AMPD Frequently Asked Questions

Most of the classes offered in the Department of Cinema & Media Arts are small. Studio (production) courses range between about 15 to 25 students. Studies courses vary from very large courses with tutorials to small, intensely focused seminars in the upper years.

Every year approximately 175 undergraduate student works are produced in our department.

BFA graduates are known and respected throughout the Canadian industry for their technical and creative proficiency. As active professional filmmakers and media creators, the faculty are involved in the industry, allowing us to bring that experience and understanding into the classroom. The size of the department, its extensive facilities, its broad curriculum, the scale of student productions and perhaps most of all the extraordinary talent and dedication of our student body, all combine to create an accelerated learning experience like no other. York is located in the heart of the GTA, one of Canada’s primary film centres, and our Department is actively involved in the Canadian film, television and media industries. Professionals from all sectors of the industry regularly make their way up to visit our students. Upper level students may participate in a summer internship program that gives them on-the-job experience. For a significant number of students, their internship has led directly to employment with prominent companies in the film and television industry. Every year the Toronto International Film Festival includes York talent, with features and short films produced by alumni, faculty and often also current students. A university is very different from a training program which focuses solely on technical instruction.

York faculty are not only active in the industry but have chosen to work within the university setting because we like to think about what we do. The university experience is about much more than finding a job. At the same time, we believe the all-around experience York offers makes our graduates employable in a wider range of positions. This is demonstrated by the successes of our alumni, who include not only prominent directors, cinematographers, producers and editors, but also industry executives, casting directors, special effects designers etc. Our BA/Cinema and Media Studies graduates have gone on to positions as film critics, publicists, curators, educators, film festival organizers, book and magazine editors, teachers and professors. They have found a variety of jobs in the cultural industries working for film production houses, museums and galleries, in the broadcasting sector (TVO, History Channel, VisionTV, CBC etc) and (in two recent cases) setting up their own publishing company devoted to independent cinema. Some of our students have received prestigious scholarships to go on to graduate school to train as cutting-edge media researchers and film scholars.

Screenwriting students take the first year production course. Outside of class they are encouraged to work on the shoots of upper level production students to become more familiar with the production process.

Immerse yourself as much as you can in thought and activity related to film and media! Watch films outside the mainstream. Learn about the Canadian film industry and film communities. The students who do best in our admissions process tend to be those who have tested their own interest and discovered that it is a passion.

In the BFA Media Arts program, the first two years include survey courses in cinema and media studies, introduction to screenwriting and 9 credits in Media Practices I, which provides creative exploration in a wide range of media, from Print, Web, Sound and Video, to AR, VR, 360 cinema, games, digital fabrication and other cutting edge technologies. In the third and fourth year, students take advanced courses in cinema and media studies, as well as specialty courses in transmedia storytelling, producing, digital culture, and interactive documentary, as well as further instruction and mentorship in creative media practices. Fourth year students may choose between creating a personal final project, a collaborative cross-university capstone project, or field placements with professional media organizations and businesses, which provide a springboard to graduation and beyond. You will also take courses outside of the Cinema and Media Arts Department, drawn from the rich offerings of the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (visual arts, theatre, music, design, digital media, dance) and the University at large.

The first two years include 12 credits in film production, 9 credits in screenwriting and 12 credits in film studies. In third and fourth year, the students choose from over 100 credits of offerings in production and screenwriting courses. These include project workshops, which provide creative mentoring in the making of narrative, documentary and experimental film and video projects, and specialty courses which provide advanced instruction in the various craft specializations of filmmaking: cinematography, editing, sound, directing, producing, screenwriting. Production students may also choose to take advanced cinema and media studies courses. Through their choice of courses, students at the upper level may specialize in one particular area or diversify, as they wish. Whichever program you are in, you will also take courses outside of the Cinema and Media Arts Department, drawn from the rich offerings of the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (visual arts, theatre, music, design, digital media, dance) and the University at large.