WQED Film Academy College Information
Community College of Allegheny College (CCAC)
Perfect for individuals who have a passion for film or theatre, CCAC’s programs support the thriving industry in Western Pennsylvania. The film, theatre and dance programs include four majors: Film Technician, A.S.; Film Technician, Certificate; Technical Theatre, Certificate and Theatre, A.S.
The theatre program prepares students to transfer to a baccalaureate program at a four-year institution. Students will acquire a solid foundation of knowledge in theatre with an emphasis on performance or the technical aspects of the discipline.
The Film Technician program is designed to address the shortage of qualified film crew members in the Pittsburgh region. The program focuses on the technical aspects of the filmmaking process and prepares students for a variety of exciting careers in the film and television industry. Students learn a range of hands-on skills and create their own films, shooting in campus facilities and public settings. Opportunities to visit or intern on movie locations and sound stages are an integral part of the training. Positions such as set builder, scenic artist, set dresser, grip, lighting technician, sound mixer and editor, video assistant, wardrobe stylist and location scout are also introduced.
These growing programs are housed at South Campus in West Mifflin in a new state-of-the-art center that features a large film studio, a set production area, woodshop, sound room, computer lab, classroom, dressing room and equipment center. Every semester, the students present their final projects—a collection of short films, music videos, spec commercials, poster presentations and cinematography reels—to the college and wider community. Graduates may find entry- or mid-level employment as film and television production crew members. Students may also choose to transfer to an advanced degree program.
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private global research university located in Pittsburgh, PA. Carnegie’s Film and Visual Media program trains students to create, analyze, and develop film. Since the program is housed within Carnegie’s Department of English, students have the opportunity to work closely with creative writers, film and media studies scholars, digital humanities instructors, and visual communication researchers.
Cornish College of the Arts
Located in Seattle, Washington, Cornish College of the Arts believes in education through exposure to the arts. Cornish offers Bachelor’s degrees in a variety of artistic disciplines, including film, music and dance. Their film program teaches aspiring filmmakers writing, directing, sound design, editing and cinematography. Students graduate with a portfolio that shows their skills in narrative, documentary, and experimental filmmaking.
Douglas Education Center
Located in Monessen, PA, Douglas Education Center values diversity in the classroom and aims to develop the potential of each individual student. The school’s Filmmaking Program allows students to graduate with an Associate in Specialized Business degree in two years. Filmmaking students work with special effects artists, sound designers, cinematographers, directors, and editors.
Hussian College Los Angeles
Hussian College Los Angeles is committed to developing students’ careers as soon as they begin their first day on campus. Their Film + Digital Content program features curriculum developed by Hollywood studio executives and industry experts that immerse students in screenwriting, directing, sound design, cinematography, production, pre-production, and post-production. The program is perfect for students who aspire to be directors, editors, or cinematographers.
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Interlochen Center for the Arts, located in Interlochen, MI, strives to foster in its students the ability to use creativity to make a positive impact on the world. In their Film & New Media program, students learn from industry professionals and expand their creative vision while developing hands-on skills. Film & New Media students work in a collaborative environment and learn the filmmaking process from start to finish.
Robert Morris University
Located in Moon Township, PA, Robert Morris University combines academic excellence with professional development. Students of their Cinema and Photography program learn screenwriting, shooting, directing, sound design, motion graphics, and editing. The program also offers internship opportunities, internationally recognized faculty, and 24-hour access to studios and labs.
The program provides students with professional competency and critical analysis skills in preparation for today’s merged media environment. From reflected lights to the red carpet, from darkrooms to drone videography, exciting careers in cinema, television, and photography await this program’s graduates.
Ithaca College, Park School of Communications
The Park School of Communications at Ithaca College boasts its plethora of communications programs, including Cinema and Photography, Television & Digital Media Production, and Screenwriting. First-year students are immediately accepted into their major and begin taking classes that give them experience in their chosen field. Students learn from faculty who are active professionals and excellent teachers.
La Roche University
Located north of Pittsburgh, La Roche University strives to help students grow through academic enrichment, clubs, activities, community service, and spiritual well-being. The Film major prepares students for entry-level positions in the field. Film students learn about human communication, mass media, message design, creative writing, film analysis, and writing for TV and radio.
Savannah College of Art and Design
From epic Hollywood blockbusters to bite-sized mobile programming, film and television content requires timeless storytelling and a complex harmony of production and performance. With resources that rival the biggest studios, award-winning professors, stellar signature festivals, and a talent pool that includes actors, writers, and production staff, SCAD film and television students have the resources and the stage to lead their own career narratives. Students are immersed in all aspects of the production process as they develop artistic and technical mastery — and work on real sets long before graduation.
