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In Focus: Rebecca Choi’s Film Thesis

December 3, 2010 , by ,.

While most Wesleyan students are beginning to cram for finals and enter the most stressful part of the semester this week, a few lucky seniors can say that their worst days are behind them. One of these lucky students is Rebecca Choi ’11, who recently wrapped shooting on her thesis film.

Argus: What is your film about?

Rebecca Choi: It’s about a quiet, lonely guy that works at a hardware store. One day he meets this girl, and she leaves behind a diary. He starts to have dream sequences about how he imagines her life to be based on the diary—I don’t want to give away the ending.

A: How was the shooting process?

RC: I shot at a lot of locations on Main Street, a hardware store, and a restaurant. I had to get permission, obviously. I think that this is the first year where a lot of the digital filmmakers didn’t use the Wesleyan cameras, but I did. For equipment rental I’d say I spent under $500. The process itself was very stressful. I can safely say I’ve never been so stressed out in my life. Just because I was one of the earlier shooting weekends, and my script and everything came together very late. Over the summer, when I was supposed to be writing the film, I was so uninspired. I had no idea what I wanted to write about. So for a long time I actually didn’t think I was going to do a thesis. I came back and one night, a week into school, creativity struck and I wrote the whole thing in a day or two. So everything started late for me, and I had to shoot early.

A: What’s a challenge you had to overcome?

RC: One of the biggest obstacles was that my actor had a ridiculous schedule because he was also acting in Richard III. My exteriors were shot in Hartford, so we’d get there, and he would have to leave. Fridays were the long days, and Saturdays we could only do early mornings. There were time-budgeting issues I didn’t foresee. But it worked out.

A: How would you describe your experience with the film major?

RC: I think that the department is definitely a challenging one. In terms of time commitment, the classes are just inherently longer. There also is a level of pressure, especially in the production classes, and I think that’s because the film department as a program has those attachments to the industry. A lot of times it feels like it’s training for something else, it’s not just a class. You feel like you have to prove yourself, also to your classmates. I think it’s a competitive major.

A: When you came to Wesleyan, were you intending to be a film major?

RC: Not really. I’m definitely not one of those people that came here intending to be a film major, the next big director or whatever. I mean I was very interested in movies, and I took Film 310 my freshman year so it was also an option. I loved the class though, and found out that you can’t really take other film classes unless you’re a major. I’m also majoring in music.

A: Do you have any plans for the film, or for post-grad?

RC: I haven’t done research into the kinds of things I could enter it into, but if I’m really proud of it I’ll definitely try to get it into some festivals.

As for my plans after graduation, since I wasn’t able to go abroad, I’m definitely looking to travel. There’s a program in France. I was going to go to Brazil, I did all the preparations for it, but then it didn’t work out. So I’d like to go there. In terms of a job, I want to do something related to film or music. I’ll have to get experience and in the beginning I’ll take whatever job I can get.

A: Do you have any advice for wannabe film majors?

RC: Don’t let your classmates scare you. There’s a lot of stigma about the film majors that they already know a lot when they come in to the department, which can be intimidating. I definitely know that a lot of kids feel intimidated, but I wouldn’t let that stop you from trying to be a film major, if that’s what you really want to do.

Rebecca’s film will be screened along with the other senior theses in the spring.

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College of Film and the Moving Image

Screenplay and Television Thesis Presentations

On Sunday, the campus gathered in the Powell Family Cinema for this year’s screenplay and television thesis presentations. The department’s senior thesis writers had the chance to present and read from their year-long projects. Here are the students (and Joe Cacaci) and their work:

Screenplay writers

Left to right:

Lealand Meade-Miller,  Tsar Ian 

Ian is a twenty-something American thrown into an identity crisis by the death of his father. He finds the answer to this crisis in his father’s attic, where he discovers he is the last descendant of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and heir to the Russian throne. Spurred by a sense of destiny, he embarks on a journey to Russia to claim his birthright. On this journey he finds friends, foments mob violence, and gets involved in a mafia conspiracy, leading him to question his purpose in the world and what destiny truly means.

James Cureton,  Seattle Story

Leah is a hardworking high school senior, who lives in Seattle with just her mother, Alma. Leah’s life is focused around finishing her high school career on track and getting a scholarship to college. A chance encounter on the streets of Seattle brings her back into the orbit of her estranged father, Anthony. Having lost contact with him and his new family years ago, she has to rediscover what family she really has and who she has to count on.

