USC School of Cinematic Arts News

From Student Projects to Feature Films: SCA Alumna Makes Feature Directorial Debut with Trojan Class

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 08:50:48 PDT

SCA alum Soraya Simi ‘19 reflects on her time at SCA and the realities of directing a feature film right out of college.

2026 Commencement Speeches

Tue, 19 May 2026 12:19:55 PDT

2026 Commencement Speeches: Jason Reitman and Alice Brooks Welcome the Class of 2026

First Look 2026

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 10:37:38 PDT

Surrounded by peers and flash photography, the students who typically work behind the camera stepped into the spotlight for the night and The USC School of Cinematic Arts' 2026 First Look showcase, an annual ceremony recognizing outstanding student films completed in the past year and their filmmakers.

SCA Impact Awards

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 10:47:42 PDT

The SCA Community Impact Council held its annual SCA Impact Awards on May 4, celebrating the work of 30 students who were nominated for outstanding contributions to building community at SCA, with 8 of them taking home division awards.

Trojans Take Center Stage at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 20:54:06 PDT

This year the spotlight shines brightly on Trojan filmmakers at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF), one of the nation’s premier showcases for AAPI cinema, and a standout on the calendar of events for Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month, celebrated in May.

Director Jason Reitman and Cinematographer Alice Brooks to Headline 2026 Commencement

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:32:13 PDT

Jason Reitman, Oscar-nominated director for Juno and Up in the Air will deliver the 2026 USC School of Cinematic Arts commencement address, it was announced today by Dean Elizabeth Daley. Additionally, acclaimed cinematographer Alice Brooks, known for In the Heights and the Wicked franchise will receive the Mary Pickford Alumni Award.

Alum Finds Success Mentoring Young Aspiring Filmmakers Post-Graduation

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 12:07:12 PST

Luke Harris ’22 jumped straight into filmmaking after earning his BFA, partnering with a hometown nonprofit to teach students and turning his early short ManBooBs into a full community production led entirely by teens. That work propelled him to the 2025 Princess Grace Awards Ceremony, where he connected with fellow alum Jon M. Chu ’03 for some timely career advice.

Guardians of Hollywood’s Memory: The Warner Bros. Archives and the Iron Mountain Partnership

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 13:59:36 PST

The Warner Bros. Archives, or WBA, is one of the largest and most comprehensive single-studio archival collections in the world, documenting the inner workings of a Hollywood powerhouse through memos, contracts, publicity stills, scripts, production notes, and even music scores.

Trampoline House by Sichong Xie

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:27:18 PST

In Trampoline House: Memory Drawing Series, Xie transforms a playground into a stage of temporal disintegration. Drawing from children’s games and the rawness of construction site materials, this durational performance for camera video collapses the boundaries between play and labor. A trampoline becomes the platform for a living drawing, where a large chalk piece is layered over original architectural renderings from Xie’s grandfather—blueprints from the 1960s. Every memory is an empty theater—a space that once held meaning, now gradually fading into oblivion. As the durational performance slowly dissolves the chalk drawing, the ephemeral nature of memory takes form in every movement.

SCA Alum Josh Schwartz Establishes Writing Mentorship Program for Writing Students

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 10:52:44 PST

Television visionary and SCA alum Josh Schwartz has established the Josh Schwartz Writing Mentorship Program for students of the John Wells Division of Writing for Screen & Television at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.

Kevin Feige Endows SCA’s Film & Television Production Division

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 12:41:41 PST

The transformational gift from SCA Alumni Kevin Feige ’95 launches fundraising efforts to mark SCA’s much anticipated 100th Anniversary on February 6, 2029.

SCA Alumni Make Magic

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 21:45:21 PST

SCA alumni Amirah Adem ’25 and Biola Olateru-Olagbegi ’25 teamed up for the Coca-Cola Refreshing Films Program and landed a Cinemark commercial.

Turning a Summer at SCA into a Career in Film

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 09:12:37 PST

SCA alumnus Jonah Feingold ’13 discusses how his early experiences at SCA helped launch a career in independent filmmaking.

Professors Martzi Campos & Sean Bouchard Explore New Frontiers in Cosmology

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 12:40:22 PDT

Two SCA Professor Join Team on $4M grant from the John Templeton Foundation

BCA Takes London!

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 11:18:49 PDT

The Business of Cinematic Arts program’s first Maymester took them to one of Europe’s film centers!