The U.S. has a wide range of film schools that train industry professionals in directing, producing, acting, photography, and other fields. Graduates from American universities not only excel in the Hollywood industry but also gain the tools they need to make their way around the world.
These institutions offer undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs to give students a well-rounded education. Don’t forget to buy argumentative essay to convince the admissions committee why you should study at a film school.
Most film schools are located in the state of California, due to the location of Los Angeles, but there are also well-known universities in New York, Texas, Florida, Massachusetts, Colorado, and North Carolina.
CalArts
The California Institute of the Arts focuses on the visual and performing arts and has six schools. Its main specialty, however, is animation, as it was founded by Walt Disney shortly before his death.
Admission to this university is based on artistic merit and the creative future of applicants. Tim Burton, director of “Young Scissorhands” and “Jack’s Strange World”, and Andrew Stanton, animator of “Finding Nemo”, studied in CalArts classrooms.
Tuition: $52,850 a year.
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute, based in Los Angeles, counts Hollywood figures on its faculty who are committed to educating the next generation of industry professionals.
Throughout their careers, students create up to four films to test their knowledge. In addition, the institution organizes acclaimed festivals and events throughout the year that attract the biggest names in American cinema. You may need help from the best essay writing services because of your heavy study load.
Darren Aronofsky, director of “Black Swan”, and Edward Zwick, director of “Blood Diamond”, attended this school.
Tuition: $59,952 per year.
UCLA
The UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television has one of the best film programs in the country, especially for screenwriters.
It has training programs for actors, designers, directors, screenwriters, animators, and producers. In addition, the campus is home to one of the university’s largest multimedia libraries.
Alumni include Golden Globe, Oscar, and Tony Award winners such as Francis Ford Coppola, James Dean, and Marishka Hargitay.
Tuition: $11,220 per year.
NYU
The Kanbar Institute of Film and Television at New York University is one of the world’s best-known film and television schools, and the Academy Awards always feature nominees who graduated from the school.
The community of students and professors creates more than 5,000 films a year, so a portfolio of previous work is required for admission.
Its alumni include director Martin Scorsese and Chris Columbus, director of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone“.
Tuition: $60,282 per year.
USC
The University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts has world-class facilities, including an IMAX theater and research lab, thanks to annual donations from people like George Lucas.
USC has seven departments that train animators, producers, directors, screenwriters, and even video game developers.
This institution boasts such famous alumni as George Lucas, creator of “Star Wars“, and Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios.
Tuition: $57,256 per year.
Chapman University
Located southeast of Los Angeles in Orange, California, Chapman is a mid-sized, comprehensive university of 11 schools and colleges. Dodge College of Film and Media Arts consistently ranks high in national rankings for both undergraduate and graduate programs.
Students can choose from nine undergraduate programs: “Broadcast Journalism and Documentary”, “Creative Production”, “Animation and Visual Effects”, “Film Production”, “Film Studies”, “Public Relations and Advertising”, “Screenwriting”, and “Acting in Film”.
Chapman’s film and media programs have many impressive success stories: Matt and Ross Duffer, creators of Stranger Things, graduated from Chapman, as did Justin Simien (creator of Dear White People) and Olatunde Osunsanmi (director of The Fourth Kind).
Admission to Chapman is selective, but not prohibitive. About half of the applicants are admitted, and in the spring of 2021, the school switched to admission by optional tests. Film and media arts students must also submit a creative application as part of the application process.
Tuition: $56,830 per year.
Emerson College
Emerson College has an enviable location in Boston, right on the edge of Boston Commons. The city’s historic landmarks are within walking distance, and Boston is a popular destination for college students: MIT, Harvard, Boston University, Northeastern, and many other institutions are nearby.
Unlike some of the other schools on this list, Emerson is more student-centered than graduate-oriented. Emerson has a highly regarded BFA program in comedy and is also well known for its costume and set design programs.
Undergraduate programs include acting, media studies, stage and screen design/technology, set and production management, media arts production, theater design/technology, and film. Nearly half of all graduate students major in a field related to film and filmmaking.
Emerson administers optional examinations and enrolls about a third of all applicants. Many programs require a creative test as part of the application.
Tuition: $50,240 per year.
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University, located in Los Angeles, is among the top Catholic universities in the country, and its film programs are among the best in the country. LMU’s School of Film and Television offers undergraduate programs in animation, film and television production, media studies, sound recording, and screenwriting.
At the master’s level, students can earn master’s degrees in film and television production, screenwriting, and screenwriting and producing for television.
The school prides itself on its curriculum, and students get lots of hands-on, collaborative, project-based experience. Alumni include Francis Lawrence (director of three “Hunger Games” films), Barbara Broccoli (producer of numerous James Bond films), and David Mirkin (executive producer of “The Simpsons“).
LMU enrolls about 45% of applicants, and students tend to have average high school grades and standardized test scores well above average. Applicants to the film and television production program must submit a portfolio as part of their application.
Tuition: $52,553 per year.
Conclusion
If you have a passion for filmmaking, holding a camera in your hands, or writing an exciting script for a better film, then we recommend that you check out the presented list of the best film schools in the USA.
All you need to do is decide on a major, choose a school, prepare documents and write a motivational essay, and prepare for a creative competition. One of these schools is sure to help you achieve your film dreams. Good luck!
