Film

The Film department at SFAI is one of the oldest and most influential in the United States. Its present and past faculty comprise internationally recognized filmmakers and leaders in the field of experimental filmmaking. SFAI’s filmmaking program is unlike any other. New approaches to film and video are not just studied at SFAI; they are invented. The distinguished filmmaker Sidney Peterson initiated the first filmmaking courses at SFAI in 1947. During his tenure, an historic group of films that were instrumental in the successive development of the American “underground” were made. Twenty years later, celebrated filmmaker Robert Nelson established a filmmaking department based in the avant-garde fine art tradition. This genre of filmmaking has flourished and has been known by a variety of terms, including experimental, non-narrative, poetic, personal, alternative, and artist’s film. During the 1970s, a mixture of film genres was produced in the department, including documentary and narrative.

Building on this rich, avant-garde tradition and commitment to alternative/independent filmmaking, the curriculum continues to respond to the development of new technologies and the rethinking of boundaries between different forms of media. Working in close collaboration with the Center for Media Culture, the Film department offers a variety of analog and digital studio production and post-production courses, specialized technical workshops, and advanced topic courses that combine hands-on film/video work with historical and theoretical discussion and debate. The Film curriculum acknowledges the interrelationships between film and other media. SFAI’s cross-disciplinary course offerings further broaden students’ artistic and intellectual practice. Students are encouraged to explore ways to combine film with other media, such as performance, writing, sound, or installation.

SFAI's EARS XXI Lab is a high-definition video research lab, giving students the ability to experiment with and discover new possibilities for using high-definition video technology. Lab equipment includes a Sony F900 HDCam camcorder and support equipment, Panasonic 24P DV camcorders, a Final Cut Pro-based uncompressed HD/SD editing suite, and postproduction software, including Autodesk’s Combustion and Digidesign’s ProTools.

Facilities

The Filmmaking Department is equipped to support work in 16mm (sync and non-sync), Super 8, DV, and high-definition video. Equipment includes Super 8, 8mm, 16mm, and digital and high-definition video cameras; digital and analog sound-recording equipment; a multiformat mix room; animation stands; optical and contact printers; digital, high-definition, and analog editing suites; and flatbed film editors. On-site processing and printing of black and white reversal stock is available. The filmmaking studios are equipped for both production and screening, and the SFAI Lecture Hall is equipped for state-of-the-art projection and sound.

Other Resources

The Bay Area is home to an exceptional range of alternative film venues, including the worldrenowned Pacific Film Archive, San Francisco Cinematheque, and international film festivals such as San Francisco International Film Festival; SF Asian American Film Festival; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexuel, and Transgender Film Festival; Jewish Film Festival, and the Annual SFAI Film / Video Festival, produced by Art Institute students. Noted industry production facilities in the Bay Area include Pixar and Industrial Light and Magic. Community organizations such as Bay Area Video Coalition, Film Arts Foundation, and Artists’ Television Access are major resources for enriching our students’ education in filmmaking.