Bozeman Magazine

Discover the fundamentals of filmmaking in a fun, supportive, hands-on course designed for adult beginners. Over the course of four weeks, you'll learn how to plan, shoot, and edit a short film using a smartphone or basic camera.

What You'll Learn: This course introduces improvisational principles including: How to develop a simple, visual story idea Practical camera and lighting techniques Best practices for recording dialogue and ambient sound How to organize, edit, and assemble a short video Tips for exporting and sharing your finished film

How You'll Learn It: This course is ideal for adults interested in learning the basics of movie making for creative expression, social media, documentary storytelling or personal projects. No prior experience is required. Who Should Attend: This course is designed for adults (18+) who want to learn the basics of visual storytelling, are curious about film, or just want to do something creative with the photos on their phones. No prior experience or equipment is required; however, please bring a laptop if you have one available.

What You'll Need: Participants need a smartphone or digital camera, laptop, and headphones. A tripod is optional. We will be using a free editing platform called DaVinci Resolve 20 for this class, but if you have access to other editing software, you’re welcome to use that instead. .

Workshop Details: When June 3 - 24, 2026 Wenesdays from 6:15 - 8:15 PM
Where MSU Bozeman (Room TBD) Free parking is available after 6:00 pm in Bobcat Lot #3. Registration Fee $160 Instructor Alexa Alberda is an instructor in the School of Film and Photography at Montana State University where establishing visual literacy and an appreciation for art is essential to her teaching philosophy. Alexa is a life long learner dedicated to creating engaging learning opportunities for her students while learning from the knowledge each person brings to the classroom. Outside of the classroom, Alexa works as a Producer of short narrative films. She deeply enjoys the chaotic world of filmmaking and is driven to create calm through her detail-oriented organizational style. Alexa's films have screened at multiple film festivals including the California Women's Film Festival, the Montana Film Festival, and the Wyoming International Film Festival. Questions Contact Kelsye Gould, Continuing Education Program Manager, at 406-994-3062, kelsye.gould@montana.edu.