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What is Cinematography and Film?

Cinematography and film is the area of study and industry related to the creation of movies. Cinematography is the process by which such movies are made, the various lenses, film types, cameras and other factors that got into designing and filming a shot. Film also includes the study of film and the various genres, techniques milieus and other ideas that have gone into the production and creation of film. The field is defined by the variety of methods, techniques and ideas used to construct an individual film.

Career Summary

MEDIAN SALARY

$70,950

PERCENT ABOVE NATIONAL
INCOME AVERAGE

47.76%

TOTAL SECTOR EMPLOYMENT

122,600

Degree Median Salary vs Adjacent Degree Types

Source: BLS, US Census, and IPEDS

2024 Best Cinematography And Film Schools

The Department of Art & Art History is an interdisciplinary department of Stanford University offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees in art history, art practice, documentary filmmaking and field studies. The Scholarly and artistic work produced by the faculty of this department includes publications, artworks in many media, design projects, documentary films and exhibitions. Students that will take Art History will have a discipline that strives to understand the original context of Art’s making and reception. They will come to know the subsequent circulation, collection and display of an art. 

Acceptance Rate

4.34

Student to Faculty Ratio

5:1

Colombia University School of the Arts is a thriving school with a diverse community of talented and committed artists from around the world. Their faculty comprises acclaimed and internationally renowned artists, playwrights’ producers and scholars. New York is the home of this University, and it is one of the capitals of the world. They have a Theatre MFA Program which is designed collaboratively, internationally and interdisciplinary. 

Acceptance Rate

5.45

Student to Faculty Ratio

6:1

The School in Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California is divided into seven divisions that work together to train the leaders, media makers and scholars of tomorrow. This school has a reputation for being on the forefront of advances in technology and entertainment. SCA is the only media school in the world that teaches all the major disciplines of the Cinematic Arts. This University claims that they can offer unique interdisciplinary learning experiences. 

Acceptance Rate

11.42

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

CFILM (College of Film and the Moving Image) was founded in Wesleyan University’s liberal-arts tradition. It fosters the study and practice of visual storytelling. Major and minor are both offered in film studies in this department. The moving image in a collaborative manner that combines historical and cultural analysis with film making is what faculty and students’ approach in both beginning and advanced levels. Some of the courses emphasized in film studies are aesthetics, authorship and technology.

Acceptance Rate

16.48

Student to Faculty Ratio

8:1

The Department of English at Carnegie Mellon University has a degree in Film & Visual Media which allows for a complex blend of creative, professional and technical competencies. This program is designed to train skills in creating, analyzing and developing film. From theoretical framing and historical contextualization, it offers courses in film and visual media. Their Department is a combination of creative writers, digital humanities instructors, visual communication researchers and many more.

Acceptance Rate

15.44

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

Cinema Studies students at New York University are engaged with the moving image in all of its aspects, forms and platforms across the world. They don’t pay attention to the margins alone but also to its mainstream. They do not stop experimenting with exciting new forms of research. They become critics, creators and curators. 

Acceptance Rate

16.2

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

In Boston University, COM Film & Television program, they teach their students how to create movies. The first thing they’ll teach their students is to hone their art of storytelling. They will study the art of writing, image creation, managing and producing. Studying about the theory and history of film and television will also be a part of their improving skills. With enough knowledge students will soon develop a deep understanding of the motion picture medium.

Acceptance Rate

18.94

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

University of Miami is producing and screenwriting with an innovative and independent streak through their study of film production. They guide their students while they concentrate in production, screenwriting and producing. They train their students to advance their skills both in technical proficiency and critical studies. They promote creative uses of technology, preparing the students with the business practices needed to bring their work to the expanding marketplace. 

Acceptance Rate

27.13

Student to Faculty Ratio

12:1

The Master of Fine Arts degree in Film and Media is offered at Emerson College’s Department of Visual and Media Arts. This program teaches how to work with image and sound in an aim to entertain, persuade, challenge, and inform with the use of traditional and emergent media forms. Their objective is to develop both creative professionals and media artists. They help students hone an understanding of the disciplines of audio, film, video, interactive and multimedia production. 

