<p>hello! i was recently accepted into nyu's stern program, usc's business in cinematic program through marshall school of business and undeclared through berkeley. first off, berkeley is my favorite school and i love it there. HOWEVER, ive always been very interested in the film business and i think i want a job in the industry. im having some trouble.</p>
<p>does anybody know the differences between NYU's Entertainment Media and Technology program and USC's Business in Cinematic Arts program?? Also, NYU gave me about 12000 more than usc per year and berkeley is much cheaper than both (in state).</p>
<p>if i want to get into this business what should i do? can i do it through berkeley or are the programs at nyu and usc both too good to give up? which is better? thanks!!</p>
<p>some more questions:
can students in the bca program take classes at the cinema school outside of the program? like more production oriented classes
what kind of jobs do grads land?</p>
<p>New York tends to do more independent type films, while Los Angeles is more mainstream. Television production tends to be more in Los Angeles, with some notable exceptions. I am unfamiliar with Cal’s program. (And, since I lived briefly in NorCal when I was a kid, and hated it, I am totally biased in that respect. So I can’t/won’t comment.)</p>
<p>I know that you can work on projects. Certain restrictions and exceptions change every year. Contact the film school directly.</p>
<p>My daughter graduated in '08 with a degree in Critical Studies. She got a job in the worst job market possible since the stock market crashed the day she got her job. Daughter works one of the busiest and most prestigious desks in the industry.</p>
<p>samds6–I’ll weigh in with some advice. You have wonderful choices and really cannot go wrong. If you love Cal and it is most affordable, it would be hard to pass up. You would have to apply to Haas after soph year, but it’s a world-class education and your heart seems to be there. Will it give you the same quality preparation for work, technical training, insider contacts, career advice, and intern opportunities in the entertainment field? Absolutely not. So you will need to move to Los Angeles (the heart of this industry) and start to make contacts. You need to assess your own assertiveness and ability to network. Do you enjoy that? With some perseverance Disney or another studio may hire you for entry level business position and you will work your way up the ladder. </p>
<p>I’m sorry I don’t know specifics about NYU’s program and have not heard about their business/film program. NYU’s film school reputation is excellent. The downside to NYU, if any, is the location. You’ll be living in the city (which many students love, but others miss the college campus activities and vibe) and NY is not the center of production in the US. Less production means less opportunities, but they have many resources to get their top students internships in LA, too. With the extra FinAid, you would have to look carefully at the specific program.</p>
<p>USC is the no-brainer here. This is the top program in the world located in the center of this industry. The people you will meet on a weekly basis is staggering. For instance, there is a program that invites students to lunch at the studios. You go to Warner Bros and meet with the top execs who tell you the story of how they got started, etc. etc. With such outside-the-classroom learning, students hear the pitfalls to avoid and the opportunities they should pursue and how to do it. This is access to key players, and for many talented students (like ellebud’s d), USC provides the perfect stepping stone into the job they truly want.</p>
<p>Madbean: On behalf of my D and all the kids who work their guts out…Thank you. Since I have an older child, non Trojan, who is an agent I must add and support Madbean’s information. This business is all about connections. D got her first internship because the producer went to SC. (She didn’t go through the school btw.) Second internship…because she plays an excellent game of tennis, played doubles with her boss and they beat someone importent. She got her current job because her brother knew an agent in the business. But that only got her into the mailroom. The rest of the way she got on her own.</p>
<p>Some studios are impossible to crack without friends, Disney is one of them. And whether it is friends/family/school ties you use them all. And then you work HARD.</p>
<p>thanks for your fantastic responses!
i am in quite a dilemma…leaning towards usc though and your responses are helping greatly.</p>
<p>so in your opinion usc offers connections in this industry that are invaluable? because i have to decide whether usc’s benefits outweigh the financial and personal (i really like berkeley more than usc as a school) costs of attending. because if i can land solid jobs and internships from usc’s connections than i think it is worth it. and also, if i sound like i dont like usc…i believe that i will fall in love with their film school and the bca program. </p>
<p>lastly, would it be worth it to get an mba to get into this industry? or does this business/ cinema arts degree help me get into studios? because if an mba with an entertainment concentration from usc would be much better, than im thinking of going to berkeley undergrad and then get my masters from usc. </p>
<p>I don’t know of anyone working in the creative side with an MBA. Some of the executives have law degrees, but unless you are an entertainment attorney, that is rare. We do have a friend (with multiple Emmy nominations) who has an MFA from Stanford. I think a lot has to do with where you want to go in the business.</p>
<p>thanks! im still having trouble… ive been getting a lot of mixed opinions and i start leaning one way before reconsidering it.with that being said, i am much more into artsy films as opposed to blockbusters. like i want to be making the lost in translations as opposed to the transformers. and it sounds like nyu caters more to that… however its to my knowledge that this production still occurs in la. like paramount has paramount vantage and fox has fox searchlight… so if i go to usc i would LIKE to create movies that i genuinely love. if im more into independent style movies is it still advisable to go to usc?
