anchoryanker
Well-known member
anybody have any info on this place? A friend and I are looking at it hard.....
http://ftv.chapman.edu/
http://ftv.chapman.edu/
Chapman film school?
- Thread starter anchoryanker
- Start date
I went to Jim Cameron's alma mater for an AA in liberal arts / filmmaking intensive courses. Fullerton College had a very good filmmaking program for a number of years.
I recall renting / borrowing a camera from Chapman once - or was it OCC...
Dunno, but sometimes those smaller schools have more assets, better instructors and smaller class size than you'd expect. The money, is, of course, much less than a UC or state program.
You'll get out of it what you put in in most instances, but definitely go meet some instructors and sit in on a class or two before committing yourself to any one program.
They should be more than accommodating as long as you check-in with their administrations people. Oh, and remember that credits may be completely or partially transferable if you decide to move on to a BA program or other extended studies system.
Good luck,
e
I recall renting / borrowing a camera from Chapman once - or was it OCC...
Dunno, but sometimes those smaller schools have more assets, better instructors and smaller class size than you'd expect. The money, is, of course, much less than a UC or state program.
You'll get out of it what you put in in most instances, but definitely go meet some instructors and sit in on a class or two before committing yourself to any one program.
They should be more than accommodating as long as you check-in with their administrations people. Oh, and remember that credits may be completely or partially transferable if you decide to move on to a BA program or other extended studies system.
Good luck,
e
weltonfilment
Active member
I was at one time considering going to Chapman and have visited the school twice. It is a very small school (about 4000 students I believe), so if you're used to big institutions that might come as a bit of a shock. Their film program is ramping up, however, and they look poised to become an established name in film schools. When I was there 2 years ago they were developing plans for building a backlot, which if it's still on the burner could be a huge attraction to people who don't know much about the school. I also remember them saying that alumni would be able to come back and film on it for free (or at a very reduced cost). They have some nice gear and ample space on soundstages for building sets. I believe they are also going to be rebuilding the stages.
Overall I was very impressed. It's in orange county, so it's a bit removed from LA, but Orange is a nice town and the campus is very clean and intimate. It costs as much as USC, however, but then again if you got into both I don't see why you wouldn't pick USC (unless you want to go a less Hollwood-type route I suppose). The one advantage it has over USC is that each person gets to make his/her own thesis film, so directing opportunities are plentiful.
Overall I was very impressed. It's in orange county, so it's a bit removed from LA, but Orange is a nice town and the campus is very clean and intimate. It costs as much as USC, however, but then again if you got into both I don't see why you wouldn't pick USC (unless you want to go a less Hollwood-type route I suppose). The one advantage it has over USC is that each person gets to make his/her own thesis film, so directing opportunities are plentiful.
GaryinCalifornia
Veteran
I know that Gil Betman teaches directing... did a few movies... some tv shows... then his friend David Ward who is consider a big time script doctor teaches writing... he co-wrote Sleepness In Seattle, Zorro (uncredited), The Sting (AA winner for best script), plus he wrote and directed Major League 1 & 2 and many others...
Chapman is building the backlot... I believe when I left California was when the city had approved it... I wouldn't be surprised in a few years it'll rival USC...
But Overland was right OCC has a good program... if Bill Hall is still teaching there...
Chapman is building the backlot... I believe when I left California was when the city had approved it... I wouldn't be surprised in a few years it'll rival USC...
But Overland was right OCC has a good program... if Bill Hall is still teaching there...
Elton
Veteran
I went to Chapman back in the late '90s, and the film program wasn't nearly as big as it is now. I've seen the new Dodge building and it is stunning.
It's very expensive, but a good school with excellent facilities. Last I heard, all the production students at a certain level have access to HVX's. Not bad! When I was in the film program, video was still video and everybody wanted to shoot film. I spent a lot of money to shoot 35mm on my final project, and today there is no way I would even dream of that given all the quality affordable HD options.
Gary--I took a class with Gil. Can't say that he was one of my favorite professors at the school, but he did bring Zemeckis to our class one day and that was an amazing experience.
It's very expensive, but a good school with excellent facilities. Last I heard, all the production students at a certain level have access to HVX's. Not bad! When I was in the film program, video was still video and everybody wanted to shoot film. I spent a lot of money to shoot 35mm on my final project, and today there is no way I would even dream of that given all the quality affordable HD options.
