Penn Film Program

Behind the Scenes and Panel Discussion

Videos produced in 2015/2016

Instagram Videos

May 5th, 2022 marked the anniversary of a 7-year ongoing partnership between PSTV and the University of Pennsylvania (Penn). The SDP-Penn  Film Program is a unique creative collaboration between Philadelphia high school students and students from the University of Pennsylvania. Penn students learn filmmaking and partner with high school students to create short films that are broadcast on PSTV’s Xfinity and Verizon channels. The program piloted in 2014 and began broadcasts in the summer of 2015. To date, 47 student films have been produced with 15 Philadelphia High Schools, some schools returning each year. These films encompass a wide array of themes, subjects, and film genres, documentary, and fiction, but are all in some way about school communities, and the lives of Philadelphia students.  High School students learn professional media production skills shoulder-to shoulder with college students. They learn project management, how to conduct research, write scripts, filming, editing and how to bring projects to completion for screening and broadcast. School students are mentored by Penn students and experience, first-hand, what it takes to be successful at college. Over and above the films themselves, the collaborative process creates important opportunities for interaction and exchange.  This is a year-long collaboration, over both the Fall and Spring semesters of the academic year from August to May. PSTV provides crucial support, coordination, and guidance, enabling the program to exist and function. Over the years, a collegial and supportive cooperation has evolved between us. This enables a well-organized program that is subtle and flexible enough to successfully navigate the complex needs of multiple institutions. These include the School District of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Schools, teachers, students, and the University of Pennsylvania. On a personal note,  from the Penn side of things, as a film professor, course instructor and the creator of this program,  working with Shelley Wolfe and her team at PSTV, is a joy. We simply could not do it without them. I am frequently dumbfounded at what she is able to accomplish. She is a great partner, and we are, in turn,  very proud of what our students have been able to create with very limited resources, given what we are trying to do. The quality of the student films is available for all to see as their hard work is uploaded and viewable on YouTube. Our partnership with PSTV has successfully created something special for students that we could not do on our own. I urge those who can support PSTV to expand their support so we can continue to provide unique opportunities for creative collaboration to students.

Amitanshu Das

Scholar, Penn Annenberg School for Communication (Penn ASC)

Director and Senior Fellow, Penn Graduate School of Education (Penn)