Chapman Maintains Lofty No. 4 Spot in Hollywood Reporter’s Rankings of Top Film Schools

CHAPMAN SOLIDIFIES LOFTY SPOT IN NATIONAL FILM SCHOOL RANKINGS

BY DENNIS ARP

Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts is strengthening its grip on an influential position among the best film schools in the country, the latest national rankings show.

Dodge College has earned the No. 4 position in the Hollywood Reporter’s prestigious 2022 rankings of the Top American Film Schools, released Aug. 3. After vaulting into the top 5 a year ago, the Chapman program held steady in its lofty spot this time.

“I’m thrilled about our ranking,” says Dodge Dean Stephen Galloway. “This means we’ve been in the Top 4 film schools for two years running, at both The Hollywood Reporter and The Wrap. It’s an amazing testament to the tireless work of our faculty, staff and students.”

Legacy film programs at the American Film Institute, New York University and the University of Southern California are the only ones ranked ahead of Chapman, which also is No. 4 in the most recent national rankings of The Wrap.

In its annual feature on the best college film programs, the Hollywood Reporter praised Chapman’s leadership in helping students navigate the entertainment industry’s changing terrain. The story cited Chapman’s investment in a cuttingedge LED wall that supports students’ work in virtual production.

“Drawing names like [film producer] Lorenzo di Bonaventura to teach classes, while adding high-end tech like a fleet of RED Komodo cameras, Dodge College continues to impress,” the Reporter said in its article. “It also offers production students subsidies up to $15,000 for theses.”

The Reporter also highlighted the quality of Chapman film alumni such as Matt and Ross Duffer ’07 (“Stranger Things”), Justin Simien ’05 (“Dear White People”) and Carlos Lopez Estrada ’12 (“Raya and the Last Dragon”).

Technological tools like the LED virtual production wall in Marion Knott Studios help prepare Dodge College students to thrive at the cutting edge of industry advances.