Acceptance Rate

33.35

Student to Faculty Ratio

15:1

The degrees in Cinematography and Film at Florida State University will train the students in the craft of storytelling. They offer an immersive and project-centered approach to a graduate or undergraduate degree. They claim to have a tight-knit community where their students can work with industry professionals. As a result, they will gain intimate experience that will transform them into successful filmmakers.

Acceptance Rate

35.97

Student to Faculty Ratio

21:1

The Department of Transmedia at Syracuse University focuses on independent filmmaking, providing an exceptional education on the film production process from development to post-production. Students pursue various modes of production including documentary, animation, experimental and narrative through their facilities. For their students to develop conceptual, critical and aesthetic skills, they are required to take history and theory courses. This will empower them to be the future top filmmakers.

Acceptance Rate

44.38

Student to Faculty Ratio

15:1

Binghamton University claims that they can develop future artists and creative thinkers in film and video. They claimed that they can shape a person to be willing to explore the experimental. In this department, you’ll learn how cinema works both from a social and historical standpoint to the mechanics of making movies. They focus not only on the development of technical proficiency but also on the artistic discovery and expression.

Acceptance Rate

40.53

Student to Faculty Ratio

19:1

American University states that media only matters if it is compelling. Their SOC Film and Media Arts division teaches their students how to tell people a powerful story that reaches the heart. They train them in shaping a bold narrative that can persuade the mind of the viewers. To produce something to watch that demands action.  

Acceptance Rate

36.08

Student to Faculty Ratio

12:1

Southern Methodist University offers BA and BFA degree programs in Film and media Arts. The B.A. in Film and Media Arts is designed to prepare students on entering careers in the media industries. This can also open the way to conduct post graduate work in film and media studies. The B.F.A. in film and Media Arts gives stress in developing the unique creative voice of each student.

Acceptance Rate

47.29

Student to Faculty Ratio

N.A

Cinema Studies at San Diego State University helps their students build connections with potential employers as well as collaborators. Students will receive the chance to fulfill first-stage positions and apprenticeship. They will successfully obtain postgraduate training. Completion of this program also leads to a master's degree in Fine Arts.

Acceptance Rate

34.13

Student to Faculty Ratio

27:1

Fashion Institute of Technology offers a degree in Film and Media where students learn nuts-and-bolts filmmaking. Cinematography, editing, animation, and screenwriting are just some of what they can expect to learn here. Students will get the opportunity to explore the media landscape from broadcast TV to YouTube and to whatever might come next. They will develop the ability to create demo reel which highlights their technical skills and creative vision.

Acceptance Rate

53.89

Student to Faculty Ratio

16:1

University of Central Florida prepares their students for life beyond the classroom. They will be given the chance to experience a wide range of opportunities. Their students will be taught by world-renowned faculty. They will gain first-hand experience in internships nearby through networking with top employers across Central Florida. But students who change their degree programs then select BA in Film must adopt their most current catalog.

Acceptance Rate

44.36

Student to Faculty Ratio

30:1

Programs for Cinema Studies and Filmmaking are both available at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. Their interdisciplinary program in Cinema Studies devotedly promoting visual literacy and cross-cultural exploration. BFA degree program in Filmmaking trains students in all aspects of film production. They put effort just to provide opportunities for students to help them build a wide array of professional and marketable skills.

Acceptance Rate

61.22

Student to Faculty Ratio

16:1

Chapmans University’s Field Production degree builds a foundation in all aspects of filmmaking and expertise in a specific area of their student’s choice. They provide professional-level facilities with state-of-the-art equipment. Students will create a thesis film in their senior year that consists everything that they had learned in this program. The film that they will produce will serve as their calling card to the industry.

Acceptance Rate

55.65

Student to Faculty Ratio

13:1

The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising offers a degree program in Digital Cinema. Bachelor of Arts program in Digital Cinema is a 91-unit degree program that can be taken by students with an AAS or AA Professional Designation degree in Digital Media from FIDM. Students with Associates degrees in a related field from different colleges of university that are accredited are also welcome to this program. Completion of this program qualifies you from a wide range of specialized careers in digital media.

