10 Best Film Schools in Toronto-Tuition & Requirements

Film schools in Toronto are colleges or universities that specialize in teaching the various facets of making movies, including screenplay, cinema theory, digital media production, and production.

Most film school programs typically include both technical instruction and cinematic history studies.

Instruction in the use and operation of cameras, lighting gear, software for film or video editing, and other pertinent equipment may be included in technical training.

Courses and training in areas including television production, broadcasting, audio engineering, and animation may also be offered by film schools. In this article, we get to see the best film schools in Toronto. 

Why Attend a Film School? 

The following are some reasons why you should consider going to a film school. 

1. An expert network

A network of knowledgeable, film-hungry, and diligent collaborators will automatically grow among your film school classmates.

Once more, it is challenging to create this group of people from nothing; your peers at a prestigious film school will be hand-selected by the faculty based on your apparent similarities and differences, as well as your ability to work and learn as a team.

2. Guidance

Professors at film schools make a living by assisting you in achieving your goals. Years passed as they observed students succeed and fail in their own courses, and they used that experience to improve their teaching strategies.

Your lecturers will walk you through the numerous rounds of feedback that the filmmaking process entails, including input on screenplays, cuts of films, and casting decisions. 

3. Freedom

Most film schools offer a great deal of creative freedom; you often develop your own scripts or collaborate with one, cast your own projects, and ideally see those projects through to completion.

You might never get the chance to work with so many different colleagues or to safely make the numerous mistakes that are inevitable outside of film school. 

Career Choices After Film School

Film school is typically a terrific starting point on the path to being well-known, but keep in mind that virtually everyone does not start at the top of any movie project. The jobs listed below are excellent places to start.

You can lay a solid foundation for the profession you choose by using these positions as learning and networking opportunities:

1. A movie intern

While knowing someone is always helpful, networking is becoming much simpler thanks to the internet. Most significant businesses have websites with postings for internships. For instance, several other studios, like Fox, provide useful job websites. 

Even while the internships mentioned on these websites might not be where the spotlight is, they will provide you with corporate credibility that is otherwise impossible to obtain, which is crucial whether you have just graduated from film school or are about to do so.

2. A travel coordinator for films

When a sound stage simply won’t do, the production must move on location. While location managers and scouts are responsible for securing the new filming location, travel coordinators are in charge of making sure that everyone and everything arrives at the place safely. 

3. A movie promoter

For motivated, bright film school graduates who are interested in learning what makes a movie successful, the promotions department is a wonderful place to start.

You can find a wide range of chances in promotions, from creating commercials to hanging posters.

Are you an expert at online marketing, or do you yearn to walk the streets of the city handing out flyers? People in charge of promotions are always delighted to welcome passionate volunteers for street crew work. 

4. A film industry professional’s personal assistant

Watching a professional at work is undoubtedly the best method to understand the ins and outs of the industry. But don’t worry, it’s not only carrying scripts and bringing coffee.

While navigating the industry, you’ll be forming useful relationships. You can find a number of websites that can assist you in finding a job as a personal assistant if you spend some time using a search engine. 

5. Set Construction Crew

A great set can be created with the aid of talented, imaginative individuals who are familiar with film or television—or with those who are willing to follow instructions.

On-location shootings frequently need adjustments to fit the project, even when production happens outside of a standard sound stage.

Additionally, inquire about working with the prop masters or painters if you’re more interested in the aesthetic side of set-making. 

The List of Best Film Schools In Toronto 

Film school will provide you with structured time to hone your skills in a secure, beneficial atmosphere in exchange for tuition.

This is perhaps the best gift a school could provide. These are the best film schools you can attend in Toronto. 

York University Film School 

There is a School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design at this university.

Students learn to comprehend, analyze, and work in the language of the moving picture across all media in the Department of Cinema and Media Arts at AMPD through experiential learning. The integrated program delivers great instruction across the board, from concept to screenplay, camera to screen, and screen to critical inquiry.

