From one day to one year, completion
certificates to PhDs, London to Los Angeles, whatever your film
education desire, the growing crop of film education programs is
making experts out of novices every day. But which program is right
for you? MM takes a look at a score of film schools and education
programs the world over to find out where you might fit in.
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| Full Sail students receive access to a range of equipment, including two Arriflex 35mm cameras. |
Academy of Art College, School of Motion
Pictures & Television
79 New Montgomery Street • San Francisco, CA 94105
www.academyart.edu • 800/544-ARTS
Founded: 1929
Go to this school if you want: to develop your portfolio.
Length of program: BFA: 4 years MFA: 2 years
Cost: Undergraduate – $550 per unit; Graduate – $600 per
unit
Prerequisites: Undergraduate program requires high school
diploma or equivalent. Graduate program requires a portfolio.
Degree/Certificate: BFA, MFA
Equipment/Facilities: The Academy has camera packages including
everything from Mini DV cameras to 35mm sync sound, a full range
of sound gear, editing facilities with Avid, Media 100, Final Cut
Pro and flatbed stations and seven Pro Tools suites.
Campus Amenities: Academy of Art College is located in San
Francisco, one of the world’ most beautiful and artistic cities.
Faculty: With 500 faculty members from the biggest art, design
and studio companies in the industry, the Academy hires current
professionals to teach future professionals.
Notable Guest Instructors: Rob Carlson and Mike Thomas
Head of Program: David Oliver Pfeil
Avg. student age: 25
Post-Graduate Support/Services: Prospective employers can
connect and post job listings online. The result is that AAC graduates
can look forward to an 85 percent job placement rate.
Screenings: Hosts the annual Spring Show so students can
have their work reviewed by industry professionals.
Comments: Over the years, AAC has grown to become the nation’
largest private accredited art college.
Academy of Converging Arts
1800 N. Vine Street, Suite 100 • Hollywood, CA 90028
www.converging-arts.com • 323/461-0851
Year founded: 2003
Go to this school if you want: to be mentored through the
moviemaking process with other working professionals.
Cost: Varies by program
Prerequisites: Film or fine arts degree
Equipment/Facilities: Access to many Hollywood facilities
(additional pre-negotiated cost); relationship with Post Logic Studios,
one of Hollywood’ premiere post-production facilities.
Faculty: Gabrielle Kelly, Bonnie Voland, Peter Frish, Barbara
Dumphy, John Hora, Bob Koster, Chuck Fianance and Reine-Claire.
Notable Guest Instructors: Caroline Goodall (Schindler’
List, The Princess Diaries) is currently teaching an acting
class
Head of Program: Daniele J. Suissa, producer, theater and
film director and former Dean of the Los Angeles Film School
Avg. student age: 21+
Post-Graduate Support/Services: The Academy is a mentoring
institution dedicated to the constant development of its alumni.
Screenings: Yes
Comments: The Academy is a new institution with 100 years
of experience through the dedication of its body of mentors.
Action/Cut Filmmaking Seminars
11288 Ventura Blvd. #400-B • Studio City, CA 91604
www.actioncut.com • 800/815-5545
Year founded: 1999
Go to this school if you want: the most acclaimed two-day
moviemaking seminar in the industry.
Cost: $275 ($250 for students)
Prerequisites: A great love of the moviemaking process—from
page to screen.
Degrees/Certificates: Action/Cut Certificate of Completion
Equipment/Facilities: An audio-visual seminar with professional
scene studies.
Faculty: Action/Cut founder, international film instructor
and professional working writer-director Guy Magar
Notable Guest Instructors: Randall Wallace, Scott Billups,
Frank Lupo and Dennie Gordon.
Head of Program: Guy Magar
Avg. student age: 15-50
Post-Graduate Support/Services: Action/Cut offers one-on-one
consultation services with Guy Magar
Screenings: The Action/Cut Short Film Festival will be announced
Summer, 2003.
