Department Overview
Attending Film School is more than the pursuit of a new career. It is a personal journey where you will study your perception of the world around you and learn how to express your unique point of view using the most influential medium in society, the visual language of film.

	Why Study Film at Watkins? Attending Film School will push you to your edge. You will work long hours and with individuals that push your buttons and test your ego. You’ll learn to work with colleagues who are very different from you. You’ll be asked to work on their projects even if the subject is not your style. You will be physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted during your production courses.  This is filmmaking. Watkins Film School is the only Film School that offers a B.F.A. in Tennessee. We have a foundation in fine art and focus on independent narrative filmmaking. We require our students to do an internship before graduation. These internships have led to jobs in Nashville and other markets such as L.A. and N.Y. We are a small school with an intimate environment that is conducive to mentoring and critiquing. All student work is screened and critiqued at the end of both fall and spring semesters from Production I to Production IV. Professors meet individually with each student after the screening to offer critique on the student’s work. Our focus is on creating narrative Independent films with engaging characters and stories, not relying on special effects. We shoot approximately 100 projects each year ranging from 5 minute digital projects to 15minute 16mm films. Students specialize in their second year. Their options are Producing, Directing, Screenwriting, Editing, and Cinematography. Our faculty consists of working professionals from other markets such as New York, California, Florida, and Tennessee. To request more information about our Film School fill out our request form.

All film students take film courses their very first semester and begin production within their first or second year, depending on their program of study. Production courses are small, allowing for mentoring and advisement from faculty and collaboration with other film students.

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The Watkins Film School offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree (B.F.A.) in Film with concentrations in producing, directing, screenwriting, cinematography, and editing. In addition to film coursework, students are required to complete a fine arts foundation along with general education classes, all designed to create a program for a well-rounded filmmaker and visual artist.

The Certificate program exists for those who already hold a bachelor's degree or have substantial professional experience in the media arts. Certificates in producing, directing, screenwriting, cinematography, or editing may be selected. A general certificate in film is also offered. Those applicants lacking an undergraduate degree must have approval from the Film School Director in order to be admitted.

Internships
Within the Film B.F.A., the Watkins Internship Program provides hands-on, real world experience plus a chance to make valuable professional connections in the film industry. An internship might be with a feature film production, a music video shoot, a city or state film commission, a production company, a post-production studio, or one of countless other film-related opportunities. Watkins students have worked in film markets such as Los Angeles, New York, as well as Nashville and have interned on such films as Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Green Mile, Castaway, The Last Castle, American Pie II, and Girlfight. By combining study in the classroom with on-the-job training, Watkins helps prepare its graduates for success in a filmmaking career.

Recent Internships have included:
NFL Films, New Jersey
Nashville Public Television
Great American Video
Stray Dog Post Production
Stage Post
Tangible Vision
The Collective
Graham Entertainment
Armanda Costanza, Inc.
1st Look Media, L.A.
Daltry Calhoun – Feature film Production
Tennessee Film, Entertainment, and Music Commission
Nashville Film Festival
Nashville Screenwriting Conference
Mitchell Galin – Film Producer

Student Critiques
Critique is a vital part of the filmmaking process. Both students and professionals must learn to accept and give feedback on projects. All student final projects are reviewed and each student’s overall progress evaluated by the Watkins Film School faculty at the completion of each production course. These reviews determine the student’s ability in his or her chosen concentration and readiness for production course advancement. All final production work is archived at the Watkins Film School.

Ownership Of Projects
The Watkins Film Schooland the student filmmaker share the copyright on all projects created at the College. Students are the sole owners of their screenplays.

Equipment & Facilities

Screenwriting and Producing Lab

Production: Digital cameras(24P and miniDV), 16mm cameras (Arri SR, CP-16, Bolex), lighting and grip, TC Nagra and DAT and Hard disk recorders, various field/studio microphones.

Post Production: Digital and analog editing labs including 8-plate Steenbecks, Avid Media Composers, Avid Express, Final Cut Pro, Pro-tools 24 re-recording studio, foley stage and ADR booth, and a tape/dubbing room with Digital Video, BetaSP, Hi8, VHS, DAT formats.

Film School Advisors
The Film School's advisors are an essential part of the Watkins Film School. These professionals share their knowledge, time, and resources in support of the school and its students. By teaching seminars and specialized courses as well as providing opportunities for internship and job placement, these advisors help the Film School remain connected with a constantly changing industry. The following is a partial list of our current advisors:

Bruce Beresford
Academy-award winning Director of Tender Mercies and Driving Miss Daisy

James Cromwell
Actor – The Green Mile, Babe, ER

Olympia Dukakis
Actor and winner of an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Moonstruck

Steven Haft
Producer of Dead Poets Society and Last Dance

Michael Lehman
Director of 40 Days and 40 Nights, The Truth about Cats and Dogs, Heathers, The West Wing, Homicide.

John McNaughton
Director of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Wild Things

Joan Tewkesbury
Screenwriter of Nashville and Director of Old Boyfriends, Cold Sassy Tree

Peggy Walton Walker
Screenwriter of Free Willy

Chris Zarpas
Golden Globe-winning Producer of RKO 281, G.I. Jane, Where the Money Is, Clay Pigeons