A Message from Dean Deborah LaVine

At the UNCSA School of Filmmaking, our students don’t wait to become filmmakers. They start making films from day one. 

We train emerging media artists through a holistic, hands-on conservatory model that centers artist voice while grounding creativity in practical application. Our students bring their ideas to life using professional-level facilities and technology in a community where collaboration is the norm. 

Because I’m a working filmmaker, I know how quickly this industry evolves, and what it takes to build a career. At UNCSA, you’ll learn alongside award-winning faculty who are still directing, producing and creating. You’ll also join an alumni network working across the industry, with graduates who mentor, hire, and stay invested in the next generation of storytellers.  

Our students move fluidly across forms and formats, from live action to animation, non-fiction to experimental. That range is intentional. Today’s filmmakers are “hyphenated artists” — directors who can write, editors who can produce, storytellers who understand both aesthetics and logistics. Our curriculum is built to support this reality and to give our students the agency to shape their own creative paths.  

The world our students are entering is changing fast. We’ve seen more disruption in filmmaking than ever before — in how stories are told, how audiences find them and how careers are built. That’s why we’re expanding partnerships beyond campus, building new practicum models and breaking down silos across disciplines. We want our students to be bold, original and nimble: artists who can create with heart, rigor and relevance in any creative landscape.  

This is conservatory training at a public university. It’s rigorous. It’s immersive. It’s experimental. It’s accessible. And it’s waiting for you.  

I hope you’ll join us.  

Sincerely,
Deborah LaVine 
Dean, School of Filmmaking