Comments: We provide the Action/Cut Filmmaking Seminar during
spring and fall tours of major American cities: New York, Boston,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Houston,
Austin, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The seminars are
designed for directors, screenwriters, producers, actors and everyone
interested in the moviemaking process.
American Film Institute Conservatory
2021 N. Western Avenue • Los Angeles, CA 90027
www.afi.com • 323/856-7609
Year founded: 1969
Go to this school if you want: to collaborate with other
artists, shooting short narrative projects in a rigorous and immersive
curriculum that mirrors the professional film environment.
Length of program: 2 to 2 1/2 years
Cost: $24,225 per year
Prerequisites: Three – five years experience or an education
in film production.
Degree/Certificate: Both
Equipment/Facilities: Conservatory fellows have the opportunity
to shoot on DV, 16mm and 35mm film and 24p HD video. Editing fellows
work with Avid 1000XL Media Composers, networked by a Unity storage
system and using Meridien board sets.
Campus Amenities: AFI’ eight-acre campus is located in the
hills overlooking Hollywood and is in close proximity to the heart
of the professional moviemaking community.
Faculty: The Conservatory faculty includes working professionals
from film and television, who act as mentors and guides to the fellows
in each discipline.
Notable Guest Instructors: Martin Scorsese, William Friedkin,
Julie Taymor, David Lynch and Brad Siberling.
Head of Program: Sam L. Grogg, Dean
Avg. student age: 27.5
Famous Alumni: David Lynch, Darren Aronofsky, Todd Field,
Carl Franklin, Amy Heckerling, Mimi Leder, Janusz Kaminski.
Screenings: All thesis films have a showcase screening that
is held at the Arclight Cinemas. Agents, managers and other film
and television professionals are invited to the screening and reception.
These showcases happen on a regular basis throughout the year.
Comments: The program models itself after the classic European
Conservatory model, where fellows enrolled in the program work with
their faculty in a master/apprentice relationship.
Columbia College Hollywood
18618 Oxnard Street • Tarzana, CA 91356
www.columbiacollege.edu • 818/345-8414; 800/785-0585
Year founded: 1952
Go to this school if you want: to gain technical proficiency
in the cinema and television arts.
Length of program: 36 months
Cost: $3,500 per quarter
Degree/Certificate: BA
Equipment/Facilities: CCH has video and film cameras, lighting
and sound gear and film and video editing stations including Avid
and Final Cut Pro. The school also has a shooting stage, dubbing
and Foley facilities.
Campus Amenities: CCH has a variety of areas and office space
available for student production, as well as a student lounge, bookstore,
art studio, library and computer lab.
Faculty: Film instructors are working industry professionals
who are up on the most current industry practices. They share their
knowledge with students in small classes, which are held predominantly
in the evening.
Notable Guest Instructors: Frank Darabont, Daniel Petrie,
Jr., Dede Allen.
Head of Program: Mark Stratton.
Average Student Age: 21
Famous Alumni: Tim Bui, J.D. Ripp, Jamie Farr, David Elkins
and Sathish Bramhan
Post-Graduate Support/Services: Students may continue to
use CCH’ facilities and equipment after graduation.
Screenings: Yes
Columbia University School of the Arts
513 Dodge Hall • 2960 Broadway • New York, NY 10027
www.columbia.edu/cu/arts • 212/854-2875
Year founded: 1754
Length of program: Three to five years
Cost: About $48,000 for the first two years. $3,000 per semester
for thesis years, not including cost of thesis film.
Prerequisites: Undergraduate degree
Degree/Certificate: MFA
Equipment/Facilities: Columbia boasts a sound stage, screenwriting
facility, Super16mm film, 16mm film and digital video rigs, location
sound equipment and post-production facilities.
Faculty: Columbia’ film faculty includes, among others, director
David McKenna, writer Janet Roach and esteemed producer James Schamus.
