Biola University – Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts
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With a new 45,463-square-foot studio facility scheduled for completion in summer 2026, over 1,000 alumni active in the entertainment industry, an on-campus production center, millions of dollars in state-of-the-art equipment, more than 600 greenlit student productions annually, and a curriculum covering content creation across all platforms, it’s no wonder Biola’s Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts has been named a top film school by Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Filmmaker Magazine and TheWrap.
The next generation of storytellers should be profoundly creative, highly skilled at their craft, entrepreneurial and demonstrate great character. Students receive technical, creative, and life skills training that prepare them to navigate the entertainment industry with excellence.
Thanks to Biola’s proximity to Los Angeles, 100% of our students secure internships, and our alumni have established careers at top media companies including Disney, Netflix, Hulu, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros., Paramount, Pixar, Marvel, ILM, Amazon MGM Studios, Sony Pictures, Lucasfilm, DreamWorks, 20th Century Studios, AMPAS, and more. Snyder School alumni include directors, writers, producers, executives and VFX supervisors, including director Scott Derrickson (Doctor Strange, The Gorge), filmmaker and social media personality Zach King and Rob Bredow (Lucasfilm, ILM). Recently, alum Nate Norell won the Doritos $1 million “Crash the Super Bowl” contest, with a crew that included five Biola alumni and one current student.
“A career in television, film, digital media and game design isn’t simply about technical skills. It also requires teamwork, reliability and follow-through,” said founding dean Tom Halleen, former EVP of programming strategy at AMC Networks. “It’s why we focus on creating excellence in craft and excellence in character. We want to send the best of both into the entertainment industry.”
Collaboration is a cornerstone of the Snyder School program. Students frequently partner with peers across disciplines. For example, Snyder School students work alongside students from Biola’s School of Science, Technology and Health and the Crowell School of Business in the university’s new A.I. Lab. Together, they study the implications of A.I. from a creative, legal, ethical and vocational standpoint.
On September 6, 2024, Biola broke ground on a new three-floor studio facility. “The soon-to-be-completed studio will support the full workflow of content creation – from ideation and pre-production to production, post-production and final presentation in our state-of-the-art theater,” said Halleen.
Named after In-N-Out cofounder Esther L. Snyder, the program offers a world-class media education, preparing students to create for all four screens: film, TV, computer and mobile. Student recognitions include College Television Award nominations, a Student Academy Awards semi-finalist, four PBS SoCal Fine Cut nominations and multiple selections at Oscar-qualifying festivals including LA Shorts, Dances With Films and Palm Springs International. For seven consecutive years, Snyder student films have also been showcased at the Newport Beach Film Festival.
UNIQUE, SPECIAL TECHNOLOGY, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT STUDENTS CAN ACCESS
Snyder School students access equipment from day one, including: ARRI, RED, Sony, Zeiss, Steadicam, DJI, Sennheiser, Sound Devices, Schoeps, Telefunken, Porta- Jib, Sachtler, VariZoom, Aputure, Creamsource, Mole Richardson, American Grip and others.
INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIP/INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS
100% of Snyder School students secure internships. Our proximity to Hollywood provides access to Disney, Sony, DreamWorks, Roddenberry Entertainment, 20th Century Studios, PBS, The Jim Henson Company, The Television Academy Foundation, AMPAS and others.
NOTABLE CURRENT FACULTY
- Jim Hope: Three-time Emmy-nominated writer/producer
- Bob Zalk: Veteran Disney Imagineer
- Tim O’Hair: Producer, executive, former agent
- Angela Ang: Emmy-nominated sound editor
NOTABLE ALUMNI
- Scott Derrickson (‘89, ‘90): Director: “Doctor Strange”
- Rob Bredow (‘94): Chief Creative Officer, ILM
- Zach King (‘12): CEO, King Studio
- Natalie Pohorski (‘11): Lead Producer: “Call of Duty”
- John Mabry (‘03): Producer, “Blue Bloods”
MAJOR DONOR(S)
1,400+ 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.
NEW AREAS OF FUTURE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
The Snyder School broke ground on a three-floor, 45,463-sq-ft studio facility to expand Biola’s existing production facilities with state-of-the-art equipment and spaces for production, editing, scoring, mixing, color correction, screenings and more.
NAME OF INSTITUTION
Biola University
NAME OF SCHOOL OR PROGRAM
Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts
FILM SCHOOL DIRECTOR
Tom Halleen
YEAR FILM PROGRAM WAS FOUNDED
1977
YEAR FILM SCHOOL WAS STARTED
2018
TOTAL ENROLLMENT
436
AREAS OF EMPHASIS OFFERED
Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Entertainment Business, Creative Producing, Production, and 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 “Best Film School” (‘25)
- TheWrap “Top 50 Film Schools” (‘24)
- The Hollywood Reporter “The best local programs” (‘25)
- Filmmaker Magazine “noteworthy film schools across the United States” (‘25)
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 four years with an average scholarship and gift aid package is $128,776.
APPLICATION DEADLINES
- November 30 – Early Action 1
- January 15 – Early Action 2
- March 1 – Regular
Prospective students apply to Biola University and then to the Snyder School. Deadlines are identical. Exceptions may be made for late applicants.