On July 6th, The School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California sent out an email informing students that due to the University moving Fall instruction online, there would be no in-person physical production. A number of projects were initially moved from Spring 2020 to Fall 2020, due to the halt of production during March of this year. The School of Cinematic Arts chose to cancel these postponed projects indefinitely this month, including CTPR 310 (Intermediate Production), an essential course in the undergraduate program. 

On July 14, students presented a multitude of solutions to the administration. The administration did not listen to, nor consider, our solutions. The cancellation of CTPR 310 is in blatant disregard of what is communicated to students on cinema.usc.edu.

1. The Discrepancy

• All final spring productions (Project 3’s) have been cancelled without the students’ consideration.
• This violates the current USC Catalogue and cinema.usc.edu as it is stated that “CTPR 310, CTPR 480, CTPR 484 and CTPR 486 cannot be waived or substituted with another course or transfer credit under any circumstances”. When the students committed to USC Cinema, we did so with the understanding that we would produce a CTPR 310 project. We have completed ⅔ of the course, and we have documentation from both the faculty and administration, acknowledging the course’s incompletion.

2. The Issues to Follow Cancellations:

• Undergraduate students lose their final chance at a guaranteed opportunity to direct, write, produce, edit, sound design, or DP a project (as a major requirement) during their time at the School of Cinematic Arts.
• For international students, all of their projects done within USC are integral in their portfolios for their O-1 visa applications. Everything done within USC has a certain gravitas in applying for these visas, and various students’ futures beyond USC, and they lose an important opportunity with cancelling CTPR 310.
• With the cancellation of this project, students lose content for their reels/portfolios. Since students have not completed ⅓ of CTPR 310, they do not have the experience in a range of critical production roles. The application for a senior thesis film (such as CTPR 480) requires the submission of a reel including these projects. The administration has stated that reels do not matter (in school and in the film industry). USC Cinema prides itself on its ability to mirror the industry, with regards to facilities, equipment, procedural methods, and softwares. Students will not have the opportunity to participate in the full application process, which mirrors the experiences alumni face acquiring jobs in the industry. Upon graduation, some of the Spring 2020 CTPR 310 Cohort will graduate with more experience in some aspects, over their academic counterparts. They now compete for work in the industry with this inequity.

3. The Cost

• We have already paid for this course, and without the completion of these final projects, USC has charged students for a service they did not provide. Students spent thousands of dollars to enroll in CTPR 310, but due to their projects’ cancellation some are left with no product of their own vision. 
• Additionally, resources provided by the school can give each project the production value of roughly $6200. Due to socioeconomic reasons, no equipment, where students are residing globally, limited resources, etc. it is difficult for students to make projects with this much production value on their own, hence the reason for coming to USC film school in the first place. Thus, the idea that “We hope you can find another way to make them during your time here at USC or on your own” is easier said than done. 

A possible solution:

Postponing cancelled CTPR 310 productions to 2021 whether that be during spring break, Maymester, Summer or beyond (depending on COVID-19 health guidelines). We are asking for the usual four days of shooting, equipment, instruction, facilities, and production numbers that are standard of CTPR 310. 

We understand that accommodating these projects could affect the scheduling of future classes, but we are ready to work with the administration to whatever lengths necessary to make sure that these films can happen. Creative solutions are no stranger to the film industry, and we refuse to be left behind under the guise of being unable to offer us this opportunity. We are asking for your solidarity. Please sign and share this petition, so that we may not be left behind in our education and dreams.