The BFA in Production provides a thorough education in every facet of filmmaking. Along with studies in the theories and methods of screenwriting, directing, and producing, courses in the artistic skills of cinematography, editing, and sound are provided. Students create work of the highest professional caliber using a wide variety of digital and film formats, as well as production and post-production tools that are on par with industry standards. 

The course blends in-depth technical training with a focus on the artistic potential of film as storytelling, social engagement, and self-expression medium.

Small classes—ranging from 25 students in the first year to 10–15 students in the third and fourth year—enable the department’s internationally renowned staff to provide good mentoring. 

Click here for more information. 

Admission Requirements: For mature students, to be considered, you must:

  • Be 20 years of age or older at the end of the year of admission to the university;
  • Have attempted less than one full year of study at an approved college or university and have been out of full-time high school studies for at least two years.
  • You must complete an additional evaluation after submitting an admissions application. To ensure that your online application will be considered for the program, submit it by the deadline listed below:
  • February 4 for entrance in the fall.

For high school students from Ontario Criteria for admission:

  • Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
  • ENG4U
  • Additionally five 4U or M courses

 For international high school students, indigenous students, college/university students, and high school students outside Ontario, please click here to see the admission requirements. 

Tuition: Click here to see the breakdown. 

University Of Toronto

The University of Toronto’s St. George campus has offered a film studies degree for more than 40 years, making it one of the oldest and most reputable in Canada and all of North America.

After achieving institute status in 2007 and launching an MA program, the Cinema Studies Institute started a Ph.D. program in 2013 and welcomed its first cohort of doctorate candidates.

The academic reputation of CSI, which is unrivaled in Canada and competitive with the best in North America, has endured during all of this transformation. 

Click here for more information 

Admission Requirements: for undergraduates, these are the requirements you need before applying. 

A final score of 70% or higher in CIN105Y1 – Introduction to Film Study and 3.0 Full Course Equivalents are required for enrollment in the Cinema Studies program.

Students who don’t receive at least a 70% in CIN105Y1 have the opportunity to retake the course by earning at least a 70% in CIN201Y1 – Film Cultures I plus 3.0 FCEs. Before taking CIN201Y1, students must pass CIN105Y1 or an equivalent course. 

The M.A. program lasts for one intense year and combines three core courses with a variety of cutting-edge topical seminars. The completion of a major research paper (MRP) or a supervised internship is required for the MA degree’s final stage. Requirements include: 

  • successfully completing a four-year bachelor’s degree program at the University of Toronto or its equivalent from a recognized institution.

  • Minimum B+ standing, demonstrated by an average grade in the final year, or over senior-level courses.

  • 6.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) or equivalent program preparation in cinema studies must be successfully completed.
  • A statement of intent outlining the academic objectives the candidate hopes to achieve via the program.

  • Three letters of recommendation.

  • All post-secondary universities’ transcripts.

  • 3,000 maximum words in a sample of academic writing.

The Ph.D. program comprises a doctorate thesis, core courses that must be completed, elective seminars, and qualifying exams. Requirements Include:

  • One Qualifying Examination must be passed. The written and oral portions of the qualifying examination, which covers two distinct fields, are both included.

    The committee members and the student’s supervisor schedule these tests. Exams are graded using a pass/fail system.

  • To remain in good academic standing and to become candidates, students must have finished all degree requirements by the conclusion of Year 3 of study, with the exception of their thesis research.

  • Completion of a PhD dissertation based on the candidate’s own original research on a subject of recognized cinema studies.

  • Within six years of the student’s first enrollment in the PhD program, the thesis must be submitted. 

Tuition: N/A

Humber College

You will start using production and digital cinematography tools as soon as you enroll in Humber’s advanced diploma program in Film and Television Production (FMTV).

You will receive training from industry professionals in the skills needed to succeed in the film business.

Working in specialized roles on public service announcements, documentaries, and short films can help you discover your area of interest and strengthen your teamwork and collaboration abilities. Your ability to develop well-rounded skills and produce work that stands out will be aided by taking a variety of filmmaking, editing, and cinematography courses.

