Tucson Standard

The University of Arizona's School of Theatre, Film & Television has achieved a significant milestone by climbing 15 places to secure the No. 9 spot overall in The Wrap's annual ranking of the Top 50 Film Schools in the United States. This achievement marks the school's highest-ever placement in these rankings. Additionally, it is now recognized as the No. 2 public film school in the country, trailing only behind UCLA.

The latest rankings were released on Monday and provide "insights into the schools that shape the future of the film industry for prospective film students, parents and industry professionals." The Wrap collaborated with Screen Engine/ASI, an entertainment industry data research company, to adopt a more data-driven approach in evaluating over 60 colleges and universities.

Key factors influencing the rankings included retention and graduation rates, student-to-faculty ratio, diversity of classes offered in film, television, and media, as well as the number of films produced by students during their studies. Additional considerations were given to schools' guest speakers, distinctions and awards received, along with notable alumni achievements.

In September at the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Student Production Awards, the School of Theatre, Film & Television had a record performance with seven nominations across various categories and three award wins by senior thesis filmmakers for editing, cinematography, and performance.

The school's students have garnered international recognition for their work. With guidance from its Festival and Awards Office, student and alumni films have been showcased at numerous festivals such as New York's Urbanworld, Palm Springs International ShortFest, London's BFI Flare, and San Diego Comic-Con.

Several highlights were noted by The Wrap regarding the school. A special mentorship project has been announced involving U of A alumnus Craig T. Nelson. Next year he will participate in a senior thesis film while sharing his extensive industry experience with its director and crew.

Additionally, a new headquarters will be established in Los Angeles next year to offer career programming and production support for U of A students and alumni. Faculty members like Diego Moreno are gaining national attention; Moreno has secured a script development deal with Netflix under its Created By Initiative for underrepresented writers. Orquidea Morales focuses her research on border violence and Latinx media; her work appears in Film Quarterly.

Looking ahead to 2025, plans include an immersive educational trip to Utah's Sundance Film Festival where ten students will connect with alumni filmmakers while volunteering behind-the-scenes at this prestigious event. Another group will join volunteers at Los Angeles' Independent Spirit Awards during Hollywood's awards season.

Film students engage annually on multiple sets both within coursework settings or through collaborations across acting programs or design/technical production initiatives alongside experienced staff comprising award-winning filmmakers or published scholars who mentor them closely throughout their projects' development stages up until public launches via festival circuits or career strategies implementation phases.