Head of Program: Dan Kleinman, Chair of Film
Comments: The International Film Institute of New York teaches
summer workshops using Columbia’ campus and film facilities. Classes
last from four weeks to a full year.
Filmmaker’ Central School of Cinema
7095 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 858 • Hollywood, CA 90028
www.onlinefmc.com • 323/467-6580
Year founded: 2000
Go to this school if you want: to learn how to direct, produce
or work as a member of the crew in some of the most important positions
on and off the set.
Length of program: One day
Cost: $199 – $350
Degree/Certificate: Certificate of Completion
Equipment/Facilities: Filmmaker’ Central has 35mm and 16mm
film cameras, digital video rigs and digital audio gear.
Faculty: Louise Levison, Daron Keet, Lawrence Benedict, Eric
Galler, Troy Wilcox, Maureen Tuohy, Leonard Bram.
Head of Program: Rayelle Belleau
Post-Graduate Support/Services: Filmmaker’ Central offers
job placement services after completion of the workshops.
Screenings: Yes
Florida State University Film School
University Center 3100A • Tallahassee, FL 32306-2350
http://filmschool.fsu.edu • 850/644-7728
Year founded: 1989
Length of program: Undergraduate: Four years; Graduate: Two
Cost: Undergraduate: $18,616 per year for out-of-state students;
Graduate: $670.92 per credit hour for out-of-state students
Prerequisites: Graduate program requires an undergrad degree.
Degree/Certificate: BFA, MFA
Equipment/Facilities: FSU’ pre-production facilities include
two thesis offices, a conference room and a computer lab for writing,
budgeting and production planning. Students shoot on DV, 16mm and
35mm and have access to the campus back lot and studio.
Campus Amenities: In addition to post facilities with Avid
editing systems, students can do final sound mixes in FSU’ Mix Theater.
Faculty: FSU’ faculty includes 15 working professionals.
Head of Program: Dean Raymond Fielding
Screenings: Films are frequently submitted to film festivals
by the school, giving those students significant industry exposure.
Full Sail Real World Education
3300 University Blvd. • Winter Park, FL 32792
www.fullsail.com • 800/226-7625
Year founded: 1979
Length of program: 13 months
Cost: $34,075
Degree/Certificate: Associate of Science Degree
Equipment/Facilities: Full Sail boasts two Arriflex 35mm
cameras, two 16mm cameras, four sound stages and many digital editing
suites, including 20 Avid workstations.
Head of Program: Dave Franko
Avg. student age: 21
Post-Graduate Support/Services: A staff of 30 helps graduates
and alumni with career placement.
Screenings: Full Sail showcases student film projects at
film festivals, local theaters and online at www.fullsail.com
Comments: Full Sail’ film program is all-inclusive, with
the school covering the cost of all insurance, permits, film stock,
processing and other costs of making student films.
Global Film School
8800 West Sunset Blvd. • West Hollywood, CA 90069
www.globalfilmschool.com • 310/360-2406
Length of program: Varies by course
Cost: About $800 per course
Campus Amenities: Classes are taught online.
Comments: GFS is a joint venture of the UCLA School of Theater,
Film and Television, the Australian Film Television and Radio School
and the UK’ National Film Television School. The founders want to
facilitate the “Democratization of Film Education” by allowing students
all over the world access to their courses.
London Film School
24 Shelton Street • London, UK WC2H 9UB
www.lfs.org.uk • Phone: +44 207 836 9642
Year founded: 1956
Go to this school if you want: to make a show reel of six
films, including two on 35mm and train in all departments in a small,
post-graduate conservatory.
Length of program: Two years
Cost: £32,000 (about $52,848), including all film budgets
Prerequisites: Bachelor’ degree or equivalent experience
Degree/Certificate: MA in Filmmaking
Equipment/Facilities: Students have access to two sound stages,
Panaflex, Moviecam and ARRI cameras, Avid Media Composer editing
suites and Pro Tools audio stations. The school also has some Steenbecks
for 16mm exercises and two preview theaters.
