UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television

UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television The UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television is one of the world’s most prominent academic institutions for entertainment and performing arts education.

The UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television (UCLA TFT) is comprised of two academic departments that include the Department of Film, Television and Digital Media and the Department of Theater that actively work together. No silos. No boundaries. No barriers between theater, film, television, digital media, animation and research. UCLA TFT prepares its students to successfully meet the demands

of a dynamic professional landscape that requires both classic and new knowledge, innovative multidimensional skills and vital real world experiences. The School's distinguished graduate and undergraduate programs include acting, animation, design (costume, lighting, set, sound), directing, cinematography, digital media, musical theater, playwriting, production, and screenwriting, and offers PhD’s in Cinema & Media Studies and Theater and Performance Studies.

🎬 What happens when industry leaders and emerging creators come together? TFT's first-ever Vertical Shorts Industry Pane...
06/03/2026

🎬 What happens when industry leaders and emerging creators come together? TFT's first-ever Vertical Shorts Industry Panel + Student Screening!

In a conversation moderated by Dean Celine Parreñas Shimizu and Real Reel co-founder Celine Zen, panelists from across the vertical storytelling industry shared insights into the future of the rapidly growing genre, the realities of building a creative career in the space, and opportunities for aspiring filmmakers, screenwriters, actors and other creators to get involved. Special thanks to Alex Montalvo (GAMMATIME), John Lewis (MUVPIX), Tommy Harper (VEYOU), Han Choi (VIGLOO), DJ Azul (ReelShort/Alta TV/Narval), Robin Tang (COL Group), actress Eli Jane, and Ashlin Yiu (Shorties Studios) for participating.

The event also featured screenings from three student teams in the inaugural Picture Start initiative, who showcased their original vertical shorts and offered a behind-the-scenes look at the creative and production process during a discussion with Film, Television and Digital Media Professor George Huang.

05/30/2026

Do you want the booth tour? 🎶 ✨ Dozens of talented MFA students from the top design programs in the country set up shop at Design Showcase West in the Freud Playhouse today to display their work in costume, lighting, production, sound, scenic, and projection/media design for members of the industry and the public alike.

Taylor Aragon, an MFA student in the Department of Theater at UCLA TFT, is just one of the many artists on display this weekend. See work from the full list of participating students at designshowcasewest.com

Join the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television for an engaging look at the future of vertical storytelling. This e...
05/21/2026

Join the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television for an engaging look at the future of vertical storytelling. This event features an industry panel on the creative and business dimensions of vertical content, from evolving audience engagement to new storytelling approaches in a mobile-first world and showcases the verticals made by UCLA TFT students as part of the Dean’s PICTURE START initiative, which touches new genres with our signature approach of independence, innovation and impact. Be part of the conversation shaping the next generation of content.

Friday, May 29, 2026
6:30 PM - 10:30 PM
James Bridges Theater
RSVP: tinyurl.com/picstartscreening

6:30 PM
PANEL 1: THE BUSINESS OF VERTICALS
Moderated by Celine Zen, RealReel
Speakers:
ALEX MONTALVO/Co-founder & CCO - GAMMATIME
JOHN LEWIS/Founder - MUVPIX
TOMMY HARPER/Founder & CEO - VEYOU

7:30 PM
PANEL 2: THE CREATIVE OF VERTICALS
Moderated by Dean Celine Shimizu, Dean UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
Speakers:
HAN CHOI - Us Content Lead - VIGLOO
ROBIN TANG - Adviser, Content & Strategy - COL GROUP
DJ AZUL - Writer - DRAMA BOX, REELSHORTS
ASHLIN YU - Head of Development, SHORTIES STUDIOS

8:30 PM
PANEL 3: STUDENT SHOWCASE - VERTICAL PILOTS
Screening of 3 student Vertical pilots with discussion
Moderated by George Huang, UCLA FTVDM

9:30 PM
Reception

[Image description: Person holding a smartphone showing a smiling woman on video call outdoors with a coffee cup in hand. Below the image is text reading Picture Start Verticals Panels & Showcase. Friday, May 29. 6:30-10:30 p.m. James Bridges Theater. RSVP at tinyurl.com/PicStartScreening]

Always a pleasure to kick off a new week with Matcha with the Dean! Students, faculty and staff gathered over sips and s...
05/18/2026

Always a pleasure to kick off a new week with Matcha with the Dean! Students, faculty and staff gathered over sips and snacks to mingle and meet with Dean and Distinguished Professor Celine Parreñas Shimizu. Plus, a special treat - a lesson in ballet by second-year musical theater student Aurora Castaneda-Pearson. What do you think, was TFT on pointe? 🩰

HAPPENING TOMORROW ‼️Matcha with the Dean 🍵Monday, May 18 | 10-11:00 a.m. | Macgowan 1154 (TFT Wellness Center)Enjoy mat...
05/18/2026

HAPPENING TOMORROW ‼️

Matcha with the Dean 🍵
Monday, May 18 | 10-11:00 a.m. | Macgowan 1154 (TFT Wellness Center)

Enjoy matcha and pastries with Dean Celine Parreñas Shimizu!
Swing by, say hi and build community together.