In this course, you will learn:

  • Utilize industry-standard production tools in spacious, well-equipped studios and cutting-edge video and audio editing suites, and hone your film and television production skills.
  •  Obtain useful experience in all areas of production, including drafting the script, lighting the set, directing the camera, and taking the shots.
  • Add business and marketing education, networking opportunities, and final-semester job placement to complete your education.
  • Display your creation at prestigious program showcase screenings 

Click here for more information. 

Admission Requirements: OntarioColleges.ca is where applicants to Humber submit their applications. Make sure you submit your application by February 1st in order to receive equitable attention.

You may still apply after February 1st; however, applications received after that date will only be taken into consideration if there are still openings in the program.

You need to be in possession of the following in order to be admitted:

  • Having an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or an equivalent diploma, including prerequisite courses, or being a mature student.

  • A writing sample on a topic given during the information session which will be completed by applicants who have attended the session… 

Tuition: $3,760.06 and $19,615.00 for domestic and international students respectively. 

Sheridan College 

You will experience everything that this sector has to offer during the first two years of this degree. You will select electives in directing, production, writing, and editing to determine your areas of talent under the direction of professors with expertise in the industry.

During your final semesters, you’ll choose a specialty from scriptwriting, directing, cinematography, editing, sound, or documentary or drama production. 

Click here for more information.

Admission Requirements:  you need the following to be considered for admission into this program. 

The following courses are required, along with an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or an equivalent:

  • English, Grade 12 (ENG4U)

  • Additional five grades (12 credits) (M or U)

  • A minimum average of 65%. 

OR

  • Two semesters of postsecondary education with a minimum 65% overall average, a minimum 65% in ENG4U, and a least 60% in all other courses, including the prerequisites 

Tuition: $9,540.47 and $27,562.47 for Canadian and international students respectively. 

Toronto Metropolitan University 

In this top-notch cinema program, you will learn the technical and storytelling abilities required to produce both short and lengthy films.

In addition to learning about film history and critical theory, you’ll receive expertise in all facets of filmmaking, including writing, directing, producing, cinematography, sound, art direction, and editing.

Learn with practicing filmmakers, complete an internship, and gain access to Canada’s largest teaching library of film resources to advance your studies.

You can choose the Integrated Digital option in your third year to concentrate on digital media through team-based, technical production courses. 

Click here for more information.

Admission Requirements:  Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, including a minimum of six Grade 12 U or M courses, including the following program-specific prerequisites.

  • Typically, a minimum overall average of 70% is required to be considered for admission; however, certain programs may require higher prerequisite grades and/or higher overall averages:

  • English/Anglais (Preferred: ENG4U/EAE4U)

The minimum grade required in the subject prerequisite (usually in the 65-70% range) will be set by competition. 

  • Written statement

  • Resume

  • Project outline

Tuition: the following ranges are for the different categories of students. 

  • $7,103 – $7,821 for in-state students

  • $7,600 – $8,328 for out-of-state students. 

  • $31,841 – $32,453 for international students 

Toronto Film School 

They provide six accelerated diploma programs aimed to prepare you for a future in the entertainment, fashion, design, or video game industries.

All on-campus programs are taught by industry professionals are authorized by Ontario’s Private Career Colleges Act, and emphasize real-world work experience.

You will study at a rapid speed to adapt to an industry rhythm and achieve your diploma in as little as 12-18 months. 

Click here for more information. 

Admission Requirements: To enroll in the Toronto Film School:

  • Pay the $100 application fee for all programs except Film Production ($500).

  • You must have a secondary school diploma (grade 12) or its equivalent in Ontario.

  • If you are over the age of 18 and are not enrolling directly from secondary school, you may be asked to complete a mature student test.

  • You must meet the admission requirements for your desired program. 

Tuition: fees for various categories of students are shown below. 

18 months diploma: $35,154 for local students and an additional $18,456 for international students 

12 months diploma: $22,980 for local students and an additional $12,064 for international students. 

EVN Studios 

EVN Film and Television Studios in Ontario offers film acting classes to help you learn everything there is to know about becoming an actor, working with actors, and acting for a camera.

