Best Film Schools in the U.S. & Canada 2020, Presented by CU Boulder

U.S. Southeast

University of North Carolina School of the Arts (Winston-Salem, NC) – Outstanding creative producing training

UNCSA’s Creative Producing MFA may be perfect for those seeking to specialize in the logistics of moviemaking without sacrificing their artistic instincts. After a year to cover the fundamentals of the business of storytelling, graduate students develop a slate of projects, both for film and television, and embark on the two-semester Business of Production track, with attention to important entertainment law topics. Marketing classes touch on the ins-and-outs of distribution and successful promotional campaigns. Also notable is the recent launch of the Media and Emerging Technology Lab. “For the first time in its history, the 2019-20 freshman class of UNCSA’s School of Filmmaking was predominantly female,” adds Lauren Whitaker, the school’s media relations manager.

Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL) – Outstanding training

Savannah College of Art and Design (Savannah, GA) – Outstanding cinematography training

SCAD has made a name for itself as a college with state-of- the-art equipment. 4K cameras are standard at SCAD, and they have options. You can choose between working with an ARRI Alexa XT Plus, the EPIC-M Red Dragon, a Sony FS7, the Canon C300 MK2, or Blackmagic’s URSA Mini cameras. If you prefer celluloid, the ARRI 416 Super 16mm Camera is also available. If that wasn’t enough, SCAD’s cameras come with all the fixings, leaving you with the pick of the litter when it comes to the latest dollies, cranes, Steadicam models, and lighting (LED, HMIs, Tungstens) — you name it. By the time graduation arrives, you’ll be well-versed in the most current, image-crafting technology.

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University of Miami (Miami, FL) – Outstanding directing training

Ringling College of Art and Design (Sarasota, FL) – Outstanding animation training 

Memorable characters and stories come to life every day through Ringling College’s Computer Animation program, where artists-in-training learn to take an idea from concept to completion. The program understands that animation thrives when creators harness their technological aptitudes with a strong and universal vision. Not only do students learn to design, model, paint, texture, animate, light, composite, and edit their own works, but they also engage with visiting professionals to gain industry-level feedback. The campus has multiple labs and a powerful render farm on- site. Last year, Aviv Mano, one of the program’s recent grads, won the Student Academy Award for his aptly titled thesis short film “Game Changer!” Other alumni have worked on high-profile features such as Coco, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and Incredibles 2.

Continue for the Canadian selections of our Best Film Schools in the U.S. & Canada, 2020

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