Film School San Diego
Film Schools in San Diego
San Diego City College
San Diego City College is a 2-year public community college based at 1313 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA, part of the California Community College System.
Notable Alumni: Cameron Crowe who wrote and directed Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky and We Bought a Zoo.
Programs:
- Cinematography and film/video production
- Technical theatre
- Theatre design and tech
- Film/Cinema/Video studies
- Fees: Between $4000 – $10,000 after aid per year.
John Paul the Great Catholic University
John Paul the Great Catholic University is a 4-year college offering Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts Degrees.
Based at 155 W Grand Avenue, Escondido, CA just north of San Diego, this college was named after Pop John Paul II and opened its doors in 2006.
- Program: Cinematography and film/video production
- Fees: from $25,000- $32,000 after aid per year.
Talent Agencies San Diego
Shamon Freitas and Company
Shamon Freitas and Company founded by Carol Shamon represents models, actors, voiceover, spokespersons and kids.
Scott Copeland International provides models and actors. Actor and Model, Armie Hammer started out with Scott Copeland.
Luxe Talent Agency
Luxe Talent Agency was founded in 2017 and provides commercial, influencers theatrical, TV and sports talent.
Acting Workshops San Diego
Actors Workshop Studios at 5703 Oberlin Drive, provides and A-Z of breaking into the film and Television industry.
Established in 1989 it is the sister company of California Creative Visions Production Company.
Classes include:
- Feature Film
- Acting
- Audition Techniques
Actors Workshop Studios holds in house auditions in front of agents and casting directors from New Line Cinema, MGM, Sony Pictures and Universal Studios
Los Angeles Acting Studio SD is set up at 6142 Nancy Ridge Drive, San Diego and was founded by Andrew Benne who moved the studio from LA to San Diego in 2016.
Studies:
- Acting Techniques
- Improv
- Scene Study
- Cold Reading
- Individual classes are available as well as a 2-year Hybrid Meisner Technique certificate
- pFees: $220 (4 classes) $330 (8 classes up front)
Tower Talent Studio West
Tower Talent Studio West at 2667 Camino Del Rio S, San Diego, CA is a full-service development center and marketing firm for aspiring talent.
Courses:
- Acting for the Industry – Learning the ins and outs of the casting process
- Acting Infusion – Good for beginners with overall coverage of auditioning techniques, improv, cold reading, commercials, character development etc..
- Audition Techniques – On camera auditions and analyzing copy.
- Cold Reading – Recognising script formatting, interpret writer abbreviations, cold reading with a partner
- Comedy and Improv – Intro to the rules on improv. Live performance at the end of course.
- Commercials – Knowing how to sell a product, product placement and final audition
- Scene Study, Monologue, Voiceover courses also available
Acting Professionally
Acting Professionally based at the Media Arts Center 2921 El Cajon Blvd provides professional level film, television and commercial acting classes.
Classes:
- On Camera Audition Skills
- Cold Reading
- Business of Acting
- Stage and Screen Acting
- Improv
- Monologue
Acting Professionally holds an industry showcase for students at the end of the year, fees: $185 (4 classes)
Film Tax Incentives San Diego, CA
The California Film Commission
The California Film Commission administers the Film and Television Tax Credit Program 3.0 for qualifying California based productions.
Offering a 20% Tax Credit for Feature Films, New TV Series, Mini-series and Pilots, credit applies for productions with a $1 million minimum budget. A 25% tax credit is available for independent films of the same minimum budget. Further tax credits are available for Out-of-Zone filming, Visual Effects and Local Labour Hire.
Guides are available for production companies to explore their Tax Credit options, with applications to be submitted through the Application Portal at the California Film Commission website.
Film Festivals San Diego
San Diego International Film Festival starts with an opening night film and afterparty and goes on to show over 100 films, including world-premiers, studio releases, independent films over 6 days.
With meet and greets and Q&A opportunities the San Diego International Film Festival culminates with its annual Night of the Stars Tribute, recognising actors and filmmakers who have made their mark on the industry.
San Diego Latino Film Festival (SDLFF)
San Diego Latino Film Festival has been running for 27 years and is presented and produced by Media Arts Center San Diego, a non-profit organization.
Over 11 days the SDLFF is a celebration of Latino Cinema, Arts & Culture and presents over 160 films from Latin America, The United States and Spain.
San Diego Black Film Festival
San Diego Black Film Festival is a spotlight on African American and African Diaspora Cinema. Established in 2002 it is held during the last week of January.
Screening over 100 films each year in different genres, from Comedy and Drama to Documentaries, Animation, Horror and many more, the San Diego Black Film Festival premiers a large number of independent black films.
Other annual festivals in San Diego
- San Diego Asian Film Festival
- San Diego Jewish Film Festival
- San Diego International Kids Film Festival
- Film Out San Diego LGBT Film Festival
California Film Commission
The film commission for San Diego is the California Film Commission; a full resource for film, TV and commercial production, providing tools and networking to help navigate production issues, permits and on-set safety.
Links and contact info are easily found in their directory for production, job listings, guilds and unions, with location options included. Their website is https://film.ca.gov
