Top Film Schools in the World to learn every aspect of film-making and also to make valuable connections within the industry.
You don’t need a film studies degree to be the next Alfred Hitchcock or Quentin Tarantino, but it could put you on the right path in the notoriously competitive film industry; a degree in cinema studies will help graduates develop a highly transferable range of skills.
What is Cinema / Film Studies
Film studies degrees offer the chance to gain hands-on experience of film-making and also touch on topics such as film history, theory and criticism. Film studies is an academic discipline (available in several colleges) that deals with various theoretical, historical, and critical approaches to films. It is sometimes included within media studies and is often compared to television studies.
In the past, there have been great filmmakers who never went to a film school, some setup video/film production companies without every going to a film school.
While its still possible, there are several good reasons to attend a film school (if you can afford it).
- The first one is connection. Networking is a huge part of why student filmmakers continue to attend film school.
- The second one is your learn a lot in a short span of time (what you’re eventually going to learn through trial-and-error and from years of experience)
So if you do wish to attend a film school, here are the top choices.
Top film schools in the US
- American Film Institute (AFI): Located in Los Angeles. Website: http://www.afi.com
- CalArts School of Film and Video: Located in Los Angeles. Website: https://filmvideo.calarts.edu
- Los Angeles Film School: Located in Los Angeles. Website: http://www.lafilm.edu
- NYU Film School: Located in New York. Website: http://tisch.nyu.edu/film-tv
- USC (University of Southern California) School of Cinematic Arts: Located in Los Angeles. Website: http://cinema.usc.edu
More film schools in the US:
- Boston University’s College of Communication
- Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts
- Colorado Film School
- Columbia University’s School of the Arts
- Emerson College’s Department of Visual & Media Arts
- Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television
- New York Film Academy
- Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts
- UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television
- University of North Carolina’s School of the Arts
- University of Texas at Austin’s Moody College of Communication
“Gained a lot from the school, a lot more of networking & connections, more than learning. Networking is 75% of what you get from attending film schools,” AFI alumi
Top film schools in Canada
- Toronto Film School: Located in Toronto. Website: http://www.torontofilmschool.ca
- Vancouver Film School: Located in Vancouver. Website: https://vfs.edu
More film schools in Canada:
- Carleton University’s School for Studies in Art and Culture
- Concordia University’s Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema
- Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts
- University of British Columbia’s Department of Theatre and Film
- York University’s Faculty of Fine Arts
Top film schools in Europe
Top film schools in the UK
- London Film School: located in London. Website: http://lfs.org.uk
- National Film and Television School (NFTS): Located in London. Website: https://nfts.co.uk
Top film schools in Rest of Europe
- Academy of Performing Arts’ Film and TV School (FAMU): Located in Prague. Website: https://www.famu.cz/eng
- La Femis: Located in Paris. Website: http://www.femis.fr
- Lodz Film School (Polish National Film, Television and Theater School): Located in Lodz, Poland. Website: https://www.filmschool.lodz.pl/en/
More film schools in Europe:
- London Metropolitan University’s Sir John CASS Faculty of Art, Architecture and Design
- University of Television and Film Munich
- National Film School, Italy
- National Film School of Denmark
- Norwegian Film School
- Screen Academy Scotland
- University of the Arts London’s College of Communication
Top film schools in Asia
- Beijing Film Academy: Located in Beijing, China. Website: bfa-international.com, http://www.bfa.edu.cn/eng/EIndex.htm
- Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA): Located in Seoul, Korea. Website: http://www.kafa.ac
More film schools in Asia:
- City University of Hong Kong’s School of Creative Media
- Film and Television Institute of India
- Hong Kong Baptist University’s Academy of Film
- Whistling Woods International Film school, India
More film schools in rest of the world:
- Australian Film, Television and Radio School
- Russian State University of Cinematography
- Sydney Film School, Australia
- Tel Aviv University’s Department of Film and Television, Israel
Cinema / Film Studies: Degree Programs
Students learn a variety of aspects of filmmaking at a film school. Real-world film-making techniques like filming, editing, writing, voice-over, how to produce and direct films, are taught as part of the program. These topics are taught while exploring their own interests both in front of the camera and behind the scenes.
Along with the in-class lessons, students have gone on trips to meet with professionals in the TV, film, and music industries to get a first-hand look at how they do their jobs.
Most degree programs combine film-making courses with film history and theory courses that give students a solid base and rich background in film-making. Students gain extensive creative experience making films in a variety of genres and styles, ranging from narrative and documentary to essay, short-form and experimental work.
Usually, film-making students enrolled in Cinema Studies program start with film history, theory and methods, and introductory film-making courses – before branching off into film-making electives.
Film-making courses develop students’ skills and technical knowledge in all areas of film production, from writing scripts, directing and cinematography, to editing and post-production effects work.
Students study everything from Hollywood blockbusters to art house movies, taking in screenwriting, critiquing and directing along the way.
Internships and field experiences are also available to help prepare students for successful careers in film and media industries.
