Film School of the Week

Miami International University of Art and Design

A truly complete film education not only keeps students technically savvy, but also challenges them to widen their perspectives on life and the world at large. Miami International University of Art and Design's film and digital production program strives to provide just that type of education.

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November 22nd, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week, Education | By Daniel Fritz

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Full Sail’s Real World Film Education

It sounds like the name of a nautical academy, but Full Sail Real World Education has offered moviemakers a quality education over the last 28 years. Located on the outskirts of Orlando in Winter Park, FL, the school offers a bachelor's degree over the course of 21 months and also offers a degree in Entertainment Business. The school's Website claims that that it can "help you make a better movie than Battlefield Earth." If that doesn't entice you to sign up today, maybe the school's unique approach to learning will do the trick.

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November 12th, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week, Education | By Andre Ward

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The FX Institute’s Special Effect on Moviemakers

Ask any casual movie fan and he or she will tell you that special effects are reserved for big productions directed by people like Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg. But Jon Gress, director of the upcoming 1 Anunnaki, begs to differ. Having taught digital and visual effects at the graduate level, Gress founded The FX Institute to help independent artists bring extra flash and pizzazz to their movies.

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October 21st, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week, Education | By Andre Ward

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Action/Cut’s Crash Course in Film

Not everyone can shell out thousands of dollars or spare the years necessary to attend film school. So Guy Magar, director of such movies as Children of the Corn: Revelation, has boiled down the essentials into one weekend of intense instruction. With his tutelage, the Action/Cut Filmmaking Seminars offer a comprehensive overview of the moviemaking process light on theory and heavy on actual film breakdown.

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October 7th, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week, Education | By Andre Ward

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Make It Short

The Make It Short Movie Project is an exciting experiment in cinema. Each year the project makes one 16mm short film as well as an educational feature, which are both then premiered at local cinemas with all proceeds going to charity. What's exciting is that, for a small donation, anyone can work or act in the movie. Contributors can staff positions ranging from extras and principal actors to editing assistant or director's shadow. Lee Chambers, producer and co-founder of Make It Short, says, "Most of the cast and crew have never been on a film set before. It's about demystifying the process, educating and entertaining all at the same time."

While some participants are would-be or experienced moviemakers, Make It Short influences all of its participants regardless of skill level. "We had a 65-year-old guy who came out the first year because he was curious about how movies were made. He loved it so much he comes back each year and has even starred in a bunch of student films," says Chambers.

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September 10th, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week, Education | By Brian Hickey

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Film School of the Week: California College of the Arts

Thanks to the digital revolution, the tools of the moviemaking trade are now easily available to everyone. And while these advancements have created a new wave of moviemakers able to utilize the technology, that does not mean that all of them are necessarily able to bring together a cohesive and compelling movie. That’s where an education becomes useful--and the California College of the Arts steps in.
Beginning in the fall of 2008, the school will launch a new all-digital graduate film program, which, much like the school’s earliest classes, will be used to teach concepts based on the latest technological advancements. “Ultimately we are approaching digital [technology] as a tool with new aesthetic possibilities," explains Academy Award winner and CCA program chair Rob Epstein.

In 1907 cabinetmaker Frederick Meyer founded the California College of the Arts to educate students on the trades of the Arts and Crafts movement--a movement developed in response to the new technology of the Industrial Revolution. German-bred Meyer began with $45 in funds, three teachers and three classrooms. Today, CCA students roam two campuses and study 19 different undergraduate program--ranging from sculpture to the written word--and six fields of graduate work. Digital, narrative moviemaking is the next logical step.

“In keeping with the goals of the college, we see exciting possibilities for a narrative film program within an arts context,” says Epstein. Plus, “we will be ahead of the digital tsunami that is about to hit every film program, as well as the film industry--if I hasn’t already.”

Applications for the first semester of CCA’s graduate film program are due later this year. For more information, visit www.cca.edu.

Sound Off: The moviemaking world is still abuzz with word of the impending “digital revolution.” Where do you think this revolution will take us next? Let us know in the “Comments” section.

