Los Angeles Film Conservatory • Winter Intensive
Led by USC Film Production Professor Arman Tahmizyan. Rigorous 4-day immersive production labs on the USC campus, designed to produce competitive short films for top university film admissions.
The Pedagogy — Why No Dialogue?
Modeled after USC's legendary foundational production methodology. By stripping away dialogue, students are forced to master pure cinematic grammar—composition, blocking, lighting, camera movement, and pacing.
“Admissions boards care about one thing: can you tell a story with a camera?”
The Three-Tier Curriculum
4 Days · 8-Hour Daily Structure
Students bring a 2–3 page script. Day 1: script breakdown, visual design, and pre-production. Days 2–3: principal photography on location. Day 4: editing and final export.
Prerequisite: Cinematic Foundations (Level 1)
Elevates directorial control, focusing on multi-angle continuity, complex spatial choreography, and pacing.
Prerequisite: Level 1 & Level 2
The capstone experience for elite students ready to produce a festival-grade, sophisticated short film for university film applications.
Daily Schedule & Intensity
Morning
Theory, film analysis, and the day’s cinematic objectives set by the professor.
Midday
Hands-on staging, shot design, and blocking under direct faculty guidance.
Afternoon
Students take the camera—capturing their sequences with full creative ownership.
Evening
Uncompromising, constructive review sessions that sharpen craft and instinct.
Meet Your Instructor
USC Film Production Professor
Arman Tahmizyan teaches film production at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, bringing frontline industry expertise directly into the lab. His approach is defined by an uncompromising standard of craft—every frame is interrogated, every choice defended.
For more than a decade he has mentored the next generation of filmmakers, guiding students from raw instinct to disciplined visual authorship. Under his direction, students don't just make a film—they learn to think like directors.
USC
School of Cinematic Arts
4 Days
Immersive Production Lab
1:1
Direct Faculty Critique
Application
Admission is selective. Complete the application below and our team will review your submission and cinematic statement personally.