Jack Maraghy,  Burner

Every year social outcasts flock to the desert for free love and free drugs at a weeklong, Burning Man-esque art festival. But Grayson, long time “Burner” and unofficial festival fixer, can’t relax after witnessing a murder on the first night of the fest. He spends the rest of the week unraveling a conspiracy that may ultimately unravel him. It’s a surreal decent into darkness as he learns what he’ll sacrifice to protect his way of life.

Jianna Xiong,  Dot

Eight-year-old Dot and his father, Adam, live alone in a secluded, undeveloped valley that encloses an otherworldly land made of rough diamonds. Working with his colleague at the federal environmental agency, Adam is committed to shielding the diamond field from the profit-driven outside world. Meanwhile, trying to shelter Dot from the truth of his mother’s suicide, Adam comes up with a mythical story that leads Dot to believe that his mother is living in the distant, all-powerful ocean. However, when the diamond field is brought to the attention of a diamond-mining corporation, the company’s imminent encroachment threatens both the valley’s preservation and Dot’s idealistic worldview.

Television writers

Arianna Allegra D’Andrea,  Syndicate

Do intentions justify actions? Set in NYC, Syndicate explores the psychological journey of two unsuspecting people involved in illicit activities, for moral reasons. The drama centers on Ginger, a 21- year-old business enthusiast whose future gets derailed due to foolish, heat-of-the- moment decision-making. What began as a quick fix to help pay family medical bills soon devolved into total involvement in nefarious activities that eat away at her daily. Lucky faces a similar situation. His now comatose brother, Dom, would use revenue from his marijuana sales to help the less fortunate. Struggling to upkeep this financial support, Lucky is launched into a business he never wanted part in. The two form an unlikely alliance, but their pasts are dangerously intertwined. The closer Lucky and Ginger grow, the closer everything comes to falling apart…

Matt Fichandler, Whisper Valley

Whisper Valley is a mystery-comedy that follows the Buckworths, a family of four, as they move from Philadelphia to the picturesque town of Bearskin Butte, Colorado. Every resident of Bearskin Butte is a member of Envirology, a nature-loving cult. Throughout their move, the Buckworths learn that Envirology is one week away from The First Day, and while attempting to discover what will happen on The First Day, the Buckworths learn that Bearskin Butte is not what they thought it was. Not only is Envirology moving the town towards self-sustainability without permission from the government, but the town of Bearskin Butte doesn’t even technically exist. They are actually in Whisper Valley, a town that Envirology has secretly been fixing up ever since its abandonment 25 years ago. What will The First Day bring?

Kaelin Loss, Zapp and Zodd

On planet Cardosso, the aliens working at Zarthorp Productions struggle to save their most popular television show: Earth. The Cardossians have watched the evolution of Earth, its species and cultures with disgust and morbid curiosity for 4.5 billion years. But the show’s location is nearing total destruction, and evolving technology poses the possibility of human colonization in space. Enter Zapp and Zodd: producers with nothing in common who must assume human form, travel to Earth, and determine whether humanity is worth saving. Zapp and Zodd, a half-hour comedy, is bursting with criticism and commentary on human nature through an “alien” perspective.

Zenzele Price, Blame

The Shore family moved to rural Watertown, Idaho in hopes of a fresh start. But on one Sunday morning at the supermarket, Alex, the family’s eldest son, commits a crime that erases any hope the Shores harbored of living a normal life. Alex’s act is caught on camera, capturing the attention of the news and igniting the indignation of the entire community. As the media spotlight threatens to unearth decades of family secrets, one question about that fateful morning remains unanswered – why did Alex do it?

Blame follows the Shore family as the consequences of that morning ripple through the town, thrusting a grieving family and a reeling community into public scrutiny.

Eli Sands, Tenement

Tenement is an hour-long historical drama series. By 1925, only the very poorest of the million and a half Jews who immigrated to New York City in the prior half-century still remain on the Lower East Side. One such poor family is the Nadelmanns: parents Abram and Devorah, and their children Menachem, Yaaakov, and Anna. Abram’s diagnosis of tuberculosis and subsequent hospitalization sparks great change in all their lives: Menachem becomes politically active as an anarchist, Yaakov becomes an assistant to a shady and wealthy banker, and Anna explores acting in Yiddish theater. Family friend Leah starts a garment manufacturing business. As they gain experience, grow in ambition, and face escalating obstacles, they reevaluate their goals and their relationships with their loved ones.

Will Stewart, Become Death

Become Death tells the story of two families brought together to survive the nuclear apocalypse. Fifteen years after the bombs fall, the Bates and Gomez families sit opposed over the remains of the State of Tennessee in the midst of a war between the United States and China. In the pilot, the various members of the Bates and Gomez families struggle to seize power after the President’s revelation that the Chinese army has developed technology which may end the nuclear detente. Bud Bates, the patriarch of the Bates family, wants to capitalize on this new technology, while matriarch Martina Gomez wants to reveal the secrets Bud hides on his estate.

