UNCSA rises to No. 8 in The Hollywood Reporter ranking of best film schools in the U.S.

The School of Filmmaking at UNCSA has been recognized by two leading publications of the film and television industry. The Hollywood Reporter ranked the school No. 8 – its highest ever ranking in that publication – in its annual list of the “The Best Film Schools in the U.S.” UNCSA is also the No. 1 public university on the list.

In its summer 2024 issue, MovieMaker Magazine included the UNCSA School of Filmmaking on its annual list of the “The 30 Best Film Schools in the U.S. and Canada in 2024.”

The Hollywood Reporter cited the university’s affordability: “The rare example of a public arts institution, UNCSA has produced top-tier Hollywood talent without the hefty tuition.” The article noted that the school has “kept up with Hollywood’s ebbs and flows,” mentioning its new three-year concentration, Story Art Studio, that “has been established for students who want to explore everything from puppetry to AI.”

“The UNCSA School of Filmmaking recognizes and embraces the entertainment industry’s ever-evolving business practices and aesthetics, and we are always honored when industry and industry-read publications like The Hollywood Reporter and MovieMaker take note of our impact,” said Dean Deborah LaVine. “We are proud to be recognized for the depth of the UNCSA curriculum led by our stellar faculty, comprising major artists and filmmaking professionals; exceptional facilities; and the very accessible tuition, all of which create an unparalleled environment for students to develop their creativity and professional skill sets.”

THR also quoted writer/director Jeff Nichols, who employed UNCSA alumni on his recent film, “The Bikeriders,” extolling the network he was able to create through his UNCSA experience: “My biggest takeaway was my relationships with classmates. I still work and collaborate with a lot of people from UNCSA and have throughout my career.”

MovieMaker noted UNCSA’s unique environment and the film school’s new international partnerships, writing: “With five arts disciplines on one campus, students are living and learning in a unique ecosystem that benefits students before and after graduation. Connections born at UNCSA can span the globe, as the school also offers three international exchange programs in partnership with Konrad Wolf Film University in Potsdam, IFS in Cologne, and RISEBA in Riga, Latvia.”

About the School of Filmmaking

Consistently recognized as among the nation’s best training programs for filmmakers, the School of Filmmaking has produced some of today’s most creative storytellers.

Led by Dean Deborah LaVine, the film school is a collaborative community with personalized attention from its deep bench of award-winning directors, screenwriters, editors, cinematographers, production designers and animators, all committed professionals who continue to practice in the entertainment industry. The award-winning faculty in the School of Filmmaking have decades of real-world experience and a passion for mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in concentrations that include animation, cinematography, directing, picture editing and sound design, producing, production design and visual effects, and screenwriting. Students learn the latest in filmmaking and technologies through the Media and Emerging Technology Lab (METL), housed at “The Cube,” dedicated to exploring the production of immersive and innovative storytelling.

Partnerships with the RiverRun International Film Festival and OUT at the Movies Festival in Winston-Salem, the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, N.C. and the Sundance Film Festival provide critical networking and screening opportunities for students, alongside annual trips to Los Angeles and New York City. Under Dean LaVine, the School of Filmmaking is connecting students to filmmakers across the globe through international partnerships. New program offerings such as the Story Art Studio are broadening the scope of the training and making students employable across a wide spectrum of work. Students in the School of Filmmaking make more than 130 films a year with all equipment and financing provided by the university, and tuition is less than half of other prominent film schools. The film school has a unique collaboration with the School of Drama at UNCSA, providing access to student actors for films; the School of Music in the M.M. in Composition for Film and Media, through which film students and work with composers to score their works; and a collaborative program with the School of Design & Production, whose students design hair, makeup, and wardrobe for student films.

Notable alumni from the School of Filmmaking include Vera Herbert (“This is Us,” “Don’t Make Me Go”); Craig Zobel (“Mare of Easttown”); Danny McBride (“The Righteous Gemstones,” “Eastbound & Down”); David Gordon Green (the “Halloween” franchise, “Manglehorn”); Zach Seivers (“Nomadland,” “Raymond & Ray”); Brett Haley (“Hearts Beat Loud,” “The Hero”); Rebecca Green (“It Follows,” “I’ll See You in My Dreams”); Jody Hill (“The Righteous Gemstones,” “Vice Principals”); Jeff Nichols (“The Bikeriders," “Loving”); Martha Stephens (“To the Stars”); Aaron Katz (“Land Ho!” “Gemini”); Kaitlyn Ali (“Queen & Slim,” “The Trial of the Chicago 7”); Tim Orr (“Raising Victor Vargas,” “Joe”); Will Files (“The Batman,” “Stranger Things”); Zoë White (“The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Westworld”); Alex Bickel (“Beef”); and Michael Brake (“Barry”); among many others.

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