Cultivate Your Creativity
At John Paul the Great Catholic University, we believe in the power of beauty to transform culture. We’re shaping the next generation of artists and innovators with academic excellence, unparalleled creativity, and an authentic community centered on Jesus Christ.
You will learn the art of film production, producing, and screenwriting through action. You'll study your art under seasoned Hollywood professionals, who know what it takes to succeed artistically and commercially in the mainstream. The hands-on curriculum reaches its zenith with the Feature Film Program, Senior Projects, and the Los Angeles internship quarter, and you'll graduate with the skills and experience you need to make an impact in the industry.
What makes JPCatholic even more unique is that we combine this outstanding professional education with a liberal arts core curriculum. You'll have the opportunity to dive deeply into a core curriculum that includes a study of Sacred Scripture, Catholic theology, philosophy, literature, art, and music.
Choose Your Emphasis
As a Film student at JPCatholic, you'll have the opportunity starting freshman year to explore many aspects of filmmaking. As you develop your skills and interests, you can choose a specific area of emphasis to specialize your skill set.
General Education
THEOLOGY & PHILOSOPHY
Grow in faith and understanding with a rich sequence of coursework in Scripture, Theology, and Philosophy.
BUSINESS
Prepare yourself for the industry with foundational skills in marketing, management, and entrepreneurial thinking.
HUMANITIES
Study the human condition by actively engaging in an exploration of art, literature, culture, politics, economics, and more
Envision Your Future at JPCatholic
Graduate in 3 Years
Our unique academic model prepares students for the real-world pace of professional life in the industry, with a focus on hands-on projects, internships, and portfolio preparation. The program is structured on a year-round quarter system, and you graduate with your Bachelors Degree in just 12 quarters. Each quarter is 10 weeks long, with about 3 weeks of break between each quarter.
LEARN MORE
Get an Inside Look
Day in the Life on a Feature Film, O, Brawling Love!
Director Case Study: JPCatholic's Class on Christopher Nolan
Prof. Nathan Scoggins: Why do stories impact us? | Crash Course in Storytelling
Why I Left My "Practical" Degree to go to Film School
Nicolas Alayo: Growing with Other Artists | Why We Create
Director's Notebook: Senior Thesis Project “Unspoken”
Shayla Millman: Telling Stories That Impact Lives
Using MoCap to Composite a Robot | Compositing Class
How to Get Christian Themes Greenlit | Impacting Culture Speaker Series
Meet the Faculty
JPCatholic’s professors have a wealth of experience, and many still actively work in the industry.
Chris Riley
Professor of Story
Vernon Mortensen
Professor of Film Producing & Distribution
Paul Rugg
Adjunct Professor of Actomg
George Simon
Professor of Film Production & Chair of Communications Media
Nathan Scoggins
Professor of Film
Tom Dunn
Professor of Film Production
Sheryl Anderson
Visiting Professor of TV Writing
Bill Marsilii
Adjunct Professor of Screenwriting
Shun Lee Fong
Adjunct Professor of Media Law
Steve Barsotti
Adjunct Professor of Sound Design
Ray Siposs
Adjunct Professor of Film and TV Production
Melinda Simon
Adjunct Professor of Post Production
Hear from Alumni & Students
Katerina Gerlach
Class of 2022
“From teachers that were more like mentors to friends that were more like family, JPCatholic provided me the relationships and the education that I needed to thrive in the film industry right out of school. Since graduation six months ago, I’ve worked on TV shows like Criminal Minds and For All Mankind, commercials for clients like Amazon and the Air National Guard, several high-budget short films, and even a sci-fi feature film. Without the hands-on curriculum and the on-set experience that I had in school, I would never have been able to transition into the industry so quickly.”
Mark Westin
Class of 2023
“The film program at JPCatholic is incredible. I’ve had endless opportunities to advance my skill set with practical experience on sets. This has greatly accelerated my learning and understanding of film, as well as helped me build some great friendships with some very talented people. The people here at JPCatholic create such a great atmosphere of Christian values, it’s nice knowing that everyone here is ultimately trying to get to the same place, regardless of major, and they’re more than willing to help you get there.”
Elizabeth DeWitt
Class of 2024
“As a newly graduated high-schooler, I had no idea what film school would be like, but I would never have expected to be presented with the opportunities I have been since coming to JPCatholic. I was immediately welcomed by upperclassmen who have given me jobs on their sets, professors who are willing to set aside whatever they’re doing to have a conversation, and priests who care deeply about each person they interact with. I’ve only been here for one short month, but I am convinced there is truly no other place like JPCatholic. GO PELICANS!”
Adam Buffini
Class of 2023
“Post production has always been fun for me because of the challenge of putting a story together and putting the finishing strokes on a combined effort. I’ve come to find that the people I get to learn from and work with are as inspiring to me as the projects themselves. I think that’s what makes editing special to me.”
