New Cinema Studies Facility a “Game-Changer” for Students
Cinema Studies students in the School of Art now have a space to call their own. Following years of work and planning, the department opened a brand-new facility in the basement of Walters Academic Building in fall 2025. The 6-000-square-foot facility, which includes animation labs, editing suites, a green screen room, a color and sound finishing suite, and more, provides students with more space and state-of-the-art equipment and technology for production.
“Our new Cinema Studies facilities are nothing short of transformative for our students and faculty,” said Paul Harrill, professor and Cinema Studies co-chair. “These spaces give students the ability to prepare for professional work in film, video, and animation before graduation. We are already seeing their impact on the elevated quality and professionalism of our student productions.”
While the Cinema Studies major at UT has only existed for about 11 years, students at UT have been taking classes on the subject since the 1980s. Graduates are making their mark in the filmmaking world, working for major franchises like James Cameron’s Avatar and securing competitive internships with places like NFL Films and Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions. Current students have also been gaining recognition for the work they create in the new facility at festivals such as Film Fest Knox.
The new production facilities will allow students to continue to prepare for careers in film, video and animation, said Christopher McNulty, Director of the UT School of Art.
“In the first semester alone, the impact on the work that our students were able to create was enormous and immediately apparent,” McNulty continued. “The new facilities are a game-changer for our students.”
Read more about the history of the Cinema Studies program and the new facility in Walters in The Knox News Sentinel.