Columbia College Chicago - School of Film and Television

The general attitude towards MFA film students at Columbia is antagonistic and confrontational. A lot of incoming students have no prior filmmaking knowledge, but some like myself have at least a couple years of professional experience. Yet all of us are treated as completely inept, naive, or even dangerous. In our first semester, the (now-ex) department chair sat us all down in an auditorium and told us we're not even here to make films. "You're making exercises, I don't know why you keep calling them films." What an incredibly demotivating atmosphere at 1104 S Wabash. I didn't realize I was spending thousands of dollars a semester for exercise school.

I was part of the first cohort to resume in-person learning for Columbia's MFA Directing program. This made us "guinea pigs" (the same ex-dept chair's words) in a supposedly restructured curriculum that aimed to create a sweeping blanket of introductory film knowledge. 1 sound class. 1 lighting class. Film theory 101. This strict curriculum also prevents grad students from being "qualified" to use any of the school's facilities in sound, lighting, cinematography etc. A former peer hoping to become a cinematographer was told directly "You came to the wrong place." They dropped out after the first semester. Instead of being equipped with hands-on knowledge and skills for our films, you are forced to seek out undergraduates who are trained in specific programs to use equipment/facilities, and MAYBE they'll work with you if they're not already swamped with their own work.

Undergraduates are given priority over everything, including equipment, facilities, even time/attention from the faculty. There's one networking mixer each semester and that's it. You're on your own. It makes total sense that the school doesn't want inexperienced students damaging expensive equipment or something, but at least give eager students the opportunity to learn about these things, or better yet, why not INCLUDE specified electives in the grad curriculum so we aren't discouraged from achieving our goals? Seriously. I am a 30 year old man who has been gaslit and talked down to like a child for the last 2.5 years for WANTING TO LEARN MORE.

If I could do it all over again, I certainly would not come to Columbia College Chicago and would absolutely re-think putting personal savings into graduate school for an MFA film degree at all. It is simply not necessary to find work in the film industry. If you're considering grad film schools, you should know exactly why you are entering a particular MFA program (location, facilities, networking) or you will likely end your time here frustrated and unfulfilled. I've left this school feeling far less inclined to even participate in the film industry than when I began, with only a couple "exercises" to show for it

Columbia College Chicago is not only one of America's best film schools it is also one of the most affordable. The program is advertised as 2 years online but can be as long as you want it to be. They respect storytelling above all else and are extremely supportive. The communication with the head of the program is also really strong and if somebody doesn't have an answer for you they will quickly direct you to the right place. I have yet to step foot on campus because of covid but my learning has not been hindered. Once again the affordability is king for CCC if you look at The Hollywood Reporter best film school list CCC is a fraction of the cost compared to the other top film schools. I cant imagine you get a better education elsewhere and if you do it's not by a wide enough margin to make up the cost difference. Trying to find the right grad school is a near impossible task with the amount of options available, I am lucky I my place and if you attend I'm sure you'll feel the same.

I'd like to preface this by saying I graduated a while ago. It's possible that the school has changed significantly since then so take what I say with a grain of salt. Also, I made quite a few mistakes while there. Columbia College is a giant hub that draws in everybody from the Midwest. I feel like I know more people from Michigan than anywhere else in the world. You meet a lot of people in undergrad. Tons of students and they're all pipelined out to Los Angeles. That said, the alumni coordination leaves a little to be desired.

The big reason to go is tons of access to equipment and the ability to wheel around town and shoot whatever you want during independent study. It's an excellent trade school for its combination of hands-on experience and big alumni class. Go for an undergrad education, a solid bedrock to be followed up with an MFA. It is not a great school for writing and directing. That said, Columbia started up its Second City Program as soon as I left which likely would've been a game changer for me if it existed while I was there.

You have the ability to make an undergrad thesis with a lot of freedom. The thesis advisors aren't very hands-on. They have a Practicum Program that when I was there seemed like a great idea, designed in the style of AFI but it wasn't there in execution. Hopefully it's improved since then. It's a great idea. When I was there, it was a chaotic school without much direction and a lot of kids running around with cameras, shooting. Take all of this with a grain of salt.