<p>Does UC Berkeley has a good film program? Whch UC has the best film major? Thanks guys</p>
<p>I’m not too knowledgeable about this, but I would assume UCLA has the strongest film program just because of it’s location.</p>
<p>One of my friends is a Film Studies major at Berkeley. He says it focuses a lot on theory and not so much on production.</p>
<p>Why did you say “does uc berkeley has” twice?</p>
<p>^ to emphasize his grammatical error</p>
<p>USC, Long Beach,UCLA, & NYU </p>
<p>are the top film schools.</p>
<p>many los angeles universities (with the exception of NYU and a few others) are the best in film. These include USC (which is usually regarded as the best) and UCLA (which is up there)</p>
<p>@many los angeles universities (with the exception of NYU and a few others) are the best in film.</p>
<p>NYU isn’t in LA, NYFA is, but there are NY film schools that do have a campus in LA.</p>
<p>USC is excellent, their production side is decent, but their theory towards professorship is top notch. UCLA has one of the best undergrad film production programs in the country and would even say in the last decade has had the edge over NYU. </p>
<p>To answer the OP’s question…NO Berkeley’s film program is crap and so is UCSC’s in the bay area. The colleges to go to for production in the bay area are De Anza, Ohlone’s, and SFSU. If you are a trustafarian and want to live in Bezerkely then many of the mollycoddled go to Expressions.
UCSB has one of the better if not best Film Studies Program on the UC level. Other great LAC college (not film academy) film programs in the LA area I’d say are Loyola then Chapman. If you are paying that much though you might as well go to NYFA or VFS.</p>
<p>Just curious, do most people who go to the film business like the directors have a college degree in film?</p>
<p>No disrespect but if you have to ask such a frivolous and impertinent question you are more than likely not cut out for working in the film industry.</p>
<p>Steven Spielberg applied and was rejected three times to USC.
Stanley Kubrick attended college in NY- but didn’t finish
Martin Scorsese went to NYU Tisch for Film
USC can claim the following:
Since 1973, at least one alumnus of SCA has been nominated for an Academy Award annually, totaling 256 nominations and 78 wins
Since 1973, at least one SCA alumnus or alumna has been nominated for the Emmy Award annually, totalling 473 nominations and 119 wins
The top 17 grossing films of all time have had an SCA graduate in a key creative position</p>
<p>But: talent has a way of succeeding, whether or not you went to school to study your field. I think education is important, but look at how many people have “made it” without the traditional credentials. I think networking, drive, ambition and talent will help you succeed, wherever you study. Choosing the “right” or “best” school might help you get there quicker, but it isn’t the only path to success.</p>
<p>Great comment Maddenmd!</p>
<p>That is true in many fields actually, especially when certificates and being licensed. A BA is only entry level to prepare the person to take the state exam. If one was already educated they could just skip college and request to take the state exam. Realistically it would still take at least 4 years studying the necessary material to pass the state exam on your own but wouldn’t have recognized credit for it. What you say is true theoretically but is rarely done in actuality. California state exam’s are extremely difficult and many BA students today aren’t even prepared for them. Film is a different beast but without a degree, being born into it, having the right connections, or your own financial angel, it would be quite difficult. One could learn all this on their own but wouldn’t receive unbiased feedback to grow and better develop their own niche. School is also a good way to work on a professional reel which is one’s visual resume.
The likelihood of becoming a Director though is a slim chance unless already well connected and financed with a promising portfolio.</p>
<p>So do those successful directors like: Steven Spielberg,Stanley, Martin Scorsese all had good connections, and their own financial angel before. And right connection you mean know someone pretty well in the film business?</p>
<p>Those successful directors were the ‘movie brats’ and were in the right place at the right time during the late 60’s, early 70’s Hollywood renaissance. Many got their real world experience start through working with King of the B’s Roger Corman who worked for AIP. The movie brats were highly influenced by French New Wave and Italian Neo-Realism Cinema(some of my fave too!) so practiced auteurism, basically the director brushing his own film vision. Some of the movies many look back and love today weren’t always the most successful box office hits so it took some years before they became household names.</p>