About San Francisco Film School
The San Francisco Film School is a nationally accredited educational institution specializing in the training and development of film and media professionals. Since our inception, we have dedicated our school to the re-imagination of the film school model, and to building a more creative educational environment.
We nurture the aspiring filmmaker’s aesthetic spark while providing the critical hands-on training necessary to have a successful career in the film, television and new media industries.
Why San Francisco Film School?
You will develop highly sought after skills by making your own films and working on set as a crew member. You will be taught using the most current professional gear and technology available. Our hands-on training and education program is designed to help you land a job in the film industry upon graduation.
Upon graduation, you’ll have the necessary skills to start a rewarding career in film through entry-level jobs like:
- Assistant Director
- Camera Assistant
- Grip
- Electrics
- Associate Producer
- Assistant Editor
- Sound Recordist
- And more!
Earn your AAS degree (and college credits) while attending
San Francisco Film School is a nationally accredited institution. Students will receive 14 college-level semester credits for completing the semester. Students are eligible to use 529 College Savings Plans for this program, as well as, apply for Federal Financial Aid.
Throughout our AAS program, students make their own films, collaborate on classmates’ projects, make industry contacts, and create a body of work that will help them launch their career. The AAS program can be completed in 4 – 6 semesters (16 – 24 months), depending on the number of credits taken per semester.
The San Francisco Film School was founded by filmmakers with the core philosophy – “the best way to learn the art and craft of filmmaking is to make films!” Our unique production-based curriculum combines traditional classroom learning with practical, hands-on instruction. Students study core areas of filmmaking including directing, screenwriting, cinematography, producing, editing & post-production, and audio for film.
The Associate of Applied Science (AAS) program is offered both In-Person and Remote/Low Residency. In-person students will be required to attend the majority of their classes on campus, though some courses may be offered exclusively online. Remote/Low Residency students will take the majority of their classes online, but are required to attend in-person classes for at least one week every semester. The Low Residency Week is designed to provide remote students with intensive hands-on training and team building skills.
Throughout the AAS program, students make their own films, collaborate on classmates’ projects, make industry contacts, and create a body of work that will help them launch their career. The AAS program can be completed in 4 -6 semesters (16 – 24 months), depending on the number of credits taken per semester. In addition to their core filmmaking classes and electives, students will be taught in general education; history of film, psychology and the creative mind, computer programming or physics, statistics, and business of film. Please see the complete list of classes below for more details.
All full-time AAS students (both in-person and remote/low residency) will receive use of a Professional Film Production Equipment Package in the same semester that they are enrolled in 101B. This package will consist of a 4K cinema camera, lens, film audio recording kit, and three-point lighting kit. Students will receive ownership of the Professional Film Production Equipment Package upon completion of the program. The Professional Film Production Equipment Package is designed to support and empower students in filmmaking both during school and after graduation.
Designed for students wishing to pursue a career in motion pictures and television (including streaming), The AAS programs’ production-based curriculum emphasizes hands-on filmmaking. Almost every semester students – Write, Produce, Direct and Edit their own films, as well as, crew on each other’s projects, working as Assistant Directors, Cinematographers, Sound Recordists, and Gaffers.
Over the course of the program, students will make five (5) short films. Each project is progressively more challenging, with the final project, the Thesis film, meant to be submitted to film festivals and a show piece of their demo reel.
Students produce the following films for the AAS degree:
Visual Montage (2-3 mins)
Short Fiction Film (4-6 mins)
Documentary (5-7 mins)
Web Commercial (:30 sec)
Thesis Film (10-15 mins)
The AAS program focuses on teaching professional filmmaking techniques and developing a students’ full creative potential. It is designed to prepare students to pursue careers in motion pictures (both independent and Hollywood) and television (network, cable and streaming). Students completing this program will be able to work in all areas of the motion picture and TV industry including getting jobs as directors, producers, screenwriters, editors, motion graphics and VFX, and audio recording & post.
In addition to their extensive studies, students upon graduation have the opportunity to crew with professionals on a feature film set. SF Film School is the only school in the country that has consistently given its graduates this opportunity. Some of the many projects grads have worked on include: Around June, All About Evil, Torn, and the Sundance-winning film Fruitvale Station. Grads are able to choose the department they wish to work on set – camera, lighting, producing, audio, art, or editing/post. At the end of the day, grads get valuable experience, make industry connections, and that all important IMDb.com credit.
Whether your goal is to write and direct the next Sundance hit, become a cinematographer for a Netflix show, edit action films, or any one of the hundreds of jobs available; the AAS program lays the foundation of knowledge, experience, and connections you need to launch your career.