The Kanbar Institute of Film and Television educates its students in the art, craft, and technology of narrative film, television, documentary and animation production. Intensive hands-on experience coupled with broad exposure to the liberal arts prepares students to become creative, thoughtful practitioners in the world of media.
Curriculum
The Undergraduate Film and Television curriculum combines professional training with studies in the liberal arts, which provides the background necessary for participation in professions that influence attitudes, opinions, and ways of thinking. Students are provided with a variety of creative experiences, from basic to advanced, in both the conceptual and production phases of film, video, cinematography, and sound, as well as traditional and computer animation. Intensive coursework is available in acting, directing, producing and writing, as well as in the craft and technical skills of film editing, video post-production, and sound mixing. Classes are conducted under the supervision of gifted teachers, who blend academic knowledge with their practical experience as seasoned industry professionals.
Professional Development
The Senior Colloquium: Exit Strategies is a series of lectures designed to assist the graduating student in the transition from academia to the professional world. Guest speakers cover a myriad of topics, including working with professional actors, set procedure, copyright, grantwriting, festivals, commercials, digital technology, and pitching stories.
Internships create opportunities for hands-on experience vital to students’ educational and career goals. They offer the ability to apply theory from the classroom to the functions of work within the field, as well as assist in building skills, confidence, and relationships with industry professionals. The Media Internship Program runs each semester, allowing students to earn academic credit for their internship experiences. Students have interned at a variety of sites, including Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Focus Features, Warner Bros, and Saturday Night Live.
Career Resources
The Tisch Office of Career Development strives to provide students and alumni with lifelong professional skills that help establish and sustain successful careers in the arts. TOCD’s services include: Tisch College Central, a searchable internship/job database; individualized career counseling (by appointment and weekly walk-ins); resume and cover letter reviews; career workshops and events; industry mentorship programs; access to electronic industry research tools; and a resource library stocked with trade publications and numerous career-related handouts. TOCD is located within Tisch’s Office of Student Affairs.
In conjunction with TOCD, the NYU Wasserman Center for Career Development provides career guidance and development services to NYU students and alumni. The Center hosts seminars, job fairs, and expos; schedules career counseling appointments; connects students with mentors and alumni; trains students in job interview skills and resume/cover letter writing; and compiles employer databases. The Center also maintains NYU CareerNet, an online database of both on- and off-campus job and internship listings. Students may use Wasserman’s resources to identify sustainable employment opportunities or explore additional career interests outside of the arts.
Alumni
Film and Television alumni maintain a lifelong affiliation with the Tisch School of the Arts and have gone on to a wide variety of successful careers in the arts and beyond. Many have become television writers, screenwriters, producers, and directors. All are part of a vibrant network of mentors, artists, and entrepreneurs supported by the Tisch Office of Alumni Relations and the Tisch Office of Career Development. By creating interdisciplinary and cross-generational collaborations, these two offices help alumni maintain a connection to the past while growing into their future. Of particular note are two main alumni councils, Tisch East and Tisch West, whose activity is centered on metropolitan NYC and LA respectively. These Councils advance alumni collaborations like the 10x10 Alumni Industry Showcase, Dramatic Writing Script Critique and Networking Group, Web Series Lab and Showcase, and numerous industry Q&As.