University of Texas at Austin Department of Radio–Television–Film
The Department of Radio–Television–Film at the University of Texas at Austin located in Austin, Texas, is one of the five departments comprising the Moody College of Communication. The department was founded in 1965 and has become one of the nation's premiere film schools, consistently ranking in the top 5 for graduate programs and the top 10 for undergraduate studies. The department has a very selective admissions policy, accepting fewer than 25% of applicants in its undergraduate program, and fewer than 15% of applicants in its graduate programs. The film school offers an undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree in a variety of disciplines, as well as offering the nation's top MFA and Ph.D. level programs at the graduate level. History The pre-history of the film school dates back to 1921, when the University of Texas launched the first experimental radio broadcast in the state of Texas, offering its first degree program in broadcasting in 1939. By the 1960s, the university planned to consolidate all of its communication studies under one roof and in 1965 founded the Moody College of Communication with three departments including Journalism, Public Relations, a newly formed department of Radio–Television–Film. In 1968, the school began construction its new three building home in the northwest corner of the campus, which was completed in 1974. In 2007, the Belo Foundation announced a $15 million donation to build a new communication's facility north of the existing complex, with the official groundbreaking taking place in May 2010. The Texas Student Media building has officially renamed the William Randolph Hearst Building, after a significant donation from the Hearst Corporation. The FCC licensed student television station K29HW-D received an $80,000 digital transmitter retrofit to comply with the mandated digital television transition in 2009. Facilities Opened in 1974, the CMB building holds most of the school's production classes, while the CMA building provides classrooms for most of the school's media studies courses shared with other communications departments. The 8 story CMB Building was formerly the headquarters of Austin City Limits with their 500-seat ACL studio, as well as Austin's PBS station KLRU. The building features 5 professional sound stages with variety of Mole-Richardson lights that can be moved around and connected to the studio lighting grid, and a master light board for dimming. There are also a variety of Mac editing labs with both Avid and Final Cut Pro, as well as Pro Tools and ADR Studios. Enrolled students can check out a variety of equipment including Sony ex-1 and Panasonic HVX digital cameras, bolex and arri 16 mm cameras, production sound equipment, gaffing equipment including HMI and Mole lights, flags, C stands, generators, and dimmers. Graduate students have preferred access to all equipment in addition to exclusive access to Arri Alexa and 35 millimeter Arri film cameras. Curriculum Undergraduate The department offers a single degree to undergraduates: the four-year, full-time Bachelor of Science. Generally, the first two years are spent fulfilling the university core requirements while completing the necessary lower-division courses starting with RTF