USC School of Cinematic Arts

If you want to be a pro, there is no better entryway into the industry. If you want to be an artist, maybe not the best school for that. USC is not so flexible with pushing creative boundaries. It polishes students into "pro-ready" talents with a network to immediately dive into. It is definitely competitive and can be cutthroat, like Hollywood. No school is perfect, and most will not make the leap, but you have no better chance to "make it" than to go to USC.

I am eternally grateful to everything USC has done for me, especially as an international student; it has closed learning gaps that would have taken forever to fill. The faculty is extraordinary, and the support from people in the school is unlike anything I have seen in other schools—an extraordinary experience and honoured ot be a part of the best film school in the world.

The School of Cinematic Arts has essentially been created in the image of a corporate film studio. Artistically successful films you make at this school will be made despite layers of bureaucracy and a pervasive “Hollywood” sensibility toward filmmaking. That being said, my experience as a student here has put me on a path toward having a career in film and has made me the filmmaker I am today.

Someone once used the analogy of a lighthouse to describe SCA. The name and prestige of the program are like a beacon that attracts filmmakers who are serious about their craft from all around the world to one place, where they meet and collaborate with each other. The students in your cohort will quickly become your dearest friends and collaborators. The goal of film school is to find your people, and SCA ensures that these people are passionate, hardworking, smart, creative, and full of potential.

As an undergrad production student, you are required to take a class we call 310 (or 508 for grad students). In this class, over the course of a semester, you work in trios and rotate crew positions as director, DP, and producer/editor to produce three films. I entered the class as one filmmaker and came out the other side completely changed. It is, without a doubt, the best class I’ve ever had on filmmaking.

At the end of the day, it is what you make of it. If you are lucky, as I have been, to attend this legendary (and expensive) program, it is up to you to make your time worth it. USC will not make you a great filmmaker. Don’t think that you need USC to make it in film. That is up to you.

I applied for USC Peter Stark Producing Program- its my dream degree. I haven't applied to other schools, missed the date for Columbia. (Most programs need a script and just not quite there in my writing journey)
I did apply for Cinematic Studies at USC - just got rejected.

I haven't heard anything for the Peter Stark Program, but seems like some people have heard/ even had interviews. Is it possible they reach out later? fingers crossed.

if there are any alums on here or admitted students, I'd love to hear from you- get some advice perhaps. I'm an Australian Indian girl in Sydney with a background in Fashion, business & hospitality.

I have a question for current or former students of the MFA program: I was told that students have to be selected to make a film in the second year of the MFA program, and that the thesis film is optional. What are you coming out of the Film Production (Directing) program with if you don't get selected to make your film, and if you don't make a thesis? What sort of opportunities do you have to create a body of work? How many opportunities do you have to make short films that are of such high quality, intentional, and deeply thought out (the way you would work on a thesis film for at least a year, for example) that they can potentially compete on the festival circuit?

Yeah it's really tricky, and has also changed (the requirements for projects as a directing track student) within the 2 years I've been here. So coming out of the program their hopes are that maybe you've found a different discipline that interests you other than directing, lol. It's not impossible to make a thesis honestly, as long as you have everything together for it. But yes, when we're talking about the possibility that you won't make a FILM per se, there is also the television track and they get a lot of money and there's opportunities to direct there.
In your first year, second semester you do make a 5 and a half minute film and that's the only only guaranteed film you get to make that's given the full filmmaking process but you're in a trio and have to help your other trio mates make their films as well.

DEFINITELY weigh out if USC is the right school for you because it's a great school for becoming a well rounded director, but they do not want you to think there's a directing program. They want you versed in multiple disciplines. You can also learn a lot about producing and writing within the program, I know other film schools don't have as good of writing programs if you're a directing student.

Super interesting - thank you so much for your detailed answers, I learned a lot here. Unfortunately, I never got a chance to attend an info session for USC during the application process in the fall so I haven't had a chance to learn more in depth about how their curriculum is set up - I just have been going off of the presumption that you know, USC is one of the top film schools in the country and I'll probably get a stellar education there. But you definitely shed some light on a lot of things for me and there's a lot to I have to think about (depending on if I even get in or not! haha). Thank you thank you!

I am curious about people's advice for selecting good recommenders. I got into screenwriting after college and don't have a great academic reference who could talk about me in a writing context that well. For people from non-traditional backgrounds, how did you choose your recommenders? Any advice? Thank you!

USC School of Cinematic Arts

Film School details

More Info on Undergraduate Application Requirements:

More Info on Graduate Application Requirements:

Quick Facts

Deadlines, Decisions, & Enrollment

Undergraduate Deadlines:

Graduate Deadlines:

Tuition & Cost of Attendance

Tuition & Cost of Attendance Details:

Scholarships

Copyrights & Production

Cycle & Thesis Film Details:

Equipment Access

Facilities

Facilities & Equipment Details:

Cameras & Equipment

Software Taught

Internship Opportunities

Career Assistance

Alumni Employment Data

Alumni Awards

Alumni Success

Recent Alumni Credits:

Disclaimer & Data Accuracy

Latest Film School Reviews

Related Threads

Latest questions

Exclusive Supporting Member Benefits

Film School information

Share this Film School