June 4th, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week, Education | By MovieMaker Staff

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Film School of the Week: Idyllwild Arts Academy

As one of only three arts-focused boarding schools in the United States, Idyllwild Arts Academy has a particular knack for bringing out the creative talents of young people. With departments covering film, visual arts, theater, music, dance and creative writing, the school is a haven for those students who seek an environment that prioritizes their artistic abilities, rather than treating them simply as a hobby. With the “Hollywood Ending” writing contest, the school has reached out to young artists around the world, hoping to add a few more talented members to the Idyllwild community.

Participants in the contest were asked to complete the work of two current Idyllwild students, either a short story or screenplay, with Grand Prize winner Joseph DiFronzo landing a $25,000 scholarship to the Academy (second- and third-place winners were awarded $10,00 and $5,000 scholarships, respectively). “The Motion Picture department, as well as the entire academy, always looks to find potential students who have academic prowess, who are ambitious and highly focused,” says Darren Schilling, Idyllwild’s director of marketing. By bringing together the skills of current and future students, Idyllwild has ensured that its artistically vibrant community will continue to thrive, providing a space for young people to explore their creative potential.

For more information, visit www.idyllwildarts.org.

Sound Off: Do you wish you’d had the opportunity to attend an arts-focused high school? How do you think an early education in moviemaking impacts a person’s artistic style and growth? Let us know in the comments section!

May 21st, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week, Education | By MovieMaker Staff

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Film School of the Week: FatFreeFilm

Those who say you need to spend tens of thousands of dollars to get a decent moviemaking education are clearly living in the Stone Age. These days, all you need is Internet access and the willingness to listen to some good advice. With FatFreeFilm, this type of DIY film school is just a mouse click away!

Founded by independent moviemakers Joel Marshall and Kamala Lopez-Dawson, FatFreeFilm is essentially a series of in-depth interviews with members of the moviemaking community. Over the course of the episode, interviewees--including Henry Jaglom and Peter Bogdanovich--weigh in on how to make it in the indie film world, and provide some choice anecdotes while they’re at it.

But FatFreeFilm doesn’t simply focus on the typical interview subjects like actors and directors; they also go behind the scenes to talk to editors, distributors, costume designers and many other underappreciated but essential members of the film world. FatFreeFilm’s ultimate goal, Marshall notes, is to create a virtual moviemaking community. “The beauty of our show is that it reaches places where there are no film schools--places where our listeners may be the only person in his or her town or village who has any interest in the art of filmmaking,” he says. “Trying to break into filmmaking can be a very daunting and isolating experience and what we are trying to do with FatFreeFilm is reach out to each other, share our stories, help each other and create a network of people with similar interests and goals who can support each other.”

For more information, or to listen to episodes of FatFreeFilm, visit www.fatfreefilm.com.

Sound Off: How much do you think anecdotes and advice from professional moviemakers add to one’s moviemaking education? Have you ever applied something you’ve heard in an interview to your own career? Talk back in the comments section!

--Jennifer Straus

May 14th, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Film School of the Week: The Secrets to Distribution

”Many moviemakers won’t share the information that took them years to learn, for fear of diminishing the value of it and their strategies,” claims writer-producer Jerome Courshon. Luckily for up-and-coming moviemakers, Courshon has not been so stingy with his own knowledge of the Hollywood machine. Using the experience he gained from getting his first feature, God, Sex & Apple Pie, picked up by a major distributor, Courshon is now imparting his hard-earned and practical wisdom through a traveling seminar entitled “The Secrets to Distribution: Get Your Movie Distributed Now!”

Over the course of one day, Courshon provides seminar attendees with the essential tips needed to get on the path to U.S. distribution, from advice on how to best utilize the festival circuit to the names and contact information of the 80-plus U.S. home video distributors. “I came to my experience and knowledge from my own trials and tribulations of getting distribution for the independent movie I produced,” explains Courshon. “So this isn’t coming from someone who hasn’t done it themselves or what I call a ‘theorist’—which makes a big difference.”

