How the USC School of Cinematic Arts aims to diversify Hollywood, games and beyond
Ten years of work and millions of dollars in scholarships have pulled in students whose stories may have otherwise gone untold.
May the 4th event brings in more than $1 million for USC Neighborhood Academic Initiative
A cavalcade of Star Wars legends — including Luke Skywalker himself — delighted fans while recognizing the efforts of the university’s signature college prep program.
Colman Domingo joins USC School of Dramatic Arts faculty
The award-winning actor, director, playwright and producer can currently be seen starring alongside Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman in the Netflix film adaption of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
Netflix’s big bet on foreign content and international viewers could change how people see the world
TV and movies are one way that people make sense of the world, USC Annenberg’s Paolo Sigismondi notes — but they can be inaccurate, incomplete or misleading.
Student helps teens build relationships with their grandparents — by documenting them on film
After seeing the distance between kids and their elders in his own Jewish community, Ethan Kurzrock developed the Haggadah Project for L.A. middle schoolers.
Predicting the future of the entertainment industry after COVID
While film productions paused and movie theaters shuttered entirely, streaming services grew by leaps and bounds. USC experts examine what this means for all things entertainment.
Godzilla vs. Kong: A functional morphologist uses science to pick a winner
In the epic battle between the giant reptile and the giant primate, each would have relative biological advantages and disadvantages.
Nomadland and The Queen’s Gambit win USC Libraries Scripter Awards
The prize, in its 33rd year, honors the author and screenwriter of the year’s best adaptation of the printed word into film and episodic television.
How a Hollywood hitmaker-turned-professor brought virtual filmmaking to USC
Gail Katz has produced smash successes like Air Force One and The Perfect Storm. Now, she’s helping students at the USC School of Cinematic Arts embrace a new era of filmmaking.
Finalists named for 33rd annual USC Libraries Scripter Awards
The awards honor the year’s most accomplished film and episodic series adaptations, as well as the works on which they are based.
7 new films that tell the stories of older adults
Caroline Cicero of the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology recommends a crop of recent movies that tackle important topics like caregiving and living with dementia.
A sequel 17 years in the making: How a USC staffer’s side project became the perfect follow-up to his cult hit
Though Patricio Ginelsa only makes films in his spare time, his recent passion project, Lumpia with a Vengeance, is winning awards and charming audiences.
The most significant social impact films of 2020, all streaming at home
This list of 15 movies and shows, compiled by the Media Institute for Social Change at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, highlights the stories that traumatized, moved and inspired us this year.
Popular films aren’t making enough progress toward inclusion, report finds
A new report from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative examined thousands of characters from more than a decade of films and found that women, people of color and the LGBTQ community remain marginalized.
USC grad mixes AI and documentary filmmaking to preserve the past
Imagine a museum where Japanese Americans from World War II live on as virtual avatars. Recent USC graduate Cole Kawana is working on it.
Messages of Hope and Determination in Alum’s Film Miss Juneteenth
Channing Godfrey Peoples MFA ’11 talks about the responsibility borne by Black artists, storytellers and creators today and the power of speaking your truth.
Two USC Annenberg alumni screen their documentaries at Sundance
Dylan Valley and Matt Yoka, who both received master’s degrees in journalism, leapt at the chance to be a part of the iconic film festival.
Women win the night at USC Libraries Scripter Awards
Greta Gerwig’s film Little Women and Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s television series Fleabag were both recognized at the 32nd annual ceremony, as was author Susan Orlean.
USC Libraries name finalists for 32nd annual Scripter Awards
The awards honor the year’s most accomplished film and television adaptations, as well as the works on which they are based.
Making his first film pushed this producer to get his USC Marshall MBA
Sam Mantell spent almost three years producing, editing and selling a documentary about being homeless in Los Angeles. His biggest takeaway? Understanding the business side of entertainment is key.
2018 was a more inclusive year in film, but additional work is needed
A new study from Stacy Smith and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative found more inclusion in film in 2018, including a rise in female leads, but noted that more progress is needed.
Latinos lose out when it comes to Hollywood films
A study from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative finds top films lag far behind the population when it comes to representing Latino characters.
Top Hollywood Blockbusters With Trojan Ties
From Star Wars to The Avengers, USC alumni have created some of the most successful movies in history.
A Tale of Two Oscar-Winning Documentaries Made by Trojans
Short films made by School of Cinematic Arts moviemakers bookend more than 65 years of Academy Awards.