Acceptance Rate

36.24

Student to Faculty Ratio

18:1

The BFA program at Compass College of Cinematic Arts offers their students direct access to industry professionals. They can spend over 1,000 hours experience on set and enjoy the benefits of expanding their network of connections in the industry. They guarantee that their graduates received everything that they need to jumpstart their career in film and digital media. They have been empowering visual storytellers for more than 20 years now.

Acceptance Rate

66.67

Student to Faculty Ratio

12:1

BA degree in Theatre, Film, and Digital Production is available at the University of California-Riverside. This program allows the students to practice acting in student productions, class presentations, and faculty-directed shows. Advanced students are offered to make special projects and studies where they will produce their original work or study in more depth acting, directing, or playwriting. The ongoing goal of this program is to continue providing a comprehensive and world-class program in the performing arts.

Acceptance Rate

56.52

Student to Faculty Ratio

23:1

A major in Digital Media is available at the University of La Verne. The program for this major prepares students for the ever-changing media world. It is designed to provide real-world training to students so they can thrive in a competitive environment. There are two Production concentrations they can choose from, the Film and Television or the Radio Broadcast and Digital Audio. They offer an intensive learning environment where they will be taught the arts of narrative filmmaking and documentary filmmaking.

Acceptance Rate

54.82

Student to Faculty Ratio

14:1

Students who took Visual Arts at Bennington College are given the opportunity to work closely with faculty as they design the content and sequence of their study and practice. They can take advantage of the resources available inside and outside the classroom to pursue their work. They provide a dynamic studio environment which includes production facilities. They promote formal innovation, historical consciousness and conceptual rigor.

Acceptance Rate

60.79

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

Students at Temple University who chose to take the Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media Arts enjoy an energetic campus culture that is located in Central North Philadelphia. A concentration in Cinematography is available. This prepares students who desire to enter graduate film programs or pursue professional careers in film and television production. This concentration can be completed in a two-semester master class.

Acceptance Rate

60.04

Student to Faculty Ratio

14:1

Why Attend Film School?

You may be considering attending a top film school online or on-site for a variety of reasons. The most common reasons students elect to attend an accredited film school include the following reasons:

Academics Students looking to take their career to the next level can benefit greatly from an accredited curriculum taught by qualified professors. During their studies students will gain knowledge in the cinematography field, acquire specialized skills, and advanced tools of the trade.

Professional Contacts The best film schools in the country offer an array of degree programs and certificate programs that include a school-approved externship or apprenticeship. These externship programs offer students a unique opportunity to learn from film professionals and develop lifelong relationships and professional contacts. These contacts can link you to other influential professionals in the trade to help you land your dream job or ideal project.

If you are thinking about attending film school to study cinematography, it is important to establish a personal priority list to help you chart a course. Finding the best film school for you may not be a linear path. In fact, the top film schools near you may not be the best choice given your career objectives leading you to look outside your immediate area to find the best film school for you. To help you get the most out of your film school journey, we recommend you read the following books to help make the process more efficient: The Complete Guide to the College Admission Process and Crush the Odds by Getting into Your Top College.

Top Degrees in Cinematography and Film Studies

There are a number of degree and certificate programs to choose from when considering a future in film and cinematography. Below we have listed the degree types and programs in the industry that you can further research. The degree programs in cinematography and film include:

Certificate Studies in Cinematography and Film School

Certificate programs offered by cinematography and film-schools can help students and working professional gain specialized knowledge and upskill in the film industry. Programs are typically shorter in nature than a degree program and can range from a few weeks long up to two years. A cross-section of online certificate programs offered by cinematography and film schools include: photography, filmmaking, acting for film, producing for TV, screenwriting, documentary filmmaking, major movies producing, game design, graphic design, broadcast journalism, 3D animation, cinematography, and musical theatre.

