionate about creating a week of camp filled with care and intentional opportunity for everyone involved—campers, volunteers, partners, and parents. Together, we can create a truly magical week for our youth.
Our Volunteers
We are only able to run Film Camp because of our ROCKSTAR volunteers who give their time to the next generation!
Birmingham local filmmakers, producers, editors, photographers, and other volunteers help us to mentor and coach our students, craft impactful films for the community, and provide students with a network of local professionals for future opportunities. Most importantly, through our coach’s leadership and love, students have embraced the power of their own stories, and it's changed their lives. This is their favorite week of the summer, and it starts with the relationships made with our volunteers.