Campus Amenities: LFS has a coffee bar and a fully wired
production office available for student use.
Faculty: There are 18 full time instructors at LFS, led by
Ben Gibson (Director of School) and Alan Bernstein (Head of Studies).
Notable Guest Instructors: Mike Leigh, Jack Gold, Asif Kapardia,
Simon Beaufoy, Troy Kennedy Martin, Terence Davies, Seamus McGarvey
BSC, John Mathieson, Roger Pratt, Mike Southon, BSC.
Head of Program: Alan Bernstein
Avg. student age: 23
Famous Alumni: Ueli Steiger, Tak Fujimoto, Harley Cokeliss,
Bill Douglas, Anne Hui, John Irvin, Kant Pan, Don Boyd, Roger Pratt,
Ivan Strasburg, Ho Yim
Post-Graduate Support/Services: Graduates enjoy contact and
orientation services. Industry mentors are appointed to serve as
executive producers for graduation films.
Screenings: LFS films played at 67 international film festivals
last year.
Comments: This school used to be considered the best of the
short-term immersion workshop schools internationally. Now with
its MA and two years of complete retooling it is becoming a great
international graduate school with all-department teaching.
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| Action/Cut Filmmaking Seminars’ founder and instructor Guy Magar says he can teach you how to go from page to screen in one weekend. |
The Los Angeles Film School
6363 Sunset Blvd. • Hollywood, CA 90028
www.lafilm.com • 323/860-0789
Year founded: 1999
Go to this school if you want: hands-on moviemaking experience
taught by industry professionals.
Length of program: Three weeks to one year
Cost: Varies by program
Prerequisites: Students must be 18 or older, except for high
school program.
Degree/Certificate: Certificate of completion for one-year
program.
Equipment/Facilities: Students shoot in High Definition,
digital video, 16mm and 35mm and use premier sound and lighting
packages. LAFS has Avid editing systems, ProTools workstations and
4,000 square feet of sound stage space as well.
Campus Amenities: Students have access to a 345-seat theater,
a student lounge, student lockers, pre-production, production and
post-production facilities, student mailboxes, producers’ labs with
individual workstations equipped with a PC and phone and access
to a fax machine.
Faculty: Faculty is comprised of professional moviemakers
who rotate between their movie sets and LAFS classrooms.
Notable Guest Instructors: Vilmos Zsigmond, Donald Petrie,
Christine Peters, Salvador Carrasco, John Manulis, Luis Mandoki,
Joe Carnahan, Doug Jung, Barbara Boyle, Arthur Hiller, Spike Jonze,
Jonathan Sanger, Saul Zaentz, Jon Turteltaub.
Head of Program: Joe Byron, Acting Dean
Avg. student age: 24
Famous Alumni: Miles Swain and Nancy Stein
Infamous Alumni: Josephina Lopez
Post-Graduate Support/Services: Alumni can get up-to-date
job postings directly from the school.
Screenings: Production companies are invited to hear final
pitch presentations from students in the Feature Development Program.
Metropolitan College of New York
75 Varick Street • New York, NY 10013
www.metropolitan.edu • 800/33-THINK
Year founded: 1996
Go to this school if you want: to plan, produce and promote
a new media venture, service or business while you earn your MBA.
Length of program: One year (three semesters)
Cost: $25,194
Prerequisites: Four-year baccalaureate degree, B average,
writing sample, GMAT scores, media talent or ability.
Degree/Certificate: MBA in Media Management
Equipment/Facilities: New students are given a PC upon beginning
school at Metropolitan College. Students in the program are required
to travel to the Cannes Film Festival each spring to complete the
study abroad component of the program.
Campus Amenities: Located in Tribeca, where leading media
industries are just steps from the campus.
