| I attended the undergraduate film program at | | | | Instructional Building, The Steven Spielberg Music |
| The University Of Southern California and then | | | | Scoring Stage and The Marcia Lucas |
| proceeded with my film education at New York | | | | Post-Production Building. |
| University where I graduated with a BFA. During | | | | The Professors |
| my time at USC I attended numerous classes and | | | | USC has a very good and dedicated staff of |
| worked on several productions of friends that | | | | professors consisting of both full-time as well as |
| were in the program. In this short essay I'll try | | | | adjunct faculty. Most professors have an |
| and give an overview of what I view as the | | | | extensive history of working in the feature film |
| strengths and weaknesses of the program as I | | | | and television industries with several having been |
| see them. | | | | nominated for Oscars and Emmys. In the past, |
| Strengths: | | | | the school has had numerous famous faculty |
| The Location | | | | including Irving Thalberg, Alfred Hitchcock, D.W. |
| The USC School of Cinematic Arts is located on | | | | Griffith and Darryll Zanuck. After Graduation USC |
| the main campus of the University of Southern | | | | has a very powerful and large alumni network |
| California which is located just south of downtown | | | | with numerous alum working in virtually every |
| Los Angeles in an area bordering what is | | | | area of Film and Television Production. |
| considered southwest LA. For those unfamiliar | | | | Only NYU is comparable in numbers and quality of |
| with Los Angeles and USC, the school consists of | | | | alumni in the industry. Smart students utilize this |
| a well maintained and manicured campus that is | | | | resource to gain informational interviews and |
| enclosed as an 'oasis' from the surrounding areas | | | | internships to ease the transition into the work |
| of east LA which are not nearly as nice. | | | | world after graduation. Internships are available |
| Traditionally, the west side of Los Angeles is what | | | | through the school at virtually ever studio and |
| people think of when they think of the beaches | | | | numerous post production companies as well as |
| and nicer suburban areas as well as Hollywood and | | | | agencies and other areas. Internships are a great |
| Beverly Hills which are just east of the ocean | | | | way not only to make connections but to |
| communities but west of USC. While those living | | | | 'explore' different areas of the industry before |
| on campus enjoy a nice environment, it is | | | | deciding on a career path. |
| generally accepted that venturing too far away | | | | Weaknesses: |
| from the main campus is not the best experience | | | | While USC does have one of the leading film |
| with many if not most students choosing to leave | | | | programs and is widely regarded in the top two |
| during the weekends as the school does have a | | | | with NYU there are weaknesses that I have |
| strong commuter element to it. | | | | heard mirrored by fellow alumni. First, the location |
| The Curriculum | | | | of the USC campus is not ideal. It is a good drive |
| The USC Undergraduate Cinema Program is | | | | away from the west side of LA and at least 30 |
| structured in three tiers, the 200, 300, and 400 | | | | minutes from the studios up in the San Fernando |
| level with each tier of courses increasing in | | | | Valley and Hollywood. The area at night does not |
| complexity and generally relying on the successful | | | | have a lot to offer students and in my opinion a |
| completion of those levels below. While you have | | | | car is essential so that you can drive to |
| a choice between several options depending on | | | | Hollywood and the west side where all the action |
| your area of interest there are some required | | | | is. Venturing too far outside the campus gates at |
| classes including the 'core' classes of Cinema 310, | | | | night can in fact be dangerous for those not used |
| generally taken in junior year and Cinema 480, | | | | to city life as east LA does have some crime |
| generally taken senior year. | | | | problems. |
| Cinema 310 and 480 are the core production | | | | Second, there seems to be a tendency at USC |
| classes of the program where students are put | | | | to emphasize the technical aspects of film making |
| into either teams or crews and produce their | | | | over story. This is something that I have heard |
| larger productions. While Cinema 310 consisted of | | | | echoed from various classmates. While technical |
| non-synced sound and 480 was a larger more | | | | understanding and ability are certainly important, |
| sync-sound production, things have evolved over | | | | most students in the film school did not sign on to |
| the years. Both courses have a 'screening' in a | | | | what in effect becomes sort of a 'trade school'. |
| sort of festival at the end of the semester | | | | This emphasis on the technical seems to be due |
| where students show their films to each other | | | | to the enormous amount of money George |
| and family and friends are invited to view them. | | | | Lucas has given the studio which has paid for |
| The very best of these can often be used as | | | | some beautiful technical facilities and of course he |
| portfolio pieces to gain representation although | | | | as a filmmaker has been responsible for lots of |
| usually they are not of the quality or length of the | | | | innovation in special effects and technical |
| graduate level films. | | | | advances in film. |
| The facilities of the school of Cinema/Television at | | | | I believe however that more emphasis should be |
| USC are outstanding. George Lucas, one of the | | | | placed on story telling and craft as these days |
| school's notable alumni, has made numerous | | | | with HD video becoming the primary technology, |
| substantial donations to the school and recently | | | | there is a much more equal playing field with |
| donated $175 million to build a large expansion of | | | | other schools. With anyone now able to afford an |
| the school. In addition, Steven Spielberg and | | | | HD camera it is more important to teach those |
| others have donated money for facilities. The | | | | creative skills and aesthetics that can only be |
| current school is built like a small studio with | | | | gained by top notch filmmakers and writers with |
| notable buildings including The George Lucas | | | | experience and that USC's Alumni could provide. |