Cal State Northridge (CSUN) - Department of Cinema of Television Arts

CSUN's CTVA (Cinema, Television, and Visual Arts) program is incredibly underrated. The production program offers two pathways: film or television, with the option of pursuing either narrative or documentary. From there, there are four emphasis options that you'll have to choose from: producing, cinematography, sound, or editing. The program (that you apply to AFTER getting into CSUN) is 2 years long.

The program--at least for the TV option-- throws you into the thick of it. You'll start creating from the very beginning, with each semester focusing on a different medium of television, ending off with a whole semester (or two semesters for film) dedicated to the thesis project.

The professors are wonderful and the school provides you with a lot of resources. The alumni network is very strong -- not very many people attend CSUN's CTVA program, so it's always exciting connecting with those that have and are now in the industry.

One important thing to remember is that the program at CSUN is new and growing. While you'll have access to a lot of state-of-the-art equipment and cool workspaces like editing bays and soundstages (and a really cool brand new visual effects LED wall like the one used in The Mandalorian), it's limited compared to a school like USC or UCLA.

CSUN provides a good cost-effective and fun education that will give you the experience and expertise you need. Unlike USC, all of your work there belongs to you!!

My Bachelor's was a strange experience because it was all remote (COVID) --transferring from the great Los Angeles Valley College. Even though it was "strange," it was pretty good.

On the other hand, the Master's in Screenwriting was just AWFUL.
It was a terrible experience having bad and unprepared professors, all-white faculty with 0 diversity, and the chairman (Mr. Jared Rappaport) was pretty lost; he had no idea what he was doing. The whole body of professors was just terrible --aggressions and lies all over. I had two classes that were a repetition of the same classes I had as an undergraduate --even the same professors.
Also, in my thesis examination, one of the three professors who were supposed to give me feedback didn't read my script. So, I only received two feedbacks out of three.

In summary, I paid for a Master's that honestly taught me pretty much nothing. I learned so much more in the Screenwriting courses I took at Los Angeles Valley College than in the CSUN Master's. And, if you are thinking about "networking..." forget it. The network you can have out of that institution is honestly BS.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND that program. Look for a more serious institution if you want to learn and feel really appreciated. DO NOT take the Master's in Screenwriting at CSUN.

I had a friend who graduated from this institution's screenwriting MA Program and his work was used by his professor, JARED RAPPAPORT. Ideas/stories/concepts from my friend's screenplay were ultimately made into a film that debuted at the cinema titled THE SWEET LIFE (2016).

Please look up Rotten Tomatoes Indie YouTube page on the trailer of The Sweet Life (2016). YouTube Main page on the film has gone as far as to delete comments about this incident.

My friend notified the university president and Chancellor of the entire CSU system and he was ignored for 7 years from date he let them know about what happened. For over 7 years they ignored communicating with him until statute of limitations was officially over and done with. Only after the student reached out to their local assemblyman for help did the school finally manage to send out a shady explanation of what happened.

Worse is JARED RAPPAPORT currently sits as HEAD OF SCREENWRITING DEPT. How can they let a guy tied to such unethical behavior run a screenwriting program? Jared has most likely done this to past/future students. These professors and their staff are protected by university big whig attorneys and they know students can't put up a legal fight due to insane attorney fees.

Really messed up to do this to underprivileged talent that is just trying to go after their dreams. None of my friend's professors ever reached out for comment and they all went MIA on him to keep the entire incident hushed.

A lot of people know about what happened. Incidents like these are what stop certain people from making connections, reaching goals, etc. Faculty should be there to help their students acheive their dreams, not to take from their students' ideas/stories when their work is submitted.

Pretty clear the school makes no effort to log student intellectual property whatsoever when students submit their work in classes.

AVOID THIS SCHOOL AT ALL COST.