Over the next several months, Courshon and his seminar will make their way across the country, starting in New York on May 12, and ending in Los Angeles in August. For more information on upcoming seminars, visit www.distribution.la.

Sound Off: How much do you depend on the advice and insight of other moviemakers to help you find your way in making and distributing your own work? Do you have, or would you like to have, an “industry pro” give you advice and support? Talk back in the comments section!

--Jennifer Straus

May 6th, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week, Education | By MovieMaker Staff

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Film School of the Week: UCLA Extension

Affiliation by name to one of the country’s best film schools doesn’t put any pressure on the accomplished staff and faculty of UCLA Extension--their product is just as good as the bigger version. The Extension is a certificate-granting program for people not looking for a full degree, but instead needing skills to succeed. “Success in the entertainment business depends not only on who you know, but on what you know,” says Brian Bell, UCLA Extension’s media relations manager. Film courses from UCLA Extension range from “Film Scoring” (the first program of its kind, formed in 1984) to new additions such as “Costume Design.”

In 1922 the school began offering a course they called “Motion Pictures: The Film as a Factor in Molding Tomorrow’s Citizenry.” Interestingly enough, this basis has lasted, guiding many industry professionals along the way, including Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Iris Yamashita (Letters from Iwo Jima).

The spring quarter at UCLA Extension, which began March 31, is offering its established courses on producing, directing and post-production and this year will introduce instruction for aspiring voiceover professionals, costume designers and cinematographers looking to advance to HD. Best of all, as a certificate program, any paying student can attend without worrying about applications or prerequisites.

Expand your mind at www.uclaextension.edu.

Sound Off: UCLA Extension makes it easy for any interested person to attend film school--plus it has that recognizable moniker. But what factors really draw you to film classes?

--Mallory Potosky

April 10th, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week, Education | By MovieMaker Staff

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Film School of the Week: Mobile Film School

Getting an education in moviemaking can be tough-the best programs can be almost impossible to get into, and cost alone is enough of a deterrent for some. But what about those who have no access to a film school, or even the equipment they need to start making movies on their own? The Mobile Film School was founded with these people in mind, with the mission to reach out to underserved communities by bringing film school to them.

The Mobile Film School, which employs guest instructors like legendary documentarian Albert Maysles (Gimme Shelter), travels to rural areas in two buses: One containing editing suites and production equipment, the other holding a resource library and staff offices. They offer five-week courses in narrative and documentary moviemaking as well as acting, giving students the opportunity to express themselves via the medium of film.

The inaugural run of the Mobile Film School took place this February in the town of Manor, Texas, where high school seniors collaborated on the completion of a documentary short entitled In A Place Like This. “The students were so intuitive about the process, it was really exciting to watch,” says executive director and founder Lisa McWilliams. “They absolutely exceeded my expectations.”

For more information on the Mobile Film School’s upcoming workshops, visit www.mobilefilmschool.com.

Sound Off: Mobile Film School is one of several organizations sprouting up in order to help under-represented communities express themselves through the medium of film (Mira Nair’s moviemaking laboratory, Maisha, is another). Do you think programs like these should work to expose the rest of the world to the experiences of these communities, or should their goal solely be one of artistic expression? Talk back in the Comments section!

--Jennifer Straus

March 26th, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week, Education | By MovieMaker Staff

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Brooks Institute of Photography

One of the greatest assets a film student can have during his or her education is a mentor—--someone who can guide him or her through the challenging process of moviemaking, using years of experience in the field as an invaluable resource. Most students would be lucky to find just one such person; but at the Brooks Institute of Photography, members of the school’s film program are blessed with dozens.

For the last four years, the Santa Barbara-based Institute has been the recipient of Kodak’s 35mm Project, a grant that enables students to produce a 35mm short film project in collaboration with a 150-person crew and more than 30 local vendors. Students who attend the Brooks Institute, which offers both bachelor and master degrees in film and video production, participate in the 35mm Project by enrolling in a corresponding class, then apply for specific production jobs on the film.

