When people think of Hollywood, they often picture actors, red carpets and award shows. But behind every blockbuster film and binge-worthy TV series, there’s an army of professionals shaping the entertainment industry in unexpected ways. CSUN is a launchpad for these careers, offering diverse programs that prepare students for roles outside the spotlight.
Christina Sibul, professor of Cinema and Television Arts (CTVA) and co-director of the CSUN Entertainment Industry Institute, spoke to CSUN Newsroom about how the university serves as a pipeline to Hollywood.
“CSUN’s film and television curriculum offers a rare yet powerful blend of hands-on training with professional oversight, all while being in Hollywood’s back yard,” said Sibul, who also serves as executive director of the CSU Entertainment Alliance. “Our proximity to the industry not only means that our students have access to working professionals — many of them on our faculty — professional shoots and sets, but they’re also in proximity to internships, site visits and industry events. [Those opportunities] help them connect with the industry professionally and provide inspiration to fuel their individual fires.”
She noted Matadors get “a world-class education in the creation of content” for a public university price tag. “Our students can start their careers with significantly less debt than their private film-school counterparts. This allows them to dive deeply into their passions post education, focusing on the work they want to do, rather than looking for the survival job to keep up with their loans,” she said.
Here are 10 CSUN programs that can lead to Hollywood dream jobs:
1. Cinema and Television Arts – The Backbone of Hollywood Production
CSUN’s CTVA program is a direct pipeline to the entertainment industry. Alumna Michelle Mizner ’07 (Cinema and Television Arts) won an Oscar for producing and editing the documentary “20 Days in Mariupol” at the 2024 Academy Awards. Other alumni are film editors, cinematographers, sound designers, producers and so many more professions that keep Hollywood in business.
2. Music Industry Administration – The Business Behind the Beats
Music fuels Hollywood, and CSUN’s Music Industry Administration program teaches students to navigate the business side of how music is used in film and TV. Alumni are music supervisors choosing soundtracks for hit films, label executives signing the next big artist, artist managers and soundtrack coordinators placing music in trailers and commercials. Legendary songwriter Diane Warren ’78 (Music), who has earned 16 Oscar nominations and received an Academy Honorary Award in 2022, is nominated for an Oscar this year for the song “The Journey” from the film “The Six Triple Eight.”
3. Journalism – Crafting the Headlines That Shape Hollywood
Whether it’s red carpet award show reporting, celebrity interviews or entertainment PR, CSUN’s journalism program provides the storytelling skills needed to cover the entertainment industry. Studying journalism can lead to a career where you’re breaking the latest Hollywood news as an entertainment journalist, managing an actor’s media presence as a publicist or producing behind-the-scenes features for major studios.
4. Screenwriting – The Power of Storytelling
Hollywood thrives on great scripts, and CSUN’s Screenwriting program gives students the tools to craft compelling narratives. Alumni are TV writers for hit series, screenwriters on projects for major studios, showrunners creating the next prestige TV series and script analysts shaping blockbuster screenplays.
5. Fashion Design and Merchandising – The Magic of Costumes and Styling
Costume design is an art form, and CSUN’s Fashion Design and Merchandising program trains students for careers in costume design, wardrobe styling and fashion marketing, all of which are vital in film and TV and on the red carpet. Alumni have created stunning period costumes for Oscar-winning films and styled actors for events, magazine covers and award shows like the Academy Awards.
Our students are the ones who make their own success — we provide the tools, the world-class training and the ability to think critically, but it’s their internal fire that makes them succeed – Christina Sibul, professor of Cinema and Television Arts
6. Communication Studies – Mastering the Art of Public Image
Every Hollywood star, studio and streaming platform needs skilled communicators. CSUN’s Communication Studies program sets students up for careers in talent management, media relations and studio communications. CSUN graduates from this program have gone on find careers at major studios, networks and media companies.
7. Entertainment Industry Management – Mastering the Deals That Drive Hollywood
The Oscars celebrate Hollywood’s best, and behind every award-winning film is a team of experts making it happen. CSUN’s Entertainment Industry Management program prepares grads for careers in film production, studio marketing and film distribution. Graduates of this program are prepared for roles such as production managers, development executives, entertainment marketers and content strategists — key players in bringing films from concept to screen.
8. Theatre: Design and Production – Bringing Hollywood Sets to Life
Theatre isn’t just for Broadway. CSUN’s Theatre Design and Production program prepares students for careers as set designers, lighting directors and live-event production designers for programming like the Academy Awards. If you ever have marveled at the production of an awards show or a film set, these are the professionals behind the magic. The skills taught by CSUN’s Theatre program can translate to this type of work.
9. Photography & Video – Capturing Hollywood’s Best Moments
From the red carpet to film stills, CSUN’s Photography and Video concentration in the The Department of Art and Design help students develop skills that lead to careers as unit photographers capturing on-set moments, cinematographers framing iconic shots and digital content creators producing entertainment media campaigns.
10. Public Relations – Managing Stars, Scandals and Studio Reputations
The entertainment industry can be all about perception at times. CSUN’s Journalism/Public Relations program can be a gateway to a career as a publicist managing an actor’s public persona, an entertainment brand manager shaping a studio’s identity or a media consultant producing red carpet moments seen around the world.
“Our students are the ones who make their own success — we provide the tools, the world-class training and the ability to think critically, but it’s their internal fire that makes them succeed,” Sibul said. “That seems to be a hallmark of our remarkable student body — they work hard, and the work they are willing to put in leads to success at the very highest levels.”
Hollywood’s next big success story could start right here at CSUN — why not make it yours?
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