Faculty: Graduate students are taught by 21 full- and part-time
faculty with expertise and experience in film, radio, television,
theater, ethics, law, accounting, e-commerce and other fields.
Head of Program: Dr. Fay Ran
Avg. student age: 32
Post-Graduate Support/Services: A career services center
helps Metropolitan College alumni with job placement.
Screenings: No
The New School University
70 Fifth Avenue, 12th Floor • New York, NY 10011
www.newschool.edu • 212/229-8903
Year founded: 1919
Length of program: BA: Four years; Certificate: Eight courses
Degree/Certificate: BA; Certificates in Film Production,
Screenwriting
Equipment/Facilities: The Knowledge Union is a state-of-the-art
film, video and multimedia production facility. Student work is
screened in the Tishman Auditorium, the 400-seat theater that hosts
“Inside the Actors Studio.” Their student-to-equipment ratio is
equal to that of larger schools like NYU and Columbia.
Campus Amenities: Located in Greenwich Village, the 55 West
13th Street building houses the University Computing Center, the
Knowledge Union, a cafeteria and music facilities.
Faculty: All instructors are working moviemakers who teach
part-time and live in NYC.
Head of Program: Annie Howell, Program Coordinator
Post-graduate Support/Services: The New School sponsors frequent
screenings and festivals for networking. They also have a well-respected
internship program.
Screenings: Student films frequently appear in the New School’
invitational film festival. The festival, in its 25th year, is attended
by local industry members.
New York Film Academy
100 East 17th Street • New York, NY 10003
www.nyfa.com •
212/674-4300
Length of program: Varies by program, from
one week to one year.
Cost: Varies by program
Prerequisites: Vary by program
Degree/Certificate: NYFA diploma
Equipment/Facilities: The New York Film Academy headquarters
are located in Tammany Hall, overlooking Manhattan’ Union Square.
In addition to a large screening room and several flatbed editing
stations, the building has digital editing stations and a transfer
facility.
Campus Amenities: Workshops are held year-round in New York,
Los Angeles and London. Summer sessions are hosted by Harvard, Princeton
and Rhode Island School of Design, as well as schools in France,
Italy and Australia.
Faculty: NYFA instructors include award-winning and working
moviemakers from all over the world.
Notable Guest Instructors: Brett Ratner, Melanie Williams
Oram, Carol Mayes and David McKenna.
Head of Program: Jerry Sherlock
New York University, Tisch School of the
Arts
22 Washington Square North • New York, NY 10011
www.nyu.edu/tisch • 212/ 998-4500
Year founded: NYU: 1831; Tisch: 1965
Length of program: Undergraduate: Four years; Graduate: Three
years.
Cost: Undergraduate: $25,380 per year; Graduate: $14,621
plus lab fees and production costs
Degree/Certificate: BFA, MFA
Equipment/Facilities: NYU film students get access to the
Todman Center, with a 5,000 square-foot sound stage with blue screen
and control rooms, an animation studio, rehearsal rooms, editing
suites and a kitchen. The Tisch Building has film and video editing
and dubbing equipment, film-to-tape transfer equipment and sound
mixing equipment.
Campus Amenities: In addition to their Greenwich Village
surroundings, Tisch students have a massive film library to peruse,
not to mention classrooms, screening rooms and production resources
all under one roof.
Faculty: Dozens of experienced moviemakers teach classes
to both undergrads and graduate students in the film department.
Head of Program: Undergraduate Chair: David Irving; Graduate
Interim Chair: Christine Choy
Famous Alumni: Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese, Thelma Schoonmaker,
Joel Coen, Chris Columbus, Jim Jarmusch, Todd Solondz, M. Night
Shyamalan, Ang Lee, Barry Sonnenfeld, Joel Silver, Oliver Stone
Post-graduate Support/Services: Tisch alumni have free access
to job fairs and resume counseling sessions and the Screenplay Bank,
a listing of screenplay loglines that is published and distributed
within the industry each year.
