Biola University
With a forthcoming 45,463-square-foot studio facility, over 1,000 alumni active in the entertainment industry, an on-campus production center, millions of dollars worth of state-of-the-art equipment, over 600 student-led film productions per year and a program teaching content creation and management across all platforms, it’s no wonder why Biola’s Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts has been named a top film school by industry publications, including Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and TheWrap.
The next generation of storytellers should be profoundly creative, highly skilled at their craft, entrepreneurial and demonstrate great character. At Biola, students have the opportunity to create stories that are a cut above. With education in both the technical and creative skills necessary to enter the media world, students gain a solid foundation to navigate the entertainment industry.
Because of Biola’s close proximity to Los Angeles – the entertainment capital of the world – students land internships and careers at top media companies, including Disney, Sony, DreamWorks Animation, 20th Century Studios and the Television Academy Foundation. Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts alumni have become influential directors, writers, producers, executives and VFX supervisors in Hollywood and around the world, including Scott Derrickson (“Doctor Strange,” “The Day the Earth Stood Still”), filmmaker and social media personality Zach King and Rob Bredow (Lucasfilm, ILM).
“A career in television, film, digital media and game design isn’t simply about having excellent technical skills. It also requires teamwork, reliability and follow-through,” according to Snyder’s founding dean Tom Halleen. As the former EVP of programming strategy at AMC Networks, he would know. “It’s why we focus on creating excellence in craft and excellence in character within our students,” said Halleen. “We want to send the best of both into the entertainment industry.”
On September 6, 2024, Biola will break ground on a new three-floor, 45,463-square-foot studio building. “The studio will support the full workflow of content creation from ideation to pre-production, production to post-production, all the way through final presentation inside our state-of-the-art theater,” said Halleen.
Biola’s programs in cinema and media arts, writing for film and television, and game design and interactive media prepare students to create for all four screens – movie, TV, computer and mobile devices. Students have immediate access to world-class equipment from day one, including film-set standard cameras from ARRI and RED.
The Snyder School, named after In-N-Out cofounder Esther L. Snyder, offers the following degrees: B.A. in Cinema and Media Arts (with concentrations in directing, cinematography, editing, visual effects & 3D animation, production, producing, and entertainment business); B.A. in Writing for Film and Television; B.A. in Game Design and Interactive Media; and a Minor in Media Studies.
NOTABLE ALUMNI
Scott Derrickson (‘89, ‘90): Director, “Dr. Strange”
Rob Bredow (‘94): Chief Creative Officer, ILM
Zach King (‘12): CEO, King Studio & internet personality
Natalie Pohorski (‘11): Lead Producer, “Call of Duty”
John Mabry (‘03): Producer, “Blue Bloods”
Angela Ang (‘12): Film & Television Sound Editor
Chris Herzberger (‘06): SVP, Universal Theatrical Group
Dani Light (‘13): Visual Effects Producer
Andrew Watkins (‘09): Producer, Virtual Production, ILM
Courtney Coker (‘14): Creative Executive, Lucasfilm
LIST UNIQUE, SPECIAL TECHNOLOGY, TOOL AND EQUIPMENT STUDENTS CAN ACCESS
At the Snyder School, students access equipment on day one, including:
Cameras: ARRI, RED, Sony, Canon, Blackmagic
Equipment: Steadicam, DJI, Sachtler, VariZoom, Aputure, Mole Richardson, Kinoflo, American Grip, Neumann, Schoeps, Xsens and others
LIST ANY INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS/INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS
100% of Snyder School students secure internships. Our close proximity to Hollywood provides students with access to Disney, Sony, DreamWorks Animation, Marvel Animation, 20th Century Studios, Television Academy Foundation, PBS and many others.
WHO ARE YOUR MAJOR DONOR(S)?
100+ donors support the Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts. In 2023, Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson, current president of In-N-Out Burger, donated to build a new studio facility and establish a new scholarship to support foster and at-risk youth at Snyder.
NEW AREAS OF FUTURE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Snyder will break ground in 2024 on a three-floor, 45,463 sq ft film studio to expand Biola’s existing production facilities with new state-of-the-art equipment and spaces for production, editing, scoring, mixing, color correction, screenings & more.
SCHOOL DEAN
Tom Halleen
YEAR INSTITUTION WAS FOUNDED
1908
YEAR SCHOOL OR PROGRAM WAS STARTED
1978
TOTAL ENROLLMENT
397
PLATFORMS OFFERED
B.A. in Cinema and Media Arts
B.A. in Writing for Film and Television
B.A. in Game Design and Interactive Media
Minor in Media Studies
AREAS OF EMPHASIS OFFERED
Cinematography, Creative Producing, Directing, Editing, Entertainment Business, Production, Visual Effects & 3D Animation
LENGTH OF PROGRAMS
4 years
PROGRAM CAMPUS OPTIONS
Degrees offered on campus in La Mirada, CA – less than 20 miles from the heart of L.A.
PROGRAM ACCREDITATIONS
WSCUC
RANKINGS
Variety: “Top 30 film schools in North America” (‘24)
TheWrap: “Top 50 film schools in the US” (‘23)
The Hollywood Reporter: “A best local program” (‘23)
Filmmaker Magazine: “A top film school” (‘23)
TOTAL COST OF PROGRAM
Total cost of attendance will vary per student. The estimated total cost of attendance for a student living on campus all 4 years with an average scholarship package is $105,456.
APPLICATION DEADLINES
Early Action: 11/30
Regular: 3/1
Prospective students apply both to Biola University and the Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts. Deadlines are identical. Exceptions may be made for late applicants.
PROGRAM CONTACT INFORMATION
cma@biola.edu
562.777.4052