Lift up our lights to help lift up our students!

Fifty years ago, film studies first found its home at the University of Oregon in Villard Hall, one of the oldest buildings on campus. Though the original film and speech departments were disbanded in the early 1990s, the study of film and media never disappeared. And, in 2010, the disciplines returned as a program and, by 2018, became the Department of Cinema Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. 

Now, half a century after its beginnings, cinema has also returned to Villard Hall following the building’s renovation. It now offers a purpose-built, state-of-the-art home designed to support both critical inquiry and creative practice. A visit today (come see us!) reveals a new screening classroom, a post-production suite, a sound and foley studio, and an 1,100-square-foot soundstage supporting advanced filmmaking, screenwriting, lighting, sound design, and cinematography. 

To fully unlock the potential of these spaces, we need a few final pieces of essential equipment—starting with a scissor lift that will allow students to safely access and light our new 13-foot grid. This single tool dramatically expands what our production courses can offer and directly enriches students’ creative training. 

Your gift—large or small—helps us literally raise the lights and elevate what’s possible for our filmmakers. With your support, we can: 

• Enhance hands-on learning in advanced production courses 

• Give students access to professional-grade tools and techniques 

• Recruit and train the next generation of storytellers 

• Strengthen a program that prepares students to shape the future of film 

Join us today in lifting up our lights—and the work, creativity, and futures of UO’s student filmmakers.