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<li><p>Chapman University. In Orange County, California (45 minutes from Los Angeles), Chapman offers a screenwriting major, within a B.A. program, at Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. The state-of-the-art building for film production attracts people majoring in film production (directors) so you can get to know them as screenwriters while you’re in college. There are also graduate programs there. Chapman is also the first in the country to start a B.F.A. in acting for film, so this is valuable for the team effort.
Chapman takes 20 screenwriters annually with a 25 percent rate of admission. The Dodge College of Film in general has an 8-12 percent admission rate, because more people want to go in as directors. It’s an admission advantage to apply as a screenwriter. </p></li>
<li><p>University of Southern California is very fine, as you’ve noted already.</p></li>
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<p>3… University of Michigan in Ann Arbor has an up-and-coming screenwriting and film program.</p>
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<li><p>Florida State University has a great film program, too, but you have to research it for screenwriting specifically.</p></li>
<li><p>In New York state, there is New York University/Tisch School of the Arts. Also State University of New York at Purchase for “Dramatic Writing” (20 chosen annually) in a department that has some screenwriting but more stage writing emphasis. Columbia University is a top Ivy League competitive admissions place (need high SATS, grades and more) with a film production major. Each of these places has its own advantages, but in general New York has a nice balance between people interested in stage acting and dramatic writing for stage, along with many independent filmmakers. By contrast, around Southern California, there is closeness to the industry and movie studios, so a bit more emphasis on accessing the “big screen” commercial film and television industry jobs,along with making independent films, too. Some filmmakers prefer living in New York to California; it’s just a different artistic and cultural environment in each place. Stage theater is much stronger in New York than in California, but there are more film opportunities for screenwriters in California.</p></li>
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<p>It is very popular and competitive to get into these programs, so research it carefully and make time to submit a terrific portfolio of writings to each school.</p>
<p>Good luck! </p>
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<li>In upstate New York (rural), see Ithaca College. </li>
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<p>6… In Boston, look up Emerson College.</p>
<p>Another way to pursue this is to take some kind of college education with a major in Creative Writing or English, and then get a Masters degree related to film.</p>
<p>Also as you research U.S. universities and colleges, be aware that a major in “Film Studies” is different than Film Production. Film Studies is analytical, training for example someone interested in film criticism. </p>
<p>I hope others chime in. The above are the ones I know about most, but it’s good to know about many more. It would be great to hear from other posters on this.</p>
<p>PS, To study “acting as a hobby”, no problem; all of these colleges have Theater departments, too, with acting courses for anyone at the college (except perhaps NYU where the courses are reserved for specialized acting majors at Tisch!). If you live in a city, especially New York City or Los Angeles, you’ll find private studios and courses to take adult acting classes for a separate fee even when you’re not enrolled in a college. That part is easy (acting as a hobby).</p>