Vanguard DocMakers

Summer Program Dates: July-August 2025

Earn money while you learn filmmaking and complete a film!  Applicants 18-24 years old are invited to apply for Vanguard DocMakers Workshop.  The program meets for 8 sessions once a week from the beginning of July to the last week in August.  Meals and a stipend for attendance and completion of the program are provided in partnership with District Attorney Alvin Bragg's Office and their Gun Violence Prevention Initiative.  Residents of Harlem, Washington Heights and NYCHA are strongly encouraged to apply.  Deadline to submit the application is Friday, June 20. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance to the program by Friday, June 27.

Use the form below to apply, or contact us with any questions at education@maysles.org.

Classes meet in person at Maysles Documentary Center.

Vanguard DocMakers (VDM) is a stipend-based education program designed for young people (18-24) who are from justice-impacted communities. The program builds community and personal development along with collaborative skills in a creative and supportive environment. It scaffolds multiple learning techniques: using film as the catalyst for self-reflection and community assessment; encouraging critical thinking; increasing self worth/self image; and building awareness of personal direction and focus for each individual participant. Participants learn the power of telling their own stories as they discover new ways to engage with their peers and community.  

The intensive summer program is offered from the beginning of July to the end of August - co-facilitated by a Maysles Artist Educator alongside a licensed Arts Therapist. Each session explores the film viewing/making process from a different perspective focusing on developing social-emotional skills, with documentary as a vessel through which to develop critical thinking and artistic analysis, and to explore collaborative art-making, transformational justice, and healing practices. in which the group shoots, produces, edits, and showcases a short documentary film on a topic or theme of their choosing. 

Sessions take place in person at Maysles Documentary Center over the course of 8 weeks and students will receive a stipend for their participation in and completion of the program.

ADDITIONAL PERKS

• Student Membership to MDC, with free access to all public screenings and masterclasses
• Class trips and networking opportunities
• Food provided at every class