George A. Romero's Filmmaking

George A. Romero’s Filmmaking Program is a 16-month Associate in Specialized Business Degree built around hands-on production. Students direct, shoot, edit, and score original work on a real sound stage, in color suites, and inside an ADR & Foley studio while collaborating with Tom Savini’s SFX students on cross-program productions.

Objective. This sixteen-month program is designed to prepare students with the skills to become filmmakers, producers, editors, gaffers, grips, and directors. They will receive hands on experience with props, wardrobe, and sets. This program will also prepare students in a variety of other facets of filmmaking including marketing and distribution of finished products.

Skills you’ll walk out with.

• Screenwriting & Story: Write, structure, and pitch original screenplays for film.
• Directing & Shot Design: Direct actors and compose cinematic shots on location and set.
• Cinematography: Operate cameras, design lighting, and capture professional footage.
• Sound Design & ADR: Record, edit, and mix production audio in the Foley and ADR studio.
• Video Editing: Cut and sequence footage using industry-standard NLE software.
• Color Grading: Grade and finish projects in DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Premiere.
• Producing & Budgeting: Manage productions from pre- to post-production with real budgets.
• Portfolio Reel: Build a director’s reel and portfolio for industry submissions.

From script to screen in a real studio. DEC filmmaking students don’t study theory in a vacuum; they shoot on a purpose-built sound stage, cut in professional color suites, and record in an ADR & Foley studio. Every project is made to production standards with the same gear used in the industry.

Romero × Savini collaboration. Film alongside Tom Savini’s SFX students, the exact cross-department collaboration you’ll find on any real production.

Inspired by the director who defined independent film. George A. Romero, director of Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and Creepshow, built a filmmaking legacy rooted in independent production and social storytelling. DEC’s program carries that spirit into every course, production, and edit suite.

Learn from instructors with real industry experience. Program Director Robert Tinnell is an award-winning American filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, and graphic novelist; his film Feast of Seven Fishes won the Audience Choice Award for a Narrative Feature at the 2019 Heartland International Film Festival.

A prospective student seeking admission to DEC must be a high school graduate or possess a General Education Development (GED) Diploma or recognized equivalency certificate. All programs require successful completion of the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Examination with a minimum score of 17. DEC admits, trains and refers students without regard to race, religion, age, national origin, sex or handicap. DEC is not authorized to enroll international students. The ASB degree programs also require the “Student Acknowledgement for Online Education,” the “Are You Ready for Online Education?” assessment and an Online Basic Computer Literacy Assessment (minimum score 70%).

Courses in George A. Romero’s Filmmaking Program are generally scheduled in five-hour blocks, Monday through Friday. Times will vary by semester depending on filming opportunities and availability, and/or the location of the filming.

The program includes online and hybrid general education courses. General Education courses can be on-ground, hybrid, or online, depending on the particular course. Hybrid courses consist of 2.5 hours online and 2.5 hours on-ground; the on-ground portion is scheduled as one 2.5-hour block between 8:30 A.M and 7:00 PM. Students are required to submit two (2) academically related activities each week for courses that contain online components.

Classes start three times a year: February, June and October. Upcoming semester starts are February 9, 2027, June 9, 2027 and October 6, 2027.

Cost and fees (Catalog Vol. 69). Tuition is $9,350 per semester ($37,400 for 4 semesters). Program totals: application fee $50, registration fee $100, graduation fee $215, books $1,480, supplies $1,415, equipment $4,460, lab fee $800, technology fee $600 and student support services fee $1,300, for a program total of $47,820.

Per credit. A per credit rate of $560/credit is assessed when a student attends less than 12 credits or more than 17 credits per term. Filmmaking students must purchase a laptop computer, software, tablet and other filmmaking equipment in the first semester for use throughout the program.

Scholarships. The IDEA (Inspiration and Dedication to Excellence Award) Scholarship is worth $9,350 (25% of tuition) for new filmmaking students; private scholarships include the Allegheny Image Factory Scholarship and the George A. Romero Foundation (GARF) Scholarship.

Federal student aid. DEC is approved by the U.S. Department of Education for federal student financial assistance programs including the Federal Pell Grant, FSEOG, Federal Work Study and William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized and Parent PLUS). Complete the FAFSA at studentaid.gov using DEC’s Federal School Code 013957.

Payment. DEC accepts financial aid, agency funding (Veterans, Vocational Rehabilitation, job retraining benefits), cash, check, credit card and online payment at www.dec.edu/pay. Payment schedules are interest-free and do not extend beyond the semester or instructional period.

Veterans. DEC is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education for the training of veterans; eligible students may use the GI Bill® at DEC.

With a strong foundation in both the creative and technical sides of filmmaking, students are prepared to take ideas from concept through post-production.

DEC graduates have worked with well-known studios. Career services and portfolio development help students show their work to leading production companies, streaming platforms, and independent studios, including Allegheny Image Factory, Amazon Prime, Black Stone Pictures, Collins Avenue Entertainment, Lifetime, Netflix, Seraphim Films and Showtime.

Student outcomes. As reported to ACCSC in its 2025 Annual Report (reporting date July 1, 2025; cohort 4/22–3/23): graduation rate 69%, employment rate 71%; licensure is not required for employment in this field.

George A. Romero Film Building. The George A. Romero Film Building is home of the George A. Romero’s Filmmaking Program and is attached to DEC’s Van Keulen Complex. Completely refurbished inside and out, the Film Building houses professional facilities for production and post-production, as well as classrooms and office space. This building contains a large sound stage / staging area with a green screen and is equipped with such items as tripods, dollies, hand and power tools, cameras, camcorders, lighting, and grip equipment. There are editing suites and a mixing room that contain microphone kits, soundtracks, various props, computers, and all necessary software. The building also contains a 50+ seat theater, private study corrals, a make-up and wardrobe department with dressing rooms, and a production office.

Career Services for life. DEC graduates have access to Career Services for life at no cost. The team works with students from the time they begin their program through graduation and after, helping with resumes, portfolios, mock interviews and job search strategies.