Top Film Schools

mamamia
Wed, 23 May 2007 11:38:26 +0000

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 There is an excellent book, although a little outdated now, called “Film School Confidential” (check Amazon.com) that can answer a lot of questions and offers good advice.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.