The Sidney Poitier New American Film School
The Sidney Poitier New American Film School at Arizona State University prides itself on its inclusivity — with its 750 undergraduate film majors and 40% of its student body coming from under-represented backgrounds. The film school operates on three campuses: one in downtown Mesa, AZ, one in Tempe, and one in downtown Los Angeles. The Sidney Poitier New American Film School is perfect for students who want to learn filmmaking through hands-on instruction from industry veterans.
Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock University, located in Slippery Rock, PA, provides students with a comprehensive learning experience that combines academic instruction with other learning opportunities. Slippery Rock University’s Digital Media Production major introduces students to a wide digital landscape including social media, video production, communications, and more. The program prepares students for entry-level positions at news agencies, media companies, businesses, and non-profit organizations.
Temple University, Klein College of Media and Communications
The Klein College of Media and Communications at Temple University trains the media makers of tomorrow. Students prepare for professional careers through a combination of academic rigor and practical training. Klein students do all this against the backdrop of Philadelphia — the nation’s fourth-largest media market.
Temple University
The largest school in Philadelphia, PA, Temple University educates diverse future leaders from around the world. The Department of Film and Media Arts at Temple prepares students to become engaged artists and thinkers, attuned to the issues media makers face. Students practice the creative and technical skills associated with film, video, audio, and new media, as well as criticism of film and culture.
University of Pittsburgh
The Film and Media Studies Program at the University of Pittsburgh offers rigorous courses about the history, aesthetics, theory, and production of cinema. The major in Film and Media Studies prepares students for careers in television and film production, arts administration, film journalism, film curatorial work, film library work, and teaching film. Students may also enroll in Pitt to the Point, a course in which students produce a one-hour news program that airs every Friday.
Penn West Edinboro
At Pittsburgh Technical College, students take career-focused classes and can graduate with an Associate in Science in Multimedia Technologies and Video Production in two years. PTC gives students experience with professional-grade cameras, lenses, stabilization rigs, lighting equipment, and tripods. Students also work with industry standard softwares from the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, as well as emerging technologies.
Pittsburgh Technical College
Located in Edinboro, PA, the Film and Video program at PennWest Edinboro feels like an apprenticeship in 21st-century filmmaking. Edinboro boasts its 100-year history of teaching visual arts and arts education. Portfolios are not required for admission; only a passion for the arts and a desire to work hard in a multidisciplinary, supportive environment.
Point Park University
Located in Downtown Pittsburgh, Point Park University offers rigorous classes along with career-readiness support that continues after you graduate. The Cinema Arts program offers Bachelor’s degrees in Animation, Cinema Production, and Screenwriting. Students begin writing screenplays, creating animations, and making films in their first year, and continue adding to their portfolios until they graduate.
Penn State University
Penn State is a top-ranked research university and Pennsylvania’s sole land-grant institution, founded with a mission of high-quality teaching, expert research, and global service. Discover a community—more than 725,000 strong—driven to make a difference. Students can choose from one of 20 Penn State Campuses to attend. The most common way for a student to earn a PSU degree is via the 2+2 program which allows students to complete the first 2 years of nearly all of our 275+ degree programs before transitioning to another campus to graduate.
The Department of Film Production and Media Studies within the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications offers two distinct curricula for students focused in the separate majors offered by the department: 1) film production and 2) media studies.
- Students in the film production major develop an understanding of all aspects of the film and video production process while exploring narrative, documentary and alternative forms.
- Students in the media studies major study the role and impact of the media on society in this theory-based, research-driven major. Students explore the relationship between media and the public, analyze media messages and technologies, and examine their effects on individuals and cultures. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lzIjLv7TY0&t=30s
Campus Spotlight:
Penn State Greater Allegheny, located southeast of Pittsburgh launched the Be Greater Creative which is a student run public relations agency. At the “Be Greater Creative”, students work with local business to help organizations elevate their brand, and connect with audiences and stakeholders.
Vancouver Film School
Located in the heart of Downtown Vancouver, B.C., Vancouver Film School offers training in industry-standard techniques and skills students need to start rewarding careers in acting, animation, film and television production, screenwriting, programming, makeup, sound, digital, game, or VR/AR design. Students have access to production spaces, film sets, studios, theatres, and 24/7 access to computer labs with industry-standard software.