Associate Degree in Cinematography and Film

An associate degree in cinematography and arts can be conferred as an Associate of Applied Science (AAS), Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Fine Arts (AFA), or Associate of General Studies (AGS) depending on the school and their curricular design. The online associate degree offered by film schools include a combination of general education studies such as English composition, communication, and philosophy with core film classes. Core classes in an online associates degree program will depend on the program offered by the school and your area of concentration. The associate degree bachelor track can help students create a runway for a career in cinematography beyond the traditional college associate degree.

Bachelor’s Degree in Cinematography and Film

The online bachelor degrees offered at film schools can be conferred to students at a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BS), or Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) relative to the curriculum and program emphasis. Cinematography bachelor degree is a 4-year undergraduate degrees will delve deeper into film specialties and provide students with a broad-based swath of general education classes to help students think differently about the world around them. Specialties offered within the bachelor degree programs in the cinematography realm may include programs such as: acting, visual effects, 3D animation, film, graphic design, performing arts, musical theatre, broadcast journalism, movie set design, digital editing, cinematography, game design, documentary, game design, producing, screenwriting, visual arts, directing, and virtual reality. Bachelor degree master programs are available for qualified students looking to level-up and take their careers to the next level above and beyond bachelor degrees cinematography.

Master’s Degree in Cinematography and Film

At the masters film degree track is designed for students looking to advance their career with specialized knowledge in cinematography and film. Programs at this level are conferred as a Masters of Arts (MA) or Masters of Fine Arts (MFA). Masters degrees are 1-2 year programs of additional matriculation for those already meeting lower-level requirements. Online master degrees can be found from accredited colleges and universities in a number of disciplines including game design, screenwriting, producing, cinematography, acting, photography, documentary, and filmmaking. During matriculation at the masters degree level, students will be immersed in project-based learning to help apply field-specific theories, practices, and business principles in the visual arts and performing arts.

Doctorate Degree in Cinematography and Film

The doctorate-level programs in cinematography and film are highly specialized degree programs conferred as PhD in Cinematography and Film or as a Doctor of Philosophy. Students considering the doctorate-level track in cinematography will typically be geared to teach at the college-level in a defined area of cinematography or perform research to advance the field of film. The PhD programs will vary in length but will often take students four to six years to complete with a board-approved dissertation taking a substantial portion of the program.

Educational Requirements for Film Students

A degree in cinematography and film will educate a film major in the art of making movies. The process of making a film is complicated, and an understanding of the technical, financial and artistic aspects of production is necessary in order to complete a project. One can obtain the basic skills necessary to enter film production through a two year associate's program or continue toward higher level degrees which will offer a greater understanding of history, technology, aesthetics, and theory.

Cinematography and film curriculum may include:

  • Introduction to Cinema
  • Sound
  • Film Production
  • Film Genres
  • Video Editing
Schools Other Students Requested Information From:

Employment Paths & Popular Careers in Cinematography

Those looking to pursue a career in film production will have many options available to them as productions require many people with different skills. Movement through various facets of film production is not uncommon, and as an individual gains more experience he or she will begin to see higher pay and more responsibility. Experience in filmmaking in its many facets is highly valued, particularly among positions that require an individual to supervise or manage a team and to coordinate with other portions of production. Individuals wishing to reach the higher level of production, such as director or producer, should take on positions that allow them to become familiar with professionals in those positions.

Careers in films and cinematography arts may include:

  • Art Director
  • Gaffer
  • Grip
  • Director
  • Camera Operator
  • Editor
  • Producer
  • Production Assistant
  • Cinematographer
  • Director of Photography

Job Growth in Film and Cinematography Arts

The salary of a person working in film is highly dependent on the position of the individual and the production he or she is currently on. Skill and experience are highly prized, and a person attempting to enter the industry should be willing to take on any roll in order to obtain that experience. Job growth is expected to increase as newer technologies become more commonplace requiring trained individuals to work with them as well as the increased role of entertainment increasing the overall number of productions, thus work opportunities.

Film Arts Resources for Students

Individuals interested in cinematography and film may also be interested in photography, film studies, and photo journalism. The American Society of Cinematography (ASC) may be an organization of interest. Associations such as the ASC help to provide members a place to learn, grow, and connect to other like-minded professionals.

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