About the Filmmaking Major
The major in Filmmaking is your chance to turn your ideas, stories, and creativity into something powerful you can see and share. Whether you’re into writing, acting, directing, editing, or shooting videos, filmmaking majors will learn bring stories to life in a way that moves people and makes an impact. You’ll get to collaborate with with a team, use professional gear, and master the tools behind your favorite movies, shows, and viral videos. Plus, you’ll start to see how film shapes culture and changes how we see the world.
Graduates of the Filmmaking program are prepared to work in professional fields within the film industry and media production industries, including narrative and documentary filmmaking, television, advertising, content creation, social advocacy, and more.
If you’ve got a passion for storytelling and want to make your voice heard, filmmaking offers an exciting opportunity to do so—potentially paving the way for a remarkable career.
What You’ll Learn
In the Filmmaking major, students learn directing, screenwriting, cinematography, editing, producing, sound recording and sound design. Classes also provide a foundation of knowledge in the history of film, television, and creative media. You will develop your ability to analyze and evaluate media from diverse perspectives, and learn about ethics, civic responsibility, and accountability in the work you produce.
Concentrations
Filmmaking students are required to choose a concentration in Directing, Post Production, or Screenwriting. Class assignments will encourage creative risk-taking and problem-solving to help students develop their unique voice and personal vision as filmmakers.
Some courses in Filmmaking include:
- FILM 308 Directing the Documentary
- FILM 337 Directing the Fiction Film
- FILM 342 Cinematography
- FILM 391 TV Writers’ Room
- FILM 352-Producing for Film, TV & Online Media
SEE ALL COURSES & DEGREE REQUIREMENTS >
Hands-on/Experiential Learning
Experiential and hands-on learning is at the heart of the filmmaking program, and from your first semester you will build your collaboration skills to effectively work with others as a member or leader of a creative team.
The program aims to provide both comprehensive knowledge and a variety of skills for making films and media content. You will acquire strong abilities in all areas of filmmaking, including screenwriting, cinematography and lighting, editing, film audio, directing both documentaries and narratives, and producing. Collaborating with the Ramapo College Cahill Career Center, you will also participate in an internship for credit to help prepare for your future career.
After completing core filmmaking requirements, you will take intermediate production courses that prepare you for 400-level course Web Series Production and your capstone portfolio Senior Project courses.
Careers & Outcomes
Whether aiming for a career in film, television, digital media, or content creation, the Filmmaking major equips students with versatile skills to influence, inspire, and connect with audiences.
Having a B.A. in Filmmaking enables our graduates to pursue careers as producers, camera operators and cinematographers, editors, writers, and directors as well as hybrid filmmakers and media producers who often combine a number of these skills. The curriculum provides students with the ability to adapt to emerging media and evolving modes of working. With the skills and knowledge gained in the Filmmaking major, graduates of the program are prepared to work in a number of professional fields within the film industry and hold positions as editors, cinematographers, sound designers, screenwriters, directors, assistant directors, producers, and more.
Read more about Careers
Career Paths
Some professions for graduates majoring in Filmmaking include**:
Producers and Directors
Producers and directors make business and creative decisions about, film, television, stage, and other productions. They interpret a writer’s script to entertain, inform, or instruct an audience.
Film and Video Editors and Camera Operators
Film and video editors and camera operators manipulate images that entertain or inform an audience. Camera operators capture a wide range of material for television, movies, and other media. Editors arrange footage shot by camera operators and collaborate with producers and directors to create the final content.
Writers and Authors
Writers and authors develop content for various types of media, including advertisements; blogs; books; magazines; and movie, play, and television scripts.
Photographers
Photographers use their technical expertise, creativity, and composition skills to produce and preserve images that tell a story or record an event.
**United States Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/. Accessed 7/7/2025.
Faculty Spotlight
Kelly Dolak is an Associate Professor of Filmmaking. Her short films have been screened at film festivals both nationally and internationally. Her short, Purse, was showcased on PBS’s Reel New York and screened at more than 10 film festivals. She began her producing career working for the Emmy-award winning show Behind the Screen for five years at AMC and now is an independent documentary film producer. Postcards from Tora Bora is her first feature-length documentary.
Related Programs
Visual Arts Major with a Concentration in Photography
Students are trained to master technical skills required for the commercial, documentary, and fine arts photography world and to develop a vision as a visual artist.
Theater Major with a Concentration in Acting
The Acting concentration at Ramapo is an immersive, challenging and transformative pursuit. In addition, the Acting and Film programs benefit from ever-expanding collaborations, producing award-winning web series and films that are screened both at Ramapo and in festivals.
Theater Major with a Concentration in Theater Studies
As an American Studies major, you’ll examine all aspects of the United States – its prevailing myths and ideals, its growing role in the world, and its communities around class, gender, sexuality, race, and ethnicity.
Beyond the Classroom
Co-Curricular Activities to Enhance Your Learning
How to Apply
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