has received a Digital Media Archive Fellowship with People’s Media. Through this fellowship, Tina will archive her 20 years of video footage of the Philadelphia’s ODUNDE Festival.
Film and Television Production | Undergraduate
Our Story
The Howard University Film and Television Production program trains students to study all aspects of the filmmaking process, from development, pre-production and production, through post-production and distribution. In addition to expanding students’ practical skills in scriptwriting, editing, producing, cinematography, documentary film production and directing, our comprehensive program includes coursework that examines the historical and theoretical framework of cinema and television from a global and cultural perspective.
Our course of study culminates in a senior thesis where students may choose to deliver a screenplay/teleplay or produce a short film.
Our Film and Television Production students have earned prestigious awards including the Princess Grace, Paul Robeson Student Awards, and Emmy Awards, in recognition for their outstanding work.
Faculty
Chair: Ingrid Sturgis, M.A., associate professor
Jami Ramberan, M.F.A., associate professor, assistant chair & co-chair Paul Robeson Student Awards
Film and Television Production Sequence Coordinator: Srikanth Nandigama, M.F.A., assistant professor
Montre Missouri, Ph.D., associate professor & founder, Parallel Film Collective
Idit Dvir, M.F.A., associate professor
Tina Morton, M.F.A., associate professor
Vasilios Papaioannu, M.F.A., assistant professor & co-chair, Paul Robeson Student Awards
Shahriar Shafiani, Ph.D., assistant professor & sequence coordinator, MFA Film
Akosua Adoma Owusu, M.F.A., assistant professor & MJF content editor
Maha Haddad, M.F.A., M.A., master lecturer
Shom Shamapande, M.P.A., lecturer
News
Parallel Film Collective Presents HAIR IN THE GATE: THE REBIRTH OF THE COSMIC FEMININE
Wednesday, November 20th | Starting at 6:00PM | The Gathering Spot DC | 1720 I Street NW WDC 20006
Free RSVP: https://bit.ly/HairInTheGate-TheCosmicFeminine
The Gathering Spot DC is proud to partner with the Parallel Film Collective for The Rebirth of the Cosmic Feminine, a powerful event celebrating women and nonbinary filmmakers who explore identity, transformation, and social change through film. Parallel Film Collective, founded by Howard University alumni and students, is a nonprofit championing global stories that defy mainstream limitations on race, gender, and culture. Join us for an inspiring evening featuring three short films, a Q&A with the talented directors, and a DJ mix by Diva. Enjoy passed appetizers and engage with these extraordinary perspectives on the feminine journey.
Student Work
STRUT The Yard: The Documentary directed by Taylor Brooks Sheds Light on Models’ Mental Health
Read More on The Hilltop Watch the film hereHoward Thesis Showcase
was established in 2022 by Payton Mack, Class of 2022, as an annual platform to uplift emerging Black storytellers by premiering their thesis films for fellow students and the wider DMV community. Mack, now a second-year MFA Film & Television Production student at the University of Southern California, recently screened her short film Forsee (2023) at the Oscar-qualifying Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, where it was recognized as one of the 2023 Best of the Fest short films.
Learn moreProgram Highlights
Howard Entertainment
Howard Entertainment, a collaboration between Amazon Studios and Howard University, aims to diversify talent across the entertainment industry. Through this program, students study and train alongside entertainment executives, benefiting from a unique interdisciplinary curriculum combined with hands-on work experience and networking opportunities with industry partners.
Eligible students must be juniors majoring in Music, Art, Theater, Film & TV, or Public Relations, or second-year law students. Admission to the program requires a completed application and an interview process.
Learn moreHoward University Film Organization (HUFO)
The Howard University Film Organization (HUFO), founded in 1989, is open to all undergraduate and MFA Film majors. As a safe and creative, student-led organization, HUFO is dedicated to educating, enlightening, entertaining, and empowering audiences through cinema. Its mission is to support students interested in gaining hands-on experience in various aspects of filmmaking, including acting, directing, cinematography, wardrobe, screenwriting, and producing.
Beyond the classroom, HUFO fosters the development of young Black filmmakers through workshops, lectures, mentorship programs, film productions, and screenings, creating an environment for students to explore and deepen their passion for film.
Our Past EventsThe Paul Robeson Student Awards
The Department of Media, Journalism and Film in the Howard University Cathy Hughes School of Communications in Washington, DC, initiated the Paul Robeson Student Awards during the 1980s.
Through the awards, the Department pays tribute to Paul Robeson (April 9, 1898 - January 23, 1976), a gifted scholar, athlete, and one of the most celebrated artists of his day on the silver screen, theatrical and concert stages and in the recording studio. Robeson's artistry and his commitment to advocating for freedom and positive social change worldwide inspired generations.
