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SVA BFA Film
FILM MAJORS: Sound

At SVA, sound is an individualized concentration. We are one of the very few undergraduate or graduate schools to specialize in this training.

Sound is an invisible, yet essential, craft—and every year a small number of students discover a love for this crucial dimension of film art. SVA Film offers an individually designed concentration built according to your interests on the foundation of our sound curriculum.

SVA is fortunate to have among its sound faculty Chris Newman, a three-time Academy Award winner for sound, to both teach and advise students in and beyond the basics—production and postproduction sound recording, mixing, booming, sound effects and scoring.

  • You work with professional mixers through practicums, and design independent studies in area of special interest.
  • You record and design your own soundtracks.
  • You have opportunities to intern at some of the best sound companies in the country, including New York’s Gotham Sound.

SVA’s state-of-the-art sound equipment includes everything you need to learn your craft for both practice and filming. Among the choices are multitrack sound design recorders and mixers, professional microphones from Sennheiser, Neumann, and others, as well as radio microphones from Lectro and Sennheiser.

A comprehensive Pro Tools, Foley, ADR and mixing facility is available for all sound postproduction needs.


Everything that follows at SVA is based on what you learn in this foundation year. As well as being introduced to film history and screenwriting skills, right away you'll be given hands-on experience in preproduction, production and post-production through intensive workshop classes. In each of the disciplines, from acting and writing to cinematography and editing, you’ll be required to demonstrate commitment and energy.
required courses:
AHD-1070 Film History and Criticism
CFD-1020 Introduction to Production I
CFD-1025 Introduction to Production II
AHD-1075 Film History: Analysis of Genre

CVD-1080 Introduction to Editing: Final Cut Pro
CVD-1085 Editing II
CFD-1140 Fundamentals of Narrative I
CFD-1145 Fundamentals of Narrative II
HCD-1020 Writing and Literature I
HCD-1025 Writing and Literature II
required courses:
CFD-4940 Film Thesis I
CFD-4945 Film Thesis II