thanks!</p>
<p>and by me saying creating movies i just mean being involved in the process in any way. at both schools i would take classes in production but am enrolled in the business schools.</p>
<p>If you want to work in the industry, you really can’t beat USC. NYU Stern is an amazing business program, but many of those kids want to go into finance. If you wanted to be an i-banker, I’d say without a doubt to go to Stern. Berkeley likewise has a great business program, but the one caveat is that you won’t know if you’re accepted until your junior year. USC’s BCA program is a great one. My sister is a BCA graduate and I have many friends who are in the program. You do get your core business education, but you also get to take cinema/tv classes too, some are general cinema classes, others are specific for the program.</p>
<p>thanks! what kind of jobs do the bca graduates usually get? like is it possible to be on a creative side of the industry? and do you know if you can take classes outside of the program in the cinema school? and how do the people you know feel about bca?</p>
<p>What do you mean by "creative side? If you mean photography for example, you must go union. If you mean Development then you go to an agency and then go to a production company.</p>
<p>The program of interest to you is in Marshall as you know. There are some elective units. Included in the program is an internship. </p>
<p>Another plus for SC is the interaction among the top notch schools of music and theatre. Not only will your business classes prepare you for working in the industry, but you will also know through social groups and dorms some very gifted individuals in these other schools.</p>
<p>im just concerned that through the bca program i might be lacking the creativity present in the SCA. i dont want to take all straight business classes, even if theyre centered around film. i believe i ALSO want to expand my creativity as well. should i try to transfer to SCA out of the BCA program…?! im so confused ugh
and i plan on minoring in music or jazz studies. ive played piano for my whole life and i am aware that usc’s programs are well regarded. im very excited about that as well.</p>
<p>samds6,
im a BCA major here at USC. If you’re looking to work in the creative side, then BCA might not be for you. Most of the BCA curriculum is focused on the bsiness aspects of the cinema industry. So maybe a Film Production major with a business minor would be better for you. I personally am doing a screenwriting minor, so that’s how I am satisfying my “creative” needs. </p>
<p>In my opinion, if you want to do business AND film, then don’t go to Cal. Yes, Haas is amazing, but their film program (its a Film Studies major- all theory based) is nowhere comparable to USC or NYU.</p>
<p>and i do like the business side of film! i would hope to be a producer. but i want to work on the developmental side (i think…) and im debating switching majors but thats really tough and i do like bca!! so maybe a bca degree with minor in production would be perfect!?</p>
<p>samds6, the best major for the development side of producing would probably be critical studies. Creative producers and those who work for them need the ability to help elevate ideas, scripts, and other material (books, true stories, etc.) It’s all about recognizing and developing good story-telling. That takes reading with a critical eye and the ability to know and communicate what’s necessary to get projects greenlit, cast and produced. Even majoring in English is a great background for those who want to be creative producers. </p>
<p>But there’s a lot to be said for learning the non-development, more physical aspects of production (directing, cinematography, set design, editing, budgeting, etc.) as well, and I’m sure there’s lots of cross-over between majors. I would think even minoring would give you lots of exposure, should you stay with the film business major.</p>
<p>The business models for TV and film are changing so much right now. We need people in the know on that end, too.</p>
<p>This major involves taking classes in the School of Cinematic Arts. All of your classes are not in Marshall. In CSA you will take 24 units. The schedule does allow for some electives. Those could taken in CSA, if that is what you choose.</p>
<p>Are you aware this is a highly selective major? Only 50 students are in this program. It is a tight knit group. If your goal is to be a producer, this major appears to have the right combination of film and business background you seek.</p>
<p>There are threads on this, but CAL is not immune from the huge budget cuts in the UC system. The chancellor has made recent speeches about additional changes in the education provided for each student. You may wish to Google articles about student protests and proposed course reductions, etc.</p>
