Make Movies!
In Shenandoah’s film production program, you’ll gain hands-on experience by making your own films and starring in Shenandoah-produced movies. Students serve as the crew members and cast members— sometimes alongside big-name Hollywood actors — in all of our movies: Santa Girl, GetAWAY, and A Cupid for Christmas.
Shenandoah is one of the very few universities in the nation to co-produce a commercial feature film with a professional production company.
My favorite part of my program is having hands-on experience working with bigger films and creating my own as well. I appreciate the people and the wide range of opportunities to connect and the events in the working world. I feel more confident about entering the real world once I leave SU.”
Kendrick Robinson ’25 | Film Production and Media & Communication
Through our program, you can step onto any film or television set, ready to work. Upon graduation, you can use your skills not only in the film industry, but anywhere visual storytelling is prized.
Our Virginia-based program is truly unique, offering opportunities to learn from industry professionals as feature films are made on campus and the surrounding community, access to student performers in one of the nation’s top conservatories, the filmmaking equipment and resources you need, support for personal film projects, and a location within easy driving distance of several international airports.
Classes
Explore the history of film and filmmaking from a wide variety of perspectives.
All majors complete a core curriculum and a set of elective courses from film criticism, production and related arts and humanities. All students are required to complete a practicum in film production or programming.
Required Courses
- Understanding Visual Communication
- Understanding Movies
- Introduction to Filmmaking
- Media Writing
- Film History, Theory & Criticism
- Film Studies Practicum
Elective Courses
- Images of Women in American Film
- Introduction to Photography
- Crime Films
- Documentary Film
- Literature and Film
- Religion and Film
- Video Journalism
- Documentary Filmmaking
- Special Topics
- Spanish Cinema
- Advanced Filmmaking
- Post-Production Editing
- Latin American Cinema
- Politics in Film
- Gender, Sport, Media and Film
Learning support services are available to all students in every course at Shenandoah. Free peer tutoring with a student who has previously succeeded in the course is available for any course across the university. The Writing Center is available for every stage of the writing process from thesis development to proofreading and bibliography assistance. The Math Enrichment Center is available for math and science assistance. Professors and Academic Advisors across the university also have office hours and open door policies to ensure Shenandoah students succeed academically.
Go behind-the-scenes of the making of 'Santa Girl'
There are no other film-oriented universities who have the deal that we have, in which the school is actually a co-producer and nearly the entire crew is students — with the exception of the producers, the director, the cinematographer and the makeup artist. This was an experience for Shenandoah University’s students like no other in the US!
Students made up a large majority of the cast of Santa Girl — alongside Jennifer Stone, Barry Bostwick, and Devon Werkheiser. There were 62 students involved in the movie’s acting and crewing; and when the actors were not acting, they were crewing.
Meet the Students of Santa Girl
Stream Santa Girl On Netflix
Go Behind the Scenes of Santa Girl with the Cast and Crew
See the Trailer for Santa Girl!
Go behind-the-scenes of the making of 'GetAWAY'
“GetAWAY” stars three Shenandoah instructors and 23 student actors, including former and current students Emma Norville, Danielle Carrozza, Franchesca Contreras, Kyle Mangold and Michael Recchia. Twelve students served on the crew. The movie was filmed during the Fall 2018 semester at various spots on main campus, the Shenandoah River Campus at Cool Spring Battlefield and at Buffalo Gap Retreat in West Virginia.
The students got to participate in an actual production and build practical filmmaking skills. Both the crew and the cast were afforded the unique opportunity to learn how a set runs and got to practice their craft in a way that rarely happens outside the Hollywood system.”
Blayne Weaver | Director-in-Residence for Shenandoah’s film program
Students ran sound and lighting, and performed assistant camera, script supervision and assistant director work, and made up almost all of the cast.
Students in DiFranco’s film production class received academic credit for working on the film, while others took part extracurricularly. All the students received “an actual feature film credit on their resume before even graduating college,” Weaver noted.
Getting distribution for ‘GetAWAY’ is such a huge accomplishment for The Film Studio at Shenandoah, the film department, and the university. This film wasn’t made like ‘Santa Girl,’ with a budget and name-actors from Los Angeles. This film was shot on a super-low budget and stars student actors from the Shenandoah Conservatory. Getting this film a theatrical, DVD, Blu-Ray and digital release is a huge accomplishment that everyone at Shenandoah should be proud of.”
Blayne Weaver | Director-in-Residence for Shenandoah’s film program
Described as a terrifyingly twisting meta-slasher film-within-a film-within-a-film, “GetAWAY” will keep audiences guessing until the end.
See the Trailer for GetAWAY!
