The Arc of the MFA
The City College of New York and The Department of Media and Communication Arts offers a graduate program leading to an M.F.A in Media Arts Production. This intensive two-year (51-credit) film program prepares students to navigate and prosper in the quickly expanding field of media arts, including film and digital video production with an emphasis on strong, original storytelling in documentary and fiction.
In the first year students hone their skills in media writing, aesthetics, the business aspects of media arts, and advanced production techniques which they will apply in the second year when they produce short thesis projects. In addition, all students are required to function and specialize in one of the secondary creative areas on thesis projects other than their own, such as producer, director, cinematographer, or editor.
This is the only graduate-level program of its kind in the region offered at an affordable and accessible public institution. The City College campus is located in New York City, the hub of international Media Arts Production. The M.F.A. capitalizes on the ready access to the talent, organizations, production facilities and other resources to build bridges to the media arts field for its students. Our students create the imaginative, socially meaningful, and cost-effective works that have become the hallmark of the independent media arts community.
The capstone of the program is Cityvisions, a two-day showcase and festival of MFA films held each spring at a major Manhattan theater. Cityvisions 2010 was held at the DGA theatre! Guest speakers at past Cityvisions events include Christine Vachon, Alan Heim, DA Pennebaker, Sigourney Weaver, Hal Hartley, Peter Bogdanovich and Albert Maysles.
Since its inception in 1997, graduates of the MFA in Media Arts Production have taken their film and video works directly into the professional arena—television broadcast, international distribution and awards at the Student Emmys, Student Academy Awards and major film festivals across the country.