In order to augment Kodak’s program, Emmy Award-winner Tracy Trotter and his wife Judy, who serve as faculty sponsors on the project, used their connections in the film industry to bring together an impressive collection of mentors. Hailing from a variety of fields and organizations, from the Directors Guild of America to Clairmont Camera, these experts assist the students over the course of the project by providing input and support at each stage of the moviemaking process. Judy Trotter notes that the benefits of the mentoring aspect of the project go both ways: “We as teachers and mentors share our 30-plus years of on-set experience with the Brooks students and in turn they share their joy for the filmmaking project.”

Find your mentor at www.brooks.edu.

--Jennifer Straus

March 12th, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week, Education | By MovieMaker Staff

Comments: 3

Movie in a Box

It’s pretty much guaranteed that when a film buff watches a groundbreaking film, she’s going to ask herself, “How did they do that?” Movie in a Box is the one-day seminar that answers this question, for as founder Donna Michelle Anderson says, “there’s no better research lab for indie filmmakers than studying hit indie films!”

Students who sign up for one of the three courses offered (Emerging Filmmakers, Documentary Filmmakers or Advanced Filmmakers) are asked to prepare by screening a particular independent movie in advance.

“The first half of the Movie in a Box day is a creative intensive, with filmmakers presenting how the selected hit film was conceived, produced and released,” Anderson explains. “Throughout the day, all the speakers highlight key section of their presentations with film clips and behind-the-scenes information.”

The second half of the day is devoted to the Resource Room, where students meet with industry experts in a variety of fields, including lighting, post-production, distribution and the festival circuit. This way, students not only get the rundown on the basic skills needed to begin making movies, but the intimate classroom setting allows them to network with panelists, making essential contacts that may help them get their future film projects off the ground.

To register for an upcoming class, head on over to www.movieinabox.com, where an upcoming re-launch of the site will make it easier for all interested moviemakers with broadband access across the globe.

Sound Off: Movie in a Box teaches the 1-3-5 method for screenwriting, developed by Anderson, which specifically concentrates on character arc, structure and plot. What do you feel are the three most important aspects people must perfect in order to write a great screenplay? Share your thoughts in the comments section!

February 18th, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Metropolitan Film School

London’s Metropolitan Film School (MFS) proves that a lot can be accomplished in three years. Since the school’s founding in 2003, the MFS has become the city’s leading provider of digital moviemaking courses. In this time, the school has gone from offering primarily short-term moviemaking seminars to longer, more intensive courses in writing, editing, directing and other skills essential to the film craft. The school’s flagship course, “From Story to Screen in Eight Weeks,” remains one of MFS’ most popular tracks. Over two months, students go through every step of the moviemaking process, culminating in the production of their very own short film.

MFS students do not need prior film experience to enroll in the school, but marketing director Jonathan Peake notes that “the ideal MFS student already has a relatively realistic idea of where they would like their career within the film industry to take them. They would have had some experience working on creative projects in the past. But most importantly they bring to the course bags of enthusiasm, dedication and desire to learn from their mistakes.”

Most recently, the MFS announced the launch of a two-year BA program in Practical Filmmaking, which expands upon the school’s current one-year program to provide students with experience in the development, production, marketing and distribution of a live feature film during their second year. “All of our programs are highly practical,” continues Peake. “We recognized early on that a traditional film degree with a large bias toward film theory is not going to help you find work in the industry. Our ethos when we launched was to inspire the next generation of independent filmmakers. This is as true today as it was three years ago.”

For more information on MFS, visit www.metfilmschool.co.uk

Sound Off: Do you think that the age of theory-based film school has passed? Is there still a need to study moviemaking from a more intellectual perspective? Weigh in by posting in the comments section!

February 12th, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Animation Mentor

It’s not uncommon to see ads for online universities on your favorite Website, or even have them pop-up with an accidental click of the mouse. Like many people, you’ve probably wondered about these schools—are they real? Will they help? Are they reputable? The answers to those questions are yes, yes and yes… at least if you’re talking about Animation Mentor.

