Welcome to The Sidney Poitier New American Film School!
We are so glad you’re here, and we are looking forward to teaching you the fundamentals and principles of storytelling. It’s an exciting time at The Poitier Film School, which is now located in locations across three cities and two states, including our main campus in Tempe, the Media and Immersive eXperience (MIX) Center in Mesa and the ASU California
Founding Director of The Sidney Poitier New American Film School
Cheryl Boone Isaacs is the Founding Director of The Sidney Poitier New American Film School and a celebrated veteran of the film industry with over 40 years of experience as a respected motion picture marketing executive.
Boone Isaacs is the former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and president and CEO of CBI Enterprises, Inc., and has consulted for companies such as MTV Films, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Lionsgate and Sony Entertainment. Boone Isaacs previously served as president of theatrical marketing for New Line Cinema and developed the campaigns for such films as “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me,” “Rush Hour” and “Blade.” As executive vice president of worldwide publicity for Paramount Pictures, she orchestrated the publicity campaigns for the Best Picture winners “Forrest Gump” and “Braveheart ”
“It’s students like you who will help to shape the future of film. I hope that you make the most of your time learning with us in LA, and feel free to reach out to any of our faculty with questions.”
Peter Murrieta
Deputy Director + Professor of Practice
Adam Collis
Professor of Practice
Cristina Ibarra
Associate Professor
Mary Matheson Professor of Practice
Nonny de la Pena
Program Director +
Professor
of Practice
Alex Rivera
Associate Professor
Deborah Seibel
Teaching Professor
Andres Torres
Program Director + Professor of Practice
Ryat Yezbick
Learning Resources Specialist
The Sidney Poitier New American Film School educates students in the literature, theories, histories and practices of contemporary filmmaking. Our teaching, research, creative activity and professional service enrich the cultural life of the University, the community, the state and the region, extending beyond our borders; and move the art of film production into the future by building on its diverse histories and cultural contexts.
Actor, film director, civil rights activist, author, ambassador, father and husband – Sidney Poitier was a groundbreaking international film icon whose life, both onscreen and off, serves as an example of strength, passion, depth and integrity The youngest of seven children, Sidney Poitier was born in Miami, Florida, on Feb. 20, 1927, and grew up on Cat Island in the Bahamas When he was 15, he was sent to live with his brother’s family in Miami; at 16, he moved to New York, where he held a string of jobs before lying about his age to enlist in the U S Army during World War II After the Army, he worked as a dishwasher, until a successful audition with the American Negro Theatre launched his acting career.
Over the course of his long and varied career, Poitier starred in more than 40 films, directed nine and wrote four. His many memorable roles as an actor include “The Defiant Ones,” “A Raisin in the Sun,” “A Patch of Blue,” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” “In the Heat of the Night,” “To Sir, With Love” and “Sneakers ” For his outstanding performance in “Lilies of the Field,” a 1963 film set and shot in Arizona, Poitier became the first Black man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. Among many other accolades, Poitier has been honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award, the Screen Actors Guild’s Life Achievement Award, a Kennedy Center Honors Award, an NAACP Image Award, a Grammy Award for best-spoken word album and an honorary Academy Award for his contributions to the medium.
The Sidney Poitier New American Film School is a testament to the indomitable spirit of Sidney Poitier himself That’s reflected in our 1,000 film students, who represent the creative diversity of our country, with more than 40% coming from underrepresented backgrounds Unlike many other top film schools, which measure themselves by whom they exclude, The Poitier Film School celebrates its high acceptance rate, which makes a high-quality film education possible for students traditionally locked out of the opportunity.
A Bachelor in Fine Arts in film and media production provides creative experiences and pre-professional training to students with a focus on ethical practices, cutting-edge technical skills and interdisciplinary collaboration. Students are equipped to master digital technologies and create stories that reflect their unique vision and voice.
Beginning with foundational courses that situate the film and media artist as an active citizen-storyteller with a responsibility to their community, students work through a series of structured milestones and projects that culminate in the presentation of a professional digital portfolio.
The curriculum also includes interdisciplinary requirements and elective options from across ASU to ensure that students experience connections between the arts, cultures and the creative process. Students can also benefit from the California based Semester in LA program, job and internship fairs, professional intensives and exclusive events.
Graduates are prepared for success in the growing media industry, to pursue a graduate degree, or to pioneer new careers that will require advanced media production skills, a professional work ethic and a strong creative voice.
Students who pursue the BA in film with a concentration in filmmaking practices learn foundational production skills; entertainment and media ethics; feature, short and episodic screenwriting; and general film and media industry history and practices.
Course offerings focus on key professional skills such as screenwriting for feature films, television and new media; and producing practices, including on-set production and production management, business and legal matters, professional and technical writing, and production for feature films, television and internet content.
Production experience is regularly available through lower-division courses that provide creative coursework options, the upper-division course FMP 300, and credited opportunities to work on projects produced by students and faculty at The Poitier Film School. All students complete a year-long senior project, initiated and developed by the students and supported through dedicated faculty mentorship. There is also a unique Semester in LA program available to sophomores, juniors and seniors, as well as industry intensives and internship opportunities.
In short, the Bachelor of Arts in film with a concentration in filmmaking practices allows students more flexibility to explore the art of film and storytelling This degree is great for students who would like to double major, gain an overview of filmmaking as a practice, explore various interests, or find ways to communicate issues in other disciplines through filmmaking.
The Bachelor of Fine Arts provides students with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with film and media production This degree is great for students who are interested in carving out a specific focus area in production and receiving in-depth instruction and training focused on that area.
Students pursuing the film and media production minor study the basic production processes of film while learning about the history and practices of the film and media industry as well as the cultural value of cinema, television and digital media.
In the MA program in narrative and emerging media, students learn how to tell stories that aren’t just watched or read they’re experienced. In under one year, students learn innovative storytelling techniques, explore the emerging media marketplace, connect with the field’s top professionals and develop critical media project management skills.
Through hands-on learning, students explore the entire landscape of emerging immersive media techniques including augmented reality, virtual reality, extended reality, 360 video, animated graphics, short-form digital video and documentary production to tell creative fictional stories or nonfiction journalistic work. Students capture and create content for workflow in multiple industries, and they learn to lead teams of producers, engineers, writers and artists across different technologies.
ASU Online Resources
First Generation Resources Guide
Individuals with Disabilities: ASU’s Resources
Student Advocacy and Assistance
Academic Support
Student Accessibility and Inclusive Learning Services
International Students and Scholars Center
Resources for LGBTQIA+ Sun Devils
University Technology Office
Visit ASU Financial Aid Website
ASU Scholarships
Explore the scholarship opportunities
Financial Aid Calendar
Contact ASU Financial Aid and Scholarship Services
Current on-campus students
855-278-5080 (toll free)
For additional information, please contact University Housing
Phone: (480) 965-3515
Email: housing@asu.edu
Los Angeles Central Public Library
Bradbury Building
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Grammy Museum
The Broad
Olvera Street
Angels Flight Railway
Museum of Contemporary Art
Thien Hau Temple
The Last Bookstore
California African American Museum
California Science Center
Natural History Museum of LA
Exposition Park
LA Conservancy Walking Tours
Dark History and Haunted LA Ghost
Bus Tour
And just a little further away:
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
Academy Museum
Madame Tussauds Wax Museum
La Brea Tar Pits and Museum
