This isn’t a boring Santa Maria film school classroom. This isn’t an overcrowded college laboratory. This is life. Real Life. YOUR LIFE.

You’ve found the FILM CONNECTION film school in Santa Barbara, CA, the film school that gets you inside an actual Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, or San Luis Obispo film production company as a film student extern, learning directing, producing, editing, camera, screenwriting or general production. One of the smartest ways to break into the film business in this area is to work inside a Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-San Luis Obispo film production company as a film extern.

Don’t spend 10-50 thousand dollars on your film school education; you could spend less by attending film school in a real production company. Learn from the pros; get connected as you get educated. Our film school alternative is a highly efficient and cost-effective way to learn filmmaking.

To APPLY for our Santa Barbara, CA Film School, click here.

Don’t Spend More on your Film Education if You Don’t Have to

Strung along the famous highway US-101 down California’s central coast, the cities of Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and San Luis Obispo offer breathtaking beauty from both coast-lands and nearby mountain areas, making this an ideal region for diverse filming locations. There obviously aren’t as many film schools in the Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-San Luis Obispo area as in Los Angeles (a short drive south), but make no mistake–professional filmmaking is very popular here. The area hosts numerous film festivals, a film commission, and numerous film and TV production companies. The Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-San Luis Obispo area makes an excellent choice for you if you’re considering a career in filmmaking as a film director, film producer, film editor, or cameraman, but prefer the scenic coastline to the mayhem of Los Angeles.

A great many films have been shot in the Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-San Luis Obispo area. Just a few of the better-known titles include The Long Kiss Goodnight, A Walk in the Clouds, Pirates of the Caribbean (2 and 3), G.I. Jane, Forever Young, The Rocketeer, and classic films such as The Graduate and The Spirit of St. Louis. This area also sees plenty of television production activity as well, including episodes of The Bachelor, Monk, Trading Spaces, and many others.

Meet Our Mentors

Adam Weber

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Daniel Lir

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Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs

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Alejandra Huerta

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Daniela Larsen

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Get Real World Film Production Experience in Santa Maria

The prime location of the Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-San Luis Obispo area, combined with the plethora of film and television activities, makes this a great place for both film students and filmmaking professionals.  Check us out and see what FILM CONNECTION can do for your career!

To APPLY click here.

Our Santa Maria Film Industry Mentors Help you Build Real World Connections

Learn the skills you need to take your idea from paper to the big screen.

Real world film education by filmmakers for filmmakers, optimized for today!

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Success stories

Since he started his extern program with Uptone Pictures in Raleigh, NC, Grant Gilbert has been taking…

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Please take the time to read the experiences of one of our own, Korey Hehn of Pineville, OR…

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The Film Connection program provided me with an opportunity to "see it and believe it"!…

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