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NYU's Los Angeles Program is seeking a local, part-time instructor to teach an undergraduate course focused on the production and filming of short form content using basic smartphone technology. The course will be under the sponsorship of NYU Tisch School of the Arts’ Department of Cinema Studies

The course is expected to be taught in the Spring 2026 semester (January - May) and will take place in the academic center in the Fairfax/La Brea area of Los Angeles.

Course Description

This course will allow students to develop, produce, shoot and edit a short audiovisual film exploring their experience in Los Angeles by utilizing basic smartphone technology.

Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of visual storytelling, history of mobile cinema, pre-production principles, basic filmmaking techniques, and post-production workflows. Through hands-on training and practical exercises, students will be encouraged to explore how technical limitations can augment creative storytelling.

The students are to develop and pitch their projects, incorporating elements of the Los Angeles experience. Elements may include landmarks, transportation, architecture, markets, neighborhoods, beaches, cultural locations and any other aspect unique to Los Angeles. Working in crews, they will begin pre-production on their chosen short format (narrative short, documentary short, music video, filmic essay, branded content) focusing on writing, scheduling, storyboarding, shot listing, etc. The students will then study post-production concepts and techniques to complete their projects, including basic picture and sound editing, sound design, and mobile VFX. The movies will be screened for peer and instructor assessment and discussion.

At the end of the semester, the students will have acquired fundamental skills in video production and post-production, proficiency in visual storytelling and experience in collaborative storytelling. Their movies will not only be a fulfilling exercise but also a testimony about their personal experience in the Film and TV capital of the World, allowing them to express their own idiosyncratic vision of the City of Angels.

About NYU and NYU Los Angeles:

Founded in 1831, New York University is the largest private university in the United States. The University has degree-granting campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai and operates 11 global academic centers and research programs in more than 25 countries. NYU Los Angeles is one of NYU’s 12 study away programs where students can participate to study away while earning credits towards their degree. If you would like to learn more about the program, please visit the NYU Los Angeles program website (https://www.nyu.edu/academics/studying-abroad/upperclassmen-semester-academic-year-study-away/los-angeles-program.html) .

We are seeking candidates with a blend of academic preparation, industry experience, and teaching ability. A terminal degree (MBA, PhD, JD, MPA, MPS, or related) in producing, film, television, or a relevant field is preferred. The ideal candidate will have experience teaching courses on film and television at the undergraduate level within a degree-granting program. Candidates with experience in production companies are strongly preferred.

All applications must be made online through Interfolio at apply.interfolio.com/172048 .

Applications must include (1) a cover letter, (2) an updated CV, (3) list of references, (500 word max, including some of the reading and filmic materials to be covered), and (4) course evaluation summaries (if available).

In the cover letter, please highlight any relevant experience you have in teaching and describe your teaching philosophy.

Since this position will require the instructor to critically evaluate the established syllabus and bring their own unique perspective to the course, candidates are strongly encouraged to arrive at the interview prepared to discuss potential syllabus ideas. Candidates are also welcome to submit sample draft syllabi during the application process.

Consideration for applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Applications will be reviewed jointly by senior NYU LA leadership and colleagues in The Tisch School of the Arts. Terms and conditions will be discussed with the successful applicant.

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NYU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its recruitment and hiring process without regard to age, alienage, caregiver status, childbirth, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, domestic violence victim status, ethnicity, familial status, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, national origin, parental status, partnership status, predisposing genetic characteristics, pregnancy, race, religion, reproductive health decision making, sex, sexual orientation, unemployment status, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis. All interested persons are encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels.

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