The Barry R. Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema is now accepting applications for the 2015-16 academic year. Located at Steiner Studios in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Feirstein is the only public graduate school in the nation seamlessly integrated into a working film lot and the first public graduate school of cinema in New York City.

“A film school, located on a film studio in New York City, and run by Brooklyn College, will be a distinctive institution that prepares students for today’s competitive entertainment industry,” said founding donor and alumnus Barry R. Feirstein ’74, founder of Feirstein LLC.

“As the premier center for film, television, and commercial production on the east coast, we at Steiner Studios are thrilled to house the graduate school of cinema on our lot,” said Douglas C. Steiner, founder and chairman of Steiner Studios. “It represents a one-of-a-kind opportunity for students to be educated amid the very industry for which they are being groomed.”

Degrees offered 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. An additional program in Digital Arts will open in Fall 2016. Additionally, an advisory board, made up of well-known directors, producers, and actors, will guide the school toward fulfilling its mission. Among those already on the board are actor, author, and director Ethan Hawke; directors Steven Soderbergh and Darren Aronofsky, actor/producer Fisher Stevens; and Emmy Award-winning producer Celia Costas.

“The Feirstein School is poised to become the premiere institution educating students in the art and craft of cinema and television, while preparing them to excel in a rapidly changing global media industry,” said the school’s Founding Director, Jonathan Wacks. A noted director, producer, screenwriter, and educator, Wacks’ extensive film credits include producer of the cult classic Repo Man and director of the television drama 21 Jump Street and the award-winning film, Powwow Highway.

Funding for the school is the result of an extensive public-private partnership among notable Brooklyn College alumni, the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, Steiner Studios, the New York City Council, the Brooklyn Borough President, and the City University of New York.

“New York City’s production industry has grown exponentially in recent years so it’s incredibly fitting that Brooklyn will be home to the first public graduate school of cinema to be located on a film lot,” said Commissioner Cynthia López, Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. “This school will give New Yorkers access to a high quality education, enabling them to join our thriving industry and contribute their vision to the local creative landscape.”

“The Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema is a transformational project, said Brooklyn College President Karen L. Gould. “With strong private and public support, state-of-the-art facilities, and highly accomplished faculty, Feirstein is a new and compelling choice for exceptional students preparing for our city¹s dynamic film industry.”
Visit the Feirstein School site for more information and to apply for admission:

Website: brooklyn.cuny.edu/feirstein
E-mail: feirstein@brooklyn.cuny.edu
Facebook: facebook.com/FeirsteinSchool
Twitter: @FeirsteinSchool