Undergraduate Motion Picture Science (BS)
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Motion Picture Science at NAB
Motion Picture Science Students show off RIT imaging research at the National Association of Broadcasters Show in Las Vegas
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Film Professor wins Academy Award
Motion Picture Science program chair, David Long, wins Oscar for work with Eastman Kodak
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Student Wins SMPTE Wolf Scholarship
Motion Picture Science senior, Alex Pagliaro, wins Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers top student prize
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Virtual Facility Tour
SoFA's new facility includes state-of-the-art classrooms, screening and sound mix rooms all with HD projection and 7.1 surround sound.
Program Overview
The RIT Motion Picture Science program is one of the first of its kind in the nation, providing a science and engineering education in the fundamental imaging technologies used for the motion picture industry. By joining a core curriculum in practical film-making from the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences and image science from the College of Science, this program trains students in the art and science of feature film, television, and animation production. Topics include imaging physics, motion picture engineering, film and digital image capture, film scanning, digital image manipulation, color science, visual effects, and digital and traditional projection. Further, new facilities at RIT provide students hands-on experience with the same equipment being used in major motion picture production today.
The Motion Picture Science BS degree offered by RIT is fairly unique in the undergraduate landscape. It is best described as an engineering degree with an emphasis on filmmaking. Students will spend 2/3 of their time in math, science and technology courses alongside other engineering and science majors on campus. Specifically, Motion Picture Science students benefit from direct access to the RIT Center for Imaging Science, a world-class research and teaching organization focused on imaging physics, imaging systems and astrophysics. For the other 1/3 of the undergraduate experience, Motion Picture Science students take filmmaking classes right alongside BFA students in film and animation. This gives them a chance to practice the art of filmmaking while gaining appreciation for the industry they are training for. It also provides an experience no other engineering major will get.
For students interested in the rigor of a technical degree, but still wanting more opportunity to develop skills in filmmaking, cinematography, sound design, color correction, drawing, 3D animation, and other film crafts, there are at least 7 spots in the 4-year Motion Picture Science course sequence for elective classes above and beyond the already required BFA classes in introductory filmmaking. Many students take advantage of these openings to gain additional experience in the practical application of their creative skills, complementing the technical curriculum.
Upon graduation, Motion Picture Science students will be trained to work across a wide spectrum of the motion picture industry, from research engineering roles at technology providers like Sony, Panasonic, Kodak and others to technical post-production positions such as digital color correction, sound design, visual effects and more. There are also extensive opportunities for internship and co-op while students are still in school. Students have already participated in a wide range of internships at organizations such as Technicolor, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and numerous post-production companies across the country.