Congratulations to all thesis writers! Be sure to catch the history, theory, and criticism presentations on Monday 5/7, and the thesis films on 5/11 and 5/12.

2023-2024 Edition

Academic catalog, film studies major, major description.

The College of Film and the Moving Image (CFILM) encompasses the Film Studies Department, the Center for Film Studies, the Wesleyan Documentary Project, the Student Film Series, and the Ogden and Mary Louise Reid Cinema Archives. CFILM approaches the moving image as an art in all its various forms—fiction, documentary, experimental, live-action, or animated—and in all its various venues: cinemas, television, the internet. The College is designed specifically for liberal arts undergraduates who benefit most from the marriage of image-making, history, and studies.

Admission to the Major

The requirements for admission include a minimum overall academic average of B (85.0) and the successful completion of two designated entry-level courses with a grade of B+ or better in each. Entry to the major is possible only after completion of these two courses and application to the film major. To apply, students must meet with one of the Film Department Advisors by the end of the first semester of their sophomore year and place their names on the list of potential majors. The Film Department Advisors are Stephen Collins, Scott Higgins, Anuja Jain, Marc Longenecker, Sadia Shepard, Michael Slowik, and Tracy Strain . Students on this list will receive an application form. Applications will be evaluated based on performance in film studies classes (including but not limited to grades) and any other factors deemed pertinent.

Because of the prerequisites and major requirements, students transferring to Wesleyan after their first semester sophomore year are not eligible to declare the film studies major.

Major Requirements

To fulfill the major, students must satisfactorily complete 10 Film Studies courses, including:

Two introductory courses—Film 304: History of Global Cinema and Film 307: The Language of Popular Cinema

One basic production course—Film 450: Sight and Sound Workshop

A minimum of six Film elective courses and

FILM 456 (senior thesis) or one additional elective

Students may count a maximum of 16 credits in any single department toward the 32 credits required for graduation. Credits that exceed this limit will count as oversubscription.

The film major does not require a senior thesis.

Additional Options

Please see our departmental website for further information regarding the specifics of our major (wesleyan.edu/cfilm).

Please be aware that cross-listed courses must be counted in all departments in which they are listed.

Course offerings vary from year to year and not all courses are available every year. With prior approval by the department chair, one history/theory course from another institution may be transferred to the Wesleyan major from study abroad. The department does not offer credit for internships or student forums, but uncredited opportunities to work on senior films are available. Consult the chair of film studies for further details. The Film Studies Department does not offer credit for internships.

Students may become involved in film studies in ways other than class enrollment. The College of Film and the Moving Image houses the Wesleyan Cinema Archives and the Wesleyan Documentary Project. The Film Board (composed of Wesleyan students) runs the Wesleyan Film Series. The College of Film also hosts the Wesleyan Freshman/Sophomore Filmmaking Workshop.

Prerequisite Classes

Required Courses After Entry into the Major

FILM 456 (senior thesis) or one additional elective listed below                                                                           1                                                                                   

Required Film Studies Electives 

OPTIONAL FILM/TELEVISION COURSES - DOES NOT COUNT TOWARD ELECTIVE CREDIT

Note:    The oversubscription rule limits students to a maximum of 16 credits in a single department before oversubscription occurs, at which point further credits earned in the department cannot count toward the 32 credits required for graduation.

Student Learning Goals

Mission of the film major.

The mission of the film studies major is to deliver the finest undergraduate film, television, and media education through our distinctive blending of history, analysis, and production. The major explores moving image art and culture by looking at what is on screen using the language of filmmakers. We highlight visual storytelling. No matter the level of the course or the nature of the discussion, we maintain a direct route from our intellectual activity to filmmakers’ choices and audience experiences. In contrast to graduate programs, which separate practice from study or teach methods of scholarship, we teach about the films themselves in a jargon-free classroom.

Mission of the Film Minor

The film studies minor offers the same fundamental orientation as the major, but with fewer requirements and an emphasis on cross-listed classes. Its mission is to deliver an encompassing curriculum in film and media studies through an interdisciplinary approach.

Our Pedagogical Goals

Our broad goal is to foster the critical understanding of cinema and television as art forms. To all students, both general education and majors, we offer a unified perspective that enables students to think critically about form and the choices that visual storytellers face. No other liberal arts film program features such a broad and deep background in analysis, culture, and history coupled with sensitivity to film and television’s immediate and intimate relationship with audiences.

