Program Reviews

The Berridge Program opened my eyes to how teamwork and collaboration not only allows for converging opinions to form a creative project, but also boosts creativity. Meeting friends with similar creative interests, I could not have asked for a better environment to learn, film, and explore - especially in a foreign country. I would recommend the Berridge Gap Year program to anyone who is looking to expand their creative horizons and wants to get out of their comfort zone and learn about various creative fields in a beautiful place.

The staff and kids are really dedicated in the projects that they are working on. The food is great, the housing system is really cool. I do wish that the two houses could interact more, as each house only holds 13 students, and we did most of our socializing at night because we were so busy during the day. Overall, I learned a ton and made a bunch of new friends. You also get to be in the middle of nowhere France, which is amazing because you get real French culture and you get to get away from your day to day life. It is definitely what I would search for in a gap year experience.

My summer at Berridge could not have been a more enriching, enlightening, and enthralling experience! Three weeks in a chateau in Normandy, France surrounded by like-minded creatives and artist mentors sounded like a dream, and it was indeed. Despite having done theatre my entire life, I learned a staggering amount of new skills and got insights into the acting business that enhanced my overall understanding of the art and my own performances. Collaboration was a focal objective of the program, and it quickly delivered in the many introduction exercises we did to initiate the program. The trust and excitement between both returning and new Berridge participants made bonding easy, and because of that, the work we were able to present was powerful and uplifted. I learned the importance of feeling empowered as an artist. At Berridge, we could really hone in on our artistry without the cut-throat/ inherent competitive nature of the industry. Of any program I have done this one felt truly like a group effort in which everyone just wanted everyone to do their very best. People were able to bring what they uniquely had to the table and were celebrated for it. It is unusual to be in an environment so supportive. It really enabled everyone to improve and enjoy their work without the pressure to “be the best”. We were given a variety of tools to work with in the classes we took, and it’s nice because there is not one specific approach to it. You are able to take what works for you and implement it into your own process. Again, having this autonomy over your own work and being able to embrace your singularity is vital in a creative environment. In terms of achieving the quintessential summer intensive goals, Berridge hit all the marks. First and foremost, we were procuring new skills for our own acting purposes, and I'd have been satisfied with just this because it is specifically an acting intensive. However, in addition to that we were exploring Normandy, making new friends, making new connections, eating good food, getting a dorm-life experience, managing our time, and so much more. I wasn’t sure what to expect entering the program in late June, and when reflecting on my 3 weeks there I can see that it exceeded anything I could have dreamed. I cannot recommend the program highly enough. Andrea is able to draw in such wonderful groups of people and create a safe and exciting place to be.

I've attended two summers in a row now and both times I've texted my family back home saying, "I have never felt more creatively fulfilled than I do right now." The faculty succeeds at creating a supportive, non-judgmental environment where the students can share and hone their specific talents as well as learn how to work in groups towards a specific goal- whether it be a short film or a play. The weekly talent shows were often the highlight of the week. Performances included anything from monologues to stand-up to poetry to music.

I went to Berridge's film program in the summer of 2019 and it was the best summer of my life! Now, I go to the film program at NYU and the experience I had at Berridge was invaluable not only to my development as a filmmaker but as a person. Going away to a foreign country on my own with 40 new people was not the easiest for me, but I feel like I found myself at Berridge. My experience gave me a better perspective on my life as it did with filmmaking–helping me develop the skills and ideas that allowed me to become a better artist. If they had a gap year program, I would have definitely done it because at that period in one's life the experience at Berridge is irreplaceable.

I was a film student at Berridge programs for two summers. I only wish they had this longer program when I was 20! I learned so much and it has made me the working filmmaker I am today. I met amazing people, staff and students, and I now have a network of collaborative, amazing people that I can call upon to help me produce, act, write, and film scripts. I received incredible support from staff who really supported me in finding my authentic creative voice. This is a great program for the creative and also the technical side of filmmaking! Something that is incredibly unique about this program is that you walk away with your own work and an understanding of yourself as an artist.

The setting is amazing, and you couldn't ask for a better place to film. It's perfect for telling any kind of story. The chateau is full of history and can appear ancient or modern. The scenery is beautiful and any film you make will be impressive and unique.

The food is also amazing! They have a private chef who makes different meals every day and the food is fresh and local. The trips are also amazing!! You see things that you would never be able to see if you went to France by yourself.

I can't recommend this life changing program enough.

Spending my summer at the Berridge film program was one of the most valuable experiences of my life. I got opportunities to learn and grow I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else. Berridge made me a better filmmaker, actor and person really. I can’t believe how much I learned about film in just one month. Having the opportunity to write and direct my own short film with a crew of people and my teachers to help me was amazing! I recommend this program to anyone who’s thinking about it and I’m so jealous that their gap year program is only getting started now!

I went to this program when I was 16 and it was the first time that I had really done anything on my own, away from my family and everything else in my life. I was also only just beginning to get interested in the art of filmmaking.
Before coming to Berridge I had a very narrow view of the world as I had never had a strong influence in my life that pushed me towards creativity and I had no concept of what the pursuit of art really looked like. I remember being very overwhelmed when I first arrived at the chateau, however, everyone there welcomes you like you are immediately a part of this huge artistic family. By the end of the program I felt that my entire view of the world had completely changed. You are surrounded by such an authentic part of the french countryside and by artists from all around the world, and you are taught to express yourself and to be emotional with everyone there. It opens you up to this extremely profound world that was (for me at least) something that I never imagined could exist. Berridge sparked a beautiful chain of events in my life.
I am now 20 years old, and I am studying filmmaking and pursuing my art in the image of the talented and amazing people that I meant at Berridge. I still look up to everyone one of them.

Berridge was such a transformative program for me as an artist and person! Staying in a chateau in the French countryside was the most magical setting to create art, make friends, and memories to last a lifetime. The artist conservatory structure of the program got me super prepared for classes at my conservatory-style college, The American Musical and Dramatic Academy, in Los Angeles, where I am almost done earning my BFA in Musical Theatre. I felt comfortable during my first semester at college because my training at Berridge prepared me for what was being taught. The staff and students are so kind, and professional, and create a strong sense of community where you can just be yourself. I highly recommend this program!

Berridge is the perfect place to grow as an artist and person. You get to try new things every day and learn from professionals that want to help and support you throughout the process. Everyone is so invested in the work that the energy is contagious and inspiring.
The staff is very welcoming, the chateau is beautiful, and the food is delicious! If you want to make friends, act, dance, sing, meditate, sit around a campfire, this is the place to be.
Each class is so different that you will never have a dull moment.

Btw, you also get to go on weekend field trips around Normandy!