In the wide world of film and television you have a variety of options for your goals and career aspirations. At Full Sail, we recognize the diversity of this unique industry and all of the different paths you can take. That's why we offer different degree programs — Film, Digital Cinematography, Creative Writing, Computer Animation, and Show Production — that meet those specific needs.

What Sets These Degree Programs Apart

At Full Sail, we're all about real-world learning where students can gain experience actually doing, making, and creating. That's the same across all of our degree programs. However, in our specialized film and television programs, there are some key differences that make each of them more than a generic film degree.

Each of these degree programs address a different aspect of film and television. Here, we'll explain how they differ from one another and which career goals align with them so that you can get a better idea of which degree program is right for you.

Film Degree

The Film bachelor's degree at Full Sail is designed for students who want to pursue career paths as directors, editors, producers, art directors, scriptwriters, makeup artists, videographers, and multimedia specialists. This is a hands-on, in-the-action degree program where you'll work with the equipment used by the pros on film sets and on soundstages that replicate the real thing.

You'll start with the fundamentals of using industry equipment and understanding the different departments that are essential to filmmaking. Then, you'll dive deeper into areas like field production, news gathering, broadcast, and documentaries. Along the way, you'll collaborate with other students to create something on film and build a portfolio of your work, learning the skills you need in producing, directing, cinematography, and post-production.

Digital Cinematography Degree

The Digital Cinematography bachelor's is different from our Film degree in that it is online and focuses on what you need to do to become an independent creator rather than a part of a larger film set or crew. Instead of learning how to work as part of a bigger crew, you'll learn how to do it all.

And even though classes are online, they're still hands-on. You'll receive a professional camera package that includes a lighting kit so you can learn the basics of camera operation, depth-of-field, lens selection, framing, and dynamic lighting. Instead of working on our campus backlot and soundstages like our Film degree students, you'll learn the art of filming on locations you scout out yourself.

More so than the Film program, Digital Cinematography is the degree program for the entrepreneur. You'll learn to become a jack-of-all-trades in video production and digital cinematography instead of specializing in one area of film like in the Film bachelor's degree. That includes learning skills like time management, personal branding, and planning.

Computer Animation Degree

Our Computer Animation bachelor's program is for students who want to work on fully animated films and TV shows, as well as 3D effects for live-action productions. The most obvious difference from other film degrees at Full Sail is that this program is not a behind-the-camera filmmaking degree. It's also offered both online and on campus.

To start, you'll learn the foundations of animation skills for traditional media and the principles of things like composition, scale and proportion, and value and light. Then, you'll develop advanced skills in animation, such as character rigging, and adding digital assets to live action shots.

Computer Animation is a great degree for those who want to pursue a career as a 3D artist, animator, and compositor. This is the degree program for you if you'd like to create or work on an animated film.

Creative Writing Degree

The Creative Writing bachelor of fine arts degree at Full Sail specializes in just one aspect of filmmaking: the story. This is the degree program for you if you want to become a TV writer or film scriptwriter, or if you want to create narratives for games and interactive media.

You'll learn how to write scripts across several mediums, from film and television, to comics, games, and children's entertainment. This online and on-campus degree covers the basics of writing fiction for genres like comedy, tragedy, horror, mystery, suspense, science fiction, and fantasy.

However, it also goes beyond the elements of storytelling to teach you how professional writers operate in the entertainment industry. Those skills include scriptwriting techniques and networking in a competitive field, as well as developing, producing, and distributing writing projects the industry way.

Show Production Degree

Like Film at Full Sail, the Show Production bachelor of science degree is on campus and puts you in the action on professional sets and behind professional equipment. However, it's different from the Film degree in the kinds of projects you'll be working on and the skills you'll learn to produce them.

The Show Production degree is made for live events. You'll learn how to work with audio and lighting systems, video, and other multimedia aspects of a live event. That includes learning skills in venue layout, wiring, control panel programming, and everything else in between.

If you want to work behind the scenes at concerts, shows, award ceremonies, sports arenas, and anything else in the live production world, this is where to start.

Want to learn more? Explore our Film and Television degree programs.