North Carolina School of the Arts School of
Filmmaking
1533 South Main Street • Winston-Salem, NC 27127
336/770-1330 • www.ncarts.edu
Year Founded: 1993
Go to this school if you want: to train for a professional
career in the arts
Length of Program: 4 years
Cost: Undergraduate $2,195- $12,795 (in state/out of state);
Graduate School $2,302- $13,101 (in state/out of state)
Degree/Certificate: BFA or College Arts Diploma
Equipment/Facilities: Digital Video and 16mm film equipment,
state of the art pre- through post-production facilities, exhibition
theater. Three sound stages and 62,000 square foot “Studio Village,”
a Hollywood style backlot. Also holds second largest non-commercial
archive of 35 and 16mm films, DVDs and videos.
Faculty: Accomplished moviemakers and professors with credits
in direction, cinematography, editing, production and screenwriting.
Notable Guest Instructors: Spike Lee, Kevin Reynolds, Tom
Rolf, Andrew Laszlo
Head of Program: Dale Pollock, Dean
Famous Alumni: David Gordon Green, Randolf Benson, Anna Dudley,
Jeff Fradley
Post Graduate/Support Services: Alumni community and career
services are provided to ensure a growing connection to the professional
arts world.
Screenings: Student films have been shown in Hollywood at
the Directors Guild of America Theater Complex and in New York at
the Tribeca Film Center.
Rockport College
P.O. Box 200 • 2 Central Street • Rockport, ME 04856
www.rockportcollege.edu • 877/577-7700
Year founded: 1996
Go to this school if you want to: learn to be a creative
and artistic writer, director, cinematographer, editor or documentarian.
Length of program: One, two or four years.
Cost: $15,000 per year; Production fees: $1,500 per year;
Student fees: $150 per term; Housing and meals: $3,000+ per term
Prerequisites: High school diploma or GED
Degree/Certificate: Two-year Associate of Arts; One-year
Professional Certificate; Four-year BFA (scheduled for 2004); Three-year
MFA degree program.
Equipment/Facilities: The College provides a fully-equipped
residential campus with access to ARRI and Panavision 16mm and 35mm
film cameras, Sony and Canon video cameras, Avid and Final Cut Pro
editing workstations, a sound stage, production village, lighting
and grip trailers for student shoots.
Campus Amenities: The College campus includes numerous classrooms,
studios, digital and traditional photo labs, a large library, theater,
galleries, student Internet cafe, recreational fields all in the
heart of a small fishing village.
Faculty: There are 10 full- and part-time faculty members.
Notable Guest Instructors: Vilmos Zsigmond, Michael Schiffer,
Rob Draper
Head of Program: David Lyman, President
Avg. student age: 18 to 55
Post-Graduate Support/Services: Rockport College has an alumni
newsletter and offers the chance to make invaluable industry connections
while at the school.
Screenings: DVD copies of student work are available and
screenings of student films and documentaries may be seen on PBS
television and at numerous festivals.
Seattle Film Institute
1709 23rd Avenue • Seattle, WA 98122
www.seattlefilminstitute.com • 800/882-4734
Year founded: 1994
Go to this school if you want: an intensive, hands-on program
in film, digital video and screenwriting.
Length of program: 40 weeks
Cost: $14,500 (includes all film and processing)
Degree/Certificate: Certificate
Equipment/Facilities: SFI students are equipped with 16mm
camera and lighting packages, digital video packages, high-quality
sound gear and Final Cut Pro editing stations.
Campus Amenities: Seattle Film Institute is located close
to downtown Seattle and the University district.
Faculty: Classes at SFI are taught by film industry professionals
with film school degrees.
Notable Guest Instructors: Meg Richman, Alec Carlin
Head of Program: David Shulman
Avg. student age: 25
Post-Graduate Support/Services: Seattle Film Institute guarantees
an internship for every student that completes the program.
