Video is the future! Whether you want to work on feature films, television shows, ads for major brands, broadcast news, or even content for rising platforms like Instagram and Tik Tok, you’ll find a path to your career at F.I.R.S.T. Institute!
Our Recording Arts & Show Production program is designed to teach students the fundamentals of the video industry, including high-definition cinema, video development, live video production, post-production, and audio-visual work. From screenwriting and storyboarding to color-grading, exporting, and marketing your work, this course teaches everything you need to create high-quality visual content. You’ll learn from industry professionals, and by the end of the 11-month program, you’ll be prepared to make your entry in a video industry career!
What Makes F.I.R.S.T. Different
Working in the video industry isn’t a traditional career path – so F.I.R.S.T. Institute doesn’t provide a typical education. From day one, our students pursue their careers through practical, hands-on learning. We believe you learn best by doing – that means putting down the textbooks, getting out of the classroom, and working with industry-standard equipment. Under supervision from industry professionals, our students regularly use cutting-edge video cameras, audio recorders and microphones, lighting kits, editing suites, and professional visual effects software.
Students work together both on location and in our green-screen studio to develop their own short films, music videos, advertisements, and live broadcasts. Through repeated practice, they learn the fundamentals of all three phases of production: pre-production (storytelling, casting, location scouting), production (video technology, cinematic lighting, directing talent and guiding interviews), and post-production (editing, color grading, and sound mixing).
Focused on Your Career
Our goal is to prepare students for entry-level careers in the digital media industry. Our alumni succeed for two key reasons: the strength of their portfolio and connections in the industry.
By the time our students graduate, they will have created a portfolio showing all the work they completed during their time at F.I.R.S.T. This is a crucial part of impressing employers and showing value as an employee. Additionally, our small class sizes create an intimate learning environment where students are encouraged to work together (even outside of class). Our alumni have a strong community, where classmates constantly collaborate on projects and recommend one another for work. Creative industries thrive on networking – and by the time our students graduate, they have a built-in network of colleagues!
We also require our students to complete two courses in Career Development, as well as an internship related to their field of study. These courses prepare students for the workforce by covering essential, practical skills such as setting career goals, resume and cover letter writing, job searching, and job interview techniques. The hours spent on internships prove invaluable to our graduates, some of whom find employment even before they graduate from F.I.R.S.T.! Additionally, we provide resources to our alumni, highlighting local job openings, film and music festivals, and opportunities to explore new career paths.
What Our Students Do
After graduation, many of our students go on to work on notable projects. Some of our most dedicated grads have worked on shoots for VH1, Coca-Cola, ESPN, Spike TV, as well as staff positions for Princess Cruiselines and Animal Planet. Additionally, many of our film students go on to pursue successful freelance careers, and even open their own production companies!
How Do I Learn More?
Our Digital Filmmaking & Video Production program is available both on-campus, and online.
Click here to learn more about the on-campus program: https://www.first.edu/programs/campus/film-and-video-production/
Click here to learn more about the online program:
https://www.first.edu/programs/online/film-and-video-production-idl/
If you feel like F.I.R.S.T. Institute is the right place for you, navigate to the top of the page and hit “Apply!”