The Paul Robeson Student Awards commemorate Robeson’s influence by recognizing outstanding work from Howard students in journalism, audio production, film, and television. In 2015, the Department’s Paul Robeson Student Awards celebrated our Media, Journalism, and Film (MJF) alumnus Bradford Marcel Young, Class of 1999, alongside acclaimed director Ava DuVernay. This recognition celebrated their significant industry achievements and commitment to impactful storytelling, embodying Robeson’s enduring legacy of excellence and representation in media.
Photo: Bradford Young at the 2015 Paul Robeson Student Awards
Learn MoreGuest Speakers & Workshops
Paris-based filmmaker Johanna Makabi
gave a guest lecture to over 30 History of Broadcast & Film students at Howard University. Our students watched 'Black Girl' (1966) and Makabi’s short film ‘Notre mémoire’ or 'Our Memory' (2022) on the life of Mbissine Thérèse Diop, the actress who starred in Ousmane Sembène’s film. A 2024 Villa Albertine resident, Makabi's visit was organized by Assistant Professor Akosua Adoma Owusu.
Makabi recently won the 2024 student prize at the Academy Awards® Qualifying BronzeLens Film Festival for her short film 'Grace' (2022). As part of the BronzeLens Film Festival, she was joined by former HU Faculty and noted director Julie Dash for an engaging panel discussion on Black storytelling across the Diaspora.
Photo: Johanna Makabi speaks with HU Film and Television students
Special Guests of the Film and Television Program
Film and TV Practicum Course
Production Inclusion Project - Mentorship program - Production Assistant 101 workshop
Aqiyla-Kumar Moody, Recruiter-Talent Acquisition – Emerging Talent, Paramount
Mike Wilson, Cinematographer/Gaffer
Directing for Film & TV Course
Nana Mensah, Actress and Film Director of Queen of Glory
Production, Distribution and Exhibition Course
Khalid Jordan, Director of Development, Macro
Errol Sadler, Producer, Supremacy Films
Short form Video Production Course
Jeredon O Conner- Executive Producer/Director, Imaginarium Creative Agency
Breonna Hogan O Conner-Executive Producer, Showrunner, Imaginarium Creative Agency Gum.mp3, recording artist
Faculty Spotlight
Tina Morton, M.F.A.
Akosua Adoma Owusu, M.F.A.
recently participated on the selection committee and was invited by the 6th edition of Sharjah Film Flatform (SFP) in the United Arab Emirates to speak about the work of the late Senegalese filmmaker Safi Faye titled The Cinema of Safi Faye: Colonial Legacies, Exile and (Be)longing. Professor Owusu was in conversation with Yasmine Price, a writer, programmer, and PhD candidate in the departments of African American Studies and Film & Media Studies at Yale University.
Sri Nandigama, M.F.A.
worked as the Chief Lighting Technician (Gaffer) on short film, 'Sin Luces', directed by Dr. Shah Shafiani.
Nandigama also worked as the cinematographer on the short film, 'Hormones for Breakfast' and worked as the Director of Photography on 2 PSAs, Bridging Gaps, Recruiting Africa Americans for Covid Clinical Trials. His short fiction script, 'A Slice of Life', is selected for UFVA 2024 Conference.
Vasilios Papaioannu, M.F.A.
has won the Honorable Mention Award at the Video Art & Experimental Film Festival (VAEFF) for his film Parenthesis, held at the Tribeca Film Center in NYC in November 2023. This marks the 14th award the project has received.
As part of the curated program “Beyond Observation” for Cryptofiction Media, Papaioannu was interviewed by Iranian filmmaker and Syracuse University Professor Soudabeh Moradian about the film.
Photo: 'Parenthesis' film poster
Idit Dvir, M.F.A.
is a screenwriter whose work has made Official Selection at various screenwriting competitions such as the Beverly Hills Film Festival, Cinequest Film Festival, Final Draft’s Big Break, Filmmakers’ International Screenwriting Awards, Austin Film Festival, and the Vail Film Festival.
Our Notable Alumni
Arthur "AJ" Jafa, Class of 1983
is a renowned video artist and cinematographer. His work on Julie Dash's feature film 'Daughters of the Dust' (1991) won "Best Cinematography" at Sundance. He won the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale (2019) for "The White Album".
Malik Hassan Sayeed, Class of 1990
is a cinematographer, producer and director, widely recognized for his work on the 1998 film, 'Belly'. He has won several MTV music video awards for his cinematography work with Beyoncé. Watch his cinematography work in 'Wildcat' (2013) directed by Kahlil Joseph.
Bradford Marcel Young, Class of 1999
is celebrated for his cinematography work on films including 'Selma' and 'A Most Violent Year'. He became the first African American cinematographer to be nominated for an Academy Award for his work on 'Arrival' in 2016. He was also the cinematographer on 'Solo: A Star Wars Story', as well as the Netflix miniseries 'When They See Us'.
Film and Television Production | Undergraduate
Contacts
Program Details
- Degree Classification: Undergraduate
- Program Type: Major
- Length: Four years