“This program gives us a chance to explore and be creative. Most of us don’t get that chance because there aren’t enough opportunities. I feel like this is a great way to get creative at an early age and put us on the right path instead of doing what many would do in a city like this. It allows us to come out of their shells and express ourselves,” says a film school student.
Successful Filmmakers with Degrees
While examples are always provided of filmmakers who made it big without any degree in film studies, famous film graduates include Paul WS Anderson, director of video game adaptation Mortal Kombat. Anderson graduated with a degree in film and literature from Warwick University and is also behind such box-office successes as Resident Evil and Alien vs. Predator.
Skills You Gain?
As well as practical film-making skills such as how to operate a camera and edit footage, you will have developed skills which will make you attractive to employers in a wide variety of fields. These include good research and communication skills, critical thinking, project management and the ability to organise your time effectively and work to deadlines.
What Jobs Can You Do?
Almost 60% of film studies graduates went into full-time employment in 2009. Of those, 12.5% found jobs within the art/design/culture sector and, within the film industry itself, 2.1% became directors, 1.2% video/film recorder operators and 1.4% broadcasters. Some 34% found work in retail/catering, perhaps as a temporary measure and an indication of the competitive nature of the industry.
The focus of your degree is an important factor, says Margaret Holbrough of Graduate Prospects. “Careers within the film industry are fiercely competitive and opportunities to pursue a technical or practical career will depend on the graduate’s experience and the content of the degree, and whether it focuses more on hands-on film production skills as opposed to the appreciation, analysis and interpretation of films and film genres,” she says.
“Within the film, TV and video industries the roles may include film/video/television editor, camera operator, photographer, art director, TV or film producer or production assistant, runner, location/props manager or programme researcher.
“In addition, the publishing industry, including printed newspapers, magazines, online publications and websites, may offer opportunities to write about films as a journalist, content manager or editor, or to work in film and picture research and archiving.”
Some business areas, such as advertising, marketing and communications, may also utilise the creative and analytical abilities of film studies graduates in roles such as art directors, account managers, copywriters and market researchers.
Teaching and lecturing are also potential career options and require a postgraduate teaching qualification.
Postgraduate Study?
There are some students who opt to study for a higher qualification. There are many masters and postgraduate diploma courses available in film studies, providing an opportunity to specialise in areas such as scriptwriting, directing, producing and final editing. Some jobs require a postgraduate qualification, such as teaching or journalism. There is also the chance to do postgraduate research in film-making.
Source: theguardian
Why Major in Film & Video Production
The most important thing would probably be the contacts that you make within the industry; this is again dependent on what college /school you go to study music production.
It also gives you the confidence required to continue in the industry. This is important because a lot of people might try to dissuade you by saying that this field of work is overcrowded and the paychecks are not guaranteed and so on.
But then just because someone cannot see a realistic career option in film / video production doesn’t mean that you take up an entirely different career, just for the sake of regular paychecks. If you want that then you need to take up a full time job.
But what if you’re a creative person who is good at visualizing concepts & ideas? In that case it definitely makes sense to do what you enjoy. With video being used in all sorts of marketing – both online and offline, there would always be work for you, maybe as a freelancer.
A major in Film or Video Production will prepare you to communicate dramatic information, ideas, moods, and feelings by making films and videos.
You can always find work as producers, film and video editors, camera operators, talent directors & managers, besides working as directors for pictures, television, and even radio.
So if you have been thinking of going to school/college to learn video/film production you need to do some due diligence around how much is the cost and what you would expect in return.
Joseph says
I am Joseph from India. I had completed 5 years UG course (B.F.A) and 1 year P.G.Diploma in Film Direction in my country. But, I have no skills to get any job with these studies. Because there is no quality in my colleges studies to gain proper knowledge to something.I think it’s my bad luck. But I want work (any job) for money in foreign country with pursuing my studies (part time). I would like to study about ‘film direction’ in P.G level in foreign with part time job. I am helpless now in financially. But I want to go for my life for money and study with the help of government scholarships. But I don’t know the proper way about that.May i need to attempt any test for that? Help me with good advise please. Thank you.
Sam says
From what I have heard, Beijing Film Academy has changed cinema like no other with it’s unbelievable creative freedom. Only the North Korean Film Academy has done more for world cinema. The BFA with just over 100,000 applicants each year only accepts 500.
Quentin says
Film school is overrated. Spielberg, Tarantino and James Cameron are probably the best filmmakers in the world and they didn’t go to film school. The directors from the golden age of Hollywood like Welles, Ford, Capra, Hitchcock and Wilder, and in later years Kubrick, didn’t go to film school and have made some of the best films ever. In the end, you drop 183 grand when you could use that money to shoot a feature film.
Richard says
Hi, you should add Brighton Film School in the UK!
http://www.brightonfilmschool.co.uk.
Great list, thank you.
Alex says
Great article though you have missed a couple as per THR’s 2015 report: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/best-film-schools-world-811368