<p>There's a school missing from your list; you may want to give Florida State University serious consideration. FSU has a top ranked Film School, - I've copied some recent press releases about the program below - an excellent BFA acting program, and a semester-long London Theatre program. Students in the BFA acting and MT programs are encouraged to audition for Film School productions. I can personally testify to the fact that the London Theatre program is a wonderful opportunity for students who are chosen to participate. My D participated in the program last fall. </p>
<p>DreamWorks Pictures has a brand new filmmaker on their lot, welcomed by Steven Spielberg himself. Recent Florida State University Film School graduate Will Bigham triumphed over 12,000 other entrants to win the highly competitive reality show, "On the Lot," a Fox network program produced by Spielberg and Mark Burnett.</p>
<p>After the competition, Spielberg greeted Bigham at the DreamWorks gates, and then walked him to his new office and a $1 million development deal.</p>
<p>"We're thrilled for Will," said Frank Patterson, dean of Florida State's highly acclaimed Film School. "We're not surprised that Will performed well in the competition, given that the show's format is nearly identical to the Film School's curriculum. While his training gave him an edge, his raw talent earned him the win. Will has the DNA of a great filmmaker. That he's a person with superb character, too, makes us all very proud."</p>
<p>After finishing a global search and receiving more than 12,000 submissions, "On the Lot" producers selected a group of talented filmmakers for the competition. The finalists, three of whom were graduates of FSU's Film School, were gathered in Hollywood and divided into teams to engage in a series of filmmaking exercises.</p>
<p>Every week, the filmmakers created short films from a genre chosen by the producers. They struggled with crew, actors, time constraints, budgets and all the usual difficulties of filmmaking to complete their projects. The finished films were then debuted in front of a live studio audience, and millions of viewers at home critically evaluated their creative work.</p>
<p>Judges included actress-author-screenwriter Carrie Fisher ("Star Wars," "Postcards From the Edge") and director-producers Brett Ratner ("Rush Hour 3," "X-Men 3"), Garry Marshall ("Georgia Rule," "Pretty Woman") and Jon Avnet ("Fried Green Tomatoes," "Risky Business"). But the filmmakers were ultimately judged by the harshest critics of all—the public.</p>
<p>In the end, Bigham stood victorious with short films like "Lucky Penny," "Glass Eye," "Nerve Endings," "Unplugged" and "The Yes Men" to his credit. With a studio development deal, Will Bigham now faces a much bigger challenge: impressing Steven Spielberg, again.</p>
<p>FSU Film School faculty have received two Academy Awards, one British Academy Award and 12 Academy Awards nominations for their creative work in the motion picture industry.
In 2004, the prestigious Directors Guild of America recognized the FSU Film School ahead of all other U.S. film programs for "its distinguished contribution to American culture through the world of film and television."
FSU Film students won more Student Oscars (2) and College Television Awards (5) in one year than any other film school. </p>
<p>For the fourth time in three years, a Student Academy Award has gone to a film written and directed by a graduate student from Florida State University's College of Motion Picture, Television and Recording Arts -- best known as The Film School. </p>
<p>At the 34th Annual Student Academy Awards ceremony on June 9 at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif., first prize in the Narrative Category went to "Rundown," a dark thriller created by FSU Film School student Patrick Alexander, 29, of Cincinnati. </p>
<p>In addition to his gold medal, the emerging filmmaker -- who will earn his Master of Fine Arts degree from FSU in August -- will take home the priceless benefits of having his winning film screened in front of industry bigwigs during Saturday's gala ceremony. </p>
<p>The Film School's longstanding winning tradition makes it look easy, but it's not. Each year, the fierce competition for Student Academy Awards draws hundreds of entries from dozens of larger film programs at public and private universities across North America. </p>
<p>"Rundown" -- a short film that unfolds in just less than 15 minutes -- tells the harrowing tale of a television news reporter who must cover the story of the hit-and-run crime she committed while driving to her debut as an anchorwoman. </p>
<p>Film School Dean Frank Patterson calls "Rundown" an entertaining psychological thriller that works on all fronts. </p>
<p>"It's a real nail-biter! Patrick and his team of student filmmakers pulled off a smart film that is both dramatically compelling and stylistically sophisticated," Patterson said. "That such a well-crafted film is the work of students is further evidence that the faculty at The Film School deliver a unique and high-quality film education." </p>
<p>Alexander conceived the idea for "Rundown" during a summer break from college in 2005 after visiting his brother, who worked for "ABC News Nightline" at the time. "I watched a live broadcast from both the control room and the studio and was fascinated by the drama and the stark contrast between the two locations," he said. </p>
<p>"The control room was alive with tension as people barked commands back and forth under a ticking clock, and the studio was equally dramatic but eerily quiet," Alexander said. "All the attention -- the lights and camera -- was focused on one man: Ted Koppel. I thought that if I could craft a unique story that placed my protagonist in this type of hot seat, I would have a dramatic narrative on my hands." </p>
<p>Apparently, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences agreed. </p>
<p>"The Student Academy Award is the one honor I dreamed about the most since entering film school," Alexander said. "The world of filmmaking is such a hard business to break into, and this award is definitely looked upon as a legitimate launch pad." </p>
<p>His role as "Rundown" director did hit a few bumps in the road, so to speak. </p>
<p>"We initially had a difficult time finding a news station that could accommodate our 12-hour shooting days," he said. "When the folks at FOX 49 WTLH in Tallahassee agreed to let us use their facilities, we faced a challenge: They didn't yet have a news set in place, so we had to construct one from scratch, delivering it to the station just in time for the shoot." </p>
<p>Alexander met that and other challenges with help from fellow FSU film students Bradley Hawkins (producer), Lucie Rouche (cinematographer) and Daniel Villa de Rey (editor). </p>
<p>The high point of making "Rundown" was the hit-and-run scene, Alexander said. "I wanted to keep the photography tight on Alison Gallaher (the lead actor), and I also wanted her reactions to be visceral. We mounted the camera on the car's hood and had Alison drive over a mound of sand bags. The force of the collision was real, and so were her reactions." </p>
<p>His fondest Film School memory involved an illustrious former FSU football star. </p>
<p>"I served as Burt Reynolds' teaching assistant when he taught at The Film School in the fall of 2006," he said. "We worked closely with one another, and I walked away with a deeper understanding of acting for the camera compared to acting in the theater." </p>
<p>Alexander credits "every ounce" of his success to FSU. "I entered the program as a writer, but will graduate with a detailed understanding of every position in the filmmaking process," he said. "This is the best place on the planet to learn the filmmaking craft." </p>
<p>FSU's winning tradition continues on the small screen as well. Its latest Student Academy Award comes on the heels of a 2007 College Television Award (Emmy), The Film School's 22nd such honor in 16 years.</p>