Student Holding clapperboard
O Brawling Love Poster

O, Brawling Love!

NOW STREAMING

Two rival acting students are forced to reconcile their differences and play lovers Romeo and Juliet in their final school play, vying for a life-changing prize.

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No Reception Movie Poster

No Reception

RELEASING WINTER 2025

A posh city dweller gets lost in the wilderness with nothing but his hand sanitizer, and is soon caught up in a longstanding feud between two forest hermits.

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Pickleball

Pickle for Pickleball

IN PRE-PRODUCTION

An unlikely group of elderly women find themselves caught up in a high-stakes pickleball tournament.

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Car Stranded in the Forest

No Reception

RELEASING WINTER 2025

A posh city dweller gets lost in the wilderness with nothing but his hand sanitizer, and is soon caught up in a longstanding feud between two forest hermits.

Learn More
Pickleball

Pickle for Pickleball

IN PRE-PRODUCTION

An unlikely group of elderly women find themselves caught up in a high-stakes pickleball tournament.

Learn More

Why Feature Films?

IMDB Credits

Students participate on professional feature film projects before they even graduate, building a strong resumé for their career in the industry.

Hands-on, Real World Experience

The Feature Film Program is a pinnacle of JPCatholic’s hands-on approach to filmmaking. Students are entrusted with critical roles in every facet of the filmmaking process, developing their talents under the mentorship of experienced professionals.

Increased Impact

Producing and distributing feature films provides JPCatholic students the opportunity to reach wider audiences with masterfully produced stories that inspire truth, beauty, and goodness.

Feature Film Roles

The Feature Film Program gives students valuable experience working in key roles on a professional film. Over 50 students worked on and off set to bring the first film O, Brawling Love! to life. Click below to hear students describe some of the positions, and what their job entailed.

How Does it Work?

The Feature Film Program entails a sequence of elective courses offered over a two year period. This curriculum guides students through the entire filmmaking process, culminating in a new film being released every other year. Students can opt-in to different phases of the process by registering for the relevant course.

Below is an example of the course sequencing for a feature film.

FEATURE FILM TIMELINE

Feature Film Timeline

Fall Quarter

Story Development & Feature Film Pitch Night

JPCatholic students and alumni are invited to submit story ideas at any time to the Feature Film Program. In the fall, students can enroll in Feature Film Development to create a comprehensive outline for their story and receive creative development notes. This culminates in a pitch night where finalists present their script ideas to a faculty panel in front of a live audience.

Class integrated this quarter: Feature Film Creative Development

Winter Quarter

The Feature Film is Greenlit

Finalists from the pitch event craft the first drafts of their screenplays. By the end of the quarter, one project is greenlit for production.

Class integrated this quarter: Feature Film First Draft

Spring Quarter

Pre-Production of Proof of Concept

Students collaborate to produce a proof of concept video that can be used to attract talent and distributors. While the proof of concept is in pre-production, the full screenplay undergoes further revisions to reach a polished script.

Classes integrated this quarter: Rewriting, Advanced Writing Seminar, Feature Film: Pre-Production I

Summer Break (June)

Production of Proof of Concept

Over the break in June, students produce a proof of concept such as scenes from the film and/or a trailer for the project.

Class integrated this quarter: Feature Film Production

Summer Quarter

Post-Production of Proof of Concept

Students edit the footage together to produce a polished deliverable.

Class integrated this quarter: Feature Film Post-Production I

Fall Quarter

Begin Pitching to Distributors

Students will use the proof of concept video to pitch the project to distributors, attract talent, and potentially received additional funding for the full version of the film.

Class integrated this quarter: Advanced Marketing & Distribution Strategies

Winter Quarter

Pre-Production Begins

Students whose applications have been accepted for key leadership roles will be enrolled in Feature Film Pre-Production I to begin the first stages of preparing for the full film. Key roles include Director of Photography, Producers, Art Department, Costume, Concept Art, Assistant Director, etc.

Class integrated this quarter: Feature Film Pre-Production I

Spring Quarter

Pre-Production Continues

Students move forward with planning out the finer details of production, including scheduling and budgeting, casting, locations, set building, storyboarding, costumes, and props.

The number of students working on the project will increase, as each department recruits positions from among the student body.

Class integrated this quarter: Feature Film Pre-Production II

Summer Break (June)

Production of Feature Film

It’s time to make a movie! The Feature Film production is a 6 unit experience, taking place over our June break in San Diego County and the surrounding area.

Students gain professional experience on a feature film set, preparing them to launch into their chosen career. Select alumni may be hired to participate in key mentorship roles, contributing valuable insights and expertise.

Underclassmen will have the opportunity to participate in smaller roles on set, getting exposed early on to a professional film environment.

Class integrated this quarter: Feature Film Production

Summer Quarter

Picture Lock

Post-production students work throughout the summer to achieve picture lock on the film. A post-production professor will oversee the editing process by assigning segments of the film to students in the class, providing support and mentorship throughout the process.

