<p>Hi</p>
<p>I was wondering which film schools/film departments at colleges in the US are the most reputable and well-known. Since I'm from Switzerland it's not that easy to find out... The only ones I know are USC, UCLA and Tisch. Are there any others?</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Add to the top 3 already listed: AFI (American Film Institute??) and Chapman University- Dodge College of Film (new building just opened; l0 year old program).</p></li>
<li><p>The accept rates are 5% and 8% for directors, maybe 25% for screenwriters, so be sure to also apply to many more that are not the top 5.</p></li>
<li><p>I can throw out the names of ones I've heard of, but surely others can add more. Here are the ones I know of: Emerson (Boston), Ithaca College (Roy Parks School of Communication), University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, American University in Washington, D.C (I think, or if not then George Washington U in Washington D.C.)</p></li>
<li><p>There's a place in Florida and another in North Carolina -- can someone who knows those name them please?</p></li>
<li><p>In the New York City area, if you don't get in to Tisch, you'd also be wise to have also filed an applicaiton with State University of New York at Purchase for their B.F.A. program, very competitive, at least you can live in a suburb of NYC; however, the college itself is very plain and unappealing architecturally. The studetns there network very well with each other and go into New York City by train regularly.</p></li>
<li><p>There's an unaccredited program called NYFA in New York City where lots of people are making films, but it's not a college credit program. If you don't get into a college you can go there and make films, but it'll cost like an expensive college. At least it gets you here to build up a resume/portfolio to reapply the following year.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Regarding USC, UCLA, Tisch and CHapman -- they have very different ways of admitting and educating. For USC, I believe you submit a portfolio. For Chapman, definitely so and they determine before you're a freshman if you're in that major and train you right from the start as a major. But remember: 8% admit rates.
UCLA requires that you study general subjects for the first two years and THEN submit a portfolio, for determination for the major that can ONLY begin in Junior year. So, if you're there and don't make it into the major, that's not so nice. They believe in ensuring people gain a solid liberal arts foundation before beginning to make films, although you do take one or two film courses as a freshman or sophomore.
Out-of-state tuitions at UCLA are $40K/year and this is so for a resident of any U.S. state except California. For a Californian, UCLA tuition is $5 or 6 thousand.<br>
Chapman is private, costing around $40K with a total student population around 5,000 instead of the very large size of UCLA. Chapman isn't in the heart of LA, it's out in a suburb 40 miles from LA downtown. But Chapman's building/equipment is outstanding.
NYU/Tisch awards a B.F.A. (bachelor of fine arts) while UCLA gives a B.A> (Bachelor of Arts). Within the film industry I'm sure everybody's heard of, and is comfortable with a B.F.A. The BFA degree is only about 25 years old, but it's understood within the arts world certainly, perhaps less familiar in the world of business, etc. If your plans change and you want the more standard B.A. that indicates you got a solid undergraduate liberal arts education, then it's worth thinking about.<br>
No matter how good you feel you are at this point, I'd encourage you to apply to many schools, maybe 6. It's time consuming because of the portfolio requirements.
Two "safety" schools not from the top 5 is recommended. A different concept of a "safety" is to apply to schools that have film-related programs (such as production, managemetn, stagecraft) so you're sure to get in somewhere.