The first school of its kind, Animation Mentor offers its international student body a diploma in Advanced Studies in Character Animation. Courses are taught by experienced animators, employed by some of the top companies in the field (i.e. Pixar, Industrial Light & Magic, Dreamworks and Sony Pictures Imageworks). “We call our teachers ‘mentors,’ because this is exactly what they do: One-on-one mentoring, in addition to leading interactive Web classes,” says Animation Mentor CEO and president Bobby Beck.

This online film school began from a conversation between Beck and his peers Shawn Kelly (ILM) and Carlos Baena (Pixar). What and how would they want to learn if they were given the chance to begin again? Establishing an online school was an obvious choice, Beck explains: “All of our mentors spend long days working on films such as Shrek 3, Pirates of the Caribbean and Ratatouille, and the Internet provides the best way for them to teach at the same time.” Last month, the student body gathered in San Francisco to celebrate the commencement of its first class, and since then many graduates have already received job offers from the top studios. Looks like this online education revolution just might work out.

Looking to apply? Head over to www.animationmentor.com for more information.

Sound Off: Animation Mentor seems to have found a way to optimize online education. Do you think this kind of long-distance learning can work with other moviemaking specialties? Let us know in the comments section!

Photo: Student Taylor Mahoney participating in an online class with microphone and headset.  Courtesy of Animation Mentor.

February 5th, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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The UCLA Extension Writers Studio

It can be hard for the novice screenwriter to find guidance in the moviemaking world. True, most prestigious film schools offer a screenwriting track for interested students, but what about those people who don’t want to devote years of their lives (and thousands of dollars) to get an education in the craft? For this set of movie scribes, the UCLA Extension Writers Studio is a great option.

For the past 11 years, more than 200 writers from around the world have gathered at the Westwood campus for a four-day intensive workshop led by the distinguished faculty of the UCLA Extension Writers Program. With seminars that include “Writing the Romantic Comedy” and “Revising Your Feature Film Script,” students are allowed to immerse themselves completely in the craft of writing, gaining needed skills as well as a valuable relationship with the larger moviemaking community. Instructor Scott Meyers describes the purpose of the Studio, saying, “In a word: Connections. Writers make connections with other writers. Through constructive criticism, students help each other make connections to their respective stories. And possibly most important of all, at the end of the four days, each writer makes a deeper connection to their creative self.”

The 2007 Writers Studio will be held from February 8-11. To register, and for more information on other Writers Program offerings, visit www.uclaextension.edu/writers.

Sound Off: Do you think it’s better for screenwriters to work intensively on their craft, as with the UCLA Extension program, or to get a more general film education? Let us know in the comments section!

Photo: Screenwriter-producer Keith Giglio teaches a class at the 2006 Writers Studio.

January 29th, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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School of Visual Arts

Most people would agree that there are few better places to study film than New York, which plays home to countless major and independent movies every year. With so many resources throughout the city, Manhattan-based film students have the opportunity to dive head-first into the indie movie world, and at the School of Visual Arts (SVA), the faculty of the graduate and undergraduate film programs make this a requirement. Students who pursue a BFA at the School of Visual Arts study every aspect of moviemaking from screenwriting and acting to cinematography and production design. At the graduate level, explains SVA director of communication Samantha Hoover, the curriculum tends toward an experimental and interdisciplinary approach, “challenging traditional assumptions of how the mediums of photography and video are taught.”

Though both programs incorporate cinema studies into their curriculum, the very names of each department—“Film, Video, Animation” for undergrad, “Photography, Video and Related Media” for graduate studies—belie SVA’s understanding of film as one of many artistic mediums that can be integrated for a deeper, and more well-rounded education. “We seek students of all ages, of all backgrounds, from all over the world who have a deep passion for storytelling, love working in a collaborative atmosphere, are hardworking and dedicated to learning the craft,” says Reeves Lehmann, chair of the BFA Film, Video and Animation department.

