Registration Now Open for Fall 2016 Semester
(December 2nd, 2015) In response to the rapid growth and success of the motion picture and television industry and the predicted demand for skilled talent over the next decade, Villa Maria College announces it will offer a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program in Digital Filmmaking beginning with the Fall 2016 semester. Students can begin registering for the program immediately.
New York State ranks second for jobs in the film industry behind California (labor.ny.gov). The film industry has had a huge economic impact on Western New York since the Buffalo Niagara Film Office was set up in 2001. In fact, in 2015, the economic spend on film production here has been close to $15 million. With an average annual income of $61,280, the motion picture industry is one of the highest paying fields in the U.S., according to work.chron.com. CNN Money, in 2013, said the film industry continues to show strong job growth, and those looking for a career in film can expect strong competition, both in full-time and freelance positions.
Students who enroll in Villa’s four-year Digital Filmmaking Program will receive a practical, focused education that blends a hands-on learning experience with expert instruction and guidance in various aspects of the digital film industry. By creating film projects from start to finish, students in this program will learn how to produce Hollywood-style films on state-of-the-art equipment; gain the skills to become innovative storytellers and master the behind-the-scenes skills that will prepare them for such jobs as video and sound editing; video production; camera operating; lighting; visual effects; production management; cinematography; scriptwriting and screenwriting and more.
“There’s never been such a comprehensive, hands-on program offered in Western New York,” says Tim Clark, Film Commissioner, Buffalo Niagara Film Commission. “Villa Maria is taking an important step in furthering the development of the film industry in our community by offering a cutting edge, well-rounded program that gives students who want to learn the industry the exact skills they will need and are looking for.”
Also included in Villa’s Digital Filmmaking Program is a broad core of general education courses in the Liberal Arts and Sciences that will help students think critically, imagine creatively, and write and articulate effectively.
“Villa’s Digital Filmmaking Program is unlike any other in the area,” says Brian Emerson, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Services at Villa. “It allows students to earn a BFA degree and gain the tangible skills they’ll need to begin a practical career in the film industry. The film industry in Western New York has grown exponentially over the last few years, and the Digital Filmmaking program develops the skill set necessary to facilitate that growth.”
For more information on Villa’s Digital Filmmaking Program visit http://www.villa.edu/academics/academic-programs/digital-filmmaking or contact admissions at 716-961-1870.
About Villa Maria College
Villa Maria College is a private, co-educational Catholic college founded in 1960 by the Felician Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Province. Villa Maria provides the premier student-centered experience in Western New York, allowing students to learn and grow with a culturally diverse population and a culture that lives Villa’s ideals of truth, charity and unity. For more information call 716.896.0700 or visit www.villa.edu.