I’m curious which colleges have particularly good programs for TV/Film writing. What programs have graduated successful writers? Any knowledge would be greatly appreciated… Thanks!
I’m sure there are more, but USC, UCLA, NYU, Loyola Marymount are noteworthy.
Good luck!
Emerson too. I believe a lot of writers in Hollywood are Ivy grads.
S19 has the same interest along with film production. Chapman has a TV Writing Production program that has a higher admit rate than their film prod program.
https://www.chapman.edu/dodge/programs/undergraduate/bfa-tv-writing-prod.aspx
BU, Emerson, Syracuse, NYU, USC (other SoCal schools)
BU , thanks to prominent alum , has an intern track for HBO and NBC where you actually spend a semester in production.
@rickle1 Syracuse and BU are also on S19’s list. At Syr, which has better connections in the film/TV industry - VPA or Newhouse? Would it matter?
Emerson and Chapman. Kenyon is great for writing in general. Kenyon alums include John Green (Fault in Our Stars), Laura Hillenbrand (Seabiscuit and Unbroken), Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes), and E.L. Doctorow, also Paul Newman and Allison Janney.
Wesleyan. Go onto their website. Go the About section. Go to Notable Alumni. It is amazing how many of the big hits in recent decades had Wesleyan students as writers, directors and producers. It seems like the place to go for connections to TV shows!
@romns116 not sure about which has better connection at Syracuse. I know a ton of sportscasters (national like Bob Costas, Mike Tiricho, Sean McDonough, etc) came out of Syracuse (I think Newhouse). That’s likely tied to broadcast journalism but i know they are very strong in all forms of television and film.
Emerson College and BU are also full of people in film and TV.
TV writing can be considered as a subfield of creative writing:
https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5649281
http://college.usatoday.com/the-10-best-american-colleges-for-writers/
http://contently.net/2014/11/06/resources/10-best-colleges-creative-writers/
http://flavorwire.com/409437/the-25-most-literary-colleges-in-america
The suitability of most of these schools, however, may depend as much on your general academic interests as on your career aspirations.
Vassar’s list of drama, film, and television alumni is notable.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Vassar_College_people
While not related to writing, Vassar’s connections to the performing arts in NYC is almost unparalleled.
Ethan Slater, the star of the new Broadway hit musical, Spongebob, attended Vassar.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/04/theater/spongebob-squarepants-broadway-musical.html
Additionally:
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/2016/06/12/vassar-way-hamilton-shines-tonys/85809574/
This article further complements those linked above:
@cboo3, An old friend, whose name is not a household name but the TV shows he has created,
produced and/or written for are, advises individuals such as yourself that, if possible, it’s advantageous to attend a school with connections in the industry. That shouldn’t be a surprise. It’s no different if you’re looking to be an investment banker, consultant or work on Wall Street.
A significant number of individuals in the industry are indeed Ivy graduates, especially Harvard. Additional schools that can open doors are mentioned in this thread. E.g., Wesleyan, USC, Chapman, NYU, Vassar, Emerson, etc. I’d add UCLA, Stanford and Northwestern. Do as TheGreyKing suggested and look at the college’s webpage and wiki and see how many notable alumni are listed under (it varies by college) film, theater, entertainment, television, drama, actors, artists, and filmmakers.
Experience as much as possible while in college. Widen your world view. Study abroad.
Creative writing is a gift that can be honed regardless of what you choose to study. All of the good colleges will teach you to think critically, articulate your thoughts and be a better writer. Major in something that you love, whether it be philosophy, French, chemistry or American literature.
Take courses that are of interest without worrying if they’ll benefit your career. They will. The deeper and broader your knowledge base, and the more varied and exciting your life experiences, the better writer you’ll become.
Enjoy the journey!