Film Production and Film Studies

The Cinema Department is ideally situated in the San Francisco Bay Area, which is home to one of the country's most vibrant film cultures and traditions. Our program is unique in the breadth of its course offerings, the quality of its instruction, and the accessibility of its equipment. As part of one of the largest, most diverse community colleges in the country, the Cinema Department is an exciting and rewarding place to study film.

The Cinema Department is equipped to fulfill a wide range of professional and academic goals. Our production and studies classes include: basic film production, narrative filmmaking, directing, cinematography and lighting, screenwriting, producing, digital editing, sound for motion pictures, documentary production, film history, film aesthetics, and genre/auteur studies. Students work with state-of-the-art equipment in classes that emphasize hands-on training and portfolio production. Film studies courses analyze the history, aesthetics, and culture of cinema. The knowledge and experience acquired in our programs will prepare students for transfer to four-year programs and/or to pursue their goals in the motion picture industry.