Screenings: Yes
Comments: SFI’ program starts twice a year in September and
March. Because of the hands-on nature of the program, enrollment
is limited to 22 students each term.
Shoot Camp USA
7095 Hollywood Blvd., #858 • Hollywood, CA 90028
www.shootcamp.com • 323/467-6580
Year founded: 2000
Go to this school if you want: to learn precisely what you
need to know to make your own movie.
Length of program: Eight days
Cost: $2,500 – $2,800
Degree/Certificate: Certificate
Equipment/Facilities: Past programs have included costumed
period pieces and special effects-laden films. Some of the locations
used by Shoot Camp have included the RMS Queen Mary, one of the
grandest ocean liners ever built and the S.S. Lane Victory, a fully-operational
WWII ship.
Campus Amenities: Shoot Camp projects are shot on location.
Faculty: Eric Galler, Bill Williams, Daron Keet, Rob McFall,
Keith Grauchala, Garrick Wilkie, Darren, Fowler, Audra Golden, Robert
Choate
Head of Program: Rayelle Belleau
Post-Graduate Support/Services: Shoot Camp offers one-day
job referral and placement assistance.
Screenings: Yes
Comments: Shoot Camp USA is a full eight days of moviemaking
where you produce, direct and edit and become the crew of a live
action short film.
UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
Student Services, Dept. of Film, Television and Digital Media
UCLA n Box 951622 • Los Angeles, CA 90095-1622
www.tft.ucla.edu
Length of program: Varies by program
Cost: Varies by program
Prerequisites: Varies by program
Degree/Certificate: BA; MA; MFA; Professional Certificate
Equipment/Facilities: UCLA has three sound stages, two for
student productions and one for teaching; three theaters, including
the 497-seat Freud Playhouse, not to mention the highest quality
film and video equipment. Sound is handled in the on-campus recording
stage in several different high-end formats.
Campus Amenities: Campus resources include prop and costume
shops for student productions and close proximity to everything
a moviemaker could need, from a coffee shop to a title house.
Faculty: UCLA faculty includes award-winning directors, producers,
sound designers editors, screenwriters and many others. Students
in the UCLA Professional Programs in Screenwriting and Producing
are taught by many of the same distinguished teachers.
Head of Program: Robert Rosen, Dean of the School
Famous Alumni: Allison Anders, Carol Burnett, Francis Ford
Coppola, Susan Egan, Tim Robbins
Post-Graduate Support/Services: The Theater, Film and Television
Alumni Network sponsors networking nights so that alumni can reconnect
while making new acquaintances in the industry.
Comments: The Professional Programs at UCLA are modeled after
their MFA programs in writing and producing. They give non-degree
students a chance to obtain a similar education while working. The
Screenwriting Program, for instance, runs for three academic quarters.
Classes are held in the evening and UCLA facilities like the Screenplay
Library are available for students’ use.
University of Southern California School
of Cinema-Television
University Park • Los Angeles, CA 90089-2211
www.usc.edu/schools/cntv • 213/740-2804
Year founded: 1929
Go to this school if you want: to study with top professionals
at the country’ leading cinema-television school.
Length of program: BA: Four years; MFA: Three years; PhD:
Three
Cost: Undergraduate: $40,318 per year (including room and
board); Graduate: $32,784 per year (including room and board).
Prerequisites: A strong academic background is required for
admission to all programs.
Degree/Certificate: Various graduate and undergraduate degrees
Equipment/Facilities: USC has state-of-the-art classrooms
and screening rooms, Avid editing suites, lighting and visual effects
gear and over 150 digital cameras. There are several sound stages
and post-productions facilities as well as a digital production
center.
Campus Amenities: The 155-acre campus in University Park
is rich with architectural history and home to a vibrant cultural
community, in addition to its strong academic environment.
