• Experimental Tuesdays: Weather, or Not

    UWM Union Cinema 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

    The weather moves around as the clouds imagine their own nephology: wondering what these people see when they see what they see. Fluttering by, attention pulls focus from the movement of the cloud, to the movement of the wind, to the movement of the eye, to the movement of the mind, without ever moving an inch. All the while, we’re watching seeing, or observing looking, or something like that. A program of short works that explore place, space and the weather, in all its sublime, mundane and chaotic glory.

  • Special Features | Real to Reel: Industry Standards for Cinematographers

    Virtual Event

    Join us virtually for our first workshop of the semester offers students, staff and community members with a practical, industry-focused look at working as a cinematographer on professional film and television sets. Designed for emerging filmmakers, the workshop demystifies the role of the cinematographer and equips attendees with actionable knowledge they can apply immediately—whether on student sets or professional productions.

  • Experimental Tuesdays: A Brief History of Chasing Storms

    UWM Union Cinema 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

    The weather moves around as the clouds imagine their own nephology: wondering what these people see when they see what they see. Fluttering by, attention pulls focus from the movement of the cloud, to the movement of the wind, to the movement of the eye, to the movement of the mind, without ever moving an inch. All the while, we’re watching seeing, or observing looking, or something like that. A program of short works that explore place, space and the weather, in all its sublime, mundane and chaotic glory.

  • Experimental Tuesdays: From the Archives, Curated by Aidan T. Collins

    UWM Union Cinema 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

    Curated by MFA candidates from the Department of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres, these programs feature a unique opportunity to see some of the incredible 16mm prints from the UWM Cinema Arts Archive. For each program, the curator is invited to program a selection of films around a theme of their choosing.

  • Experimental Tuesdays: From the Archives, Curated by Gabi Rudin

    UWM Union Cinema 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

    Curated by MFA candidates from the Department of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres, these programs feature a unique opportunity to see some of the incredible 16mm prints from the UWM Cinema Arts Archive. For each program, the curator is invited to program a selection of films around a theme of their choosing.

  • Special Features | Impact Filmmaking: Documentary, Advocacy & Community

    Mitchell Hall, Fine Arts Cinema Room B91 3203 N. Downer Ave., Milwaukee, WI

    This workshop explores documentary filmmaking as a tool for community advocacy and social impact. Attendees will examine how nonfiction stories can amplify marginalized voices, engage local communities, and move audiences toward awareness and action. Through case studies and practical discussion, the workshop addresses ethical storytelling, relationship-building with participants, and strategies for designing films with impact beyond the screen—equipping emerging filmmakers to tell responsible, community-centered stories that matter.

  • Experimental Tuesdays: An Evening with Ben Caldwell

    UWM Union Cinema 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

    An evening of films, videos and conversation with the legendary filmmaker, artist, community activist and educator Ben Caldwell. Caldwell is widely known for his role in the L.A. Rebellion and for founding KAOS Network, a media arts hub dedicated to Black artistry, fellowship, and love for over four decades. 

  • Special Features | Screen Playing: From Short Film to Feature

    Mitchell Hall, Fine Arts Cinema Room B91 3203 N. Downer Ave., Milwaukee, WI

    This workshop guides filmmakers through the process of transforming a short film script into a feature-length screenplay. Focusing on character depth, narrative structure, and thematic expansion, students will explore how to grow a contained idea into a sustained, compelling story without losing its core. Through practical frameworks and development strategies, the session offers tools for reimagining scale, stakes, and arcs—helping writers envision their short film as the foundation for a feature.

  • Experimental Tuesdays: Sublime Ridiculous

    UWM Union Cinema 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

    A collection of shorts that shift from abject to exalted in the black between frames. In each of these films, the mire of life is dissolved and re-made by humor. And don't we need it.

  • Experimental Tuesdays: From the Archives, Curated by Aidan T. Collins

    UWM Union Cinema 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

    Curated by MFA candidates from the Department of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres, these programs feature a unique opportunity to see some of the incredible 16mm prints from the UWM Cinema Arts Archive. For each program, the curator is invited to program a selection of films around a theme of their choosing.

