Film and Media
How do you want to change the world? The story you tell is up to you, but FIT’s Film and Media program prepares you with a background in history and theory, paired with rich hands-on opportunities to learn digital film production.
We give you the skills and knowledge to go in any direction: feature films, short films, advertising, editing, and more. We are committed to the study of media—behind the camera and in front of the screen—and to helping our students develop their own personal vision and the tools to express it.
Movies do not just mirror the culture of any given time; they also create it.
Programs
Film and Media AAS
The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) program teaches the basics of filmmaking and related disciplines, including digital film camera operation, editing, lighting, audio recording, film history, and storytelling. On completing the AAS degree, you will be able to demonstrate effective use of camera position, framing, and selection of lenses in a wide range of filming situations; employ appropriate editing strategies (e.g., montage, continuity, etc.) in a variety of film projects; create lighting strategies appropriate to the cinematography and subject matter in short films; record, mix, and edit sound for film, including dialogue, sound effects, and music; and write, produce, shoot, and edit short films. The first year concentrates on building skills in preproduction, production, and visual organization. In your second year, you will learn to use these skills in developing your own personal vision.
Film and Media AAS students are encouraged to apply for the Stanley Solomon Award, which provides support for student films.
And once you earn your AAS, you’ll be ready to apply for a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Film and Media.
Film and Media BS
The Bachelor of Science (BS) program blends hands-on digital filmmaking with the academic study of film history, theory, and criticism. You’ll study advanced storytelling techniques through cinematography and lighting, along with advanced sound design, while exploring film genres like crime, horror, and romantic comedy; major directors; avant-garde film; and world cinema from China, Italy, Latin America, and Russia. You will learn to compare filmmakers, film aesthetics, and film industries in domestic and international cinema, as well as evaluate and analyze historical and theoretical perspectives relevant to film and media, such as genre, form, spectatorship, and narrative.
You will learn about techniques for effective narrative, documentary, and experimental filmmaking. Your thesis film project will be screened at FIT’s annual film festival, which is open to the public and invited guests from the New York City film community.
Film and Media BS students are encouraged to apply for the Women's Media Group Scholarship Award.
If you have an AAS in Film and Media from FIT, you may apply. Learn more about eligibility for the BS program.
Our Work
An interdisciplinary collaboration between the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences and School of Art and Design, this program prepares students to become innovative professional filmmakers, with a focus on developing their own artistic vision. Explore what our students and faculty have accomplished.
Regardless of the topic—serial killers, detectives, or even zombies—all of Associate Professor Dahlia Schweitzer’s writing engages with issues of gender, identity, and race and what they mean about our changing world.
Professor Michelle Handelman’s multichannel video project Irma Vep, the Last Breath has been on view throughout the U.S.
Josh Koury, director and associate professor filming for the 6-part HBO documentary series, I'll Be Gone in the Dark.
Impact
Study in NYC. Cut to a great career … In a world capital of film and media, the array of studios, TV networks, and agencies offers a wealth of opportunity.
Outside the Classroom
Once you learn the skills, it’s up to you what kind of filmmaker you’ll be. Students have interned at Robot Fondue, Vice Media, Digital Arts NY, ESPN, Duart Media, Rock Shrimp Productions, Untitled Entertainment, The Fader, Filmmaker, and Tribeca Film Festival. You'll graduate with a demo reel that highlights your technical skills and creative vision. You may work in roles such as production assistant, cinematographer, editor, screenwriter, producer, independent filmmaker, archivist, film restorer, and film historian. Or, you may opt to enter a graduate program.
Explore More
some related minors
Check It Out
The FIT Film and Media Blog features descriptions of our production equipment and announcements of events.
Learn From the Best
Joshua Koury
Koury is an accomplished director, producer, and educator with impressive and extensive industry experience and accomplishment in original documentary filmmaking. His timely and inspiring projects have premiered at some of today’s most prominent film venues, including SXSW, the Sundance Film Festival, the New York Film Festival, and IFC Cinema.
Dahlia Schweitzer
Dr. Schweitzer is a pop culture critic and writer. Described by renowned author Toby Miller as “one of the world’s leading analysts of popular culture” and by Vogue as “sexy, rebellious, and cool,” Schweitzer writes about film, television, music, gender, identity, and everything in between. An associate professor at FIT, her work can be found across mainstream, academic, and emergent channels.
Contact Us
Film and Media
Dahlia Schweitzer
Drean Hostie
Let's Make It Happen
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS