USC Film School at 70: Reeling In the Years

In 1927, the fledgling Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences met with USC President Rufus von KleinSmid about the possibility of introducing movie courses into the college’s curriculum. Two years later, the USC School of Cinema was born with a lecture series called “Introduction to the Photoplay.”

Featured speakers that first year included the academy president, Douglas Fairbanks Sr.; directors D.W. Griffith and Ernst Lubitsch; MGM production chief Irving Thalberg; and producer William DeMille. William Ray McDonald, a speech instructor and play director, was the course instructor. The film department was formed just three years later, offering the nation’s first bachelor of arts degree with a major in cinema.

Since its inception, the school--now called the School of Cinema-Television--has graduated more than 7,000 students, who work in all areas of the entertainment industry. USC alumni have been involved in eight of the top 10-grossing films of all time, either in creative or executive positions. There have been only two years since 1950 in which alumni have not been nominated for Academy Awards. Its list of famous alumni is staggering, with George Lucas, Robert Zemeckis, Ron Howard and John Wells just a few of the school’s graduates.

On Thursday, the USC film school celebrates its 70th anniversary with a special event sponsored by the academy. Tim Allen will host the evening at the academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. Among the participants will be Lucas, producers Brian Grazer and David Wolper, and director Randal Kleiser (“Grease”). Clips from 15 student films--including Lucas’ late-’60s short “Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB” and Zemeckis’ early ‘70s short “A Field of Honor”--will be screened.

USC certainly isn’t the only cinema school in the country with a terrific reputation. But, says screenwriter Scott Alexander (“Ed Wood”), “it certainly has got the home court advantage. I think UCLA also has it, but the USC students have been aggressive about making their way in the world. It really has a good batting average.”

“It has a reputation of being the best film school in the country for getting into Hollywood,” echoes Alexander’s writing partner, Larry Karaszewski. “It tends to attract people from around the world who wanted that goal. I think the best thing about SC is its students. I really don’t remember the certain classes, or course, I took or even particular teachers. It is more the community of filmmakers I spent my time with.

“If you were in a film class and another guy made a good film, you would go over and start talking to him, and he would give you notes on your project. I think that is where a lot of the learning happened.”

Another USC grad who’s done well for himself in Hollywood will take part in the event: William Mechanic, the chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment.

“USC was my entrance into, I guess, the professional world of film,” says Mechanic, who is the first graduate of any film school to become chairman of a studio.

“Coming from outside and with no connections and a fairly esoteric perspective, I learned to appreciate all aspects of film and film history and filmmaking. I met a lot of people who ultimately helped me get started in a career.”

Like so many other graduates, Mechanic keeps giving back to the school. “It was good to me,” he says. “I always feel if someone has done something to you, you do it back to them. It has turned out over the years an incredible spectrum of talent--all aspects of writers and directors and even a couple of us [executives]. I haven’t brought shame yet [to the university].”

“Nobody leaves,” quips Elizabeth Daley, dean of the school. “They are wonderful alumni. They not only give money, they teach here all the time. It isn’t like they come in and do something occasionally.”

Last year, for example, Zemeckis donated $5 million to create a cutting-edge digital arts facility at USC. He also teaches at his alma mater. (Last week, the school announced millions more had been donated for the facility by USC alumni.)

“The faculty is kind of amazing,” Daley says. “Barbara Corday [producer of “Cagney & Lacey”] is heading up the production program. Bob Estrin, who edited ‘A River Runs Through It,’ heads editing. It is truly a professional facility. It is a very professional environment.”

Two years ago, U.S. News & World Report ranked USC as the top film program in the country. Currently, there are 1,250 students in both the undergraduate and graduate divisions. “We took 8.4% of our freshman applicants last year,” Daley says.

The school has changed quite a bit in recent years. The beloved “shack” that was home to production courses as well as the Room 108 screening room have long disappeared.

“We are at the point in the business where everything has changed and nothing has changed,” Daley says. “The core of the business remains the creation of popular culture. That’s not going to change. Content is still our business. But the production methodology is changing radically. I think it changes on a monthly basis.”

Graduate students are now doing their early production courses with digital technology. This fall, undergraduates are being introduced to digital. Traditional animation is still being taught, but on each student’s desk is a computer, so they can learn both ways of animation simultaneously.

TV production and writing are also central to the school’s focus. “There is a lot of TV taught in critical studies,” Daley says. “We really tried to structure the curriculum so students understand this is one industry. A lot of courses are focused on really popular culture and understanding of a popular culture. The school has rapidly moved to embrace and try to take a leadership program in these new areas.”

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* “Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the USC School of Cinema-Television” is Thursday at 8 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater, 8949 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. Tickets are $5, general public; $3, academy members. (310) 247-3600.