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Brooks Institute

Santa Barbara, United States

Average Rating
★★★★
(12) Write a review

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Film and Video Production
27 East Cota Street
Santa Barbara, California 93101
United States

Tel. +1 805 585-8000
Email. via the contact form
Web. www.brooks.edu/mpvideo.asp

Are foreign students accepted?
Yes

Courses Offered
Diploma (3 Years+), Under Graduate Degree (Bachelors), Graduate Degree (Masters)

Majors/Specialisms
Unknown (add info)

Camera Formats Used
MiniDV, Pro DV (DVCAM/DVCPRO), HDV, HDCAM/HDTV, 16mm, 35mm

Post-Production Systems Used
Final Cut Pro, ProTools

Average Age of Equipment
Less than 2 years


Reviews of Brooks Institute

★★★★★
Dale Angell Faculty Member, 07-May-2009
I know that as a teacher at Brooks, my words here may be seen as nothing more than some plug for the school, and I do love this school, but I just wanted to say a few things about the school and about some of the misunderstandings I find posted on the web regarding Brooks Institute. Brooks is accredited nationally through ACICS. Some grad schools will not accept a degree from nationally accredited schools, and so this may be a stumbling block for students that want to move onto grad school. However, any graduate program is tough to get accepted into, and Brooks students have been admitted to many great grad programs. The faculty will go to bat for any student who has shown us that they can do well in grad school, and this counts heavily with most grad school entrance committees. Brooks was regionally accredited many years ago (Brooks is over 60 years old) but switched to ACICS. Brooks is now on track to return to regional accreditation through WASC and this will help students who do want to go on to grad school. Keep in mind that few students move on to grad school from any undergrad program, and few of them are accepted into a major program. It is a point of great pride for the faculty when one of our students is accepted into one of the well known grad programs, and yes, it happens in spite of regional accreditation. And WASC willing, we will soon be back under their accreditation making the point moot. The cost is high, welcome to film school. But many of the prices I see mentioned on the web are wrong. As of this writing (2009) the cost is just over 4000 per 8 week session, or about 8500 per semester. This is in line with most of the better film schools, and cheeper than many. Get the real facts, Brooks film school is not over charging anyone, film school is just expensive. There was a lawsuit several years ago involving some students who felt the job placement numbers they were told by their admissions reps were wrong and they were misled. For what it's worth the number listed was 98% placement when a more accurate number is more like 75%. (For the most accurate number, call and we will be happy to give you the most resent numbers.) The case has been settled. To read about this on the web you would think people had been murdered. But our bad, and the situation has been fixed as best we could. If you are looking for a good film school, look into Brooks and then decide. We are located in the old San Buenaventura studios in Ventura CA, we have great studios, equipment, and yes, great faculty if I do say so myself.
★★★★★
Flash Current Student, 07-Apr-2008
I'll tell you what. If you want to be inspired by your teachers, learn independent film making, Direct, Shoot, Edit, and be ready to work in the field the moment you graduate, then Brooks is the right school for you. However, if you are not self motivated, rather talk about theory as opposed to getting a real world experience, and you just like to "watch movies" then don't bother. I am getting ready to graduate Brooks in about 5 months, and I've taken advantage of every opportunity that Brooks has to offer. The real world experience that I have received here couldn't have come from any other school. I am an editor, and here I have learned Avid, Final Cut, After Effects, ProTools, as well many others. Simply put, this school is only fit for the passionate, the motivated, and the inspired.
★★★★★
A REAL Brooks Student Former Student, 16-May-2007
Brooks is like most film schools- you get out what you put in. I have good friends that went to NYU and USC and I by far had the most professional knowledge coming out into the world. But again, it's what you make out of it. What's interesting is a LARGE number of graduates from Brooks that I know personally have gone on to Grad School at either AFI, USC or UCLA 3 of the top 5 Grad schools for film in the world! A person saying they couldn't get into grad school with a brooks degree simply means they had a very bad GPA, and nothing more. It is true, to make use of your degree to get into Grad School you have to DO WELL!!! But I think the faculty at Brooks is incredibly helpful and professional and they've helped me get several jobs now - It's still growing and I think it's getting to the point where it will be the best place for a film maker to go.
★★★★★
Jake Former Student, 27-Oct-2006
