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If you’ve got a kid or teen in your life that’s interested in making videos or becoming a Youtuber or Tik Tok star, there’s plenty of ways to help encourage their creative side. These gifts are picked out specifically for children who want to learn filmmaking and other cool ways of making videos. These gifts are perfect for aspiring directors, producers, screenwriters, documentary filmmakers, or digital video creators. Some gifts are fun while others are to help teach them filmmaking skills. Check them out.
Cool Gifts for Aspiring Filmmakers
1. 100 Movie Set Terms Poster
Perfect for the dorm room of a filmmaking major, this brightly colored poster features 100 movie set terms with accompanying illustrations. These terms used by professionals on film sets will help anyone looking to work on TV or Hollywood movies.
Available in three sizes: 12″ x 18″, 18″ x 24″, 24″ x 36″
2. The Movie Making Book: Skills and Projects to Learn and Share
If your elementary or junior high aged kid isn’t interested in filmmaking, this book is the perfect guide for them to up their skills. With tons of ideas and projects perfect to learn movie-making skills, your budding director just needs a smartphone or digital camera to get started.
The authors Dan Farrell and Donna Bamford run a film school for young people in London called Sparks, and this book draws on their experience. Kids can learn basic filmmaking skills like how to make basic shots and even creative angles to use. Once they’ve mastered the skills, they can try out 14 projects to help inspire them to make their own movies.
Recommended Age Group: Grades 2 to 7
3. We’ll Fix it in Post Filmmaker Mug
This phrase often uttered by filmmakers on set is always regretted in post production. When there’s a problem, we’ll fix it in post. Aspiring filmmakers will appreciate this funny mug. Include some of their favorite hot chocolate, tea, or coffee to create a nice gift bag.
Available as either a 11 oz. ceramic coffee mug.
4. Future Movie Director T-shirt
Let the aspiring filmmaker in your life display their career goals. This cool t-shirt features the title “Future Movie Director” along with a projector, film strip, popcorn, and a clapper board.
Available in men’s, women’s, and youth sizes in five colors.
5. Movie Clapper Enamel Pin
This the coolest accessory for any aspiring filmmaker’s backpack or jean jacket. This enamel pin features a modern movie clapper (SMPTE Time Code Film Slate) with a timecode. This pin has a cool feature though: it glows in the dark! Makes a fun stocking stuffer for any aspiring filmmaker.
6. Vintage Style Movie Clapboard Slate
This wooden vintage style clapper board makes a fun decoration for a dorm room or bedroom. Or your budding filmmaker can use it for their next video project. Just use chalk which will easily wipe off when they need to change the take number.
7. Movie Color Palette Poster
This gift is so much cooler than a typical movie poster. EeekPrints makes these beautiful posters featuring color palettes from movies. Each poster has a still frame from a movie, with the color swatches below. Perfect for framing or hanging on the wall as is. Movies available include Amélie, Parasite, Lady Bird, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and many more.
8. Vintage Director Megaphone
Perfect for decoration or for kid filmmakers to use on their projects. This vintage style megaphone is 13″ long and says “Director” on the side in gold letters. This fun item is made in the US.
9. Go Away, I’m Writing the Next Blockbuster Notebook
A great gift for anyone interested in writing movies or TV. The aspiring filmmaker in your life can start on their screenplay idea with this notebook. It has the warning message, “Go Away, I’m Writing the Next Blockbuster.
This spiral-bound notebook is available with ruled lines or graph paper. 120 pages.
Check out more gifts for screenwriters.
10. VTech Kidizoom Action Camera for Kids
If your kid is too young to have a smartphone for video making or wants to make action videos of themselves on their skateboard or hoverboard, then this is the perfect gift. Designed for kids on the go, this action cam comes with a waterproof case, three different mount types, and a wrist strap. In addition to taking regular pictures and videos, the camera can also do stop motion videos and time-lapse photos.
This action camera is meant for elementary aged kids, so if you want some more appropriate for a teen, consider these action cameras under $100.
Recommended Age Group: 4 to 9 years old
Check out more action cameras for kids.
11. Masterclass Membership
Even if your teen is too young to go to film school, they can still learn about film. With a Masterclass membership, they get unlimited access to courses on filmmaking from some of the best directors and writers in the field. Classes are led by greats like Spike Lee, Mira Nair, Ron Howard, Werner Herzog, Aaron Sorkin, Jodie Foster, David Lynch, Martin Scorsese, and more.
The courses cover the full breadth of filmmaking, from acting to screenwriting, and directing. With a subscription, they can take as many classes as they want at their own pace. A gift subscription is perfect to keep your teen busy over summer break.
12. Stopmotion Explosion: Complete HD Stop Motion Animation Kit
This kit is perfect for kids who are interested in animation or love Legos. It has everything they need to make stop motion animated video at home! Read the instruction booklet or watch the videos to learn how stop motion animation works, then use the included HD camera and software to make their own movie. They can use toys or modeling clay included in the kit to create characters to act our their stories. The software will help them edit and add audio or sound effects.
Software is compatible with Windows and Macs.
13. The Evolution of Cinema Laptop Sleeve
College-bound film students and budding editors will love this cool gift. This laptop sleeve features “The Evolution of Cinema” with silhouettes of the evolving film camera types over the year.
Laptop sleeves are available for a variety of Macbook sizes.
14. Director’s Chair
Every aspiring director needs their own director’s chair! Perfect for a bedroom or dorm room, this classic black director’s chair is functional and fun.
Available in classic height, counter height, and bar height.
15. Film School
The perfect shirt for aspiring filmmakers that dream of going to film school or are teaching themselves how to make movies. Classic design features a bold font that says “Film School.”
Available in men’s, women’s, and youth sizes in five colors.
16. Ring Light with Tripod Stand
If vlogging and online videos are what your teen is interested in, this is a great kit to help them get started. This ring light comes with three color temperatures, perfect for lighting all types of Youtube videos. It also includes a stand to hold their smartphone for recording. The Bluetooth remote makes it easy to start and stop video without having to get up. They can record in their bedroom or on the go.
17. My First Movie: Twenty Celebrated Directors Talk about Their First Film
An inspirational book for aspiring filmmakers, this collection includes stories from 20 amazing directors talking about their first films. It includes interviews with greats like Kevin Smith, Ang Lee, Oliver Stone, and more. Not only are these stories inspiring, they also get into the details of pitching movies, finding funding, and actually getting the film made.
18. Headphones for Editing
If your aspiring filmmaker plans on editing their own movies, they’re going to need a good pair of headphones. The best headphones for filmmakers is the Sony MDR7506. These over the ear headphones are used by many professional filmmakers and audio engineers.
19. Cheap Movie Tricks: How To Shoot A Short Film For Under $2,000
This handbook is the ultimate guide for young filmmakers looking to make independent movies cheaply. This book covers all the tips young indie filmmakers need to know to create a short film for under $2000. Essential reading for college film students and high schoolers, it covers every step of the filmmaking process, from planning and shooting to screening and promoting the completed film.
20. Pitchstorm Party Game
This is a game the whole family can enjoy! In this game, each player is a writer trying to pitch movie ideas to the worst studio executives. As you’re pitching your idea, you have to incorporate random ideas given to you by the executives. Perfect for parties and family game night, this is a game full of creativity and laughs.
Recommended Age Range: 14 years and up
Need more gift ideas? Check out these stocking stuffers for movie lovers, gift ideas for documentary filmmakers and gifts for screenwriters. Inspire your kids with these gifts for aspiring young writers.