In order to provide a level playing field with equal access to school resources, all major film projects are tightly scheduled. This allows each show within a particular level of production to have the same number of crew members and production days, as well as equal access to all of the equipment and production facilities needed to bring a film to completion.

Additionally, the school pays for all the baseline expenses needed to make a movie, including expendables (such as batteries, tape, gels, and fuel for trucks) and a catering budget for all major live-action productions (since each crew needs to be fed!). On advanced-level projects, the school also provides supplemental budgets to assist with additional expenses related to such things as production design, actor-travel, and music rights.

To maintain this level playing field, students may not alter the assigned parameters of any production. Each student must make their film within the pre-determined constraints of their production. Any student who violates this essential level playing field will be subject to review and possible probation or dismissal from the College without a prior period of probation, in addition to the termination of the project.

Use of outside resources

It is understood that under certain circumstances, a production may require further resources. When this is necessary, the student, under the Assistant Dean’s supervision, may supplement catering, production design, or actor-travel with additional funds. This is permitted so long as it does not exceed the project-level limits as determined by the College.

Students may seek donations of goods and services as a supplement to their budgets. To do so, any donations must be backed with a letter confirming the source of the donations and must be submitted to the production supervisor. Students may not seek donations of items, expendables or equipment provided by the College or any donations that compromise the level playing field concept within the College.

For BFA and MFA capstone projects, students are permitted to run a friends-and-family fundraising campaign as a supplement to their budgets. Each fundraising campaign is a collective enterprise and the money raised is divided equally among all students in the cohort, so as to maintain the level playing field concept. Individual fundraising campaigns are not permitted.