<p>I'm having a tough time trying to decide between the two. I'll be going in as a transfer, so keep in mind I'm only going to be there for two years. Afterwards, I plan on going to a graduate school of some sort or even just go straight into the industry in LA or Korea. </p>
<p>I know that Berkeley film studies isn't the strongest, but how marginal is the difference between the two "film" schools? I love the atmosphere in Berkeley, and plus, I will be graduating with the Berkeley name which weighs better than SB. But it's just that Santa Barbara may provide a better experience for me in the long run.</p>
<p>Indeed I am having the same situation. I am also a fine art major transfer, and I have to make a decision between Berkeley and Irvine. </p>
<p>I don't know much about the film studies program, but Berkeley has a better location for doing any art forms studies, and it'd be easier to find opportunities and make connections with the industry.</p>
<p>Actually, do you know can I submit the SIR to both UCs (if I don't care about the $100 non-refundable fee)?</p>
<p>Well I wouldn’t say Berkeley is a better location for film. The closer to Los Angeles the better. What I hear is that Santa Barbara has a really good studies program.</p>
<p>Berkeley has the celeb teachers like Judith Buttler lurking around to compliment a rather daft curriculum which I would see as a plus for Cal. Though in my best opinion most the grads I have hung out with from the department seem sterile and antiquated with taste. </p>
<p>I have personally taken film studies classes at UCSB and am much more fond of the department and sympathetic communities like the media arts and technology ensemble of grad students and the college of creative studies which draw in a nice group of students to compliment a sense of community that can tend to lack in the arts at UCSB. </p>
<p>My vote as a media professional (and returning student) would be for UCSB and if film production is your cup of tea take a lot of supplemental classes at Brooks (and network the S*it out of the classes since everyone at Brooks often goes on to work in one aspect of media or another) and a splattering of design/art classes at SBCC to train the eye and if you don’t want to overload on your quarter units at UCSB. Plus they fit in nicely at night or on the weekends if your REALLY committed to this and aren’t the type to watch El Topo 50x over a weekend alone.</p>