Entertainment Studies Student Productions

Student Productions at UCLA Extension

Student productions are an integral part of the Entertainment Studies program. Learn what will be expected of you as you prepare to produce a short film for class.

Rights and Responsibilities

UCLA Extension does not own the content you make.

As a result, you retain all rights to your intellectual property but you are required to fund your project and provide your own short film production insurance. You are also required to purchase your own, independent short film production insurance to cover all aspects of your film. UCLA exclusively provides the insurance required to secure your FilmLA permit at a student rate. You are still required to secure your own production insurance. Your instructor can clarify the type of insurance that will be necessary for your specific film production.

Filming is allowed on the UCLA campus, but University permission is required, and students are responsible for following all University protocols.

Student Film Production Workflow

Click below to learn the steps for producing a student film within the Entertainment Studies program.

Should you have any questions, please contact the Entertainment Studies office at (310) 825-9064 or entertainmentstudies@uclaextension.edu.

1. Confirm Eligibility

In order to receive a student film production letter, you must be enrolled in a current course that requires a short film to be produced, and be making the film for class, under the supervision of your instructor.

We are not able to provide film letters unless you are making a film under the supervision of an instructor for one of the following classes:

FILMTV X 476.39 - Making Your First Short Film
FILMTV X 476.95 - Directing Workshop I: Composition and Movement
FILMTV X 476.95b - Directing Workshop II: Storytelling
FILMTV X 478.481 - Documentary Filmmaking Workshop
FILMTV X 476.12b - Advanced Filmmaking Workshop: Production and Post-Production

If your class does not appear on the list but you are enrolled in an Entertainment Studies course, a copy of your transcript may assist you in obtaining various student film rates from vendors and the UCLA bookstore. View your options for accessing official and unofficial transcripts.

2. Apply for Student Film Production Letter

The Student Film Production letter can be used to obtain a film permit on or off campus.

If you are enrolled in one of the eligible classes and want to obtain a film letter, please send us an email at entertainmentstudies@uclaextension.edu with your:

Name
Student Identification Number
Project Title
Director’s Name
Names of any Producers

A letter will be provided after the final refund deadline for your course has passed.

Before receiving a letter, you will be asked to fill out a form providing information about your film and sign a Student Filmmaker Code of Conduct, signaling your agreement with the terms and acknowledging the responsibility you have as a student filmmaker representing UCLA Extension to conduct yourself professionally, responsively, and respectfully in your interactions with others and at the locations at which you may be filming, as well as to comply with any COVID-19 safety guidelines required by local public health officials and UCLA.

3. Secure your own Production Insurance

Insurance is mandatory for all student productions.

UCLA Extension provides liability insurance that exclusively covers your FilmLA or on-campus permit application, depending on where you will be filming. This coverage does not constitute the required production insurance.

Production insurance secured by the filmmaker is required and can be found through various insurance brokers.

We do not recommend a specific vendor. This must be obtained for nearly any aspect of film production: equipment rentals and film location permits, etc.

4. Additional Steps if Filming on Campus

As a UCLA Extension student, you are eligible to shoot your film projects on the UCLA campus.

In order to obtain a film permit to shoot on campus, you need to contact the UCLA Events Office.

You will need to provide your Film Letter from our office along with a BruinCard or Driver’s License, Student Film Warrant Form, notated script pages, Location Confirmation Form, complete listing of expected production equipment, and a $105 film permit processing fee. Other location specific fees may apply as well.

Please Note:

Filming is not allowed at the UCLA Extension Metro Centers: Extension Lindbrook Center, Extension Gayley Center, Extension DTLA, Extension Woodland Hills, and any other non-UCLA campus classroom location. Unfortunately, UCLA Extension does not have any available space for auditions, rehearsals, film editing space, or production locations. We also do not provide equipment for use or rent.