Our majors develop a critical and creative approach to the medium based on a strong visual vocabulary, extensive viewing, and a grasp of film production. Production and studies are mutually reinforcing in this environment. Our 16mm and digital production courses facilitate deeper comprehension of film and television’s complexities and demand a higher level of critical and analytical thinking. Likewise, students steeped in history and analysis bring a robust visual vocabulary and awareness of form and culture to the tasks of storytelling. Upon graduation, majors know how to make a movie, are experienced in film and television writing, understand film history, can offer original visions, and are capable of extending our knowledge of the moving image.

Our major demands and rewards critical thinking. We believe that true learning involves synthesis, discovery, and original thought. Our students must face the challenge of defining and resolving artistic, historical, and analytical problems on their own, while also learning to work in collaboration. We encourage students to develop a personal vision, take risks, solve problems, and learn from failure as well as success.

Film studies majors are not required to complete Gen Ed requirements to be Honors Candidates in Film.

Film studies majors are not required to complete senior thesis projects to fulfill their major program of study. However, large percentages of majors do opt for a senior thesis, which can take the form of a written history thesis, a screenplay, a 16mm film, a digital video, an advanced television project, or a film criticism project. Senior theses provide majors with the opportunity to advance what they have learned in their previous coursework through an extended individual project. Film Studies maintains a rigorous approach to evaluating theses, but also provides close, one-on-one advising. 

Those students wishing to make a senior thesis film, video, or virtual project must complete their introductory production course (Sight and Sound or Introduction to Digital) during their junior year.

Capstone Experience

The College of Film and the Moving Image provides an array of Capstone Experiences, including:

Advanced senior 16mm filmed thesis

Advanced senior digital thesis

Advanced documentary thesis

Advanced senior screenplay thesis

Advanced television thesis

Advanced film criticism project

Senior paper

Senior film board participation

Senior presentation week participation

Optional Capstone outside major

No Capstone

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Theses and Dissertations

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Film Studies At Wesleyan

Wesleyan's film studies program is consistently ranked as one of the best in the United States. Firmly grounded in the liberal arts tradition of integrating history and theory with practice, no other liberal arts film program features such a broad and deep background in analysis and history coupled with sensitivity to film's immediate and direct power over audiences. A minor is also offered. More than 400 Wesleyan graduates have careers in the film industry, with others finding success in the fields of art, design, and culture. All carry with them the critical skills and love of cinema they developed at Wesleyan.

What You'll Study

• Film studies is a much sought-after major. Students considering a film studies major should consult with the department chair as soon as possible in order to receive advising regarding the major.
• Wesleyan's film studies program fosters the critical understanding of cinema and television as art forms, offering students a unified perspective that enables them to think critically about form and the choices that visual storytellers must face.
• Upon graduation, you'll know how to make a movie, have experience in all forms of film and television writing, understand film history, and be able to offer original solutions to artistic problems.
• Major requirements include History of World Cinema to the 1960s and The Language of Hollywood: Styles, Storytelling, and Technology; a production course and senior seminar; and a minimum of six film studies electives. Classes typically include lectures, discussions, and several film screenings each week, as well as papers and group presentations.

Minor Requirements

Beyond the classroom.

Center for Film Studies

The Jeanine Basinger Center for Film Studies includes a 412-seat state-of-the-art screening facility and a nationally recognized faculty who have firsthand knowledge of domestic and foreign cinema.

Cinema Archives

Step into the Ogden and Mary Louise Reid Cinema Archives at Wesleyan and find a treasure trove of photos, correspondence, posters, and other valuable artifacts of film culture.

CFILM in the News

The Hollywood Reporter brought together 33 of Corwin-Fuller Professor of Film Studies, Emerita, Jeanine Basinger's former pupils for “an A-list class reunion.” Read all about it!

Did you know?

• “I simply do not believe there’s a better film studies program in the world." —Joss Whedon '87, Wesleyan film studies major and the creator, producer, and director of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Angel," and "Firefly," writer/director of "The Avengers."
• A number of Hollywood’s highest-grossing films have been directed by Wesleyan graduates, including Michael Bay ’86, Jon Turteltaub ’85, and Paul Weitz ’88.
• Bringing together Wesleyan’s Department of Film Studies with the Center for Film Studies, the Cinema Archives, and the Wesleyan Film Series, the College of Film and the Moving Image (CFILM) is the reason why Wesleyan is consistently cited as having one of the country’s top film schools.

