• The Schools
• USC School of Cinematic Arts
  • Degree Programs
  • General Requirements
  • Critical Studies
  • Film and Television Production
  • Animation and Digital Arts
  • Writing for Screen and Television
  • The Peter Stark Producing Program
  • Interactive Media
  • Interdivisional Program in Media Arts and Practice
  • Minor Programs
  • Courses of Instruction
    • Cinema-Television
    • Animation
    • Critical Studies
    • Interactive Media
    • Production
    • Writing
    • Motion Picture Producing
  PDF reflects print
  version of the catalogue

USC School of Cinematic Arts

Celebrating its 80th anniversary as the nation's oldest university-based cinema program, the USC School of Cinematic Arts offers courses throughout the entire spectrum of film, television and interactive media. The school's unique blend of theory and practice provides students with the creative, scholarly and entrepreneurial principles and practices that position them to become leaders in the field.

The USC School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) is one of the nation's preeminent centers for the creation, study, research and development of film, television and interactive media. The school confers degrees ranging from the bachelor's to the doctorate, and is composed of six divisions: John C. Hench Animation and Digital Arts, Critical Studies, Film and Television Production, Interactive Media, Peter Stark Producing, and Writing. In 2007, the school inaugurated the Media Arts and Practice Ph.D., which enables candidates to draw on the expertise and resources of all six divisions. The SCA also has two organized research units — the Institute for Multimedia Literacy and the Entertainment Technology Center.

Since its founding in 1929 as the first course of study in film at any college or university in the United States, USC's cinema program has constantly set the academic and professional standards for excellence. In addition to offering the first undergraduate and doctoral degree programs in the field, the school has established a record-breaking number of endowed chairs in the discipline; created production facilities that rival or exceed industry counterparts; and gathered extraordinary faculty and staff who impart their guidance, skills and knowledge as they work one-on-one with students.

Thanks to its location in the heart of Los Angeles, SCA offers students access to the country's leading film, television, animation and interactive gaming producers; world-class literary and talent agencies; libraries and archives brimming with research materials; and a vast alumni community that actively supports the school and the men and women in its academic body. This school is also home to USC's Trojan Vision television station, which reaches nearly two million households.

Perhaps the school's most important attribute, however, is its time-tested philosophy that recognizes a student can only truly excel in his or her chosen area of expertise after exposure to all elements of the art form. Consequently, there is an emphasis on cross-disciplinary course work that ensures writers get behind the camera; critical studies scholars edit footage; and production majors examine the canon of work from a rigorous academic perspective.

Administration

Offices of Admission/Student Affairs

Critical Studies

Film and Television Production

Interactive Media

Writing for Screen and Television

Peter Stark Producing Program

Animation and Digital Arts

Media Arts and Practice Ph.D. Program

Faculty

The Larry Auerbach Endowed Chair: Larry Auerbach

Electronic Arts Endowed Chair in Interactive Entertainment: William (Bing) Gordon

Conrad Hall Chair in Cinematography and Color Timing: Judy Irola

Hugh M. Hefner Chair for the Study of American Film: Richard B. Jewell, Ph.D.

Alma and Alfred Hitchcock Chair: Drew Casper, Ph.D.

Stephen K. Nenno Endowed Chair in Television Studies: Ellen Seiter, Ph.D.

Mary Pickford Foundation Endowed Chair: Doe Mayer, M.A.

The Katherine and Frank Price Endowed Chair for the Study of Race and Popular Culture: Todd Boyd, Ph.D.

Kay Rose Endowed Chair in the Art of Sound and Dialogue Editing: Midge Costin, M.A.

Fran and Ray Stark Endowed Chair: Lawrence Turman, B.A.

Ken Wannberg Endowed Chair in Music Editing: Kenneth Hall

Professors: Anne Balsamo, Ph.D.; Don Bohlinger, M.F.A.; Todd Boyd, Ph.D.; Drew Casper, Ph.D.; Elizabeth M. Daley, Ph.D.; Scott Fisher, M.S.; Anne Friedberg, Ph.D.; John Furia, Jr., B.A.; Mark J. Harris, B.A.; Tomlinson Holman, B.S.; Judy Irola; David James, Ph.D; Richard Jewell, Ph.D.; Robert Jones; Jeremy Kagan, M.F.A.; Marsha Kinder, Ph.D.; Akira Lippit, Ph.D.; Doe Mayer, M.A.; Christine Panushka, M.F.A.; Michael Renov, Ph.D.; Howard A. Rodman; Ellen Seiter, Ph.D.; Michael Taylor, B.A.; Lawrence Turman, B.A.

Associate Professors: Tom Abrams, M.F.A.; Mark Bolas, M.S.; Linda Brown, M.F.A.; Midge Costin, M.A.; Pamela Douglas, M.A.; Jack Epps, Jr., B.A.; Tracy Fullerton, M.F.A.; Kenneth Hall; Helaine Head, B.A.; Norman Hollyn, B.A.; David Howard, M.F.A.; Priya Jaikumar, Ph.D.; Georgia Jeffries, B.A.; Curtis M<0x00E1>rez, Ph.D.; Tara McPherson, Ph.D.; Robert E. Miller, Ph.D.; Amanda Pope, B.A.; Kathy Smith, B.A.; Sheila M. Sofian, M.F.A.; Mary Sweeney, M.A.; Michael Uno, M.F.A.

