Since August 2, 2026, Arthur Groys has led “Getting Started: Make Your Own Film,” a weekly live session inside Open Hours every Sunday.

Arthur brings decades of experience making work for young audiences. From 2009 to 2022, he was one of the directors and writers of Yeralash, a children’s sketch comedy show that has aired across the former Soviet Union for half a century. He has also worked as an actor, puppeteer, and stage director, and has taught young and adult actors. He studied at Moscow State University, Coventry University, and the Russian State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK), and took filmmaking at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles.

He arrived in Ithaca in 2024 as an Artist Protection Fund Fellow at Ithaca College and an Artist-in-Residence with Ithaca City of Asylum, and is now a Visiting Affiliate Artist at Ithaca College.

The series is built for people who have never made a film, or who started and stalled. Each session takes on a core concept and gets students trying it right away. Nobody leaves with a polished masterpiece, and that’s not the point. They leave having experimented, having made mistakes on purpose, and actually understanding the ideas behind the work.

The sessions are online and free for Open Hours members. Join here.

Want to be part of what’s next? Volunteer or partner with us, explore our programs, or support young filmmakers.