Class integrated this quarter: Feature Film Post-Production I

Fall Quarter

Final Post-Production

With picture lock achieved, the film enters the final stages of post-production, including sound design and mixing, musical score, color grading, and titles. Students who have demonstrated exceptional talent and proficiency as editors are selected to finalize and unify each segment of the film into a cohesive cut.

Class integrated this quarter: Feature Film Post-Production II

Winter Quarter

Marketing & Distribution

The completed film will be distributed based on the strategy that was crafted in the development process.

Class integrated this quarter: Advanced Marketing and Distribution Strategies

Fall Quarter

Story Development & Feature Film Pitch Night

JPCatholic students and alumni are invited to submit story ideas at any time to the Feature Film Program. In the fall, students can enroll in Feature Film Development to create a comprehensive outline for their story and receive creative development notes. This culminates in a pitch night where finalists present their script ideas to a faculty panel in front of a live audience.

Class integrated this quarter: Feature Film Creative Development

Winter Quarter

The Feature Film is Greenlit

Finalists from the pitch event craft the first drafts of their screenplays. By the end of the quarter, one project is greenlit for production.

Classes integrated this quarter: Feature Film First Draft

Spring Quarter

Pre-Production of Proof of Concept

Students collaborate to produce a proof of concept video that can be used to attract talent and distributors. While the proof of concept is in pre-production, the full screenplay undergoes further revisions to reach a polished script.

Classes integrated this quarter: Rewriting, Advanced Writing Seminar, Feature Film Pre-Production I

Summer Break (June)

Production of Proof of Concept

Over the break in June, students produce a proof of concept such as scenes from the film and/or a trailer for the project.

Class integrated this quarter: Feature Film Production

Summer Quarter

Post-Production of Proof of Concept

Students edit the footage together to produce a polished deliverable.

Classes integrated this quarter: Feature Film Post-Production I

Fall Quarter

Begin Pitching to Distributors

Students will use the proof of concept video to pitch the project to distributors, attract talent, and potentially received additional funding for the full version of the film.

Class integrated this quarter: Advanced Marketing & Distribution Strategies

Winter Quarter

Pre-Production Begins

Class integrated this quarter: Feature Film Pre-Production I

Spring Quarter

Pre-Production Continues

Students move forward with planning out the finer details of production, including scheduling and budgeting, casting, locations, set building, storyboarding, costumes, and props.

The number of students working on the project will increase, as each department recruits positions from among the student body.

Class integrated this quarter: Feature Film Pre-Production II

Summer Break (June)

Production of Feature Film

It’s time to make a movie! The Feature Film production is a 6 unit experience, taking place over our June break in San Diego County and the surrounding area.

Students gain professional experience on a feature film set, preparing them to launch into their chosen career. Select alumni may be hired to participate in key mentorship roles, contributing valuable insights and expertise.

Underclassmen will have the opportunity to participate in smaller roles on set, getting exposed early on to a professional film environment.

Class integrated this quarter: Feature Film Production

Summer Quarter

Picture Lock

Post-production students work throughout the summer to achieve picture lock on the film. A post-production professor will oversee the editing process by assigning segments of the film to students in the class, providing support and mentorship throughout the process.

Class integrated this quarter: Feature Film Post Production I

Fall Quarter

Final Post-Production

With picture lock achieved, the film enters the final stages of post-production, including sound design and mixing, musical score, color grading, and titles. Students who have demonstrated exceptional talent and proficiency as editors are selected to finalize and unify each segment of the film into a cohesive cut.

Class integrated this quarter: Feature Film: Post-Production II

Winter Quarter

Marketing & Distribution

The completed film will be distributed based on the strategy that was crafted in the development process.

Class integrated this quarter: Advanced Marketing & Distribution Strategies

Filming Set

Frequently Asked Questions

The University is committing a consistent budget to each feature film. Revenue from past films may be used to increase the budget for subsequent films.

No, the Feature Film Program consists of classes that are purely electives. It is an opt-in program.

If you are a student or alumni who has already written a script you think should be considered, please pitch it here. For the initial submission, we ask that you only submit your logline and eight essential story points.

As a reminder, your story idea should be:

  • Producible on an indie budget
  • Reflective of JPCatholic’s values
  • Incredibly entertaining

Yes! JPCatholic’s Feature FIlm Program benefits from the variety of disciplines at the university, and students from various programs are invited to contribute their talents to the project.

The program represents a huge opportunity for acting students, who are invited to audition for the film for suitable roles. While the film does open a casting call to the public, JPCatholic acting students have been cast in lead roles, supporting roles, and as background actors.

Students in illustration and design programs can participate in areas such as concept art, storyboards, and production design. Business students can participate in developing marketing and distribution plans for the projects. Animation and Game Development students can participate in roles such as visual effects, titles, and animated sequences if applicable.

You must be a JPCatholic student or alumni in order to pitch a script. If you are interested in attending JPCatholic, please apply here!

*Please note that details of the Feature Film Program are subject to change.

Submit your Script!

Students and alumni, you are invited to submit your script ideas at any time using the form below.

Submit Now