14 Prestigious Film and Animation Internships for High School Students
Internships are a great way for high school students to explore their interests while gaining experience that goes beyond the classroom. They introduce you to industry workflows, help you build technical skills, and allow you to network with professionals in fields you may want to pursue. These connections can lead to future studio roles or recommendation letters for your college applications.
Why should I do a film and animation internship in high school?
Film and animation internships for high school students bridge the gap between creative interests and the film industry. These experiences provide access to industry-standard tools like Adobe Premiere or Maya, and allow you to learn storyboarding, 2D/3D modeling, and post-production under the mentorship of professionals. Doing a prestigious internship can boost your college applications by showing admissions officers that you have the skills to get into a nationally competitive program. Film and animation internships at organizations such as the Smithsonian, Warner Bros. Discovery Reach, and Pixar often have acceptance rates below 10%.
To help you get started, we’ve narrowed down 14 prestigious film and animation internships for high school students.
1. Ladder Internships
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on the program type; financial aid is available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Around 10%; 70 – 100 students
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; January (Spring), May (Summer), September (Fall), and November (Winter)
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can work for 10 – 20 hours/week, for 8 – 12 weeks
Ladder Internships offers high school students the opportunity to gain practical experience by working remotely with fast-growing start-ups. The program features companies across fields such as technology, AI/ML, deep tech, health tech, marketing, journalism, and consulting. Many participating start-ups are supported by Y Combinator and led by founders with backgrounds at major organizations like Google, McKinsey, and Microsoft. Throughout the internship, you collaborate with a start-up manager and receive guidance from a Ladder Coach while completing real project work. The experience concludes with a presentation of your contributions to the company, and available roles can be reviewed directly through the program’s application form.
2. Warner Bros. Discovery Reach Honorship Program
Location: Burbank, California
Stipend: Paid summer internship + $5,000 scholarship (across four years)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: <1%; typically, 7 students
Dates: 4 years during college, beginning the summer you graduate
Application Deadline: Varies each year; typically, early months
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors residing in or attending school in Burbank or Los Angeles County who have a minimum 3.0 GPA
Commencing post-graduation, this highly selective multi-year program offers four consecutive summer rotations across key Warner Bros. Discovery sectors like post-production, marketing, and business operations. This longitudinal format provides a comprehensive view of the entertainment landscape, showing how massive media projects move from conceptual planning to global distribution. You work across various corporate and creative departments, mastering industry standards and collaborative workflows under the guidance of dedicated professional mentors. This experience helps you build a comprehensive skillset and a deep understanding of studio culture, ensuring you are well-prepared for the competitive media industry.
3. The Met High School Internship Program
Location: The Met Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
Stipend: $1,100
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~3-4%; 35 – 45 students per session
Dates: 10 weeks between July and August
Application Deadline: Early March
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 – 11 who reside in and attend a high school or home school in either New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut, and who have not completed another internship at The Met
The Met High School Summer Internship enables aspiring creative students from the tri-state area to dive into the professional museum landscape through an immersive experience. By collaborating with experts in specialized fields like curation, social media, and design, you gain a behind-the-scenes perspective on this leading cultural institution. The program prioritizes career development, using "Career Labs" to foster vital networking and professional growth. Mentorship-driven projects allow you to examine how art intersects with critical social issues and public education. It is a perfect fit for those eager to explore the community-focused and educational facets of the art world.
4. Smithsonian Young Ambassadors Program
Location: Washington, D.C. (1 week) + Local Internship (4 weeks)
Stipend: $2,350
Acceptance rate/cohort size: <5%; approximately 24 students annually
Dates: Typically, late June to early August
Application Deadline: April 11
Eligibility: High school seniors graduating in the current academic year | Minimum weighted cumulative GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale | U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident with a valid Social Security Number; DACA students are eligible if they have a valid work authorization permit
The Smithsonian Young Ambassadors Program (YAP) is a premier leadership initiative fostering Latino voices in the arts, including film and animation. Within these creative tracks, the program explores visual storytelling, digital media, and cultural representation in the film industry. You participate in hands-on workshops, visit Smithsonian media archives, and engage in one-on-one sessions with industry professionals to understand the production process. A standout feature is the $2,000+ stipend provided after a four-week local museum internship. By analyzing historical archives and producing your own media projects, you gain critical technical and curatorial skills.