Stick around for a twirl— Dancing with the Dean ballet fun kicks off at 10:45!

Open to all TFT students, faculty and staff.

As technology evolves, what does the future hold for live arts and entertainment?That question took center stage at Frid...
05/13/2026

As technology evolves, what does the future hold for live arts and entertainment?

That question took center stage at Friday’s AI + Live Arts Summit at the UCLA Nimoy Theater, where artists, scholars, and technologists came together to explore what’s next for live performance and why it’s critical to keep artists at the heart of the conversation.

Dean and Distinguished Professor Celine Parreñas Shimizu opened the Summit with a speech on how AI relates to the web of human creativity, the battle between the addictive pleasure of AI and the costs of technology this powerful, and how the torment of study is the one thing that AI can never replace. She asked, is live arts the vaccine to AI?

Additionally, we heard from changemakers like Scarlett Kim, a director and producer working to expand who belongs in the theater, both onstage and in the audience. Innovators like Rashaad Newsome shared how tools like motion capture, curated datasets, and AI can power projects like his own Being: The Digital Griot. Current students shared their perspective, highlighting the discoveries they've made in class and during the UCLA Hackathon held earlier this month. Plus, many more creatives and specialists joined in shaping a future where art can continue to thrive.

Thank you to the presenters, panelists, and guests who made the AI + Live Arts Summit possible. Learn more: bit.ly/tftailive

📣 FYI: AI + Live Arts Summit Lineup Update Due to a scheduling change, will.i.am is no longer able to join us for the op...
05/06/2026

📣 FYI: AI + Live Arts Summit Lineup Update

Due to a scheduling change, will.i.am is no longer able to join us for the opening session. We appreciate his early support and hope to collaborate in the future.

We’re moving forward with a full day of thought-provoking work and conversation at the intersection of AI and live arts on May 8 at the UCLA Nimoy Theater. We’ll be examining the question: are live arts the antidote to AI?

Join us for conversations and presentations with artists and technologists like Kate Elswit (Royal Central School of Speech and Drama), Raza Ahmad (Niantic), Edgar Miramontes (UCLA Center for the Art of Performance), Kate Ladenheim (UCLA World Arts & Cultures/Dance), Michael Rau (Stanford University) and Scarlett Kim (artist/producer). Plus, a live demonstration of Being: The Digital Griot by Rashaad Newsome.

See you there!

RSVP: bit.ly/tftailive

05/06/2026

WELCOME TO THE FLOOR, Dean Celine and CAO Thai Sukrachan! They're recapping all of the great events that TFT is hosting this month. We'll see you there!

For more, visit tft.ucla.edu/events

[Video description: Two people sit in front of a glass coffee table in a blue and white office, referring to their notes and schedules to reference upcoming events as they talk. As they mention each upcoming event, the event flyers and photographs appear on screen.]

04/30/2026

Bruin Giving Day 2026 is a wrap — and we are overwhelmed with gratitude. 💙💛 Thanks to the generosity of our donors, alumni, and community, we received over 170 gifts and raised nearly $42,000. Every gift makes a difference for our students. Thank you for believing in TFT.

What a great privilege to host Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, Chuck Hoskin Jr., on Friday, April 24, for a spec...
04/30/2026

What a great privilege to host Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, Chuck Hoskin Jr., on Friday, April 24, for a special address on education, innovation, and creative expansion in the Cherokee Nation.

Chief Hoskin shared resonant stories of a thriving and vibrant community from Cherokee history and offered updates on the Nation’s efforts to preserve the Cherokee language, invest in Indigenous filmmaking, and expand opportunities for young Cherokee people to thrive, including in healthcare. His remarks and discussion with Dean and Distinguished Professor Celine Parreñas Shimizu underscored the impact of the Cherokee Nation having the power to reinvest in themselves—and the importance of self-determination in shaping a community’s future.

“There are always going to be stories to be told,” Chief Hoskin said. “We can be bystanders. We can watch that happen […] or we can take a hold of it.”

Special thanks to the Cherokee Nation and Cherokee Film Institute for their visit and for all faculty, staff and students from TFT, American Indian Studies Center, the School of Arts and Architecture, the School of Law, and the David Geffen School of Medicine and many others who participated.

[Image descriptions: A public event held in a theater-style auditorium features a presentation and conversation on “Building the Future: Education, Innovation, and Creative Expansion in the Cherokee Nation.” A man in a light blue suit speaks on stage, both at a podium and seated during a moderated discussion. He gestures while answering questions as the moderator, wearing a distinctive tall purple hat and patterned outfit, listens and takes notes. The program includes a large projected slide with the event title and speaker information. In one moment, the two stand together smiling while holding a wooden award plaque. The audience, seated in rows, listens attentively, with one attendee speaking into a microphone during a Q&A portion.]

Address

245 Charles E Young Drive E
Los Angeles, CA
90095

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+13102061357

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The University

Send a message to UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television:

Shortcuts

Share

Category