UNCSA School of Filmmaking ranked among nation’s top 10 by The Hollywood Reporter

UNCSA has once again been recognized among the most prestigious film schools in the country, with its School of Filmmaking ranked No. 10 in The Hollywood Reporter’s 2025 list of the “Top 25 American Film Schools.” This marks the fourth consecutive year that UNCSA has held a top-10 spot on the list, underscoring its continued excellence in film education and industry impact. 

UNCSA remains among the highest-ranked public institutions on the list and continues to stand out for its affordability, rigorous hands-on training and consistent alumni success in film and television. 

“As the economic barriers to a Hollywood career continue to rise, the affordability of this public arts school can’t be overstated,” writes The Hollywood Reporter. The publication also highlighted UNCSA’s equitable approach to funding student films—quoting alum Danny McBride (“The Righteous Gemstones”) as saying “it put all the filmmakers on the same playing field”—as well as new courses preparing students for the evolving industry such as motion capture for actors and directors and podcast to film production. 

“Remaining in the top 10 nationally reflects the extraordinary work of our students, faculty and alumni,” said Filmmaking Dean Deborah LaVine. “In an ever-changing entertainment industry, our curriculum continues to evolve, expanding into areas like documentary filmmaking, unique immersive technologies, stage-cinema hybrids and global storytelling collaborations – while our commitment to creative storytelling, technical innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration has never been stronger.” 

The Hollywood Reporter also cited several of UNCSA’s alumni such as Jeff Nichols (“Bikeriders”) and Craig Zobel (“The Penguin”) who has described his experience at UNCSA and the connections he forged here saying, “Attending UNCSA absolutely shaped my path in the sense that I met so many amazing people here that ended up being the backbone of all of the relationships I've had my whole career. When I am out in the world and I find out that somebody went to School of the Arts, there's not an actual secret handshake but it feels like there is. We have a very quick dual understanding of what the experience would be.” 

About the School of Filmmaking 

Consistently recognized as among the nation’s best training programs for filmmakers, the School of Filmmaking has produced some of today’s most creative storytellers. 

Led by Dean Deborah LaVine, the film school is a collaborative community with personalized attention from its deep bench of award-winning directors, screenwriters, editors, cinematographers, production designers and animators, all committed professionals who continue to practice in the entertainment industry. The award-winning faculty in the School of Filmmaking have decades of real-world experience and a passion for mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in concentrations that include animation, cinematography, directing, picture editing and sound design, producing, production design and visual effects, and screenwriting. Students learn the latest in filmmaking and technologies through the Media and Emerging Technology Lab (METL), housed at “The Cube,” dedicated to exploring the production of immersive and innovative storytelling. 

Partnerships with the RiverRun International Film Festival and OUT at the Movies Festival in Winston-Salem, the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, N.C. and the Sundance Film Festival provide critical networking and screening opportunities for students, alongside annual trips to Los Angeles and New York City. Under Dean LaVine, the School of Filmmaking is connecting students to filmmakers across the globe through international partnerships. New program offerings such as the Story Art Studio are broadening the scope of the training and making students employable across a wide spectrum of work. Students in the School of Filmmaking make more than 130 films a year with all equipment and financing provided by the university, and tuition is less than half of other prominent film schools. The film school has a unique collaboration with the School of Drama at UNCSA, providing access to student actors for films; the School of Music in the M.M. in Composition for Film and Media, through which film students and work with composers to score their works; and a collaborative program with the School of Design & Production, whose students design hair, makeup, and wardrobe for student films. 

Other notable alumni from the School of Filmmaking include Vera Herbert (“This is Us,” “Don’t Make Me Go”); David Gordon Green (the “Halloween” franchise); Zach Seivers (“Will & Harper,” “Nomadland”); Brett Haley (“Hearts Beat Loud,” “The Hero”); Rebecca Green (“It Follows,” “I’ll See You in My Dreams”); Jody Hill (“The Righteous Gemstones,” “Vice Principals”); Jeff Nichols (“The Bikeriders," “Loving”); Martha Stephens (“To the Stars”); Will Files (“The Batman,” “Stranger Things”); Zoë White (“Will & Harper,” “The Handmaid’s Tale”), Alex Bickel (“Beef,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once”); Alex McCarroll (“Superman”) and Michael Brake (“Barry”); among many others. 

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