5. Museum of Moving Image – Teen Council
Location: Museum of the Moving Image, NY
Stipend: Paid, amount not publicly disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Estimated <5%; 15 – 20 students
Dates: November – May
Application Deadline: October 17
Eligibility: High school students ages 15+ and enrolled in 11th or 12th grade as of Fall
The Teen Council Program is a paid workforce development experience for NYC high school students interested in media and museum careers. In this role, you will work with peers to plan and curate youth-oriented events like film screenings and media workshops. Mentors from the film and museum fields guide you while you learn how a media-focused institution functions behind the scenes. Your responsibilities involve assisting with event planning and day-to-day museum activities. Each cohort includes 15 to 20 students who contribute to the Museum of the Moving Image’s teen programming. Throughout the program, you strengthen project-management skills and explore the history and technology of the moving image.
6. Academy Museum Teen Council
Location: Los Angeles, CA (Academy Museum of Motion Pictures)
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid, amount not publicly disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective (estimated <5%); approximately 15 – 20 students
Dates: One-year commitment (meeting Friday afternoons and select weekends)
Application Deadline: Typically mid-to-late September
Eligibility: Youth ages 14–18 (or 15–19) in the Los Angeles area
The Academy Museum Teen Council offers an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the film and animation industries from the heart of the "Oscars" institution. This paid leadership program covers topics like film history, contemporary curation, and community-centered media programming. You will organize the "Teen Short Film Showcase," curate specialized screenings like the "Teen Movie Madness" series, and lead digital workshops. The program directly collaborates with Academy members and museum curators to voice youth perspectives on cinema. You sharpen their project management, event production, and public speaking skills while building professional connections at the world’s premier movie museum.
7. Reel Works Narrative Fellows
Location: New York, NY
Stipend: Paid, amount not publicly disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Estimated <8%; approximately 12 – 15 students
Dates: January 8 – June 26
Application Deadline: December 1
Eligibility: NYC-based youth, ages 17 – 21
The Reel Works Narrative Fellows program offers a paid, high-stakes immersion for students eager to master the complexities of professional cinema. By pairing you with an industry mentor, the fellowship provides personalized guidance through the entire production cycle, from drafting original scripts to the final edit. You engage in hands-on training, managing professional crews and operating high-end camera and lighting systems. This comprehensive approach covers essential tracks like screenwriting, cinematography, and sound design. Beyond technical craft, you cultivate vital leadership, project management, and collaborative skills.
8. Disney Dreamers Academy
Location: Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando, Florida
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: <2%; 100 students annually
Dates: March 25 – 29 (Tentative)
Application Deadline: October 31
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 – 12 between the ages of 13 – 19 who are legal residents of the 48 contiguous United States or the District of Columbia and are first-time participants
The Disney Dreamers Academy offers a high-octane deep dive into the world of film and animation for motivated high schoolers. Within the Entertainment and Storytelling track, you explore topics like character development, storyboarding, and the technical production pipeline. Activities include workshops with Disney animators, attending career expos with industry executives, and participating in exclusive behind-the-scenes "living classrooms" across the parks. A unique feature is the "Be 100" mentorship, connecting students with celebrity ambassadors and creative legends. You develop networking, visual storytelling, and professional leadership skills, gaining the confidence to turn your creative visions into professional realities.
9. Ghetto Film School – Fellows Program
Location: New York City (Bronx), Los Angeles, and London
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective (estimated <10%); 35 students per city, per year
Dates: 30-month commitment (afternoons, Saturdays, and summers)
Application Deadline: Typically Spring
Eligibility: Ages 14–18 (NYC/LA) or 16–19 (London); must live in the city
The Ghetto Film School (GFS) Fellows Program is a rigorous, 30-month pre-professional program that aims to turn high school students into cinematic storytellers. The curriculum covers topics such as screenwriting, cinematography, sound design, and the business of film production. You participate in hands-on activities like pitch sessions with studio executives, live-set visits, and the creation of multiple short films using professional-grade equipment. The program features the International Thesis Project, where the cohort travels abroad to shoot a high-budget film on location. By the end of the program, you will have developed technical production skills and visual literacy while building an industry network.
