ADVISORY: All of Halifax Peninsula, including NSCAD’s three campuses, are currently under a boil water advisory until further notice. All water must be boiled for at least one minute if it will be used for drinking or any other activity requiring human consumption.

BFA, Film

The Bachelor of Fine Arts, Major in Film allows students to explore film as an art form while preparing for the complex industry of filmmaking. With a focus on hands-on learning, the program weaves together currents of dramatic, documentary and experimental film practice. In collaborative projects, students rotate among many roles: writing, acting, directing, producing, cinematography, production design, editing and sound design. Assignments progressively challenge students to create more ambitious work while gaining experience in location and studio processes, leading to a final-year thesis project.

Division: Media Arts/Foundation
Degree: Bachelor of Fine Arts
Program: Major in Film

Program Length: 4 years (see Degree Requirements)

Campus: Academy Campus

Admission Deadline: March 1 for September; October 1 for January

Graduates of NSCAD’s film program have created award-winning films that are screened at international film festivals. Many work in the film industry, advancing through various positions. Our graduates also pursue graduate studies and become critics, writers and college/university professors.

What Our Film Students Can Expect

– Facilities are located in the historic Academy Campus and include a 3,000 square foot sound stage, 16-mm film equipment, high-end digital video cameras, editing and sound suites, professional lighting and grip equipment, and a Cineflix screening auditorium.

– A faculty of accomplished artists, scholars, educators and leaders in their craft.

– By the final semester, film students complete thesis work by participating in a substantial film production in the role of a producer, director, actor, animator, or screenwriter.

Featured Courses

Film History and
Criticism

Film History and Criticism: 1890-1945: An introduction to the history, analysis and criticism of film from 1890 to 1945, including early experiments in filmmaking and film exhibition, the development of sound and colour technologies, through to the rise of feature-length narrative and the consolidation of genre and the Hollywood studio system.

Introductory
Filmmaking

Introductory Filmmaking: This course introduces students to the methods and techniques of collaborative filmmaking. The course explores dramatic, documentary and experimental approaches to filmmaking through direct experiences with the technical and practical processes of filmmaking.

Cinematography

Cinematography: This class covers the technical and artistic aspects of the work of the cinematographer. This includes the technology of the camera, lighting for film and video, rigging, and the cinematographer’s relationship to the filmmaking process.

Introductory Animation

This course introduces students to the methods and techniques of animation. Students will explore stop motion, experimental and 2D digital and cel animation techniques through direct experience with animation and through seminars and presentations of historical and contextual materials.

Please visit the Academic Calendar for a description of all courses available during your undergraduate studies.

Student Work

Student Experience

Let Chelsea tell you about why she chose to study Media Arts at NSCAD – an art university that changes lives.