Online Film & Television Production Degrees
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A degree in film and television production will prepare students for a variety of positions within the industry, such as acting, producing, writing, directing, lighting, and many, many others. Job growth is expected to be good for film and television production graduates, but there will be a high level of competition for positions in this field. Those with more specialized credentials may enjoy the most opportunities. Creativity, hard work, and determination (along with a little luck) may play a large part in the potential success of film & television production graduate. Industry connections and contacts made during the program may be just as important. The job duties will vary depending upon specialization, but in general, one must be able to effectively collaborate with team members, meet deadlines, work within a budget, and handle a wide range of responsibilities to help make each project a success.
Students will either enter into a broad-based associate program or a more specialized bachelor's program during their schooling. The associate degree will be prepare graduates to enter positions at the entry level, such as camera operator, production assistant, screenwriter, editor, production manager, location manager, art director, set designer, and more. The bachelor's program, on the other hand, will provide an education that is specialized, usually with a focus in acting, screenwriting, producing, or directing. The master's and PhD programs will provide advanced coursework that will allow the student to enter into upper-level positions within their specialization or apply for teaching positions upon graduation.
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What are some of the specializations within this degree program?
- Cinematography: Students will be in charge of camera placement, appearance of the picture, and shot selection for the project.
- Acting: Graduates will be in front of the camera, creating a tapestry of artistic work for the masses.
- Directing: These workers will be behind the camera and will be in charge of what the audience ends up seeing in the theater.
- Screenwriting: These are the scribes who pen the work that will be adapted by the director and producer.
- Many other fields, such as lighting, producing, camera operation, and many others, round out the potential positions within the broad field of film & television production.
What degree levels are available?
- Associate Degree: 2 years to complete
- Bachelor's Degree: 4 years to complete
- Master's Degree: 1.5-3 years to complete
- Doctoral Degree: 3-6 years to complete
What are the educational and certification requirements?
The film & television production degree is offered at all levels of education. It mostly involves on-site course study, with fully online programs still quite rare, due to the hands-on nature of the degree. Students will rely heavily on contacts made, tenacity, and creativity in order to succeed within their field, maybe even more so than formal training. The associate degree in film & television production takes two years to complete. Most online schools will fall under a 15-month to two-year time frame for degree completion. Students will find themselves in introductory courses in a broad range of disciplines, such as lighting, producing, acting, screenwriting, film history, and many others. The student may go into entry-level work upon graduation, or decide to continue their education.
A bachelor's degree in film & television production can be completed in four years. Whereas the associate degree offers a broad overview of topics, the BA will provide students with a specialization focus in acting, directing, producing, writing, or some other field. This will be a hands-on course of study that will prepare the student for work as screenwriters, art directors, producers, actors/actresses, set designers, crew members, camera operators, directors, production assistants, and many more.
A master's degree or PhD program will allow students to complete advanced coursework and push themselves into the upper echelon of positions available upon degree completion. The master's will focus more on continuing the students' education within their specified field, while the PhD program will focus on producing student research and a graduate who can enter into the field of teaching. At many schools, there will be PhD concentrations in film theory, American film, history of film, criticism, and television studies, among others.
Creativity, determination, contacts within the industry, and luck will be a main determinant of success after graduation. The entertainment industry will not require the student to obtain any further certification. The old adage rings true, as it may just come down to who you know within the business in order to get your foot in the door.
What kinds of classes will I be expected to take?
Students looking to enter a film & television production degree program will have a broad-based background of liberal arts study, along with a specialization within a specific field within film & television production. The type of courses taken will depend upon the specialization -- acting, writing, directing, etc. -- but here are examples of classes the student may see during their schooling:
- Introduction to Cinema: Students will be given a run-through of both technique and criticism in motion pictures. Professors will offer screenings for students of films that match their teaching criteria.
- Film Production: The student will take part in learning how to build the film, from the ground up. Topics such as idea development and visual and audio communication will be discussed.
- Screenwriting: This course teaches the student how to properly format a screenplay, along with showing the storytelling processes, from inception to the editing process. Students may write a short script or a treatment of a longer script/feature film.
- Acting: Techniques and fundamentals of acting are taught within this course of study. A focus will include both improvisational and scripted acting practice.
- Television Production: Students will learn techniques that will help with multi-camera studio production, directing, and basic script writing for television.
If I pursue this program online, will I be required to complete any on-site training?
Yes. These degrees are particularly difficult to complete online, since students will need access to expensive equipment that is usually furnished by the college. Moreover, film and television production is generally done in teams, which shoot together on-site. Online students will need to reside close enough to their college, so that they can regularly meet with other students for group projects.
What are some other degrees that are related to this program?
Many degree programs have overlapping content with the film and television production degree. More specialized degrees exist for individuals most interested in a particular part of production. Screenwriting programs are available for those who want to work on the pre-production writing aspect of TV shows and films. Likewise, separate programs in film production or television production contain more specific coursework and allow students to complete a degree program with more depth and less breadth. Some programs get even more specific, such as the Master of Fine Art in documentary film.
In a bit of a different vein, the degree program in media ventures covers the entrepreneurial side of production and project pitching. These programs may be a better fit for people with an interest in business.
