Hofstra University

Great school that prepares you for the New York film and television scene. The facilities are state of the art and the teachers are top notch.

Funnily, I am even featured in the photo for this department (the young man with the afro). So I have had quite an interesting relationship with Hofstra. I've come to the conclusion that I was satisfied with what I received from the program; I entered Lawrence Herbert with no prior experience editing, filming, or even watching much film at all. I left with a great appreciation for all the dimensions of filmmaking. Two elements of the school are of notable appreciation/importance: the access the equipment and their facilities. The equipment is rather interesting (Digital Bolex/Film Bolexes/Black Magic Pocket), and you gain exposure to them quite early on. The lighting gear is older, but it is sufficient to begin learning the craft. And again, the early access to said gear was by far the most valuable thing when it came to the production side of things.

The other half of the major, Film Studies, was the portion of the school that formed me the most. With a proper screening room dedicated to film study lecture and exemplary film studies professors, horizons were effectively broadened. Personally, I believe their Film Studies program is not fully appreciated or talked about; but I believe it to be the most important part of the school, barring some good mentors.

My film placed 1st in the 2019 Film Festival, so you can take this review as coming from someone who really ran the gamut of this program: for an undergraduate program, it is a very good starting point for yourself. And you will have staff that know and care about you. There are improvements to be made (not enough quality film production professors to handle all students), but it is amongst the least encumbered by bureaucratic red tape when it comes to supporting the students. The film program has a real heart.

In summary: if you are looking for a program that will aid in shaping you into a thoughtful filmmaker, this is where one should enroll. Pricey, but the facilities, alumni, and key film professors make it worth it. I appreciate the role Hofstra served in my career, and I assure anyone who considers the school that it can greatly benefit you if you aim to learn filmmaking; take this from someone who was very much a complete blank slate at the beginning of my matriculation. Definitely warrants at least a tour.