Program Overview

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Introduction to the Master of Science in Film and Television

The Master of Science in Film and Television at DePaul University emphasizes technical and creative proficiency in the areas of cinematography, editing, sound, and visual effects. This intensive program is designed for students looking to acquire and further professional career skills in film and television.

Program Overview

The degree is well-suited for career-changers as well as experienced professionals who want to add new technologies and creative workflows to their expertise. DePaul has been named a top film school by The Hollywood Reporter, Backstage, Variety, and MovieMaker for giving students real-world opportunities to work on Chicago's film and television sets.

Concentrations

The program offers several concentrations, including:

• Cinematography: Students develop a foundation in production for film, TV, and the Web, while specializing in camera and lighting.
• Editing: Students develop the skills needed for careers in editing for all media, with advanced courses investigating picture editing, sound, and post-production techniques.
• Sound: Students develop the skills necessary to work in sound for cinema, with coursework including advanced classes in location sound recording, dialogue editing, sound mixing, and scoring.
• Virtual Production: Students develop comprehensive skills in virtual production, with coursework including advanced classes in physical cameras and lighting, virtual environments, real-time graphics, and operating an LED volume.
• Visual Effects: Students develop skills for the Visual Effects industry for film and television, with advanced courses investigating filmmaking techniques, compositing, 3D computer graphics, and color correction.

Cinematography Concentration

Curriculum Requirements

First Year:

• Fall Quarter: FILM 401 - Fundamentals of Cinema Production, FILM 479 - Visual Design
• Winter Quarter: FILM 450 - Cinematography, FILM 455 - Lighting I
• Spring Quarter: FILM 456 - Lighting for Cinema II, FILM 458 - Camera Workshop, POST 400 - Editing Second Year:
• Fall Quarter: DOC 452 - Documentary Cinematography, FILM 460 - Cinematography II
• Winter Quarter: FILM 425 - Experimental Filmmaking I, FILM 464 - Cinematography III
• Spring Quarter: POST 440 - Color Correction One Major Elective

Major Electives

Major Electives may be chosen from any 400-level or higher ANI, CP, DOC, FILM, GD, POST, SCWR, or VFX courses.

Optional Los Angeles Quarter

Students may apply to participate in the Los Angeles Quarter Program for the spring of their second year, spending twelve weeks in Hollywood doing industry internships, living with their fellow DePaul classmates, and having twice-weekly classes on an industry lot.

Editing Concentration

Curriculum Requirements

First Year:

• Fall Quarter: FILM 401 - Fundamentals of Cinema Production, POST 401 - Editing Intensive
• Winter Quarter: FILM 450 - Cinematography, POST 421 - Sound Design Intensive
• Spring Quarter: POST 404 - Avid Media Composer Editing Workshop, POST 405 - Davinci Resolve Editing Workshop, POST 484 - Post-Production Seminar Second Year:
• Fall Quarter: POST 409 - Editing the Feature Film, POST 418 - Editing the Short Form
• Winter Quarter: POST 412 - Editing the Documentary, POST 440 - Color Correction
• Spring Quarter: POST 419 - Editing Studio, One Major Elective

Major Elective Courses

Major Elective courses must be chosen from the following:

• FILM 479 - Visual Design
• FILM 499 - Internships in Media and Design
• POST 406 - Editing Styles and Techniques
• POST 418 - Editing the Short Form
• POST 444 - Advanced Color Correction
• POST 448 - Title Design
• SCWR 446 - Filmmakers Seminar
• VFX 478 - Compositing II
• VFX 490 - Advanced Topics in Visual Effects

Sound Concentration

Curriculum Requirements

First Year:

• Fall Quarter: FILM 401 - Fundamentals of Cinema Production, POST 401 - Editing Intensive
• Winter Quarter: POST 421 - Sound Design Intensive, POST 430 - Production Sound
• Spring Quarter: POST 428 - Scoring for Film and Video, POST 484 - Post-Production Seminar Second Year:
• Fall Quarter: POST 436 - Advanced Sound Recording and Editing, FILM 499 - Internships in Media and Design
• Winter Quarter: POST 424 - Sound Mixing I, POST 429 - Sound Design and Scoring Studio
• Spring Quarter: POST 426 - Sound Mixing II, POST 432 - Production Sound II

