BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI
North Country This Week

MASSENA — The Massena Film Academy still has a handful of openings for its fall classes and time is running out to sign up.

“We do have eight openings left but folks need to sign up before our Aug. 30 deadline,” Academy Director Elijah Winfrey said.

Winfrey also stressed that the academy is not just for Massena residents.

“We welcome anyone from anywhere who wants to attend, the whole North Country is welcome. We want to fill every spot in the program and start people on their filmmaking journeys,” he said.

The program will feature eight classes that begin Sept. 24 and run to Dec. 17, according to Elijah Winfrey, Film Massena coordinator.

"Since it's our first year we wanted to run a pilot program to make sure things run as smoothly as possible,” Winfrey said.

Film Massena’s mission is to develop young, local filmmakers in an effort to bolster the local filmmaking community.

Classes will be held on Saturdays at the Massena Public Library from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Sept. 24, Oct. 8, Oct. 15, Nov. 12, Nov. 19, Dec. 3, Dec. 10 and Dec. 17.

Instructing students will be Noelle Hannibal, a film and theater performer who has appeared in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Star Trek: Voyager” and “Star Trek: First Contact,” in which she portrayed the first female Vulcan on Earth, Winfrey said.

Hannibal has also appeared in Los Angeles theater productions of Chicago, Gypsy, Miss Saigon, as well as Montreal theater productions of South Park, Rent, Chess, The Who’s “Tommy” and many more.

"It was important to us that we have an instructor who not only has experience but is also still involved in the industry. This will give students a leg up as they won't be getting outdated information,” Winfrey said.

Cost will be $150.00, with students chosen on a first come, first served basis. Students must be 18 or older, with high school seniors required to seek parental permission.

Registration closes on Aug. 30, with online registration available at www.filmmassena.wordpress.com/Academy

Instructions are listed at the bottom of the page. Students are required to attend 80% of classes to obtain a certificate of completion, Winfrey said.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/filmmassena and www.filmmassena.wordpress.com .