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2024’s Top Film Schools in North America

Each year, Variety curates a list of the top film school programs across North America. From universities that are as old (or older) than the moving picture itself, to budding programs, the schools on this list collectively offer an impressive array of educators, facilities and lessons to be learned. Countless alumni from these programs have become legendary names in the industry. They have created award-winning films and television series, enacted change both on-screen and behind-the-scenes, and often give back to the institutions that fostered their talent.

Belmont University

Nashville, TN

Collaboration between departments is key to the success of Belmont’s students in the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business. “Our faculty are career industry professionals, who’ve worked in all forms, from indie features to the biggest studio productions,” Jay New, the school’s co-chair of motion pictures, production and screenwriting, tells Variety. He adds that students can pick up a camera on day one. “Our freshman students are required to start off with a course called cinematic storytelling, where they have a camera in hand,” he says. “They make four productions that semester. And then it just keeps going from there.” Besides state-of-the-art equipment and advantageous curriculum, students benefit from networking opportunities provided by dedicated staff. “We have students who have very seamlessly moved into the industry for internships and other opportunities in L.A. and New York, Atlanta — and obviously, Nashville as well,” says New.

Biola University

La Mirada, CA

Tucked in a suburb of Los Angeles, Biola’s Snyder School of Cinema and Media Arts offers students not only the technical skills to forge a successful career but also qualities such as teamwork, reliability and follow-through, says Dean Tom Halleen. “It’s an understanding that preparing students for the world of media in general isn’t just about having excellent technical skills.” The school features all the high-end equipment and instruction that students need to create films, and in 2026, it will open an expanded studio, growing Biola’s existing production facilities. “The building has been envisioned to accommodate the incredible rate of growth that we have,” says Halleen. “The idea behind the building is to house the full production workflow, from ideation to pre-production, production and post-production all the way through final presentation in our theater.” The school is also working in partnership with a “recently announced AI lab within our Crowell School of Business,” says Halleen.

Boston University

Boston University will renovate a second 2,500-square-foot production space this summer, which will operate in addition to the school’s current production studio. BU is also moving toward the use of LED to replace traditional lighting, which is more environmentally conscious and safer for students. “We are immensely proud of all aspects of our program, both in the classroom and beyond — the renaissance we are experiencing in curriculum growth and faculty expansion and the ongoing success of our students in the field,” says Paul Schneider, chair of the department of film and television. Current faculty members include cinematographer Tim Palmer (“Killing Eve,” “Bad Sisters”) and director and producer Amy Geller (“The Guys Next Door,” “The Rabbi Goes West”) among many other industry professionals.

California State University, Northridge

Northridge, CA

With a campus near studio lots, Cal State Northridge students are in the heart of the industry. The school has a strong documentary department and under new documentary head Judy Korin (“Adrift,” “The Great Hack”), student documentaries have garnered national attention with finalists for the Student Academy Awards and PBS Fine Cut Festival of Films. Dave Caplan (“The Connors”) is heading up a new CSUN Cinema and Television Arts mentorship program for six underserved screenwriting students that places them with working showrunners to develop their own TV scripts. Talicia Raggs (writer/producer on “NCIS: New Orleans”) and music producer/engineer/scoring mixer Michael Stern (“Iron Man 2”) are new faculty members.

Chapman University

The Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman is not only one of the most technically advanced institutions in the country — sporting multiple soundstages, editing and mixing suites plus an LED wall — it is also one of the most productive with 50 undergrad thesis films being produced this year. Yet, according to dean Stephen Galloway, what makes it truly unique is the community built between students during their four years. “We bake that in from day one. Students are working together, forming teams, not being dictatorial,” Galloway says. “We think of this as a village of filmmakers, where everybody knows each other and works together and builds those relationships that you take out into the industry.” 

Community College of Aurora

Formerly known as Colorado Film School, the Cinematic Arts department at the Community College of Aurora is expanding into virtual production, immersive entertainment and storytelling for video games. The average class size is around 13, and the curriculum is based on experiential learning, so students and the school have established educational partnerships with interactive game companies, national advertising agencies, production companies, and film festivals. The school offers six certificates and six three-year associate’s degrees so students can finish their program and enter the industry earlier than traditional programs. The price of the degree is also much less than most bachelor’s degree programs, allowing aspiring filmmakers to graduate without heavy debt.

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, IL

Undergraduate students can take advantage of the school’s Semester in L.A. program, which introduces students to people working in the entertainment industry and L.A. internship opportunities. “At Columbia College Chicago, we focus on bringing your vision to the screen, but also on developing close working relationships with people you trust. Our classes provide the skills needed to work in any aspect of the industry you are interested in, and our vibrant community helps you build creative partnerships that start at school but continue and grow as you enter the industry,” says Eric Scholl, interim co-chair of the cinema and television arts department.