10. Tribeca Film Fellows
Location: New York City, NY
Stipend: Small project grants/stipends (typically for film production)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective (estimated <5%); approximately 20 fellows per year
Dates: Year-round (intensive programming during the Tribeca Festival in June)
Application Deadline: Typically mid-to-late February
Eligibility: NYC residents, ages 16–18, currently enrolled in high school
The Tribeca Film Fellows program offers an intensive, year-round deep dive into the cinematic arts for New York City’s high school students. The curriculum explores topics like narrative structure, cinematography, and the evolving landscape of digital media and animation. As a fellow, you engage in hands-on activities, including technical workshops, one-on-one mentorship with industry veterans, and high-level project pitching sessions. You get exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the Tribeca Festival, where you network with global filmmakers. You master professional skills in visual storytelling, post-production, and career planning, gaining a significant competitive edge for college and future studio roles.
11. PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs Academy
Location: Washington, D.C. area (George Mason University)
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective (estimated <10%); 25 – 30 students per year
Dates: Typically one week in late June
Application Deadline: Typically late April
Eligibility: High school students in the U.S.
The PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs (SRL) Academy is a selective journalism intensive that helps high school students master visual storytelling and documentary filmmaking. The curriculum covers diverse topics like investigative reporting, ethical journalism, and advanced cinematography, with a growing focus on using motion graphics. You engage in hands-on activities such as field reporting, professional script-writing, and collaborative video editing under the guidance of PBS producers. The program provides the opportunity for student-produced work to be broadcast nationally on the PBS NewsHour nightly program. This experience provides a prestigious platform for young creators to amplify local stories to a global audience.
12. NYU Tisch Future Filmmakers Workshop
Location: NYU Tisch School of the Arts, New York City
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Extremely selective (Approximately 5-8%); 14 – 20 students per year
Dates: February – May (Every Saturday)
Application Deadline: Mid-October
Eligibility: High school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who are residents of the Tri-State area (NY, NJ, CT) and be able to commute to the Greenwich Village campus
This is a prestigious program covering essential topics such as film language, narrative structure, cinematography, and post-production, with an emphasis on personal storytelling. You engage in practical activities like operating professional DSLR cameras, editing with Adobe Premiere, and directing your own individual and collaborative short films. A standout feature is the access to world-class Tisch faculty and the same rigorous curriculum used in the undergraduate program. You graduate with technical directing skills, a professional portfolio, and a deep understanding of visual literacy.
13. Grammy Camp (Video Production Track)
Location: Los Angeles, Nashville, New York, and Miami
Cost: $3,000 ($2,000 for Miami 5-day session); need-based financial assistance is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective (~10-15%); 40 – 70 students per location
Dates: Nashville: May 31 – June 6; Miami: June 23 – 27; Los Angeles: July 12 – 18; New York: August 2 – 8
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in grades 9–12 and are U.S. citizens | Seniors graduating in Spring are also eligible
The GRAMMY Camp Video Production track offers a specialized look at the visual storytelling required for the music industry, including animation and music video direction. The curriculum covers multi-camera concert filming, motion graphics, and post-production workflows. You dive into activities like filming live musical performances, editing professional-grade promotional content, and collaborating with music industry veterans. A unique feature is the "real-world" pressure of capturing live events alongside Grammy-winning guest artists. You develop technical cinematography, visual pacing, and collaborative skills, gaining the specific expertise needed to thrive in high-stakes entertainment media environments.
14. California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) - Animation Department
Location: California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), Valencia, CA
Cost: California residents: $5,174; Out-of-state residents: $10,745; full and partial scholarships are available for CA residents only
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Very competitive (estimated 15–20%; one of the most exclusive programs in the U.S); approximately 500 total students across all sections
Dates: Typically, early July – early August
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Students currently enrolled in grades 8 through 12
The CSSSA Animation department provides a rigorous, pre-professional immersion into the mechanics of movement at the CalArts campus. The curriculum covers traditional hand-drawn techniques, storyboarding, character design, and digital 2D and 3D animation. You participate in daily activities such as figure drawing with live models, workshops on stop-motion, and the production of five complete animated projects in just four weeks. The program features a "no-computer" philosophy for core exercises, forcing you to master timing and motion by hand. Graduation earns students three college credits and the prestigious title of California Arts Scholar.
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