In addition to their current four-year BFA and two-year MFA tracks, SVA continues to expand with the addition of television production classes, a studio and a digital movie theater within the next several years in order to provide students with the most cutting-edge resources possible as they develop their artistic style. It is, above all, SVA’s mission to turn out a community of moviemakers who are engaged in the world around them and reflect this within their work. As Lehmann explains, “[Film] is an art form that can speak to the masses, therefore it is important that once they gain the knowledge and skills [students] use it responsibly and take their work seriously. We encourage this throughout their learning experiences at SVA.”

For more information, visit www.sva.edu.

Sound Off: With constant innovations in moviemaking technology, the lines between film and other artistic mediums are becoming increasingly easy to cross. What do you think are some of the benefits of integrating moviemaking with other art forms, such as animation and photography, particularly in an educational setting? Do you think being a “multidisciplinary artist” will make you a more experimental moviemaker? Talk back in the forums!

January 22nd, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Florida State University

When asked to describe the ideal applicant to Florida State University’s College of Motion Picture, Dean Frank Patterson replies, “You know the kind of person who is compelled to shoot photos from inside a crashing plane as it’s plummeting to the earth? We are looking for filmmakers who, even in the face of death, feel compelled to capture the human experience.” It follows then that FSU is a school whose reason for being is to fuel the passion of its students.

Offering both graduate and undergraduate programs in film production, as well as a minor in film studies and an MFA in professional writing, FSU is the only film school in the country that fully funds all films produced by its students.  This, Patterson explains, “create[s] a level playing field for students, so that they may focus on art, craft and imagination—instead of fundraising.” Now, with a program that has already been commended by the Directors Guild of America for its contribution to American culture, FSU is expanding even further with the creation of Torchlight Pictures.

Torchlight Pictures, which will be headed by a top New York distributor, will give FSU students the chance to learn the business side of moviemaking and get their work seen by a larger audience. While Torchlight will distribute student works, its primary function will be to provide hands-on-experience in the business side of moviemaking, as students work with faculty to actually distribute feature films that are picked up by the company. After all, notes Patterson, “A filmmaker who doesn’t understand distribution doesn’t understand filmmaking.”

For more information on FSU’s graduate and undergraduate film programs, visit www.film.fsu.edu.

Sound Off: FSU’s newest innovation is the creation of a distribution company to help students learn the business of moviemaking. Do you think that it’s key for students to learn about distribution while still in school, or is it better to simply focus on developing your own moviemaking style? Talk back in the comments section!

January 16th, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

Comments: 2

Academy of Film Arts

For the aspiring moviemaker with no time to spare, the Academy of Film Arts (AFA) is the ideal film school. In as few (or as many) as eight days, the AFA teaches students the basics of producing, directing and cinematography.

The school originated in 2005 as an aid to disadvantaged youths in the Los Angeles area. The young and innovative academy, according to president Monica Ortiz, was started to help the students “focus on their dreams and give them real-life experience in making movies.” Two short years later the film school has achieved impressive growth. Expansion includes a campus in New York, a one-month course duration and new program that focuses on the ins and outs of movie sound.

Currently, two- and eight-day intensive courses are available for working professionals with limited vacation days. Ortiz describes them as “exhausting” yet “extremely rewarding.” Except how can a student learn in eight days, never mind two, what others spend years studying? Mostly, Ortiz credits the high instructor to student ratio, which allows each student “to receive the individual attention [he or she] need[s] in order to grow in [his or her] respective creative field.” Moreover, the Academy doesn’t attempt to make its students hone in on a single moviemaking style. Instead, AFA builds the tools needed to discover this style over the course of their moviemaking careers. With this philosophy, the Academy of Film Arts understands that providing knowledge is the most important duty of any film school—it’s up to the student to make a career out of this knowledge.

For more information, visit www.academyoffilmarts.com.

SOUND OFF QUESTION: The Academy of Film Arts is expanding its range to include a one-month course for prospective moviemakers. Would you prefer to attend an eight-day intensive course, getting your hands dirty immediately, or a relatively relaxed month-long instruction? Talk back in the comments section!

