800×600

Normal
0

false
false
false

EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”;
mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”;}

Last week, The Hollywood Reporter published an article online, listing the "The 25 Best Film Schools Rankings," showcasing a wide variety of film schools from around the world.  From trade schools like AFI, to animation-specific programs like Cal Arts, to boutique programs like Stanford's, The Hollywood Reporter did an impressive job rounding up all the various approaches to film education, giving us a nice snapshot of a global industry deeply invested in producing thoughtful, creative filmmakers, with a myriad of different perspectives.  Even as it compares essentially dissimilar programs to one another (I don't envy the editors trying to compare UCLA to RISD, for example!) the list's diversity is very exciting because it confirms the shift in power we've all witnessed over the last decade: the studio system is rapidly changing, embracing more diverse approaches than ever before.

Thus, we are proud to be recognized and ranked among the best film schools in the world, competing with old pros like USC, Beijing Film Academy, and NYU. In less than a decade, Dodge College's Marion Knott Studios has become renowned as the most technologically advanced film school in the country.

Born and bred in the digital age, we have a unique vantage point to observe and participate in the rapidly changing industry of filmmaking today.  Unburdened by acres of ancient editing machines and equally outmoded workflows, and outfitted as we are with the latest equipment and technologies, our young program and fresh perspective allows us to update, pivot, and adapt to the rapidly-changing industry like no other – although the coin's flip side also means our graduates haven't been working in the industry nearly as long as some other institutions.  With an eye to the past, it's certainly no surprise to see why venerable workhorses like USC rise to the top of THR's list, which relied heavily on the input of already-established industry professionals.

Of course, we don’t agree with our ranking, which appears to compare Dodge College with very dissimilar schools. With complete, undergraduate and graduate curricula. Check out some of our game-changing programs, global connections, and industry events which didn’t make it into the THR article:

Busan West & Sikh Film Festival

            The largest Pan-Asian film festival in the Western hemisphere.  With a rotating selection of the most significant independent films coming out of the renowned Busan Film Festival, our Busan West festival, held annually in Marion Knott Studios, aims to expand awareness and appreciation of the burgeoning global film industry.  In 2010, the Sikh Film Festival selected the Folino Theater to host its annual film festival celebrating the art and film of one of the world’s most vibrant cultures, and we’re thrilled to continue this partnership in 2011.

Visit the 2010 Pusan Film Festival website (changed in 2011 to the “Busan Film Festival”) and the Sikh Film Festival.

Women In Focus

            For over a decade, our Women in Focus conference has brought together some of the industry’s brightest minds, engaging students, faculty, and VIP guests in a continuing dialogue on issues of gender and representation in the largely male-dominated film industry.  Featured panelists have included renowned artists such as Martha Coolidge, award-winning director Catherine Hardwicke, triple AFI winner Jocelyn Moorhouse, director and writer Kimberly Peirce, and many more. These women give a unique perspective into the world of directing, and discuss how women have begun to emerge with a stronger influence in the industry's recent history.

See some of our favorite quotes from 2011 on Twitter.

International Partnerships:

Dodge College has an international campus!  Through a partnership with Ngee-Ann Polytechnic, the leading institute for multimedia studies in Singapore, we offer a three year program which teaches the fundamentals of filmmaking, through courses taught by Chapman faculty on the Ngee-Ann campus, and hands-on internships in the LA area during the summers.  Additionally, courses offered throughout the year give students opportunities to explore the world of film beyond the glow of Hollywood; our exchange programs with Taiwan and Korea see small teams of students embedded in foreign cultures, sharing and discovering new points of view.

Documentary / Location Filmmaking projects

            In addition to our cultural exchanges, we also offer several opportunities to make films beyond the normal scope of Hollywood films.  Our Documentary program brings students on-location to some of the most challenging environments in the world through our “Destination: Africa” program, in the hopes of stimulating and uncovering new subjects and new modes of storytelling.  In the 2010-2011 year, students scaled Mount Kilimanjaro with a 3-D camera, producing a pair of documentaries designed to showcase the mountain itself, and the expedition’s struggles.  Even right here in Orange County, students produce documentaries about local issues through our “Community Voices” program, which brings local nonprofits together with passionate students to help shed light on those less fortunate through the power of film.  Finally, our location film courses, offered during interterm and summer semesters, use a script submission process to select a handful of very special projects for production by small, focused creative teams which bring together all the disciplines.

Summer Film Institute

            Recently formed to bridge the gap between high school and college, our Summer Film Institute for high school students brings aspiring film majors from all over the world directly to Hollywood via our own Marion Knott Studios.  Housed here on campus, students attend daily classes, workshops, and field trips designed to teach them the fundamentals of filmmaking and practical industry strategies to help budding directors understand the connected skills of storytelling and artistic technique.

SFI information

Filmmaker in Residence mentorship program

            Every semester, the Dodge College administration honors a local filmmaker by asking them to participate in our Filmmaker in Residence program.  Like similar programs found throughout the artistic disciplines, ours brings interested students, faculty, and industry guests together for an intimate dinner every week.  The filmmaker curates a semester-long selection of important films from his or her past, or ones which inspired their own careers.  Participants are hand-picked to ensure equal opportunity, and every filmmaker is given the opportunity to meet one-on-one with the guest to receive individualized mentorship of their chosen project or film. 

First Cut Los Angeles & New York City

            As part of their final year, all our students create a final project designed to showcase the hard work and skills they have developed over the course of their career.  Our film students’ final thesis films are screened at the end of every semester – as well as during special events like Homecoming and Commencement weekends – and additionally, three films are hand-chosen by the Dean to screen at exclusive industry events, held annually in Los Angeles and New York City.  These events provide the springboard for graduating students to network with recent alumni, local businesses, and other independent filmmakers, in these industry hotspots.

See photos from previous First Cuts

Professional degrees: JD/MFA & MBA/MFA

            Worth mentioning, but unfortunately left out of the THR’s article, are our unique degrees offered in partnership with Chapman’s Business and Law Schools.  Unlike the two-year MFA program, the four-year JD/MFA program has a strong emphasis on the legal aspects of film and television producing, such as drafting and negotiating contracts, the attorney’s role in the filmmaking process, intellectual property protection, and copyright law.  The three-year MBA/MFA program has a greater emphasis on the business aspects of film and television producing, such as economics, accounting, marketing and financial management. Both of these unique programs offer a deep understanding of film and television financing, marketing, distribution and exhibition, as well an awareness of the global business environment.