Bachelor of Fine Arts Film and Television

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The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film and Television is a specialist degree. Students concentrate in one of eleven specific film and television areas and create portfolios preparing them for careers in the industry.

DePaul was recently named a top film school by both The Hollywood Reporter and Variety for giving students real-world opportunities to work on Chicago’s film and television sets. Film and Television students take classes and work on their projects at DePaul’s 32,000 square foot professional production facility at Cinespace, next door to the production of high-profile series like Chicago PD, The Chi, and Empire. This one-of-a-kind student filmmaking experience allows students to use same facilities and equipment as professional filmmakers.

Josh Woo

Josh Woo ('16)

Josh is an award-winning cinematographer and director who has worked on over 100 sets. He is currently a traveling Director of Photography working with various clients, including NBCU, McDonald’s, and Groupon.

“DePaul helped me break into the film industry. I had no prior connections whatsoever before coming to DePaul, and DePaul taught me all the basics and helped me get started. Along with the up-to date equipment and access to Cinespace, I felt grateful that I got to have those learning experiences.”

DePaul CDM Film Student Reel 
 

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  • Anuradha Rana

    Anu’s work focuses on ideas of representation, identity, and varied perspectives in a global environment. Her award-winning films have been produced and directed in India, Ecuador, Japan, South Africa, and the US, and have also screened internationally.

  • Pete Biagi

    Pete is CDM’s Cinematographer in Residence. He has shot over twenty feature films, as well as several long form documentaries and narrative shorts. Pete’s films have screened at Sundance, and his credits include A Prairie Home Companion, Stolen Summer, and The Company.

  • Michael Flores

    Michael has been working as an editor for more than a decade on both narrative and documentary films. His films have premiered at festivals such as Toronto, Sundance, and SXSW among many others. His films include Sarah Palin: You Betcha!; Love Means Zero (Showtime); and The Most Hated Woman in America (Netflix).

  • Steve Jones

    Steve has been producing feature films for 30 years and is CDM’s Producer in Residence. His films have screened at Cannes, Sundance, and SXSW and his credits include Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. Mad Dog & Glory, Wild Things, Drunkboat, and Normal Life.

 

Cinespace

We have a one-of-a-kind, 32,000 square foot professional production facility and cinematic learning environment formed in alliance with Cinespace Chicago Film Studios. Students learn filmmaking craft and technique steps away from high-profile network productions filming on the Cinespace lot.

 

Visiting Artist Series

This series brings innovative practitioners and industry leaders to the DePaul campus for film screenings, on-stage conversations, and professional panels. Students are given the opportunity to have direct and meaningful contact with established and emerging innovators and professionals in the field.

DePaul student looking at the famous Hollywood sign 

LA Quarter

This ten-week immersion program allows students to experience the inner workings of Hollywood first hand as they live in Los Angeles, take classes on a historic studio lot, and intern at high profile companies aligning with their professional aspirations.

 

Premiere Film Festival

Our annual Premiere Film Festival showcases the best of student work in cinema and animation with awards covering all facets of filmmaking, from screenwriting to post production. Jury members include industry insiders, festival programmers, and filmmakers from around the country.

The Second City wall of fame alumni headshots  

Comedy Filmmaking Concentration

In collaboration with The Second City, we are offering a new concentration in Comedy Filmmaking as part of the BFA in Film and Television. It is the most comprehensive undergraduate degree in Comedy Filmmaking in the country.

 

Project Bluelight

Project Bluelight is a professional, educational, and community outreach program where students receive hands-on experience in motion picture production. The goals of the program are to create high-quality independent films and to provide an intensive, practical, film production experience for DePaul students.

11 Concentrations

Cinematography

Future cinematographers, gaffers, and camera assistants gain a foundation in production for film, TV and the Web, while specializing in camera and lighting.

Comedy Filmmaking

Future comedy filmmakers train at The Second City and the School of Cinematic Arts to hone their point of view by creating a vetted writing portfolio and short films or web series.

Creative Producing

Future producers gain a foundation in production, while specializing in skills related to the business side of film, TV, and the Web.

Directing

Future directors gain a foundation in production and theory for film, TV and the Web, while specializing in directing actors and crew.

Editing

Future picture editors gain a foundation in post-production, while specializing in editing, sound design, and color correction.

Production Design

Future production designers, art directors and set decorators gain a foundation in production, while specializing in skills common to deisgning productions for theater, film, TV and the Web.

Visual Effects

Future visual effects artists gain a foundation in production, while specializing in skills like compositing for film, TV and the Web.

Screenwriting

Future screenwriters learn the craft and business of writing screenplays for film, TV, and the Web, while cultivating their voices through writing feature films, short films, sitcoms, or episodic dramas.

Documentary

Future documentary filmmakers are taught the whole filmmaking process here, and apply them to non-fiction stories on film, TV or the Web.

Showrunner

Future showrunners learn the craft of becoming a sought-after producer in an ever-changing television landscape by creating a vetted writing portfolio and web series to cultivate their identity as a storyteller.

Sound Design

Future sound designers learn production and post-production sounds for film, TV and the Web, while specializing in skills like recording, scoring, mixing, or editing sound.

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