January 2nd, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts

There’s no shortage of famous alums at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Martin Scorsese, Amy Heckerling and Marc Forster are just a few of the school’s brightest stars, and Spike Lee still hangs around his alma mater, now in a professorial position. Sheril Antonio, associate dean of Film, Television and New Media, attributes these success stories to “democracy, collaboration and individuality.” She says that “Tisch offers its highly unique and sometimes irreverent students two seemingly conflicting things: A democratic education where each individual gets the same education and, in the spirit of collaboration, formulates his or her own visionary style of storytelling in the visual media.”

Founded in 1965, the Tisch School of the Arts has been continually growing to meet the needs of its student body and remain at the head of a large (and competitive) pack. Already considered one of the most prestigious film programs in the country, Tisch will branch out into the international film community this December with the unveiling of a new campus in Singapore, open to those students pursuing an MFA in Film Production.Remarking on the impact of film schools on the greater moviemaking world, Antonio says: “With the dwindling geography of ‘independent’ productions, schools have become the new frontier for experimentation and new ways of seeing and storytelling.” It is clear that Tisch is leading the way to this new frontier with both expertise and a willingness to change with the times.

For more information, visit www.tisch.nyu.edu.

Sound Off: With studios focusing big-budget movies that aim to conquer the box office, do you think Antonio is correct in saying that “film schools are the new frontier for filmic experimentation?” Talk back in the comments section!

December 11th, 2006 | Category: Film School of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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International Academy of Film and Television

Founded in 2004, the International Academy of Film and Television (IAFT) is still a fledgling institution, but its keeping its footing in the world of moviemaking by constantly growing, attracting a bevy of film talent and boasting a truly one-of-a-kind setting.

Like its parent company Bigfoot Entertainment, IAFT is located on the island of Cebu in the Philippines. Dean Douglas Hersh calls the location “an amazing place for cultural, topographic and biodiversity.” He paraphrases Sam Goldwyn, asserting that “it starts with an idyllic tropical paradise and gets better from there.”

Cebu, known as “The Queen City of the South,” has historical roots going back as far as Magellan’s 16th century explorations of the island, and provides a rich and exotic backdrop to the top-notch moviemaking education. IAFT offers concentrations in both movie production and acting, including short-term workshops, corporate lectures and a now-famous Immersion Program, which allows students to complete their own reels in just one year’s time. On December 7, IAFT will hold the commencement ceremony for its first Immersion class, sending the graduates out into the world of moviemaking with a well-rounded body of knowledge and a uniquely international educational experience.

Under the shadow of Bigfoot, IAFT is able to provide its students not only with a great education, but also, according to Hersh, with an opportunity for “nations to come together and collaborate on the most sustainable of all projects—human creativity.”

For more information, visit www.filmschool.ph.

November 26th, 2006 | Category: Film School of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Urban Filmmakers Workshop

A lot of burgeoning moviemakers need a little boost to get them started on the path to realizing their dreams. And if you’re a moviemaker of color, breaking into the business can seem doubly challenging. In order to demystify this process and encourage urban moviemakers in their efforts, Camille Irons and H. M. Coakley founded the Rockstone Foundation, which reaches out to up-and-coming moviemakers across the country with its Urban Filmmakers Workshop.

“We created the Urban Filmmakers Workshop because we wanted to educate filmmakers of color around the country about the film business—the stuff that they won’t tell you in Hollywood. The UFW brings the secrets of Hollywood directly to this under-represented group,” says Irons.

After taking a two-year hiatus to work on the horror film Holla (which is being released by Lionsgate in December), Irons and Coakley have returned with the UFW, touring a total of eight cities from Philadelphia to Houston with a series of intensive, two-day workshops covering screenwriting, producing, acting and directing, using Holla as a case study of how to take a film from script to major studio distribution and beyond.

In future years, Irons hopes to expand UFW’s efforts even further: “We’re looking to transition the Urban Filmmakers Workshop into the five-day annual Urban Filmmakers Conference, which we plan to launch in Los Angeles in Fall 2007.” For more information and to sign up for the last stop of this year’s UFW, November 24 and 25 in Houston, Texas, visit http://www.rockstone.org.