Columbia University's School of the Arts

New York, NY

In the 2023-2024 school year, the film MFA program welcomed its first class to the new writing for film and television concentration, while undergrads can work on graduate films and take advantage of the Columbia Undergraduate Film Productions group. New faculty include veteran film and TV editor and producer Elizabeth Kling (“Practical Magic,” “Addicted to Love”). Notable faculty include James Schamus, Trey Ellis and Ira Deutchman. Columbia’s notable alumni includes writer/actress Grace Edwards (“Insecure”) and helmer Kathryn Bigelow (“Zero Dark Thirty,” “The Hurt Locker”), offering plentiful networking opportunities for graduates.

Emerson College

Within the Visual and Media Arts department, Emerson promises a hands-on education in filmmaking. Students can select a production track or media studies track, with courses ranging from writing the feature film to computer animation to media criticism and theory. Students can take advantage of the school’s directing studio located on campus at the Paramount Center, or partake in the school’s Los Angeles internship program. VMA chair Shaun Clarke says, “The Visual and Media Arts department fosters the development and creative passions of our students in ways true to themselves and uniquely Emersonian: in the classroom with highly skilled faculty and inspired peers, using state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, and in the world alongside groundbreaking alumni impacting the future of film.”

Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema

Brooklyn, NY

For a top film school, Feirstein is famously more affordable than many others with tuition at $21,000. The school is also developing new curriculum, which is more focused on the overall multifaceted filmmaker, rather than specific tracks. Students benefit from an impressive faculty including the school of cinema’s executive director Richard N. Gladstein, who frequently leads master classes and lectures about film producing and the entertainment industry, and new instructors such as producer Anne Carey (“The Persian Version,” “Lost Girls”) and helmer/writer Anthony Drazen (“The West Wing”). The school also recently had masterclasses taught by John Turturro, Steven Soderbergh and Janusz Kaminski. Feirstein boasts a powerhouse advisory council that includes Ethan Hawke, Darren Aronofsky, Bruce Cohen, Stephen Daldry, Randall Poster, John Turturro, Talitha Watkins, Vicki Thomas and Doug Steiner.

Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL

The College of Motion Picture Arts at Florida State University is all about putting students first with a 5-1 student-to-faculty ratio, 24-7 facility hours, plus funding virtually all student laboratory, workshops and thesis project production expenses at the graduate and undergraduate level. An impressive 96% of graduates find work in the industry after one year. FSU is also home to the Torchlight Center for Motion Picture Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which is an off-campus cinematheque and virtual production studio available to all film students. Just last year, the college was named number four among all public film schools in the nation. 

Hofstra University

Hempstead, NY

This year, Hofstra’s Lawrence Herbert School of Communication added a BS in sports media and continues to offer BFAs in filmmaking and writing for the screen, as well as a BA in film productions and studies and another BS in television and film. Students in these programs can begin making their films their first year with access to three soundstages and a post-production facility that includes an editing classroom, screening room and color correction suite. Faculty include cinematographer Sekiya Dorsett (“In Our Mother’s Gardens”), helmer Kelcey Edwards (“The Art of Making It”) and cinematographer Mark Raker (“Five Questions”).

Ithaca College

In 2023, Ithaca’s Roy H. Park School of Communications established a special opportunities fund for students to access hands-on opportunities related to their career paths. Additionally, the James B. Pendleton Endowment gives more than $800,000 every year to the Park school, funding the Los Angeles program, annual technology upgrades, two endowed professorships, $125,000 in student scholarship awards and close to $75,000 for student, faculty and staff projects. Park also boasts an immersive volume stage known as the Cube, which lets students make use of 3D visual effects via Unreal Engine. Dean Amy Falkner says, “Recruiters often remark at how industry-ready Park students are when they enter the workforce. We owe that to our Tech Ops team who keep the broadcast studios, soundstages, virtual production studios, LED walls and post-production suites on the cutting edge of industry-grade equipment and software. The faculty incorporate all this tech in their teaching, and it takes our students to the highest level.”

