Project Paradiso is a prestige project from Young Film Academy (YFA), offering a select group of YFA’s most promising students (aged 16-20) the chance to create a stunning short film in a cinematic location in Sicily, Italy.
Sicily has cinema in its blood, from Visconti to ‘The Godfather’. A nod to Italian classic ‘Cinema Paradiso’, YFA’s ambitious collaborative project unites educational training with a real-world film industry opportunity – offering participants the experience of a lifetime.
YFA invite selected students to join specific departments for the project, and the overall project team is confirmed. Project fundraising launches and each participant is responsible for raising a proportion of the budget. If the team reaches the fundraising target, the project is green-lit!
The Writer’s Room: students in the screenwriting department collaborate on the movie’s story and script. Taking place over Zoom, writers work together with YFA staff to create a story for the actors and filmmakers to bring to life.
Taking place over February half-term (10th-18th February 2024), a group of actors and filmmakers join YFA staff in Sicily to shoot the film the writers have dreamed up. In the shadow of Mount Etna, actors work with a coach on their performances, while filmmakers are split amongst a variety of departments, from directing, crew (camera, lights, sound), producing and production design – working alongside YFA filmmakers and learning on the go.
The in-house Young Film Academy team post-produce the film to the highest industry standards.
Students in the producing team will work alongside Young Film Academy to get the film to its international premiere and onto the festival circuit! The aim is for the movie to open doors for participants and provide the highest quality showreel and showcase material.
Participating in Project Paradiso involves working closely with industry professionals on-set and developing skills to produce the highest production values. The production crew will stay for a week on a beautiful farm with sea views at the base of Mount Etna in Sicily, and shoot the movie on location in the surrounding area.
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