Everybody here wants to be Steven Spielberg. It's competitive. BUT YOU CAN DO IT!!! Good luck</p>
<p>The school in Florida that you are thinking of is most likely Florida State University. This past week FSU announced another prestigious win at the 2007 College Television Awards. I have copied the press release below:</p>
<p>FSU Film School wins another one: 2007 College Television Award
With a recent top-three finish at the 28th Annual College Television Awards in Hollywood, Calif., the Emmy-winning tradition continues at Florida State University's College of Motion Picture, Television and Recording Arts—best known as The Film School.</p>
<p>Its latest win makes 22 times in 16 years that works written, produced and directed by FSU film students have beaten hundreds of entries from other prestigious film programs across the country to claim a first, second or third prize from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Along the way, FSU set an Academy record by winning five of the College Television Awards in 2004 alone, the most ever for one school in a single year.</p>
<p>This year, The Film School took home third-place honors in the highly competitive Drama category for "Abe"—the mini-saga of a dog's life after the death of his owner forces him to find a new home. The eight-minute-long film was produced by FSU graduate student Erika J. Harvey of Madison, Wis., and written and directed by fellow grad student Khen Shalem of Kibbutz Nir-David in Israel. In fact, Shalem wrote "Abe" as part of his Film School application.</p>
<p>The College Television Award-winning production began as a "D3" assignment for the students—meaning it had to be shot in three days. Harvey and Shalem did just that at locations throughout the Tallahassee area such as downtown's Galley Alley, the Florida A&M University campus, the Leon County Animal Shelter and the neighboring town of Monticello.</p>
<p>The Humane Society helped Shalem find the film's star—an engaging Golden Retriever called "Ammo"—though he notes that "Abe" features other (human) actors as well.</p>
<p>By far the most challenging part of the filmmaking—besides a three-day shoot on a $2,000 budget—was directing a dog, Shalem said. "Once, Ammo answered a call of nature during a shot. Then there were the jealous neighborhood dogs that wouldn't stop barking…."</p>
<p>For Harvey, the best part was working with Shalem—including the late nights at Tallahassee's All Saints Caf</p>
<p>yes ^^ that's the Florida one. Thank you, great to hear.</p>
<p>Can anyone speak for the North Carolina one?</p>
<p>Wow, thanks for all the answers.</p>
<p>If I remember correctly, AFI has, unfortunately, only a graduate program. It seems to have a great reputation, though.
I did know about the FSU film program, but I didn't know that it was that well-known. All I knew is that they have a great sound department (with Richard Portman, one of the greatest sound designers, as a teacher), which is important to me.
The other ones mentioned look very promising, too. I haven't heard of them before, though. But as I said: There's not much to hear about in good ol' Switzerland :)
And what about the NY School of Visual Arts? I heard that it has a good film department as well. Does anybody know something about that?</p>
<p>I'm aware that most schools are extremely hard to get in. But hey, they have to take SOMEONE. Who knows, maybe I'll be one of the lucky ones. And if not, well, I'd have to bite the bullet and study something else here in Switzerland. I can still come to America for my MA in Film Production...</p>
<p>Yes, that expression of uber-competition was ONLY mentioned in case it's not well-known; absolutely they DO take people. Thoughtfully looking ahead as you are doing is a very good indicator of seriousness. I believe these schools also see many sloppy applications. I have a wild hunch that a European applicant has an advantage, just for a different perspective, plus the facility in languages.<br>
Something my S pointed out to me is that the admit odds for film production are at 8% but for screenwriters 25%. His approach is to enter into film this way. He has acting and photography in his background, too. If he eventually crosses over to become a director, so be it, but meanwhile, he knows he can write, and feels he's on the intellectual side of the filmmaking world this way.
But if we had listened to everyone who said "impossible" he wouldn't be going there in September, happy as a clam. (Clams are happy; even landlocked Swiss know this),
GO FOR IT and good luck, bonne chance, I do not know German.</p>
<p>WHO here can speak for the NY School of Visual Arts?</p>
<p>There's another place in San Francisco on my mind, too...anyone?</p>
<p>Hint: We learned a lot about reputations by looking up the national industry newsletters and unions by google; for example, we studied the Screenwriters Guild of America and then followed links for where they seemed to be mentioning often; and also biographies of directors of big films using IMDB to see where they attended school. If there's a Directors Guild etc., maybe that's where to dig in for research. It's not easy, even here, to find this stuff out. Not enough written on it. CC helps, if you read on the sites of USC and UCLA to see who the students "dis" (disrespect) as competition :)</p>
<p>I know that USC as a university likes international students a lot. I don't know whether that will help you specifically in getting into the film school though. The one thing I will say for USC is this: if you get into USC but not into the film school, go somewhere else where you've been admitted to your ideal major. Every year hundreds of people try to transfer into film from other departments or from being undeclared, because they came to USC hoping to get into film after they were there, and they only take a very few people through this method. Nobody I knew who tried to do this got in. But on the other hand lots of people take the 'Critical Studies' road who do not get into the Production major, and do just fine, similar to paying3's example of filmwriting vs. production.</p>
<p>Add Cal Arts to the list</p>
<p>There's a good thread begun by DIGMEDIA on 04-11-2004 called "To Parents of Potential Film Majors" in the Parents Forum. Many good tips and links for you.</p>
<p>Thanks again for the answers.</p>
<p>@paying3tuitions: I, too, believe (are those commas correct?) that not all applications received by the major film schools are top-notch. At least that's what I hope...