Loyola Marymount

Los Angeles, CA

In the fall, LMU will introduce Masters in Entertainment Leadership and Management (MELM), a collaboration between LMU SFTV and LMU College of Business Administration. This program will be taught by industry leaders including Janet Yang, SFTV presidential fellow and president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Unique programs for LMU include its Hollywood Bootcamp, recently led by WME agent Krista Parkinson, which provides career training via access to leading executives and companies. LMU also often brings distinguished speakers to campus such as Damon Lindelof, S.S. Rajamouli, Vince Gilligan, Lauren Neustadter and Terilyn Shropshire. “We have a unique ability to provide not only an exceptional education within the classroom but also the in-person industry access and connections required to launch and sustain a successful entertainment career. Thanks to our award-winning faculty, our two campuses located in the heart of the industry (Los Angeles and Silicon Beach), and programs like Hollywood Bootcamp and our Distinguished Artist in Residence, we give aspiring filmmakers a pragmatic, real-world education to set them up for success,” says Joanne Moore, dean of the School of Film and Television.

New York Film Academy

The New York Film Academy is one of the most expansive film schools in the nation, with eight global locations and three undergraduate degree programs encapsulating over 15 areas of study. With an emphasis on a hands-on approach to filmmaking, students get access to top-of-the-line gear and facilities, personal mentoring from industry veterans, travel courses for up to eight weeks and opportunities to train in formats such as 35mm and 16mm film. NYFA has no shortage of famous alumni including Bill Hader, Issa Rae, Aubrey Plaza, Shivani Rawat, Masali Baduza and Lisa Cortés.

Northwestern

Evanston, IL

This year, Northwestern’s department of radio/television/film took students to Sundance to experience the festival and network with alumni. “Our alumni networks are our biggest asset,” says Kerry Trotter, communications director at the school. “There is a very strong, short tether between L.A. and Evanston, and alumni in the industry are often cultivating opportunities for NU students.” Additionally, each spring break the program takes a group of RTVF and communication studies students to London for site visits and networking opportunities. As part of the school’s mission to elevate entertainment education for its student body, it will offer a new minor next academic year: game design, media arts and animation. 

New Brunswick, NJ

Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts offers a myriad of programs and facilities, including the Documentary Film Lab, which allows students to work on full-length documentaries with faculty. Associate professor and chair of the Rutgers Filmmaking Center, Patrick Stettner, says of the department’s mission, “Our priority is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of different modes of storytelling and filmmaking techniques. We recently launched a new course, AI in New Technology Filmmaking, which helps students navigate the next great tech revolution in cinema.” Mason Gross also boasts a new VR studio lab which offers students the opportunity to gain experience with virtual reality filmmaking.

Savannah College of Art and Design

Savannah, GA

With one of the largest university film studio complexes in the nation, SCAD continues to expand. New additions will include a 17,000-square-foot support building for production classrooms, costume labs, costume studio shop and a scenic production wood/machine shop. Students recently worked on a comedy series and two short films on location at SCAD’s Lacoste, France campus. Film and television coursework is supported by events with industry guests throughout the academic year, such as Kevin Bacon, Eva Longoria, Ava DuVernay and George Lopez. The school boasts a well-connected faculty, including Andra Reeve-Rabb, dean of the school of film and acting and director of SCAD’s casting office, who is the former director of casting at CBS Primetime, New York.

Scottsdale Community College

Scottsdale, AZ

Offering efficient two-year degree programs that prepare students to enter the entertainment industry is just one advantage of the Scottsdale School of Film and Theatre at Scottsdale Community College. The school’s curriculum is looking ahead to what film and theater professionals will need in the coming decade, and as such, updating courses to prepare students to work in both filmed productions and live events. Scottsdale’s TV/New Media studio is also in the early stages of a $250,000 update, focused on creating a space that features current equipment and tech students will likely use post-graduation. 

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY

Syracuse’s Visual and Performing Arts film program focuses on hands-on education, the film production process and cross-training across film disciplines for its students. BFA and MFA degrees in film are offered through the VPA program, and BS and MA degrees in television, radio and film are offered through the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. The VPA program also hosts study opportunities in Los Angeles, New York City and Washington, D.C. “The brand of Newhouse graduates is less about making film as we know it, rather their capacity to invent the next generation of film,” says Michael Schoonmaker, professor and chair of the television, radio and film department at the communications school.  

The Los Angeles Film School

Centrally located in Hollywood and just a stone’s throw from nearby studio lots, the Los Angeles Film School offers bachelor’s and associate degrees in entertainment fields, with its film degree allowing students to pursue concentrations in production, directing or cinematography. In addition to adding an animation/VFX program that shares classes with the film program, the school recently redesigned its TechKit — which includes state-of-the-art software and hardware designed to make it possible for the student to start making films immediately — for the animation program. Famous alums include sound designer Phillip Bladh, who won an Oscar for sound for “The Sound of Metal,” video director Hannah Lux Davis, known for collaborating with Ariana Grande, Halsey and Demi Lovato, and helmer/writer/producer Kyle Newacheck, whose work has appeared on “Workaholics,” “Parks and Recreation” and “Community.”

