On the heels of a successful inaugural academic year, Brooklyn Collegee’s Barry R. Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema at Steiner Studios has recently added a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Digital Animation & VFX, Media Scoring, and Sonic Arts to its suite of degree programs. Feirstein, which is still accepting applications for the fall semester, is the first public graduate film school in New York and the only one in the country housed on a working film lot. A recent report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates a marked increase in demand for multimedia artists and animators over the next 10 years, due to an uptick in the use of animation and visual effects in movies and television. With an emphasis on experimentation and imagination, and a foundation in narrative structure, the Feirstein M.F.A. in Digital Animation &VFX will bridge the worlds of technology-based innovation and cinematic storytelling, and prepare students to compete in this fast-growing field. “The talented and diverse students in our inaugural class have surpassed our expectations,” says Founding Director Jonathan Wacks. “And with the addition of our digital animation & VFX master’s program, as well as our interdisciplinary approach to learning, they will be exceptionally well prepared to excel in a wide range of fields, from filmmaking to video game design.” In addition, the Media Scoring program will offer advanced instruction and technical experience in the composition and production of music for such media as cinema, television, video games, animation, and other commercial applications, while the Sonic Arts program will focus on emerging technical innovations in music and sound art, sound design, and multimedia sound. The programs are designed to attract individuals from a wide range of disciplines and varying professional experiences, as well as classically trained musicians. Located at Steiner Studios at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Feirstein is housed in a 68,000-square-foot facility, purpose-built for a 21st-Century film school. This entirely digital production and post-production environment offers state-of-the-art workspaces, studios, stages and equipment, including a foley stage, motion capture studio and a 4K surround-sound screening room. Other degree programs offered at Feirstein include an M.A. in Cinema Studies and M.F.A. in Cinema Arts, with course emphasis on producing, directing, screenwriting, cinematography, and post-production. Feirstein’s advisory board includes film industry heavyweights committed to Feirstein’s mission and vision. They include Academy Award-nominated actor Ethan Hawke, Emmy Award-winning producer Celia Costas, Academy Award-nominated director Darren Aronofsky and Oscar-winning producer, director and screenwriter Stephen Soderbergh.