Major Elective Courses

Major Elective courses must be chosen from the following:

• GAM 426 - Game Sound Design 2
• GAM 427 - Scoring for Games
• GAM 451 - Expressive Audio Scripting for Games
• POST 427 - Sound Mixing III: Immersive Sound Mixing
• POST 460 - Sound and Music Synthesis for Film
• SCWR 446 - Filmmakers Seminar

Virtual Production Concentration

Curriculum Requirements

First Year:

• Fall Quarter: ANI 423 - 3D Animation Survey, FILM 401 - Fundamentals of Cinema Production
• Winter Quarter: VFX 410 - Game Engines for Filmmakers, VFX 420 - Fundamentals of Virtual Production
• Spring Quarter: VFX 422 - Virtual Environments for Virtual Production, FILM 455 - Lighting I Second Year:
• Fall Quarter: ANI 439 - 3D Modeling and Shading, VFX 434 - Virtual Cinematography
• Winter Quarter: VFX 426 - Lighting for Virtual Production, One Major Elective
• Spring Quarter: VFX 428 - Virtual Production Studio, One Major Elective

Major Elective Courses

Major Elective courses must be chosen from the following:

• ANI 436 - 3D Modeling Studio
• ANI 437 - Environment Modeling
• ANI 450 - Motion Capture
• ANI 451 - Advanced Motion Capture Studio
• ANI 478 - 3D Dynamics
• FILM 456 - Lighting for Cinema II
• FILM 460 - Cinematography II
• FILM 499 - Internships in Media and Design
• VFX 430 - Visual Effects Supervision
• VFX 490 - Advanced Topics in Visual Effects

Visual Effects Concentration

Curriculum Requirements

First Year:

• Fall Quarter: ANI 423 - 3D Animation Survey, FILM 401 - Fundamentals of Cinema Production
• Winter Quarter: VFX 430 - Visual Effects Supervision, VFX 474 - Compositing I
• Spring Quarter: POST 440 - Color Correction, POST 484 - Post-Production Seminar Second Year:
• Fall Quarter: VFX 434 - Virtual Cinematography, ANI 439 - 3D Modeling and Shading
• Winter Quarter: Two Major Electives
• Spring Quarter: Two Major Electives Portfolio review required for graduation.

Major Elective Courses

Major Elective courses must be chosen from the following:

• ANI 430 - 3D Character Animation
• ANI 442 - 3D Animation Production
• ANI 450 - Motion Capture
• ANI 478 - 3D Dynamics
• FILM 499 - Internships in Media and Design
• POST 444 - Advanced Color Correction
• VFX 410 - Game Engines for Filmmakers
• VFX 420 - Fundamentals of Virtual Production
• VFX 440 - Previsualization
• VFX 478 - Compositing II
• VFX 480 - Cg Compositing
• VFX 490 - Advanced Topics in Visual Effects

Degree Requirements

Students in this degree program must meet the following requirements:

• Complete a minimum of 52 graduate credit hours in the designated degree program.
• Complete all graduate courses and requirements listed in the designated degree program.
• Earn a grade of C- or better in all courses in the designated degree program.
• Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
• Students pursuing a second (or more) graduate degree may not double count or retake any course that applied toward the completion of a prior graduate degree.
• Students with a GPA of 3.9 or higher will graduate with distinction.

Facilities and Resources

DePaul boasts a one-of-a-kind, nearly 60,000-square-foot professional production facility and cinematic learning environment formed in alliance with Cinespace Chicago Film Studios. Students learn filmmaking craft and technique steps away from high-profile network productions filming on the Cinespace lot.

Faculty and Alumni

The program features accomplished faculty who have shaped the industry, including Pete Biagi, Rob Steel, Dana Kupper, and Brian Andrews. Alumni, such as Daniel Willis, have gone on to successful careers in film and television, with credits including directing and writing for network television shows.