USC School of Cinema-Television

From Open Encyclopedia

The University of Southern California's School of Cinema-Television is the oldest film school in the United States, established in 1929 as a joint venture with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The School’s founding faculties include Douglas Fairbanks, D.W. Griffith, William C. DeMille, Ernst Lubitsch, Irving Thalberg, and Darryl Zanuck. Notable professors include Drew Casper, the Alma and Alfred Hitchcock Professor of American Film, Tomlinson Holman, inventor of THX, and Mark Jonathan Harris, documentary filmmaker.

The program is one of USC's most competitive specialty schools, accepting 150 out of roughly 1000 applicants each year. It is notorious for turning down Steven Spielberg's application for undergraduate studies twice. Ironically, he is now on the school's board of directors, and a Trustee of the University.

Many of the School’s famous alumni, friends and companies have joined forces to fund a world-class film and television complex at USC. Their gifts and ongoing support have enabled the School to build some of the top facilities and equipment of any film school anywhere.

Since 1965, not a year has passed without an alumnus being nominated for an Academy Award; and alumni have held key creative or production positions in 8 of the 10 highest grossing movies in history.

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