Faculty: Barbara Corday, Scott Fisher, Marsha Kinder, Christine
Panushka, Howard Rodman and Lawrence Turman
Notable Guest Instructors: Frank Darabont, Spike Jonze, Jeffrey
Katzenberg, George Lucas, Leonard Maltin, Gary Ross, Fred Silverman
and Steven Spielberg.
Head of Program: Dean Elizabeth M. Daley, Ph.D.
Avg. student age: Undergraduate: 20; Graduate: 25
Famous Alumni: Conrad Hall, Ron Howard, James Ivory, George
Lucas, Gary Rydstrom, Stacy Sher, Robert Zemeckis, Laura Ziskin.
Post-Graduate Support/Services: USC’ Office of Student Industry
Relations helps graduates and students find jobs and internships.
Screenings: Yes, at the First Look festivals, held twice-yearly.
Vancouver Film School
200-198 West Hastings Street • Vancouver, BC, Canada V6B 1H2
www.vfs.com • 800/661-4101
Year founded: 1987
Go to this school if you want: an intensive, hands-on moviemaking
experience that teaches you all aspects of film production in one
year.
Length of program: 48 weeks
Cost: $24,500 (includes equipment use, film stock and processing)
Prerequisites: Post-secondary fine arts education or related
experience
Degree/Certificate: Diploma in Film Production
Equipment/Facilities: The VFS film campus houses everything
an independent production requires: digital video and 16mm camera
equipment along with the requisite rigging/lighting, a host of Avid
editing suites, a Pro Tools Studio, production offices for students,
budgeting software lab, several studio spaces and a custom-built
70-seat theater.
Campus Amenities: 24-hour access, central location
Faculty: Ric Beairsto, Ricky Choi, Julia Courtenay, Dean
Emerick, Ty Haller, Don Hunter, Alan Goldman, Cindy Leaney and others.
Notable Guest Speakers: Bryan Singer, William Walker, Carl
Bessai, David Nutter.
Head of Program: Bryan Wert
Avg. student age: 21-25
Famous Alumni: Gary Hawes; Sherry King-Bloxham; Tom Whelan.
Post-Graduate Support/Services: VFS has an alumni Website
with a job board and contact list at www.myvfs.com. Alumni also
pay reduced tuition prices for additional courses.
Screenings: Industry screenings provided upon request.
Writers Boot Camp
2525 Michigan Avenue, Bldg. I • Santa Monica, CA 90404
www.writersbootcamp.com • 800/800-1733
Year founded: 1989
Go to this school if you want: to write professionally for
film or television.
Length of program: Six days to 22 months, depending on program
Cost: $595 – $6,900 plus corporate fee structure
Prerequisites: Varies depending on program
Equipment/Facilities: Writers Boot Camp offers classes in
Los Angeles, New York and online.
Campus Amenities: WBC has an 11,000 square-foot structure
in Santa Monica, CA housing classrooms, event space and workspace
for writers. There is also a classroom and event facility in NYC.
Faculty: Writers Boot Camp has 10 instructors, all personally
trained by WBC founder Jeffrey Gordon. Gordon teaches as well.
Head of Program: Jeffrey Gordon
Avg. student age: 20s – 40s
Famous Alumni: Hank Azaria, Cindy Chupack, Emily Fox, Jennifer
Grey, Anthony LaPaglia, Jeff Leiber, David Levien, Laurie Metcalf,
Marti Noxon, Sinbad, Malcolm Jamal Warner, Steven Weber, Peter Weller,
Moon Zappa, Daphne Zuniga
Post-Graduate Support/Services: Alumni of the Career Development
program receive ongoing career support from WBC.
Screenings: WBC provides industry submission to writers whose
work reaches a professional level.
Comments: WBC is unique in its vocational, hands-on approach
to conceptual development. There’ a huge gap between having an intellectual
understanding of what comprises outstanding writing and being able
to apply that understanding to your own work. What we do at WBC
has proven extremely effective in bridging that gap.
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