Film + Screen is a specials/elective class at Janet Kahn School of Integrated Arts. Anything related to films and filmmaking will be taught. K-5th grade is a specials class which means students come once a week for 50-55 minutes. 6th-8th grade is an elective class which means students choose to be in film every day for 55-60 minutes. Film 1 is offered to students for all middle schoolers and Film 2 is offered to 7th and 8th grade. Attached is the syllabus for Film 1.

Through careful selection and planning, these subjects will be taught throughout K-8th grade. The 18 Key Elements of Filmmaking are: Acting, Directing, Screenwriting, Music Composition, Cinematography, Casting, Lighting, Sound. Hair/Makeup, Costume Design, Production Design, Locations, Editing, Visual Effects (VFX), Stunts, Animation, Producing, and Film Criticism.

You might be wondering what exactly students do in the Film + Screen lab. Attached here is a "Scope and Sequence". In this document, you will find a veru brief description if what each grade level will be doing in the Film & Screen lab. There is no curriculum for film class targeted for K-8, which means I have the amazing privilege to create lessons, units, and assignments for this class. 

The following document has films to be shown during a class party or during our film criticism unit. In the Film + Screen lab, classes earn up to 4 stars by being in class. When classes have earned 25 stars, they earn a party. In film criticism, we watch clips from films and talk about their significance. All films are tailored to each grade level. Attached is a list of Films to be Shown.

My name is Nikolai Rasinski. This is my 5th year as a teacher and my 3rd year teaching Film + Screen. This position is brand new to the district and brand new to me.

I initially got my start in film when I was starting high school. I took a couple of classes here and there, but I wanted more out of film. When I was 16, I got the chance to attend one the (brand new at the time) APS School of Choice schools called College and Career High School. I attended CNM’s campus the whole day. The morning block was for high school classes and the afternoon was for CNM college classes. I used this time to reignite my passion for film and attended CNM’s film school. The day I graduated with my high school diploma, I also graduated with a degree as a Film Technician.

Attempting to fulfill my dream to be a filmmaker, I enrolled at UNM after graduation. Slowly realizing that pursing a bachelor’s degree in film was not a suitable option, I exited UNM after just one semester and returned back to CNM. Not fully knowing what to do I decided to just take some core classes at CNM. With both of my parents being educators, it dawned on me to try and become a teacher.

I started New Mexico Highlands three years after high school. With education and teaching my main priority, my passion for film got put in the rear-view mirror. Another three years later, I graduated from NMHU “Cum Laude” with my bachelor’s in elementary education and a minor in secondary education.

My teaching career started at Navajo Elementary School. My first year I was teaching 2nd grade and the following year was I teaching 4th grade. Nearing the end of my second year teaching, I felt that Navajo was not the right place for me anymore. I applied here at Janet Kahn in an attempt to further my educational career with the arts integration and arts magnet school model. Expecting to be hired as a classroom teacher, I was called to become the new Film and Screen teacher. A PERFECT match between my two worlds: education and film. An amazing surprise twist!

To find out more information about the 

Film + Screen program, email me:

nikolai.rasinski@aps.edu