CFS HISTORY

In the early 1990s, Red Rocks Community College began offering an Associates degree in Film Production.  Frederic Lahey (current CFS Director) worked under Linda Bowman (current CCA President) to develop a professional training program that included an Avid Certified training center and feature film production that aired on Showtime, Showtime Extreme and The Movie Channel.

By 1998 the program had outgrown the Red Rocks campus so it moved to the Community College of Aurora, Lowry campus – the former Lowry Airforce base - where additional space allowed the program to expand its facilities and course offerings.  The University of Colorado Denver, College of Arts & Media came in as partner offering BFA degrees in three emphasis areas.  Thus, the Colorado Film School was born with Lahey serving as curriculum architect and Director of the joint program.  Graduates of that program are professionally engaged and working in Denver, Los Angeles, New York, and throughout the world.

CFS moved from its initial location at Lowry in building 999 across the street to building 905 as that renovated building became available.  Custom studio space was built with soundproof walls, new electrical power and customized editing labs. When the impressive broadcast production building 965 became available in 2006, the Colorado Film School moved a few hundred yards into its current facilities at 9075 E. Lowry Boulevard while retaining the 3000 square foot production studio in building 905.

A decade later saw the institutions of CCA/CFS and UCD’s CAM moving in different directions as CAM came under new administration.  After extensive discussions an amicable parting of the ways was negotiated that fulfilled the needs of the students of both institutions.

Regis University’s College of Professional Studies and the Community College of Aurora already had a strong working relationship in Bachelor’s completion programs in other discipline areas when negotiations over a BFA program in conjunction with the Colorado Film School began in the summer of 2008.  In January of  2009, the Board of Trustees of Regis University  approved the creation of  BFA programs in Film/Video with emphasis areas in Writing/Directing, Writing/Producing, Cinematography/Videography, Post Production, and Acting for the Screen.  Collaboration agreements over articulated curriculum (90 CCA/CFS credits towards a Regis 129 credit BFA) shared equipment, facilities and faculty for the four year program to be delivered at the Colorado Film School were signed in the spring of 2009 with an effective start date of summer/fall 2009.

In the creation of the Regis BFA, full compliance with NASAD accreditation requirements was built into the curriculum.  (NASAD, or National Association of Schools of Art and Design, is the most widely recognized accrediting body for Film Schools)  As NASAD requires programs to be in operation at least one year before it evaluates a program, NASAD accreditation is planned for the 2010-11 school year.