U. of Texas at Austin - Moody College

Within the Moody College of Communication, the department of radio-television-film boasts a motion capture studio, 70×20 foot green screen and podcast suites, as well as noteworthy alums including Matthew McConaughey and Robert Rodriguez. The school has begun a curriculum overhaul to its B.S., MFA and M.A. programs, and is currently refreshing all film equipment, including cameras, lenses, audio equipment and computers. For aspiring young filmmakers, the school even offers a summer camp led by advanced graduate students, professors and media professionals.

University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Winston-Salem, NC

Now celebrating the school’s 30th anniversary, the Fighting Pickles are formally launching the Story Art Studio in 2024 as an incubator that merges the unique voice and history of the region with both classical and cutting-edge storytelling tools across the disciplines of dance, music, drama and more. The program not only encapsulates the breadth of UNCSA’s curriculum but joins with its Dean’s Advisory Council, comprising of prominent industry leaders, to create post-graduate pathways into the industry. “It’s a gift to have the focus that [students] have here without the distractions of wonderful cities like Los Angeles and New York present,” says dean Deborah LaVine. “Here, the only person they’re competing with is themselves.”

Vancouver Film School

Vancouver, B.C.

Through its school of film & television, school of animation and school of games & creative design, VFS offers an immersive curriculum across 15 programs. Students are trained by industry professionals and have access to eight world-class production centers that feature a 64,000 cubic-feet of performance and motion capture volume, a 180-degree greenscreen room, mixing labs and recording studios, film sets and studios. VFS has been ranked as the top game design school in Canada, and the second-top game design school worldwide. In the 2024 awards season, over 12,000 VFS alumni were credited on nominated and winning projects spanning the Game Awards, Golden Globes, Emmys and the Academy Awards.

Wesleyan University

Middletown, CT

The College of Film and the Moving Image at Wesleyan University seeks to blend history, analysis and production in a liberal arts context. The school recently piloted a one-week immersive summer externship program in Los Angeles, which introduces students from underrepresented groups to the entertainment industry. Two first-generation college students spent a week meeting with prominent alumni like Jenno Topping, Tony Ducret and David Stone. “While we teach skills such as analytical and creative writing, producing, shooting and editing, our goals are broader,” says Scott Higgins, director of the College of Film and the Moving Image. “We aim to help undergraduates discover their goals and to develop their creative and critical voices in a collaborative community founded on a passionate commitment to the moving image.” 

Film School Titans

USC, UCLA, Cal Arts, Tisch, AFI

Across the film school landscape, there are many notable programs but five in particular stand apart because of their impressive curriculum, notable alumni and overall influence: the American Film Institute, California Institute of the Arts, the Kanbar School of Film and Television at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, and the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

AFI is noted for its remarkable instructors such as cinematography head Stephen Lighthill and producing head Lianne Halfon. Fellows are guaranteed to make films and the school has partnered to help create the Disney/AFI Underrepresented Storytellers Initiative to help create a pathway that removes economic barriers for emerging filmmakers.

Ask many any animation luminary where they went to school, and you’ll likely hear the name CalArts. Notable alumni include Tim Burton, Brad Bird and Pete Docter, whose films have won multiple Academy Awards. Students can choose from 70 comprehensive degree programs.

The Kanbar Institute within Tisch claims Martin Scorsese as a production alum. Several years ago, the school received the largest grant in its history from the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation to establish the Martin Scorsese Institute of Global Cinematic Arts, which includes a virtual production center and cinematic studies.

As a public university, UCLA offers a world-class film school education at a price that won’t saddle a student with heavy costs. Among ambitious offerings at UCLA’s school of theater, film and television is a recently announced extended reality and artificial intelligence research studio at the school’s downtown campus. Faculty includes many noted working pros who cover every aspect of filmmaking such as costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis. Screenwriter David Koepp (“Jurassic Park,” “War of the Worlds”) and Dustin Lance Black (“Milk”) are among the school’s many notable alums.

The USC School of Cinematic Arts offers a unique interdisciplinary curriculum, in which students take courses from the full spectrum of the SCA’s offerings — prospective writers take courses in directing, directors take courses in interactive media. Helmer Ryan Coogler and writer-producer Shonda Rhimes are just a few of SCA’s highly successful alums. The school receives tremendous support from the creative community. In 2006, filmmaker and alumnus George Lucas made the largest single donation in USC history by giving the film school $175 million.

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