  • Special Features | Producing Magic

    Virtual Event

    This virtual workshop focuses on the producing and pre-production strategies that set short films up for creative and logistical success. Students will learn how to break down a script, build a realistic budget and schedule, assemble a strong team, and plan for production with intention. Emphasizing preparation, communication, and problem-solving, the session equips emerging filmmakers with practical tools to move from idea to set efficiently—maximizing limited resources while protecting the story.

  • Experimental Tuesdays: An Evening with Dick Blau

    UWM Union Cinema 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

    Join archivist Shiraz Bhathena in conversation with Dick Blau to celebrate a major archiving and remastering project. Blau—a co-founder of the UWM Film Department, longtime professor and fixture of the Milwaukee art community—works across film, photography and video producing a varied body of work that includes psychological portraiture, experimental narrative, devised performance, ethnomusicology and the domestic.

  • Experimental Tuesdays: Vision Machines – An Evening with Peggy Ahwesh

    UWM Union Cinema 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

    Peggy Ahwesh’s wildly heterogeneous body of work—across moving image formats (from Pixelvision to machinima to super-8 and everywhere between), in installation and as object and through the ephemeral—engages with the political, the social, genre and identity in fascinatingly idiosyncratic, oneiric, visceral and rigorous ways.

  • Special Features | Chalk Zone

    Mitchell Hall, Fine Arts Cinema Room B91 3203 N. Downer Ave., Milwaukee, WI

    This workshop offers emerging animators an industry-informed look at building a sustainable creative path beyond school. Through practical tips and real-world insight, students will explore animation workflows, professional expectations, and strategies for navigating freelance and studio environments. The session also centers on finding and refining your artistic voice—balancing personal expression with industry demands—while offering guidance on portfolios, networking, and post-graduation next steps for launching a career in animation.

  • Film Summer Camp

    Kenilworth Square East 2155 N. Prospect Ave., Milwaukee, WI

    The Department of Film, Video, Animation & New Genres at UWM’s Peck School of the Arts welcomes young filmmakers to develop their skills at a week-long day camp this summer! This camp, with optional overnight accommodations, includes hands-on workshops and sessions led by practicing artists and professors, so participants gain knowledge from experienced professionals.

  • Experimental Tuesdays: Being Where

    UWM Union Cinema 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

    Location, location, location. A neighborhood of experimental shorts, drawn from the UWM Cinema Arts Archive and the world at large, focusing on place. We are where we are, often here, sometimes there, always where. And the cinema too is a there, a where, a place we share to gather paradise and expand our sense of the possible.

  • Special Features: Doc to Cut: Producing & Editing Documentary Films

    Mitchell Hall, Fine Arts Cinema Room B91 3203 N. Downer Ave., Milwaukee, WI

    Documentary filmmaking takes more than a great story—it takes a plan. Doc to Cut is a workshop that explores the practical side of documentary production, from budgeting and line producing to managing a shoot and shaping footage in the edit. Students will gain tools for turning a documentary idea into a realistic production and navigating the filmmaking process from planning through post-production, alongside our guest, award-winning filmmaker Amber Love.

  • Experimental Tuesdays: An Evening with Dick Blau

    UWM Union Cinema 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

    Join archivist Shiraz Bhathena in conversation with Dick Blau to celebrate a major archiving and remastering project. Blau—a co-founder of the UWM Film Department, longtime professor and fixture of the Milwaukee art community—works across film, photography and video producing a varied body of work that includes psychological portraiture, experimental narrative, devised performance, ethnomusicology and the domestic.

  • Experimental Tuesdays: TCB with Louis Messiah

    UWM Union Cinema 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

    TCB - The Toni Cade Bambara School of Organizing is a biography of the influential writer, filmmaker and cultural worker, who with humor and deep insight, inspired a generation of artists to dedicate themselves to community empowerment. The film is structured as a series of lessons on cultural organizing, gleaned from Bambara's life and shared by her friends, colleagues and students. Join us in-person for a dialogue with the Producer/Director, Louis Messiah and Marquise Mays.

  • Special Features: Real People, Real Performances: Directing Non-Actors

    Virtual or Hybrid
    Virtual Event

    What happens when your actors have little or no acting experience? This workshop explores techniques for directing non-actors and first-time performers, building trust, communicating effectively, and creating natural, compelling performances. Students will learn approaches for working with performers while allowing authenticity and spontaneity to remain at the center of the scene.