UNCSA School of Filmmaking Ranked No. 8 in the U.S. by The Hollywood Reporter
The UNCSA School of Filmmaking has been ranked No. 8 on The Hollywood Reporter’s 2026 list of the “Top 25 American Film Schools,” climbing two spots from last year. This marks the fifth consecutive year that UNCSA has held a top-10 spot on the list, underscoring its continued excellence in film education, faculty expertise, reputation and technological innovation.
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.
UNCSA Film Masterclass / Photo: Wayne Reich
The school continues to increase its desirability for prospective students, consistently offering new and unique courses like a music video workshop and retaining distinguished faculty such as Molly Bernstein, whose work has been featured on Emmy and Peabody award-winning projects.
“The conservatory, which fully funds its students’ projects from day one, is expanding its nonfiction program under documentarian Molly Bernstein,” writes The Hollywood Reporter. The publication also highlights new course additions and the purchase of camera equipment for documentary courses that students can borrow for extended periods.
The School of Filmmaking also collaborates closely with the School of Dance through CineDance, a course that brings students from both schools together to explore how choreography, performance and motion-picture photography can inform each art form. That interdisciplinary work also includes immersive productions such as “Holiday Suite,” which brings together Dance, Filmmaking, Music and Drama to explore holiday rituals and cultural traditions.
“Securing the 8th spot in this year’s ranking demonstrates the exemplary work of our faculty and students alike,” said Filmmaking Dean Deborah LaVine. “UNCSA prioritizes the fundamentals of filmmaking without leaning entirely on the capabilities of new technologies. Students learn the necessary skills to help them succeed outside of the classroom, with an ever-evolving curriculum to match the needs of the industry.”
The school maintains a robust alumni network including award-winning directors Jeff Nichols (B.F.A. ’01) and Brett Haley (B.F.A. ’05). Haley is set to direct the new “13 Going on 30” television series for Netflix with Jennifer Garner producing.
School of Filmmaking graduates are continuously recognized for their standout work. This past year, alumni Danny McBride (B.F.A. ’99), David Gordon Green (B.F.A. ’98) and Jody Hill (B.F.A. ’99), co-founders of Rough House Pictures, collaborated on HBO’s “The Righteous Gemstones,” which received six Emmy nominations. Fellow alumnus Michael Brake (B.F.A. ’97) also worked on the series.
The Hollywood Reporter highlighted the lasting creative relationships formed at UNCSA, quoting Green, who said he found “a group of collaborators that have a common vision and work ethic. Not just being ambitious but being willing to roll up your sleeves and actually do the labor.” Green is also set to direct the upcoming action thriller “Supermax,” starring Will Smith and AnnaSophia Robb.
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 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”); Zach Seivers (“Will & Harper,” “Nomadland”); Rebecca Green (“It Follows,” “I’ll See You in My Dreams”); Martha Stephens (“Land Ho!” and “Passenger Pigeons”); Aaron Katz (“Quiet City,” “Cold Weather,” “Land Ho!” and “Gemini”); Will Files (“The Batman,” “Stranger Things”); Karrie Crouse (“Hold Your Breath,” “Westworld,” “Pilgrim Song” and “Be Still”); Alex Thompson (“Em & Selma Go Griffin Hunting” and “Fathoms”); Zoë White (“Will & Harper,” “The Handmaid’s Tale”); Alex Bickel (“Beef,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once”); and Alex McCarroll (“Superman”); among many others.
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July 24, 2026