You know, I have been thinking for a while about whether I really might have an advantage as a European. I don't know, but I certainly don't count on it. After all, there are so many differences. Take our school system for example: we have a completely different grading system. How can American colleges judge my performance?
Congrats to your son for getting in! Do you mind me asking where exactly? And where did he apply? The screenwriting approach seems very reasonable, but it's probably not suited for me; my writing skills (especially in English!) are too limited for screenwriting.</p>
<p>@larationalist: Thanks for the advice. But don't worry, I won't do that. It's much too risky; as you said, the chances aren't very high. Also, I'm too much of a control freak to do something like that ;)</p>
<p>Other schools I have heard of for film. Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles. Also this year I heard of quite a number of film students applying to University of British Columbia in Canada.</p>
<p>I would add Northwestern university(radio film tv ), UT austin, california state university long beach has also a good film program .</p>
<p>Add Northwestern. ;)</p>
<p>Columbia University in New York City has one of the best film programs in the world.</p>
<p>SCAD (couz will be a Soph)
BU
Temple
Rowan
UOhio
Chapman
NCArts
UNCG
Penn State
Pitt
Suny-Purchase
SDSU
Webster</p>
<p>NCSA (North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, NC) also has an excellent film program. Also, another one that is a little off the radar but very affordable and has a higher acceptance rate and a good reputation, is the University of North Texas (known as UNT) in Denton, Texas, and it might make a good safety school if you could tolerate the hot summers! (I live near Denton, believe me the summers can be tough). One thing to consider is what TYPE of films do you want to make? Some schools emphasize the techniques, etc. for big budget "Hollywood" type films, some emphasize independent films, some concentrate on documentaries, etc. There is an excellent book, although a little outdated now, called "Film School Confidential" (check Amazon.com) that can answer a lot of questions and offers good advice. One of my sons graduated from Chapman's film school a few years ago - excellent program. He is now pursuing a masters at UNT - mainly because he was ready to come home for a while and it is also much more affordable, whether you are in-state or obviously out-of-state as you are. UT (University of Texas in Austin) which was previously mentioned, is very up-and-coming, and a few years ago it got a huge grant and its program is booming. Austin is a really wonderful, interesting city for those in the arts (and not as hot!) - lots of films are being shot in that area right now so there are good opportunities for p.a. work, internships, etc. It is a tough school to get into, but might be one of those where being an international student would be an advantage, and being a state school is more affordable than private, even for out-of-state. Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>Wow, that's quite a list... It seems that I'll have some work to do :) Thank you all; I'll be glad to share everything I find out about the schools.</p>
<p>It's North Carolina School of the Arts (NCSA) in Winston-Salem. It is an arts conservatory and one of the sixteen schools that make up the University of North Carolina system. NCSA and FSU are the only film schools which cover the costs of making student films; other schools make you go out and raise the money yourself.</p>
<p>NCSA (North Carolina School of the Arts) is a conservatory atmosphere which makes it unique among the colleges offering film studies. Students begin making films their first year, and yes, they do not have to "up" their own money to do so. Academics comes second due to the conservatory approach. You do graduate with a B.F.A.<br>
New dean hired recently.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info, pdb1115 and queeni1951!</p>