Film: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. After coursework is completed, Screenwriting/Directing students may choose to shoot both thesis and non-thesis projects on film.
The Screenwriting/Directing program requires two years of coursework followed by one to two years to complete thesis projects. Degrees must be completed within a maximum of four years.
The Creative Producing program is a three-year program.
There is no part-time study available.
No, many of our students have undergraduate degrees in areas completely unrelated to their graduate studies.
One of the things that differentiates Columbia from other top film schools is the importance placed on the "total filmmaker." All incoming students must take classes in writing, directing and producing as well as history, theory and criticism. This isn't simply because so many of our famous graduates have been writers as well as directors; we believe that the cross-pollination that occurs when students see the medium from a variety of perspectives is invaluable, eye-opening and makes for better, more sophisticated filmmakers.
The Creative Producing program is the only such program that is founded on the principle that the best producers are fully versed in directing and screenwriting.
Another way in which Columbia differs from other schools is the emphasis placed on story. In the School of the Arts Film Program, storytelling-whether in a screenplay, a director's storyboards, or a producer's log line-is seen as the basis of the entire art form.
The School of the Arts Film MFA Program stresses collaboration at every level. Rather than foster an atmosphere of intense competition, the program supports filmmaking itself as the best model for collaboration, collegiality and a supportive artistic environment. Built into the program in the first year is a collaborative effort, "the 8–12 minute film," a collaboration of first-year writer, director and producer teams.
The success of the program in this regard is a proven fact: The creators of Monsoon Wedding, American Splendor, Boys Don't Cry, and Dare are only a few of the writer/director teams that have risen from our ranks, and the makers of Padre Nuestro, Messengers, Dear Lemon Lima and Kettle of Fish are examples of Columbia alumni director/producer teams.