Johns Hopkins film and media programs nationally ranked by TheWrap

Johns Hopkins University's undergraduate and graduate film and media programs are ranked No. 20 in the U.S. in the most recent annual list of the top 50 film schools from TheWrap, a leading Hollywood digital news outlet that covers the entertainment and media industry.

The programs are part of the university's Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. TheWrap's rankings were compiled by Screen Engine/ASI, the entertainment industry's premier research firm.

"We are deeply gratified to receive this recognition of the quality of education and training we've long been offering undergraduate and graduate film students at Johns Hopkins," said Christopher S. Celenza, dean of the Krieger School, "and we look forward to reaching more students and faculty as word spreads even more widely about our fine programs."

The undergraduate and graduate film programs operate separately but collaboratively. Courses are held at the JHU-MICA Film Centre in Baltimore's Station North Arts and Entertainment District, which includes a professional sound stage, sound recording, editing, green screen, and virtual reality facilities.

The ranking is welcome recognition of the programs' longtime dedication to providing students with real-world skills, broad experience, and lifelong industry connections, program leaders say.

"This honor reflects decades of commitment to the art of moviemaking at Johns Hopkins, which has been kept alive by my predecessors in this position, who paved the way for us today; a committed roster of teachers; a commitment to a rigorous curriculum that gives students occasions to explore, learn, think, feel, and create; exceptional opportunities to connect with our growing and robust body of alumni in New York and Los Angeles; experiential learning through internships and film festivals alike; and generations of talented students who have honed their skills as thinkers and media creators at Johns Hopkins," said Meredith Ward, director of JHU's undergraduate Program in Film and Media Studies.

The undergraduate program, which includes a major and a minor, offers small, hands-on courses that combine theory and practice in film, television, popular culture, and new media, and in all aspects of 16mm film and digital video production. Faculty include award-winning filmmakers, screenwriters, animators, sound designers, composers, film critics, historians, and theorists. Since 1995, the program has combined a real industry education with a rigorous, well-rounded curriculum.

The graduate program offers a master's degree with a professional training curriculum focused on compelling storytelling, screenwriting and character-building, the practical business of film/TV production, experiential learning and film festival opportunities, and advanced master classes with Oscar and Emmy award-winning and nominated filmmakers. Taught by faculty who are themselves working filmmakers and former studio executives, students gain real-world experience and make industry connections. Classes cover topics including the latest cinematography, color correction, audio, and editing techniques; business and creative best practices in areas including intellectual property and entertainment law, budgeting and scheduling, and the art of pitching; and emerging technology fields such as AI, VR, AR, and immersive experiences and installations.

"This recognition is a credit to our incredibly talented faculty who bring their experience and passion for the craft of filmmaking and storytelling to our students," said Sig Libowitz, director and senior lecturer in the graduate Film and Media Program, which is offered through the Krieger School's Advanced Academic Programs. "We're working to raise the bar by building strategic partnerships, increasing the scope and quality of our projects, and fostering a collaborative community of filmmakers who are supported by faculty mentors and each other. Our experiential learning environment provides students with opportunities for key crew roles on corporate videos, spec commercials, and documentaries; to produce original films and VR/AR/AI experiences; and to grow their networks through our 'Stories that Matter' film series at the Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C., and burgeoning relationships with the Cineteca di Bologna and several leading U.S. film festivals."