What do you think are some of the strengths of the SCA program, and what have you felt underwhelmed or disappointed by?
My second question is super basic, but do you feel like you are truly learning and are in a space where you are continually improving your skillset?
Strengths
Faculty - you have some really amazing teachers who have had some key roles in many iconic Hollywood films. I’ve only had one teacher so far that was not that great, and I think that was more due to something going on in their personal life. They were very knowledgeable but just seemed to have no patience, and it seems like it was non-school related stuff. Made that class a bit rough but we all survived. Also, being taught by people who wrote iconic pieces of filmmaking literature. For example: Bruce Block, who wrote The Visual Story, is the actual teacher for the class Visual Expression in your first semester, which is based on his own book. He goes and guests lectures for a day at other places, we get him for an entire semester - and the class is fantastic. But the teachers are great, they all treat you as an equal and not a student (being it’s a Masters program). We’ve gotten dinners and coffee with multiple teachers after class as a group and individually through the first year. They genuinely seem to care.
Facilities - The film school is gorgeous. Some of the things we have access to are pretty insane. There’s a class where you get to learn how to shoot on an IMAX camera and actually go shoot in the desert for a weekend and get to view it on the school’s IMAX screen. They’re building a huge new Virtual Production LED wall that is opening in 2027. They have one now, but it will be bigger, better, and in its own self standing building. The school had a deal with Sony, so you get access to every type of Sony camera the higher up you go, free of charge (FX3, FX6, Venice, etc). I could keep going, the school is always trying to stay on the cutting edge of things.
People - Every class has its bad seeds, but for the most part USC picked some really amazing, kind, hard working people. The experience and skillset ranges greatly, but most people want to work and are hard workers on top of that. I’ve made some really great friends that I know I’ll have around me for the rest of my life - both personally and professionally.
Campus - it’s a gorgeous campus. It’s very easy to get caught in the SCA corner, so I always try to walk around during break or get there early and just sit in other parts of campus and take it in.
Multi-Discipline Approach - yes, while I know there is one thing I want to do over everything else, the fact that I’m not barred from, say, taking a writing class or an editing class because I want to further my education in it is a huge plus IMHO. Speaking of: In Year 1, you will do the following roles whether you want to or not: Produce, Direct, Write, Edit (USC is an Avid school, so you will learn Avid. You’ll also learn ProTools for sound), Production Design, Cinematography, Sound Recording, Sound Design, Sound Editing, Coloring, Foley, ADR. You will learn all of these skill sets in the various classes you are assigned (year 1 you don’t get to pick your classes). This is by design. The school wants you to have a basic working knowledge of as many production skills as possible so that 1.) you can at least understand and speak the general language of that skill with someone who does it professionally 2.) you can have respect for every person and every role on a production 3.) because you may come into the school thinking you want to do one thing, take a class on one of the above skills, and realize that something else actually scratches the itch in their brain far more than, say, directing. I know a ton of people in my program who are incredibly interested in working in sound after the first year. Almost all wanted to be directors or producers coming in and 4.) you can find a job in
something when you get out and wait for your dream position/role to become reality
Neutral
-Ownership of work
The school owns anything you make for a class while at the school. At first, that sounds bad. But in actuality, it’s to protect you (and them). You ARE using their insurance, so by proxy, the school is the production company. They want to make sure you do everything legally sound and by the books. You have full control and ownership of the IP of anything, and you can submit anything you’ve made to festivals - but only if you get it cleared by the festival and distribution office within SCA. Annoying, yes…but again, it’s to protect us. They want to make sure we have every single thing signed, every permit collected, credit correct, etc before we put something out into the world and have it get flagged. You also can’t post things online, which is a bummer, but honestly not a huge deal. You most likely won’t want to post what you make in Year 1 anyways.
Underwhelmed/Disappointed
- Budget Cuts
Due to the payout from lawsuits (for the general school that impacted every department), there are budget cuts. Nothing devastating by any means, and a lot of schools are having them right now for other reasons, but still worth mentioning. Certain classrooms are being kept at warmer temperatures to save money. The editing bays are all equipped with PC’s instead of Mac’s (though I’ve also heard this is because the current head of the editing department prefers PC’s), but you’re able to bring your own Mac computer in and hook up to the monitors if you want. Certain teachers have office hours reduced because their salaries don’t allow more. Things like that. It’s all more of an inconvenience than anything else, but I’d say it still counts here.
- Funding
You have to self fund a lot of stuff. For the cost of tuition, you’d think you’d get more things covered, but that isn’t the case. I believe the only time you get funding from the school in production is if you are chosen to be the director/producer of a 546, in which the school will give you $12,000 (it may be $13,500 now, unsure) to create a 10 min short film based on a script you selected from one of the finalists that was selected for this class - and you can’t direct or produce your own script. Outside of that, you’re essentially in your own with funding your work
-PSP’s
Production Safety Permits. These are the bane of every SCA students existence. These exist in the form they do now as an overcorrection to the death of a non-usc student on a usc shoot in the sand dunes using atv’s a few years ago. You want to have someone drink water? That’s a PSP. You want them on a balcony? That’s either a PSP or it is not allowed with long certain feet. Best a fountain? PSP. Running? PSP and potentially a stunt coordinator. The list goes on and on and on. The form is digital and it needs to include the action from the script, your safety plan (example: an actor will not actually be running. They will be walking at a quickened pace over a 10 foot pathway. There will be a chair placed to the side in case the actor gets tired. The floor will be wiped dry between takes to prevent the actor from slipping. There will be no crew or gear within 6 feet of the actor to prevent a collision. Water will be provided for the actor between takes in case they are thirsty) - it has to be THAT detailed. If you do have running, or stunts, or anything - you’ll be asked for overheads, storyboards, the name of stunt coordinators or studio teachers, etc. It’s just a LOT of paperwork, and in all honesty, 60% of the stuff legitimately doesn’t warrant one.
Am I truly learning anything?
Yes. I’ve been in film in some capacity for a long time prior to this, so a lot of the first year was a refresher for me. However, a lot wasn’t. I got taught how to use new software and hardware, I heard different perspectives on things I already knew and it broadened my understanding on it, you learn a lot about people management and how much you’re truly capable of when you’re given variables you have no control over and a schedule that kills your social life for a year. I get to pick the brains of people who have won multiple Emmys and Oscars as much as I want. I feel competent handling most production roles thrown my way if I had to do them, instead of just Directing/Producing/Writing/Editing, which were my strong suits coming in. I have genuinely learnt a lot. Do I wish I had learnt more in some instances? Sure, but I think that’s anywhere, and it’s also something I’ll withhold judgement on since I’ve essentially only taken introductory production courses so far.
The pros greatly outweigh the cons for me. I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else.
Wow. Thanks AI rush. I'm trying to get a Mac Studio to replace my edit system and they're gone in seconds from refurbished store. Might just put in a new order.