This curriculum includes numerous acting workshops, audition skills that may also be converted into pitch techniques, and scene studies that show you how to block a scene for the optimal shots for individuals interested in making and starring in films. 

Click here for more information. 

Toronto Academy Of Acting For Film And Television

A private career college registered with the ministry of training of colleges and universities under the private career colleges act 2005 and offering vocational programs, the Toronto academy of acting for film and television has been in existence since 1998.

The acting and film students are provided with rigorous and welcoming environments in which to study in a variety of film acting classes, digital film creating courses, and full-time vocational diploma programs in both film acting and film & television production. 

Click here for more information. 

Admission Requirements: Students must have the following for their admission to be considered. 

  • Possess a secondary school diploma from Ontario or an equivalent

  • OR

  • If a student has not finished high school, they must be at least 18 years old and have passed the “Wonderlic Test,” a prerequisite exam that has been approved by the superintendent.

  • A letter of intent from the student is required to be given to the program director. 

Tuition: N/A

Trebas Institute 

Throughout their 48-week program, learn how an idea is transferred from development to the big screen.

You will receive thorough instruction aimed at providing you with the skills and creativity you need to land a career once you’ve earned your degree, through the teachings of expert instructors and by using industry-standard equipment.

You’ll feel confident after the program, regardless of your level of industry expertise. 

Click here for more information. 

Admission Requirements: you must fulfill the following criteria to be considered for admission. 

  • The person has pursued full-time postsecondary studies for at least two consecutive terms or one academic year without interrupting such studies;

  • A contract between a college and an employer or a government-sponsored program of studies covers the individual;

  • The student took a break from full-time studies for one term before returning to full-time tertiary study;

  • The individual has a DVS/DEP, or diploma of vocational studies. 

Tuition: click here to see the breakdown. 

FAQs

Is the University of Toronto Good For Film? 

The University of Toronto’s program in cinema studies, which is regarded as one of the best in Canada, offers its students a demanding and rewarding educational experience.

The courses offered by the Vancouver Film School span the whole film and television industry, from pre-production to post-production. 

What is The #1 Film School? 

The University of Southern California.

There are movie companies who wish they possessed the USC School of Cinematic Arts’ filmmaking capabilities, and no other film school can compare to its influence on the business. 

Is a Film Degree Worth it? 

You can use film school to your advantage not only in the workplace but also when looking for a career after graduation. You may have a better chance of getting recruited by a production business, editing facility, or writer’s room if you list your film degree on your CV.

This is due to the fact that employers are aware of the abilities needed to finish a film degree. 

Where in Canada is The Best for the Film Industry? 

Vancouver Film School. Most Vancouver Film School graduates have found fulfilling employment in the film and television industries, making it one of the most respected film schools in Canada.

Is Ryerson Good for Film? 

I believe that Ryerson University is the top undergrad film school in the nation and has a better reputation. 

Is Toronto Film School Recognized? 

One of Canada’s top-ranked film schools, Toronto Film School (TFS), is renowned for producing award-winning graduates and drawing award-winning instructors.

One of Canada’s top-ranked film schools, Toronto Film School (TFS), is renowned for producing award-winning graduates and drawing award-winning instructors. 

Do most directors attend film school? 

Some of our favorite directors attended college but left before finishing, while others are wholly self-taught. Before there were film schools, many of the greatest classic directors left their stamp on the medium. 

Can you get a scholarship for film school? 

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) offers five separate scholarships for high school seniors who intend to pursue a career in the film and television industry.

Each student is awarded $10,000. NATAS also offers regional scholarships throughout the country. 

Is being a film director worth it? 

For individuals who don’t give up easily, the experience can boost prospects and earning potential. The median yearly salary for directors and producers, according to the BLS, is $71,620. 25% of people make more than $111,270 annually. Famous directors earn millions. 

How long does it take to get a film degree? 

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Filmmaking or the Bachelor of Science in Video Production are two undergraduate degrees that can be earned after four years of study in the fields of film and digital video production. 

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