Brigham Young University

Has the potential to be one of the best in the nation. A strong emphasis on theory and history and very good production resources. Especially worthwhile for those interested in religious or transcendental film. The local independent market also provides unique production opportunities.

BYU can offer one huge advantage over most any other production course in the industry, on the job paid learning! During my time at BYU I worked for the university owned TV Station KBYU for three years. I was paid $5.50 an hour, worked 20hrs a week, and had access to the best gear in the buisness. KBYU has it's own 18 wheel broadcast truck used for televising sporting events and uses an all student PAID crew. KBYU also has the most modern post facilities money can buy, and I would not have got my first job in network TV without this experience of working and learning post production. Many of my friends went on to well paid editors positions in the industry. As for me, I made a student film while at BYU and used the KBYU post facilities. My film went on to win the Gold Award from the Utah Broadcasters Association for best documentary! I beat out some serious well funded competition in this non-student awards fest. After that I was hired right out of BYU as a producer for the CTV television netork in Toronto, whre I spent five years. Today I'm a Director/DOP with a pile of awards and film credits. BYU took me from factory worker (not kidding here) to financially successful producer/director/DOP. No other film school in the world can even come close to matching BYU in facilities, not even USC.

Like several other confused film schools, BYU media Arts changes its program several times, limits its equipment to cheesey, "appropriate-made-for-tv" type projects, discourages the independent filmmaker from being creative, and like a little high school is full of attitude with most of the faculty having little or no production experience. For people who want Utah to be some kind of Mormon Hollywood only.