Cinema is a global artform. It is high art. It is populist. It livens the heart and can dysregulate the intellect. It enrages. It excites. We cry, laugh, scream and might even decide to make a change. Cinema is the perfect entry into a conversation with a stranger - ‘what is your favorite film?’ It is how we create shared myths that bind us throughout the world. We are in a period where corporate media can dominate the world while at the same time – filmmakers with mobile phones and a computer can create a film that has a sweeping impact. 

 The MFA in Filmmaking trains students in this context. Our students are mentored in the fundamentals of storytelling with an emphasis on impact. How will the film reach an audience? Does it have something new to say? Is it ambitious in vision and technique? Each student spends two years producing a dynamic thesis film where they are mentored all along the way by working professionals. We seek to train the next generation of narrative and documentary filmmakers in a worldwide context who will go on to move the needle in the universe towards good.

Program Overview

Through a hands-on curriculum and unique collaborations with The Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Film and Media Studies program and the Maryland Film Festival, the M.F.A. in Filmmaking prepares students for sustainable careers in film and media as the industry continues to realign.

M.F.A. in Filmmaking students engage in a curriculum that integrates a broad understanding of cinematic history with diverse technical experience-from generating ideas and writing to production, post-production and delivering a film to its intended audience. First-year students work on short film projects and crew for second-year student thesis films. These collaborative, hands-on experiences, combined with workshops, electives, and a robust schedule of visiting filmmaker talks, allow students to learn the cinematic process as they become knowledgeable about a variety of models to finance and produce films and reach audiences. Shared facilities with JHU's Film and Media Studies program gives Filmmaking students access to faculty and resources from two world-class institutions, while the Maryland Film Festival offers programming that connects students with renowned filmmakers as they screen films, hold master classes or review thesis projects. Graduates of the program will be prepared to work in traditional film and media hubs and to create sustained filmmaking practices in non-traditional markets.

Who Should Apply

The M.F.A. in Filmmaking program is appropriate for creative professionals or recent B.F.A. graduates who want to deepen their filmmaking skills and who are prepared for a collaborative, immersive, hands-on experience. Potential students could include, but are not limited to, experienced creative professionals or recent B.F.A. graduates in filmmaking or communication-related disciplines such as graphic design, environmental design, planning, architecture, photography, digital media, wiring, public health, and fine arts.