NYU Tisch Kanbar Institute of Film & Television

I am an alum of the Dramatic Writing program at NYU, and loved my experience there. It completely revolutionized my understanding of not just television writing but storytelling in general (and I arrived thinking I had a lot of writing experience). All of my professors were knowledgeable and taught me a lot, and I formed great relationships with several and came to see them as mentors. I left as a wildly better writer with multiple finished scripts that have served me well in my post-grad professional life. That said, tuition is very expensive, and though it's possible to meet people in other departments, the department offers limited opportunities to formally collaborate with them.

First of all, the program does not provide a safety net in terms of job placement. Every year the program admits, at most, 5 people, and the least the teachers running the program could do is introduce us to companies who are in the market to hire. They are (the teachers) some of the most well-connected in the business, and yet I did not feel they provided enough resources or support when looking for a job. In fact, in the last class that graduated, all 5 did not even end up in jobs within entertainment, but rather other fields. It’s a poor sign on the program when its graduates don’t even end up in the field they tried to pivot too. And the teachers running the program, while very nice, are tone deaf when it comes to hearing and acting on student’s needs for post-grad employment.

Second, and leading from the previous point, the program is not structured in a way that allows the students to take full advantage of either the MBA or the MFA program. Chasing two birds with one stone is highly applicable here. Here is how the program is structured:

• 1st Year: Business School
• 1st Year Summer: Film Class
• 2nd Year: Film School
• 2nd Year: Business School Internship / Internship
• 3rd Year: Choice of classes between Film and Business school

Now what’s inherently wrong in this is that the first year when you’re in the business school, the first summer should be your internship summer. But in this program it’s not the case. You have to recruit for an internship in your second year. But by that point in the fall semester, you’re preparing to make your second year film, which is a LOT of work, to the point where you have NO TIME to recruit, which usually takes place in the business school’s fall semester. So by that structure, dual degree students have a very hard time finding an internship, because they DON’T HAVE ANY time to find an internship, which puts them at a disadvantage, and nullifies the usefulness of why we went to an MBA program in the first place. By doing a dual degree, you’re putting your focus in two different directions, which the program does a bad job of managing/structuring.

Within this structure, dual-degree students struggle to build relationships with the filmmaking students whose projects they are meant to produce. While dual-degree students spend their first year in business school, MFA students are already working together, forming strong bonds. By the time dual-degree students join the film school in their second year, they are outsiders rather than integrated members of the cohort. As a result, filmmakers don’t see them as true classmates, making collaboration more challenging.

Third, the dual-degree program fails to teach any hard skills that can’t be learned in a standalone MBA or MFA. It does not justify the three-year commitment or the $200K+ cost. For context, NYU’s Graduate Film program awards the Media Services Producing Award annually to the student who demonstrates the most skill in film producing. In recent years, it has consistently gone to MFA students—not dual-degree students. This raises a fundamental question: If the program doesn’t give its students a competitive edge in producing, what’s the point? The reality is, it doesn’t.

Being a producer is not someone with a business degree (it’s a foreign concept to Hollywood people). It’s just someone that knows how to get things done, and unfortunately, a program for that doesn’t make sense. During my job search, I’ve had two people tell me that the MFA is not worth it and I should take it off. And over time, I’m seeing it as well. The dual degree is nice to have on your resume, but it CANNOT replace work experience.

My recommendation:

• If you want to work in the corporate side of film, get an MBA. It’s a two-year program, gives you dedicated time to recruit for an internship, and costs significantly less.
• If you want to be a film producer, get an MFA. It’s a longer path, but you’ll build stronger industry relationships and gain hands-on filmmaking experience—something a business degree won’t provide. Columbia’s graduate film program, for example, offers a producing track within its MFA but no dual degree, which speaks volumes.
• Prioritize industry experience over degrees. The best way to break into film is by working in the industry and building your network. No one—and I mean no one—cares if you went to school for producing. What matters is your practical experience. Without it, the degree is meaningless.

I had a great time. Like anywhere, you have to make the most of it, making films outside of class, crewing on other people's films, going to events in the school and in the city (there is always so much to do around the city given the location.)

Some professors are not great, but on the whole they are very good and a range of positions, from young filmmakers starting out to working pros who come and go, to retired with a track record. Some are even inspirational (for me, Alrick Brown, John Warren, Mo Ogrodnik.) If you form close relationships professors are very kind and willing to help read scripts/watch cuts of films outside of class.

The facilities in terms of studio space and lighting and cameras are incredible compared to high school and enough for what you need to make, but having seen USC, they do not come close. NYU argue that that is not a bad thing because limitation causes inspiration, and I can see that argument. The school are pretty relaxed about the equipment that they give you (in a group) for the semester and they allow you to film a lot outside of class projects as well if you want to (you should).

The focus is on artistry and finding a voice and less so on setting you up to get a job on graduating. I don't think it is necessarily a bad thing, but worth knowing. But individual professors are more than happy to help you if you get along, as mentioned.