CTCS 335-Motion Picture Editing is the first class I took for my upper division Cinematic Arts minor credits, and it did not disappoint. While I had no particular interest in editing before the class, I left it with a deep knowledge of Avid Media Composer, the production process for films, and truly gained an appreciation for the number of people involved in bringing a film to life. This was a very fulfilling course that showed me a different perspective on the film industry.

By: Hannah Skinner ‘23

For those of you who missed it, the legendary Stephanie Hsu came to campus on April 5th. During the presentation, she shared her personal story of navigating the acting industry from theater to commercials to Everything Everywhere All At Once. In light of Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, the topics of the conversation included navigating the film industry as an Asian American, creative expression through characters like Joy in Everything Everywhere All at Once, and, moving forward, the expansion of storytelling in cinema to be more inclusive and genuine.

By: Lauren Liang ‘23

Los Angeles is home to an incredible community of creatives, and USC’s student population is no exception. With 22 schools across the university, there is no shortage of talent. Enter Ally Wei: USC senior, photographer, creative director, multi-hyphenate extraordinaire, and founder of Fellows Collective. The Collective’s latest project is a short film titled ALL OF MY FEELINGS, and it needs your help to be produced!

By: Kristen Adams ‘25

Looking for a fun elective to take next semester? Interested in taking a course that is outside your comfort zone? As a USC tour guide and student ambassador, I’m excited to introduce to you a wide variety of classes that will spice up your time here at USC.

By: Lauren Liang ‘23

Following up on my article, Getting Involved in the Arts as a Non-Arts Major, this is a semi-comprehensive list of creative clubs on campus, organized by discipline.

By: Nancy Aguilar Sanchez ‘22

I tend to be more drawn to films that are character driven, but this one is more thematically driven and does it well. It touches on themes of mental health, fame, and consumer culture. It’s an exploration and scrutiny of audience consumption, so as a viewer, you find yourself questioning why you’re watching this film and the ethics behind what you consume.

By: Nancy Aguilar Sanchez ’22

Once you tap into the community and get to know more people at SCA, the inquiries will never stop. Regardless of your major or experience on a set, you’re needed!

By: Kristen Adams ‘25

Business Cinematic Arts, or BCA for short, is a unique major offered by the Marshall Business School and the School of Cinematic Arts for students interested in learning about the business side of the entertainment industry. As a freshman, I have enjoyed the classes I’ve had to take thus far, ranging from economics to film classes, and am excited to see all the new opportunities I’ll have coming up. Here is a rundown of what it’s like to be a BCA major at USC!

By: Nancy Aguilar ‘22

I transferred into the School of Cinematic Arts during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in January. Fall 2021 has been my first in-person experience at taking film production classes and I had no idea what I was getting into, but in hindsight that was probably for the better. I’m currently taking a Junior level course, the notorious CTPR310.

By: Claire Wong ‘23

COVID-19 has been an interesting period for movies. Movies have been digitally released this year because theaters across the nation are closed. And without the theater experience, watching movie is not as appealing. Movies have been very much marketing their films differently this season and you may have missed some. Here are some of the best movies released this year!

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

Short answer? To watch some films, listen to music, and check out art. Long answer? It’s a celebration of amazing student work: visual and auditory, scientific and creative — and it deserves more attention! I was pretty shocked when I checked out Trojan Talent for the first time for the sheer fact that there was just so much stuff! To top it off, everything on the site is phenomenal! This platform is a great way to explore the creations of your fellow students and honestly just keep yourself entertained. There’s too much content to tackle it all in one, or even two or three sittings — but even if it’s just a single short film or song, you should definitely check it out! After exploring all that Trojan Talent has to offer, you may even want to submit something yourself!

By: Claire Wong ‘23

Director, screenwriter, and producer Adele Biraghi, a graduate student at SCA, speaks on the struggles of production design within the film industry. Adele works to shed some light on the art of production design, which is often overlooked at USC.