I have been set on getting my undergrad degree in film production until now.

I plan to go to AFI, USC, NYU, or UCLA to get my masters after my undergrad. Everyone says don't do film before masters because it'll get redundant, and it's not what they'll be looking for in applicants.

So I want to focus on cinematography whenever I get to my masters, but would I be safe to major in photography for undergrad..?


Any help or advice is appreciated! Thank you

jedi,
I can't be sure what those schools looks for in applicants, however I will say for your own sake it may be important to explore other subjects. If you know as you say you want to study film in grad school, why not explore some other fields first? I would take photography and film classes during undergrad, but it might make more sense to structure your education so it is complementary to grad school not more of the same. Otherwise, I would just pursue film for undergrad!

Actually, a Photography BA / Cinema Production MA sounds like a very interesting combination. The majority of what you learn in films school isn't about technical craft, but how to work on teams and get a film made. Therefore, a film MA wouldn't necessarily be redundant. That said, I would suggest double majoring in something else that would also be complimentary, like writing or literature or psychology or communications or...you get the point.