November 20th, 2006 | Category: Film School of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Colorado Film School

Though it might not be the first place that comes to mind when discussing film production hotspots, Colorado has an extensive history of involvement in the moviemaking world. Colorado was the first U.S. state to form a film commission, hosts the acclaimed STARZ Denver International Film Festival each year and, with the increasing success of the Colorado Film School (CFS), has also proven to be a prime location for those looking to learn the moviemaking craft.The Colorado Film School is a merger between the Community College of Aurora and the University of Colorado Denver and Health Sciences Center. According to CFS director Frederic Lahey, this gives the program both vocational and academic credibility. “We are a hands-on school constantly engaged in production in our classes and as an institution,” he says. “Our equipment and facilities easily surpass all but a few of the major graduate programs in the world, and our growing and talented faculty is committed to student success.”

With a number of resources and a diverse and beautiful landscape to shoot in, CFS provides students with some of the best tools for becoming fully-fledged moviemakers outside of New York and L.A. Says Lahey: “The ideal CFS student is an original storyteller who is focused and driven by a sense of professionalism, who listens to and observes the world around them.” With small classes and an emphasis on first-hand experience, graduates of CFS are sure to enter the workforce with enough experience to get them well on their way to a moviemaking career.

For more information visit www.coloradofilmschool.net.

October 2nd, 2006 | Category: Film School of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking

Students get hands-on experience at SFSDF.

The San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking is turning the idea of the traditional film school on its head. By throwing out the years of classroom lecturing, SFSDF has developed a truly cutting-edge curriculum for up-and-coming moviemakers. The Digital Filmmaking Intensive Program transforms students into small production teams, with each member expected to write, produce, direct and edit five films of his or her own while crewing on the others’ projects. Students explore every genre and all work is shot exclusively on HD equipment. “[SFSDF] students are prepared for the future,” says Shelby Stricklin, the school’s marketing director, “because they are learning how to make films using the latest tools and technologies."But that learning isn’t limited just to the classroom. Third Street Films, SFSDF’s own production company, places students within a crew of seasoned industry professionals to produce a feature film. Students rotate through at least two production departments, gaining experience in different roles while (perhaps most importantly) developing relationships with those in the movie industry. “Working on a real movie set is a vital aspect of learning to become a filmmaker,” according to Stricklin.

But only students who feel that moviemaking is vital to their existence need apply—as all this work is completed within a year (The school also offers a five-week Digital Filmmaking Workshop.) Additionally, the beautiful Bay Area, with its artistic history, is an ideal alternative home for the digital moviemaking scene. With drive, talent and a top-notch education, SFSDF believes its students will be the ones to transform San Francisco into the new “Digital Hollywood.”

For more information, visit www.sfdigifilm.com.

September 25th, 2006 | Category: Film School of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Palm Beach Film School

Students get hands-on training by making their own movies at the Palm Beach Film School

Los Angeles may be the first place that comes to mind when you think “sun-drenched indie film scene,” but The Palm Beach Film School offers eight- and 16-week programs that take students through every step of the moviemaking process. Designed specifically for beginners, Palm Beach’s curriculum, which is taught by local indie moviemakers such as Sound instructor Larry de Carmine (Malcolm X, Clockers), covers writing, directing, cinematography, lighting, sound and editing. By requiring that students understand the process from start to finish, the Palm Beach Film School produces graduates who are prepared to jump into their specific fields of interest, whether it’s directing, producing or writing, with a well-rounded body of knowledge.School director Jim York cites the school’s “hands-on, learn-by-doing” training program as the key to its success. Palm Beach students graduate from the school with their own digital shorts on DVD, ready to submit to distributors or festivals. Students assist with each other’s projects, learning the ins and outs of creating a film from a variety of different angles. As an added bonus, York adds, “The learning doesn’t end once you graduate. Graduates are allowed to use the school’s equipment and facilities for approved future films. Best of all, the school offers many unique tropical locations for shooting.” Sun, sand and a superb educational opportunity? A film student couldn’t ask for much than that.

For more information, visit www.palmbeachfilmschool.com.

September 15th, 2006 | Category: Film School of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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