Assistant Professors: Steven Anderson, Ph.D.; David Bondelevitch, M.F.A.; Ted Braun, M.F.A.; Aniko Imre, Ph.D.; Kara Keeling, Ph.D.; Chris Swain, B.A.

Visiting Professors: Michael Peyser, B.A.; John Watson, M.A.

Visiting Associate Professor: Eric Hanson, B.A.

Visiting Assistant Professor: Peggy Weil, M.S.

Senior Lecturers/Lecturers: Steve Albrezzi; Robert Ballo; Christopher Chomyn; Jed Dannenbaum; Mary Beth Fielder; Pablo Frasconi; Robert Gardner; Gary Goldsmith; Brenda Goodman; Don Hall; Carroll Hodge; Everett Lewis, M.F.A.; Mardik Martin; Angelo Pacifici; Earl Rath; Mark Shepherd; Douglas Vaughn; Jennifer Warren; David Weber; Tristan Whitman; Paul Wolff; William Yahraus

Research Professor: Larry Auerbach

Research Associate Professors: Perry Hoberman, B.A.; Michael Naimark, M.S.; Richard Weinberg, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professors: Virginia Kuhn, Ph.D.; Holly Willis, Ph.D.

Instructors of Cinema Practice: Miranda Banks, Ph.D.; Peter Brinson, M.F.A.; Joseph Janeti, Ph.D.; Jason Squire, M.A.; Trixie Wattenbarger, M.F.A.

Adjunct Faculty: Ioan Allen; Kate Amend; Tom Anderson; Wendy Apple; Daniel Arey; Larissa Bank; David Baron; Deborah Baron; Anne Beatts; Sandra Berg; Alan Berger; Fred Bernstein; Danny Bilson; Bruce Block; Mitch Block; Steve Blume; Peter Bonerz; Chuck Braverman; Paul Bricault; Robert Brown; Laurie Burton; Richard Burton; Ed Callahan; Bonnie Chi; Frank Chindamo; Joseph Cohen; Cornelius Cole; Robert Cort; Martin Daniel; Johanna Demetrakas; Paul DeMeo; Paul Demeyer; Dariush Derakhshani; Vincent Diamante; Sharon Doyle; Richard Edlund; Mar Elepano; Peter Exline; Van Flesher; Nina Foch; William Fraker; Robert Freedman; Ron Friedman; Tom Frisina; Eric Furie; Maureen Furniss; Jean-Pierre Geuens; Elizabeth Gill-Brauer; Andrew Given; Scott Gorden; Janet Graham-Borba; Barbara Greyhosky; Michael Gruber; Andre Guttfreund; Josh Harrell; Rowdy Herrington; John Hight; Steve Hirsen; Michael Hoey; Joe Hoffman; Todd Hoffman; Michael Hoggan; William Huber; Joan Hyler; Gabor Kalman; Thomas Kang; Aaron Kaplan; Jeff Kleeman; Lou Kleinman; Randal Kleiser; Jeffrey Korchek; Tony Krantz; Andreas Kratky; Matt Kregor; Stu Krieger; Clifford Latimer; Lisa Leeman; Andrew Licht; David Lloyd; Leonard Maltin; Lisa Mann; Andrew Marlowe; Morgan Martin; Peter Marx; Frank McAdams; Phil Messina; David Milton; James Mitchell; Jay Moriarty; Maks Naporowski; Noel Nosseck; Jim O'Keeffe; Bob Osher; Mike Patterson; Patricia Pizer; Gary Randall; Candace Reckinger; Sandy Reisenbach; Shonda Rhimes; Brad Riddell; Vincent Robert; Daniel Robichaud; Howard Rosenberg; Bruce Rosenblum; Alan Rucker; Michael Scroggins; Scott Selfon; Reid Shane; Fred Silverman; Elliott Silverstein; Tom Sito; Lucy Stille; Brandon Stoddard; Noreen Stone; Jeffrey Stott; Mark Stratton; Danny Sussman; Brian Swardstrom; Mark Taft; Duke Underwood; Marcel Valcarce; Maria Vasilkovsky; Jon Wagner; Ken Wales; Jordan Weisman; David Weitzner; Will Weston; William Whittington; Oscar Williams; David Wirtschafter; David Zeiger; Robert Zemeckis

Emeritus Professors: Gene Coe, M.F.A.; Ron Curfman, M.F.A.; Herbert E. Farmer, M.A.; Trevor Greenwood, M.A.; Richard Harber, M.A.; Edward Kaufman, Ph.D.; K. Kenneth Miura, M.A.; Woody Omens, M.A.; Gene Petersen, M.F.A.; Melvin Sloan, M.A.; Wolfram von Hanwehr, Ph.D.; Morton Zarcoff, M.A.