Robert Rodriguez said it best, the technical job can always be learned, but the creative one is a thought process that a person is born with. That wasn;t necessarily a quote, but he said something along those line. As a creative, I found Brooks to be Heaven. It was a place to both learn tons of creative aesthetics that in turn made it easier for me to explore my creativity with the new tools I've learned. I don't think any other films school education would allow you to have such a hands on experience. I made over 20 films when I was at Brooks. I absolutely loved it. They have probably the most equipment, top facilities including huge soundstages, and a backlot facility. The digital labs we're great for those who didn't own a computer. Overall it is an amazing place to be an artist.
☆☆☆☆
SomeOne who wanted to go there Current Student, 15-Jun-2006
Although the program offered in Brooks is good, However the degree is worth NOTHING, a. the BA is only NATIONALLY accredit. Meaning its NOT accepted in almost any school b. Some schools won't accept you AT ALL if you have a degree/or have been to this school. If you want to continue your education or at least show someone that you have a DEGREE, Then this is not the school for you.
★★★★
Ed Current Student, 08-Feb-2006
Thiis is a very good film school. there are some issues, but its get better and better. Professinaly Its one of the best in the west coat. but expensive.... $26000 a year + assiments =$30000
☆☆☆☆
Unhappy Brooks Student Former Student, 23-Jul-2005
Lies, Lies...and more lies. WARNING: DO NOT listen to the lies and propaganda the representatives of Brooks Institute speak. If a $120,000 unaccredited bachelors degree that CANNOT transfer to any school in the country is what your looking for, call the souless representatives of Brooks who know nothing of the schools correct academic stature. Please do yourself a favor and keep as far away from this sinkhole as possible. The degree I earned is worth nothing, I can't get my master's from anywhere, the degree has no accedited backing. Brooks Institute of Photography Bachelors Degree = $120,000 = a worthless certificate claiming to be a bachelors degree. I can't stress it enough - STAY AWAY FROM BROOKS INSTITUTE OF PHOTOGRAPHY!
★★★★
Brooks Student Current Student, 03-May-2004
I can not say Brooks Institute is excellent, that would be USC. However, I'm very proud to be enrolled in the Motion Picture program at Brooks. In the middle of my first year I have learned an incredible amount of very Technical Filmmaking techniques. The faculty does a great job of challenging students to be original, creative, and innovative. I can recommend this course to anyone highly interested in filmmaking.
★★★★
Rob Former Student, 15-Nov-2003
While Brooks is a good school I would suggest anyone that wants to be a filmmaker (writer/director) to use your time being creative and making films. You can learn shooting on DV. Do all the jobs yourself. This will be your own film school. Now if you want to be a DP maybe Brooks but then again go get a job as a camera P.A. on a movie in Hollywood. Then work your way up. Brooks and most film schools will teach you how to crew on other peoples movies. You can learn that and get paid by starting at the bottom in the industry. If you want to be a filmmaker...make as many film/videos as you can on your own. Just My 2 cents.
★★★★
Mimi Edilby Current Student, 01-Jul-2003
Of course there are many other film schools that some might say are better, but if you look at what each school offers, you will come to realize that Brooks Institute focuses more on the technical aspect(hands on) rather than the mental tactics. Although both elements are key to the film industry, one has to learn how to perform a task before one can premote themselves, and Brooks teaches that very very well.
★★★★
Stinky Non-Academic Staff Member, 04-Jun-2003
I have connections with the school and Brooks offers very good hands on skills that you would need to get a job in the film business. There are alot of film programs out there that are all talk but the student comes out of there not knowing how to work a camera, edit & other technical stuff that you must know as a film maker. The first step in honing your craft as a film maker is to sketch on your canvas and then you can be creative fill the details with your own touch and flair. But you have to learn the technical stuff first.
★★
☆☆☆
Matthew Hladik Former Student, 23-Oct-2002
Although Brooks provides good instruction and equipment, the price does not justify the end result. It seems that Brooks is consistently more concerned with the corporate bottome line rather that the common good of the individual student. Very technical, not very creative program.

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Guide to Film School Ratings

★★★★★

Awesome - this school rocks!

★★★★

Good - worth the effort.

★★★
☆☆

Adequate - you'll learn something useful.

★★
☆☆☆

Poor - but beggars can't be choosers.

☆☆☆☆

Dire - don't waste your time!

☆☆☆☆☆

Unrated - the jury is still out

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