Gary--I took a class with Gil. Can't say that he was one of my favorite professors at the school, but he did bring Zemeckis to our class one day and that was an amazing experience.
GaryinCalifornia
Veteran
Elton said:
Yes but he introduced me to David Ward... and David's advice that he gave me on writing was best I've ever had... showed me a few things... and boy my writing turned around 200%...
Which will take me from the ranks of a line producer to a writer/director...
IBEJohnson
Well-known member
Elton said:
Elton, in the late 90's my roommate graduated from Chapman film school, you may very well know him. Funny thing is, Gil was one of his favorite professors. I remember going into a directing class of his where I acted out a scene - what a disaster (on my part). Anyway, he had a chance to meet Zemeckis and Arthur Hiller, I remember that.
My writing partner actually just got accepted into their MFA program for screenwriting. I work about 10 minutes away and I had heard of all the money they poured into the film school, but it wasn't until he took me on a tour of the new facilities that I got to see... my goodness. What a gold mine! 24/7 access to these facilities. Spirit 4k, MoCap, 2 sound stages... wow!
I'm glad you mentioned the HVX. The one thing he hasn't been able to do yet is to get an idea about what exact equipment there is to check out. Their website claims five 24p cameras. I keep telling him that he needs to find out which ones, but its still early in the game. They also claim to have "[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]More than 120 camera packages for intro classes" Not sure exactly what that means either.
Anyway, anchoryanker, in answer to your initial inquiry, Chapman is a well-respected film school. If there was any question in your mind at all, there shouldn't be. At one point they were 'up and coming'. I'm pretty damn certain they are there now. And once the backlot is built, they will be that much more special.
P.S. I went to OCC film school. Woo hoo! Best JC film school in California!
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Elton
Veteran
I had a fantastic time at Chapman and still keep in touch with quite a few friends from film school.
When I attended it was probably more nurturing to students than it may be now with all of the growth, but film school, like life itself, was exactly what you made it. Probably the greatest practical value I got out of it was the simple imperative to make films due to class deadlines. (Visual Storytelling was my favorite class) The other advantage was the simple ability to network and find a group of students that are actually serious (as opposed to the majority that weren't) and get a reliable crew/ posse thing happenin'. It was completely up to you whether you could get people behind your projects. If you didn't reach out and network (and help others on their shoots) then you would struggle to shoot anything other than the typical no-crew bellybutton gazing "abstract" short.
Chapman's great, but be prepared for sticker shock!
When I attended it was probably more nurturing to students than it may be now with all of the growth, but film school, like life itself, was exactly what you made it. Probably the greatest practical value I got out of it was the simple imperative to make films due to class deadlines. (Visual Storytelling was my favorite class) The other advantage was the simple ability to network and find a group of students that are actually serious (as opposed to the majority that weren't) and get a reliable crew/ posse thing happenin'. It was completely up to you whether you could get people behind your projects. If you didn't reach out and network (and help others on their shoots) then you would struggle to shoot anything other than the typical no-crew bellybutton gazing "abstract" short.
Chapman's great, but be prepared for sticker shock!
GaryinCalifornia
Veteran
IBEJohnson said:
I would have to agree... but of course I didn't go to any others... GWC... had some film but more video...
The best teacher at OCC was and I think he's still there is Bill Hall....
Which reminds me... think I'll call and old OCC film chum right now...
JoshuaNitschke
Well-known member
I applied (still haven't heard back), but it is rather expensive (about $40K a year). If you look at the financial aide programs they offer, you'll see several of the scholarships are only for your first year, to kind of hook you.
I applied to CSU Northridge and got accepted there, I'll probably just go there even if Chapman does accept me because of monetary reasons.
Chapman looks like a fantastic school and I think in a 5 years or so it'll be UCLA, USC, NYU, and Chapman. Some good looking stuff comes out of their, and in the Coca Cola sponsered competition that only film school students could enter, almost have of the winners were from Chapman or some crazy number like that. They mentioned it and showed the first place entry at the open house.
I applied to CSU Northridge and got accepted there, I'll probably just go there even if Chapman does accept me because of monetary reasons.
Chapman looks like a fantastic school and I think in a 5 years or so it'll be UCLA, USC, NYU, and Chapman. Some good looking stuff comes out of their, and in the Coca Cola sponsered competition that only film school students could enter, almost have of the winners were from Chapman or some crazy number like that. They mentioned it and showed the first place entry at the open house.