Andrew Ricci
Class of 2022
“There are so many different kinds of people you’ll find here at JPCatholic. But even though the people here come from their respective cultures and backgrounds, we all have one thing in common; We hunger to create. And by creating, we grow, not only intellectually, but spiritually too.”
Marylin Muro
Class of 2021
“JPCatholic has opened doors for me that I never thought would be possible, and I truly learned how much I could impact culture through Christ with Film!”
Cian Magner
Class of 2021
“Being able to study filmmaking is a dream come true, and I'm fascinated by every step of the process. The writing, the directing, the set design, the lighting; everything plays a part in the story being communicated, and it's so satisfying to see it all come together in the end. I'm really thankful to be pursuing this career, and especially thankful for all the super talented people I've been fortunate enough to work with and befriend along the way. Being able to tell stories with the people you love - that's what it's all about.”
Katerina Gerlach
Class of 2022
“From teachers that were more like mentors to friends that were more like family, JPCatholic provided me the relationships and the education that I needed to thrive in the film industry right out of school. Since graduation six months ago, I’ve worked on TV shows like Criminal Minds and For All Mankind, commercials for clients like Amazon and the Air National Guard, several high-budget short films, and even a sci-fi feature film. Without the hands-on curriculum and the on-set experience that I had in school, I would never have been able to transition into the industry so quickly.”
Mark Westin
Class of 2023
“The film program at JPCatholic is incredible. I’ve had endless opportunities to advance my skill set with practical experience on sets. This has greatly accelerated my learning and understanding of film, as well as helped me build some great friendships with some very talented people. The people here at JPCatholic create such a great atmosphere of Christian values, it’s nice knowing that everyone here is ultimately trying to get to the same place, regardless of major, and they’re more than willing to help you get there.”
Elizabeth DeWitt
Class of 2024
“As a newly graduated high-schooler, I had no idea what film school would be like, but I would never have expected to be presented with the opportunities I have been since coming to JPCatholic. I was immediately welcomed by upperclassmen who have given me jobs on their sets, professors who are willing to set aside whatever they’re doing to have a conversation, and priests who care deeply about each person they interact with. I’ve only been here for one short month, but I am convinced there is truly no other place like JPCatholic. GO PELICANS!”
Adam Buffini
Class of 2023
“Post production has always been fun for me because of the challenge of putting a story together and putting the finishing strokes on a combined effort. I’ve come to find that the people I get to learn from and work with are as inspiring to me as the projects themselves. I think that’s what makes editing special to me.”
Andrew Ricci
Class of 2022
“There are so many different kinds of people you’ll find here at JPCatholic. But even though the people here come from their respective cultures and backgrounds, we all have one thing in common; We hunger to create. And by creating, we grow, not only intellectually, but spiritually too.”
Marylin Muro
Class of 2021
“JPCatholic has opened doors for me that I never thought would be possible, and I truly learned how much I could impact culture through Christ with Film!”
Cian Magner
Class of 2021
“Being able to study filmmaking is a dream come true, and I'm fascinated by every step of the process. The writing, the directing, the set design, the lighting; everything plays a part in the story being communicated, and it's so satisfying to see it all come together in the end. I'm really thankful to be pursuing this career, and especially thankful for all the super talented people I've been fortunate enough to work with and befriend along the way. Being able to tell stories with the people you love - that's what it's all about.”
Start Learning Now
Story Masters Film Academy is an online education platform founded by screenwriting alumna Tara Stone and two JPCatholic faculty, Prof. Chris Riley and Prof. Nathan Scoggins. Story Masters offers online courses in screenwriting and directing for high school students; JPCatholic has partnered with Story Masters to make these two courses eligible toward transfer credit at JPCatholic.
SEE HOW IT WORKSStart Learning Now
Story Masters Film Academy is an online education platform founded by screenwriting alumna Tara Stone and two JPCatholic faculty, Prof. Chris Riley and Prof. Nathan Scoggins. Story Masters offers online courses in screenwriting and directing for high school students; JPCatholic has partnered with Story Masters to make these two courses eligible toward transfer credit at JPCatholic.
SEE HOW IT WORKSFEATURED PROJECT
Scout: A Star Wars Story
Scout: A Star Wars Story tells the tale of Dax Orrell, a soldier on The Forest Moon of Endor, during Return of the Jedi. Dax wakes up in a daze, unaware of where he is or where his battalion has gone. He radios for assistance but is greeted by ghastly silence, so, he decides to make his way toward the sounds of distant blaster fire. Along this path Dax encounters his hubris, an Imperial Biker Scout, dead-set on stopping Dax in his tracks. The two square off in an epic, gritty, dirt and bark filled conflict, and… well you’re gonna have to wait and see how it ends.
See More Projects