Go behind-the-scenes of the making of 'A Cupid for Christmas'
“A Cupid For Christmas,” a romantic holiday comedy, features 20 Shenandoah students, who starred alongside Hollywood actors Richard Kind, Melanie Stone and Ryan Carnes.
Eleven Shenandoah students made up the film’s crew.
“A Cupid For Christmas” was the one of the first full-length feature films to receive approval from the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) to be filmed in Virginia during the COVID-19 pandemic. All crew and actors were tested three times a week for the virus and crew members wore masks at all times.
Career Possibilities
Through our program, you can step onto any film or television set, ready to work. Upon graduation, you can use your skills not only in the film industry, but anywhere visual storytelling is prized.
No other universities are making professional-grade feature films for the actual film market with students. The true-to-life experience being offered is priceless both to the film students and to acting students who may have spent years on stage but are rarely in front of a camera. Not to mention, students also emerge from university with a legitimate film credit to their resume, which is such a help when getting a start in entertainment.”
Blayne Weaver
Career & Professional Development provides a comprehensive range of services and resources to assist Shenandoah students in their career search. Services offered include resume and cover letter building, mock interviews, and professional dining etiquette workshops.
Meet the Faculty
Imagine participating in interesting conversations led by engaging professors who’ve already done what you dream of doing. You’ll be in a small class — the average class size is approximately 12 students — with professors who know your name, care about your success and provide advice as you pursue your academic and career goals.
Meet Paul DiFranco
Join the Honors Program
The Honors Program is a multidisciplinary Honors Program for students who are curious, creative, self-motivated, and eager to engage in their education and community.
Not only do Honors Program students partake in honors courses that emphasize collaboration, service, and communication, but they will also have the opportunity to develop aspects of the program based on their own interests and goals. By participating in the Honors Program you will acquire the tools, knowledge and experiences necessary to make meaningful contributions to your community – whether it be globally, locally, or specific to your life’s work. You will have access to unique courses, exciting experiences and a community of peers and faculty who never stop asking questions and striving for excellence.
Application Information
Shenandoah University works on rolling admissions and accepts applications throughout the year. Applications are reviewed individually and holistically.
Submit your application, review required admission materials, and find our admissions standards.
Minor in this Program
Minor Course Requirements
| Course | Title | Credit Hour |
|---|---|---|
| MCOM 215 | Understanding Movies | 3 |
Select five of the following courses:
| Course | Title | Credit Hour |
|---|---|---|
| WST/FILM 200 | Images of Women in American Film | 3 |
| MCOM 211 | Media Ethics | 3 |
| CJ/FILM 230 | Crime Films | 3 |
| ENG 307 | Literature and Film | 3 |
| REL/FILM 349 | Religion and Film | 3 |
| SPA 400 | Spanish Cinema | 3 |
| SPA 405 | Latin American Cinema | 3 |
| PSCI 407 | Politics and Film | 3 |
| MCOM/FILM 461 | Gender, Sport, Media and Film | 3 |
| FILM 395 | Special Topics in Film | 3 |
| FILM 420 | Practicum in Film Studies | 3 |
Declaring a Minor
Shenandoah students work with their Academic Advisor to declare a minor. Academic Advisors will continue to work with students to ensure that they fulfill all of the requirements to complete the minor.
Incoming students should not indicate their intended minor on their Shenandoah application. Applications are for intended majors only.
Study Abroad
Make studying abroad the highlight of your college experience! Whether you go for a year, a semester, or just a few weeks. You will never forget learning in another culture! The Center for International Programs is here to help you plan your study abroad experience. Start your planning early to ensure the courses you complete abroad count toward your degree and you graduate on time.
Global Experiential Learning (GEL) Program
The Global Experiential Learning (GEL) Program offers Shenandoah students a short-term, faculty-led, study-abroad experience for academic credit. These short-term, credit-bearing, faculty-led programs are offered winter break, spring break, and during summer. If a course is not within your major, it might be used as an elective.
Study Abroad
Shenandoah University is a member of the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP), a global network of 300 universities. This partnership allows students to study for a full semester or year at other member campuses abroad. By working closely with their academic advisors and the study abroad advisor, students can take classes taught in English abroad while receiving Shenandoah credit.
Shenandoah University also maintains direct partnerships with several universities around the world. These relationships allow students from SU to study abroad as exchange students and students from these universities to study at SU. All partner universities offer courses taught in English.
Go behind-the-scenes of Santa Girl!
Santa Girl — a commercial film created on Shenandoah’s campus with 62 students in the cast and crew alongside Jennifer Stone, Barry Bostwick, and Devon Werkheiser — is available on Netflix! Go behind the scenes on the film’s set.
